Correspondence.

think Ihera would be only a miserable minority in favour of a proposal which , on the very face of it , is ridiculous and not to be entertained by any who have the true interests of Freemasonry at heart . Yours fraternally , T . W . J .

School Training.

SCHOOL TRAINING .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . D EAR SIR AND BROTHER , —The letter of " AN E MPLOYER OF L ABOUR , " in your last issue , opens up a question which has occupied the attention of the members of the House Committee of the Boys ' School . Speaking for myself , I hive long been of opinion that

something must be done , and that quickly , in the direction of technical education . At present our undivided attention must bo given to establishing our Preparatory School on a firm basis . As soon as that is done , I propose to have a meeting called to discuss the advisability of starting at the School some branches of handicraft , such

as printing and carpenti \ y . We shall have the support , among others , of our Head Master , who is anxions that something shonld bo done for those boys who are not good at books but who are clever with their hands . There is one other point which is well worth the consideration of your renders . Some means are required by which

the connection between tho School and its pupils should bo kept up after the completion of their studies , at any rate , until some employment could be found for them . In the Provinces , with which I am more immediately connected , I have been enabled to effect something

of this kind in a few cases . It requires combined effort , and I think that in tbe Charity Organization Secretaries wo have the best possible assistants we can require . In London some other agencies must be discovered . Hoping that other correspondents will make some suggestions oa these two poiuts ,

I am , yours fraternally , A . F . GODSON , D . P . G . M . Worcester . 3 Pump-conrfc , Temple , E . C . 22 nd July 1885 .

The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

Haymarket . —Salve efc vale . ' How those kindly words of farewell seemed last Monday night to ring above the cheers echoing through the gilded vaults of fche "dear little house in the market . " Great was the triumph and the hononr of this closing scene of the B mcroft management . Tho Princo of Wales , the kind . hearted

lady his wife , who represents for England all that is most gracious in royalty ; their children ; the Princess Helena , Prince Christian , and the representatives of literature , art , and social eminence were assembled ; whilst the still more disinterested yet devoted humbler folk , who came not for fashion ,

but for old love ' s sake , filled every nook and corner . The crowds began to gather at the doors by a little after noon , while the booked , places had been sold months ago . The public came to pay a tribute of acknowledgment for the years during which they have had to thank Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft for the wholesome and

honest delightfulness with which dramatic art has been represented by them . Who of us who has reached middle age does not look back to thoso pleasant nights in little Tottenham-street as of the pleasantest among the pleasant things of our youth . " School , " or " Caste , " or " Ours "—whatever may be their shortcomings—secured

for dramatic art a recognition in high places which it . seemed it had hopelessly lost . Everything touched by Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft gained a grace from their hands ; especially was this due to their thoughtful readiness to ignore their own claims whenever the interests of a play seemed to gain at the hands of any other exponent .

Like constitutional sovereigns the Bancrofts have reigned with the greater glory for their distinguished pt-ers and compeers . They have made the stage , both at the Prince of Wales and the Haymarket , an era in the lives of nearly every contemporary actor and actress of celebrity . Henry Irving , Wilson Barrett , J . L . Toole , and Herman Yezin stand

almost alone outside the gronp . By a most happy inspiration this last night was distinguished by the reassembling of many of the distinguished artists who had at some time or other held commissions in this corps d'elite , and thus scenes from such old successes as " London Assurance , " and " Money" were given . Every part was made

brilliant by a star of the first magnitude—even servants without a line to speak were made eloquent by such exponents as Mr . Clayton and Mrs . John Wood . The happy hundreds who were present will for long years to come tell of tho glory and delight of such a night . The 2 nd and 3 rd Acts of "Masks and Faces" formed a fitting

climax to the scenic festival . The audience might welcome sweet Peg Woffington , and weep for her disappointments and their own coming loss ; they could sympathise with dear old Triplet , and feel in the smiles and tears of this kindly old story a fitting reflex of the pride and pathos of the occasion . Mr . Irving , who had altered the

arrangements at bis theatre in order to be preseut , and to enable Mias Terry and Mr . Terriss to pay their tribute , came before the curtain , when it at length fell for the last time on the Bancroft management , and in his own kind tones spoke the lines written for the

occasion b y Mr . Clement Scott . They wero listened to with the attention befitting such a moment and the speaker , and many were he handkerchiefs furtively brought forth as Mr . Irving ' s resonant ac cents gave the last stanzas :

" Good bye , the enp of sympathy let ' s fill , We'll drink it . deep ' ere sorrow ' s sun be set ; Together you have mounted life ' s long hill , And leave behind no shadow of regret .

The Theatres.

