Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS

To the Editor of the F REEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I havo read , naturally with interest , the letter in your last number with the signature " AN O LD MASONIC BOY . " I pass over the writer ' s comments on the " anonymous circular" and the charges therein contained , and at once proceed to

notice the—to me—astounding complaint there set forth . " They ( the school pupils ) havo been made to feel too heavily tho fact that they are recipients of charity , " & c , & c . Now if there bo one object towards which tho efforts of all—so far as my knowledge extends — associated in the management of tho Institution havo been , and are ,

more anxiously directed than another ifc is to eliminate from the management of tho Institution everything suggestive of " charity . " In my earlier experiences of the School the clothing of the boys was , without doubt , an absolutely charitable garb—buttoned jacket , no vest , corduroy trowsers , glazed top cap , metal buttons with crown in

centre surrounded by title of the Institution . All this on my accession to the Secretaryship I induced the Committee to alter , and to adopt a plain , neat style of dress , which has been gradually improved to the present date , when , as for some years past , thero ia real ly nothing of a distinctive character which can attract attention . Ifc

was formerly the custom to introduce the pupils of the School in procession afc the Anniversary Festivals , following the example of the Sister Institution . This appeared to me abhorrent to all the finer feelings by which a boy of manly or , if preferred , of " gentlemanly " tone , might be considered to be imbued , and my representations

meeting with sympathy , the practice was discontinued many years ago , and this example of ours was , in turn , followed by the Sister Institution , to the great gratification—I venture to think—of all concerned , pupils , staff , committee , and guests . An inspection of the fittings and internal structural finish of the

buildings at Wood Green , and the provision there mado for educational , sanitary , and alimentary purposes , as well as for recreation and repose , would at once dispel even a suggestion of a Charitable Establishment . With a diet table erring only on the side of liberality , a supply of clothing more than customary in quantity , and , it may

perhaps be added , better in quality , carefully organised arrangements for sports of various kinds under the supervision of an able staff of masters who freely and fully participate in them—a cheerfulness of demeanour which is generally a subject of remark by visitors , and I submit we have an answer , and an effective one , to the

statement that "their ( the School pupils ) "title to respect and personal treatment as ( young ) gentlemen has been ignored . " Singularly enough our expenditure is now being criticised and censured with unspariug hand ; the excess complained of—if excess thero be , which I for one contend there is not—being occasioned by the very efforts

in every direction to do away with that which is the prominent subject of complaint by "A N OLD MASONIC BOY . " I shall be glad to receive from him , either direct , or through you , the date—from year to year—of our young friend's sojourn afc Wood Green , which , judging from the style of his letter , could not have proved detrimental

m its effect . With reference to those who afc the present juncture cannot be otherwise regarded than as our detractors , I only wish that they all would be good enough , aud fair enough , to visit the Establishment at

Wood Green , and judge for themselves ou the evidences of waste , extravagance , wanfc of care and supervision— "for such we are charged withal " —as may there present themselves . I forbear from further tresspass upon your space , though nofc for lack of material , and am ,

Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , FREDERICK BINCKES , Secretary . G Freemasons' Hall , W . C . 21 st August 1888 .

To The Editor Of The Freemason's Chronicle.

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE .

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I read the letter of " AN OLD MASONIC Boy , " which appeared in your lasfc isane , with some amount of pride —pride , I may say , of a paternal character , for I looked upou tho letter as though ifc emanated from one of my own children . It is true

I have probably had very little to do with tho briuging-up of this old Masonic pupil , but on the other hand the mite I havo been enabled to subscribe to the Institution may have been expended on hh tuition ; in any case I am proud that so gratifying a communication

should be penned by ono who received his education afc our School , audi think ifc might well be regarded aa a testimonial of the way in which the work is performed afc the Institution . This pupil , afc least , musfc have been properly educated or ho would nofc havo been able to write as he has done .

From the opening remarks of your correspondent I feel convinced he could givo the subscribers valuable assistance in tho work of inquiry on which they have started , and it is to be hoped ho will come forward afc the proper time and maka public what ; ho knows ;

but neither he nor those who listen to him must forget that his experience is that of years gone by , and perhap 3 the Committee and supporters of the Institution have long since known of tho evils at which ho hints , and probably they aro now removed . Be this a . 3 it

To The Editor Of The Freemason's Chronicle.

