Homes For Little Boys.

HOMES FOR LITTLE BOYS .

ONE of the most interesting ceremonies of these later years is arranged to take place to-day ( Saturday ) at the pleasant little hamlet of Swanley , near Farningham , Kent . We allude to the laying of the first stone of the new Homes for Little Boys , in which his Eoyal Highness

the Grand Master has graciously consented to play the leading part . The Prince will be received by the Earl of Aberdeen , Chairman of the Committee , Mr . W . H .

Willans , Treasurer , and the Stewards , on behalf of the Institution , and , Masonically , by Viscount Holmesdale , Prov . G . Master , and the Grand Officers and brethren of the Province of Kent . The escort will consist of a detachment of

the West Kent Yeomanry Cavalry , under the command of Colonel Fitzroy Maclean . A brief description of the ceremony as arranged may not be out of place . The Earl of Aberdeen having explained the objects and plans of the

Home , and requested His Royal Highness to lay the stone , an address will be presented by the Prov . G . Lodge of Kent . In due course , the Prince having signified his pleasure , will be conducted to the site where the stone is to be laid , and will address those present in the following terms : —

"Be it known unto yon , that we , being lawful Masons , true and faithful to the laws of our country , although not ourselves operative Masons , have from time immemorial been associated with the erection of buildings raised for the benefit of mankind , and the glory of the Great Architect of the Universe . We have amongst us secrets

concealed from those who are not Masons , but they are lawful and honourable , and are not opposed to the laws of God or man . They were intrusted to Masons in ancient times , and have been faithfully transmitted to us , and it is our duty to convey them down to our

posterity . We are met here in the presence of you all , to erect a Home for those left Orphans , which I pray that God may prosper as it seem good to Him . And as the first duty of Masons in every undertaking is to invoke His blessing , I call on you to join the Provincial Grand Chaplain in an address to the Throne of Grace . "

A prayer will follow , and the stone will be laid after the usual custom among Masons , after which the architect will be presented , and , having submitted his plans for inspection , will be desired to proceed to the completion of the work . Her Royal Highness will next receive purses in aid of the

Home , and the prizes having been distributed to the youthful recipients , the Prince and Princess will take their departure , and the proceedings will be brought to a close . The Bands of the Eoyal Horse Guards and the Home will contribute much to the pleasure of the meeting .

Having briefly set forth the ceremony which will be observed , let us give attention to the object and principles of the Institution . As to tbe object , it is that most charitable one of feeding , clothing , educating , and training to

industrial work , homeless and destitute little boys , as well as those in danger of falling into crime , whether orphans oi" not , -who are disqualified by poverty or other circumstances , for admission into Orphan Asylums or other ¦ institutions . Candidates for admission mnst be under ten

years of age . As regards the principles on which the Institution is conducted , in the first place , the basis is Sc nptnral , but unsectarian . In the next , the Committee must always consist of members of various Protestant denominations ; and lastly , without introducing any

Cate-^ niana , the children are to be educated in the fear of God an « a knowled ge of the Holy Scriptures . tuning to the Institution and the work it has done , we

Homes For Little Boys.

may state that it was established at Tottenham in March 1864 , but two years had barely elapsed before the premises rented by the Committee were full , the number of the occupants being ninety , while the number of urgent cases pressing for admission was considerable . Under these

circumstances , the Committee resolved on proceeding with their good work , and having purchased the freehold site on which the existing premises stand , Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales was invited , and accepted the invitation , to lav the foundation of those promises . This

happened in 1866 , and now , the need for extension having arisen , our M . W . Grand Master will , as already described , proceed this day to lay the first stone of additional Homes , so that the requirements of the necessitous may be more amply met .

The Seventeenth Annual Report shows more clearly the class of children that are received into the Homes , and the nature and extent of the work that is being done . Of the last fifty boys received , six had been deserted by their fathers , three by both father and motber , the •fathers of

four were in prison , and those of five others were hopeless drunkards , sixteen were fatherless , seven parentless , and six had never known their fathers , In respect of the work done , it appears from the Report , of Her Majesty ' s Inspector of Schools , who examined the inmates , that " of 228

boys presented for individual examination as having made the requisite attendances , 219 passed in Reading , 198 in Writing , and 127 in Arithmetic , being equal to 90 per cent , in the whole school . " The Industrial Departments of the Home are " necessarily varied , " we are told , " and are also

greatly regulated by tho requirements of the Institution . The growth of vegetables for home consumption ; the making of bread for all the boys ; the making and mending of their Clothes and Boots ; the Carpenters' work aud the builders' -work—these seem essential ; while to do all the

painting for the Home seems scarcely less so . These , therefore , with Upholstering and the Engineers' work form the main Industrial occupations ; to which must be added such domestic duties as fall to the lot of those who are selected House Boys . " Tho number thus employed is about

onehalf of the total inmates , full particulars being given in the Report . Then as to numbers ; there were in the Home , at the close of the previous year , 308 Boys , 'the total with the

forty-six received during the year being 354 . Of these fifty-one left , 32 being placed in situations , 9 returned to friends ; 4 entered Regimental Bands , 4 went abroad , 1 was sent to the Union , and 1 to College .

It should be added that each of the Homes is placed in charge of a man and his wife , who are to all intents and purposes tbe father and mother of the family of children entrusted to their charge . Consequently , the title of the

Institution is something more than nominal , and it supplies what the poor little inmates have never had the opportunity of knowing . This , with the other advantages offered , make the Institution a real blessino * to tbe class for which it is

intended . The financial arrangements seem to be admirable , economy being the order of the day . For the moral control we have a guarantee , not only in the worthy officials , who loyally carry out the intentions of the Committee ,

but also in the strength of the Committee , which includes among its Vice-Presidents such philanthropical gentlemen as Earl Cairns , Bro . the Earl of Shaftesbury , Sir Stafford Northcote , M . P . ; Bro . Abel Smith , M . P . ; Mr . Samuel Morley , M . P . ; Lord Enfield , Sir Charles H . Mills , M . P .