Good bye , old friends ; it shall not be farewell , Love is of Art the birth and after growth ; ' Heaven prosper yon , ' shall be our only knell ; Onr parting ; prayer be this— ' God bless you both !'" We need not say how Mr . Irving was recalled to be thanked for thus

expressing , not only his own feelings as the comrade and brother artist of Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft , but for lending the eloquence of his voice to the feelings of the multitude . Cheers were still resounding in honour of the Lyceum manager when Comedv—fearing the melting mood was gaining- too much

sway—brought on her well-loved votary from King WilHam-streefc . Now the honse overlooked the solemnity of the occasion nnder the radiant humour of Mr . Toole . This gentleman came up , much out of breath , to relate his adventures at the stage door , whose j mifcnr had told him , " No strangers were admitted behind the scenes . "

Mr . Toolo explained he didn ' t want to go " behind the scenes , but " in front of them ; "—could he see Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft ? Tbe reply was , " so many amateurs are always wanting to go on the stage . " Then Mr . Toole told the door-keeper his name , and thafc functionary exclaimed he " had never seen Mr . Toole dressed as a

walking gentleman before . Mr . Toolo told how it was , on the Hay . market stage be had made his very first appearance , at the end of a long bill , at one o ' clock in the morning , thirty years ago . He kept the house in a continuous roar of laughter during his speech , and then , with kindly seriousness concluded bv saying , " We have all bufc

one object to-night—to give the heartiest reception to onr dear old friends Mr . and Mrs . Bancroft . As friends we mean to keep them , and as their friends we , behind the scenes , share most heartily your regret in parn ' ng with a lady and gentleman who have so well and so wisely controlled the stage which they have so long adorned . I do

not know whether an actor and actress who retain so much power and fascination over an audience have earned the right to retire , but our hope is they will occasionally revisit , the glimpses of the footlights , and charm us now and again wi h their delightful acting . " Afc the conclusion of Mr . Toole ' s address the curtain again rose ; it was to

disclose the stage well nigh hidden in flowers ; and loud and long resounded the applause that greeted Mr . Bancroft as he came forward , evidently his trained self-possession sorel y shaken by the emotions of fche hour . He paused , and then gained sufficient command of voice to speak those last words—very graceful , very earnest very modest ,

and well chosen they were ; especially the tender generosity with which he spoke of the aid and the hope , and the courage he had found in the brave heart which had so faithfully stood firm through the cares nnd anxieties of those twenty years' work . " Most of us owe Mrs . Bancroft something , " he continued , " but I most of

all . Ifc is sho that has given to onr work those finishing touches , those last strokes of genius which in all art are so priceless . " Mr . Bancroft gavo ready recognition to the services rendered bv the Press to the best interests of tho stage , and concluded—with his audience standing to do him hononr—amid tho loudest cheers which

hnd yet been beard . Mrs Bancroft came on ; it seemed as though she would utter a few words , but . dear I'olly Eecles found her eyes all dimmed , and for once her voice was ch"ked ; and then the curtain fell once again . Oh friends , —Salve et va ' e ! That kindliest of acting managers , Bro . Bash ford , undertook a

heavy weight , of responsibility over this night ' s work . The playgiera of London literall y kneeling to him and craving " a corner anywhere . " However , he may be said to have achieved miracles—since

miracles were needed to seat a hundred where a score only had been wont to find accommodation . Bro . Bashford is to succeed Mr . Bancroft , and we wish him no better snecess behind the footlights than has marked his labours in front .

Prince S Hall . —A brilliant audience was gathered in the Prince ' s Hall last Saturday , not to enjoy discourse of sweet tnnsic , but to listen to one of the ablest of our war correspondents , as he told tho story of tho " Terrible Soudan . " Mr . Burleigh Bonnet speaks with a clear simplicity , nob so much as an historian or politician , but

from the sympathetic standpoint of the fellow sufferer , the co-worker with those who gallantly and so well upheld the honour of the English name amid the blundering of the Dei majores who sib on our Olympus . Again and again Mr . Bennefc had to pause for the cheers that greeted his record of gallant deeds , and the brave men who

wrought them . With thrilling eloquence he told the story of Abu Klea , when our rifles and the great machine guns alike proved inefficient afc the moment of deadly peril , when our men stood back to back , trusting only to the British courage which can wring honours from defeat . Mr . Benimfc rendered his tribute of praise to tho

bravery of the enemy , especially to tho unfailing respect they paid our dead . Graphic indeed wai the story of tho march through the waterless desert ; bow men and beasts fell fainting and dead in that

fearful drought . We may hope that Mr . Bennefc will ore long repeat his story ; the close , almost , painful interest with which he was followed through his pathetic drama may vvell convince him how warmly he will again bo welcomed to the platform .

We understand that Lord Brooke , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Esaex , will hold his Provincial Grand . Lodge , at Saffron Walden , on Thursday , 13 tli August .

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