may , there is little doubt but that his suggestion to examine a few of the old scholars is a good one , and ouo likely to lead to more practical results than the examination of a far larger number of outsiders . The remarks of " AN OLD MASONIC BOY " iu regard to tho " general tone of the School " deserve serious and early attention , and this

they will doubtlods receive at tho bauds of those interested in the management . Some time back I had a few years' oxpsrieuco of a public school , which , if not similar to that of tho Itoyal Masonic Institution for Boys , at least resembles it in many respects . I will not say ifc is impossible to conduct such an establishment on the basis

that all the pupils are young gentlemen , whose word is their bond , and who scorn the very action of doing wrong , but I do urge that it is nearly impossible to do so . Whatever may be said by those who think differently , I am of opiuiou that in such a mixed assembly as is gathered together afc Wood Green . severe measures must

occasionally ba resorted to in order to maintain tho requisite amount of discipline , and the principal reason for this is that tho pupils are of too tender au age to properly appreciate tho slender , yet strict dictates of honour . It is all very well to point to the Univorsitios and say that the pupils are there governed by being looked upou as

gentlemen , aud that the greatest disgrace that can befall one of their number is to forfeit the right to that designation , bub they are all grown up , and are supposed to have been trained to regard honour as priceless ; but is ifc fair to mako similar remarks or comparisons in regard to lad 3 of from eight to sixteen years of age ?

I for one should like to hear further from your correspondent as to the means he suggests of bringing about the improvement he refers to , and I feel sure you will acoord the spaoe necessary in order to further ventilate the subjeob . Yours fraternally , G . W . W . Liverpool , 23 rd August 1888 .

One Of Dr. George Oliver's Mistakes.

ONE OF DR . GEORGE OLIVER'S MISTAKES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —During my recent visit to London , I called on my old friend Bro . Gardiner , afc Mr . Baker ' s well-known

optical establishment in Holborn . He kindly presented me with a book containing several Masonic sermons and addresses , one of which , by Dr . Oliver , 1841 , is prefaced with a History of tho Witham Lodge , No . 347 , "holden in the City of Lincoln . " The author

says : — " The Witham Lodge , like every other local community , has undergone its fluctuations . It has seen much of prosperity and somewhat of adversity ; but under whatever unfavourable circumstances ifc may for a brief period have been placed , ifc has rallied and

resumed its dignified station as the Mother Lodge of the Province . A cloud has occasionally passed over ifc , and thrown it into shade , but ; it was only to render the succeeding sunshine more bright , and fco confer renewed brilliaucy on its career . The precise date of its establishment is not known ; but the oldest Minute Book contained

in the archives of the Lodge commences with ofch December 1732 ; and as ifc begins abruptly with the simple minute 3 of an adjourned Lodge , without any detail of tho ceremonial of Dedication or the nomination of Officers , it is evident that the record is but a continuation of a former Book , whioh is unfortunately lo 3 fc . Indeed ,

the first entry contains a decisive proof of this fact . " Doc . ye Fifth 1732 . Afc a Lodge held this day , at the place aforesaid , there were present , " & c . Furthor on the author says :

"The concluding entry , 27 fch September 1742 , evidently proves that the meetings of the Lodge did nofc cease with that date ; but the minutes of no future Lodge can be found until many years afterwards . "

A Provincial Lodge was established in this county in the year 1792 . , . . About this time we find the Witham Lodge again in existence , and for many successive year 3 ifc progressively increased in numbers and respectability . " I confess that I naturally doubt Dr . Oliver ' s writings . Here ,

however , my suspicion arose from comparing the number of " Peace and Harmony Lodge , "—for a copy of the Memorial of ifc 3150 th Anniversary Celebration I am indebted to your favour , —with the No . of tho said Witham Lodge ; thus , while the former was constituted in 1738 as No . 172 , and in 1888 it ranks as No . 60 , the

Lincoln Lodgo of prior to 1732 was in 1841 No . 347 . However , the Lodge lists furnished by Brothers Hughan , Gould and Lane enable me to solve the riddle . Briefly then , the Lodgo afc the Saracen Head at Lincoln was dated 7 th September 1730 . Its first number on tho register was 73 ; in 1755 it was No . 38 , and in 1760

it was erased ; aud that was the end of the 1730 Lodge . The Witham Lodge afc Lincoln was nob chartered before 23 rd September 1793 . Its tirsfc number waa 550 , and after several changes ifc was in 1832 made No . 347 , and it continued so in 1841 . Ifc seems , however , that ; tho Record Book from 1732 fco 1742 of the Saracen Head Lodgo

of 1730 found its way into the archives of tho Witham Lodgo of 1793 ; hence , Dr . Oliver "put this and that together " ( a 3 ifc were ) , aud transformed the two Lincoln Lodges into one aud the same Lodge ; and so persuaded his readers that tho Witham of 1793 was the Mother Lodge of the Province . Fraternally yours ,

JACOD NORTON . Boston , U . S ., Sfch August 1888 .

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S-U ^ iEHiiiS properly carried out and personally attended , in London and Country , by Bro . G . A . HUTTOIST , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand , W . O . Monuments erected . Valuations made .