The Boys School Festival.

gratifying announcement that His Majesty the King had consented to be the Patron of their Institution , a position filled by Her late Majesty for very many years previous to her death . The next toast was that of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn , K . G ., Most Worshipful Grand Master , President of the Institution . The Chairman said members of the Craft might

esteem themselves very fortunate , on the retirement of their late Grand Master , in having so distinguished a Mason ready to fill his place as the Duke of Connaught . From what His Royal Highness had clone in the past they were justified in expressing satisfaction at his acceptance of the exalted Office , and they might even hope the Duke would do more for the Order in the future in

his new position . He had ruled over the Province of Sussex for a number of years to the satisfaction of everyone , and the benefit of his rule was manifest in the high position that county had achieved in the Craft . They had also seen him at Masonic work on other occasions , notably when he laid the foundation stone of the new buildings for the Boys School , at Bushey , and could rest content

that he would faithfully discharge the duties of the Grand Mastership . The third toast the Chairman submitted was another which he felt sure would be received with pleasure , being the health of Her Majesty Queen Alexandra , T . R . H . the Duke and Duchess of York , and the other members of the Royal Family . From the moment of the advent of Queen Alexandra in this country she had

won our hearts , and the hope of the nation was that she might be long spared to enjoy her new distinction . The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York were now engaged on a by no means unimportant mission , and there was little doubt but that they would succeed in winning the hearts of the colonials during their travels . They were doing their utmost to uphold the honour of their country ; let us hope they might return in good health .

Now came the toast of the Pro G . M ., the Deputy and the rest of the Grand Officers present and past . The Chairman considered that Lord Amherst had done a great deal for Freemasonry . He was very nearly the oldest Provincial Grand Master in point of service , but he was not nearly the oldest Mason among them .

He had a special interest—a paternal interest—in Lord Amherst , inasmuch as he had the pleasure of initiating him into the Craft many years ago . He was particularly glad—as he was sure they all were—as seeing so many Grand Officers rallying around him on that occasion , as it showed they took a great interest in the Charitable work of the Craft .

Viscount Templetown S . G . W . replied . He considered it a very great honour to be called upon on that auspicious occasion to respond to the toast of the Grand Officers . He was glad to think that Lord Amherst was his nearest neighbour in the country , and that he was in the position to know that he carried out the principles of the Craft , not only in his Masonic associations , but also in his private life . As Senior Grand Warden of England , on

behalf of all its Grand Officers , and also as holding the similar Office in the Grand Lodge of Ireland , he tendered the Chairman and the Institution sincere congratulations on the fact that His Majesty the King had consented to become Patron of the Institution . He was pleased , as one who had known the Chairman for many years , to support him on this occasion , and hoped they might soon have to congratulate him on the result of his presidency .

The Chairman next rose to propose the toast in honour of the object for which they were met that evening—success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . Theirs was an old Institution , founded in 1798 , when six boys were admitted to its benefits . In iSop , when the Jubilee of George III . ' s accession to the throne was celebrated , they marked the event by increasing tne number of

pupils to fifty . In 1 S 32 His Majesty William IV . consented to become Patron of the Institution , and then for the first time the prefix Royal was added to its title . In 1841 they had seventy boys on the foundation , and in 184 S—when the Jubilee of its establishment was celebrated—increased activity was displayed . Up to that time it had really been supported by the contributions of

London Brethren , but since then the number of its supporters had extended , until to-day it was maintained by Masons generally throughout the country . They had now 295 boys being provided for by the Institution , and the Brethren would readily recognise this could not be done without great exertion and combined effort . Of late years great improvements had taken place , not only in

the Institution itself , but also in the curriculum , and the advantages of this were amply demonstrated by the results which had been achieved . An excellent system had recently been propagated , namely , an arrangement bv which promising boys might be retained beyond the age limit of fifteen years , for further education . This benefit had already been given to sixty-five of the pupils ,

and the result was most satisfactory . In regard to the general work of the School Bro . Beach felt they had every reason to congratulate themselves on the results achieved . The different examinations in which the- boys had taken part proved they were being well cared for ; and as the result of his personal visit to the School , he felt the boys were themselves conscious of this , and were doing their best to avail themselves of the advantages provided tor

tnem . He was personally very pleased indeed to see the way in which the boys acquitted themselves on the occasion of lVis visit to the School on Monday , and he hoped , with the increased support given by the Crnft to the Institution , that it might go on and prosper . Let them hope that in the future , when they moved into tne new quarters being provided for the School , that it might be possible to do even more than was now being done . The toast was most heartily received . Bro . Keyser Treasurer of the Institution replied . He felt he had a very easy task in responding to the toast so lucidly brought ;

The Boys School Festival.

before them by the Chairman that day , as Bro . Beach had mentioned every item it was his duty as Treasurer of the Institution to refer to . The thanks of the Craft were due to Bro . Beach and Mrs . Beach , for having attended there that day , and also for going to Wood Green as they did the previous Monday , for the purpose of presenting tne prizes to the successful pupils of the

Institution . It was a matter of great satisfaction to the members of the Board of Management of the Institution that they were able to secure nic services of such an eminent Brother as their Chairman that day to preside over their annual Festival , and he hoped when the announcement came to be made that the result of his presidency would be eminently satisfactory to Bro . Beach , and

gratifying to the entire English Craft . From having started with six boys they now had nearly three hundred on their books and they confidently appealed to the members of the Order to provide the funds necessary to maintain the Institution . They had decided to move to more commodious quarters , and under the banner of the late Grand Master , his present Majesty the King , they had

succeeded in getting together . £ 142 , 000 to enable them to make the enlargement ; but beyond that they had succeeded in disposing of the old Institution and land at Wood Green for a sum which was considered most satisfactory . They could not expect as much that day as the sister Institutions had received during the current year , after the handsome total subscribed in connection with the great

event of the Centenary of the Institution , but he felt they would receive sufficient to make them indebted to the Stewards , to the President of the day , and to the Brethren of his Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in particular . They had reasonable hope of getting the , £ 15 , 000 that was required to carry on the work for the year . Speaking as Treasurer of the Institution he

believed that everything was being done for the School which it was possible to do at the present time , and that everything that could be desired was being taken in hand . He felt the thanks of all interested in the Festival were due to their Right Worshipful Chairman , and to all the Ladies and Brethren who had come down to support them on the occasion .

Bro . J . M . McLeod then announced the subscriptions . He said 553 Stewards had worked for the Festival , among them being thirty-three ladies . London was represented by 249 Stewards , the English Provinces by 294 , and Foreign Stations by 10 . Twentytwo of the London Stewards had lists of / too and upwards , the

premier list of the metropolis being that of Bro . Tom Fraser , who , as representative of the Eccentric Lodge , had collected £ 3 68 4 s . All but three of the Provinces were representel on the occasion , the number of Stewards , and the totals announced from each being given in detail in other parts of this issue .

The sum contributed by Hampshire and the Isle of Wight—^ 4 , 000—was a record from that Province , and included the money subscribed by its members for the purpose of acquiring a perpetual presentation for the School , the same to be called the Beach Presentation , as a compliment to the popular chief of the county and as a recognition of his kindness in presiding on this occasion . The totals of the day were : London , 249 Stewards , , £ 9 , 150 ; Provinces

and Foreign Stations , 304 Stewards , . £ 13 , 870 ; giving an aggregate of , £ 23 , 020 from the 553 Stewards . This was not exactl y a record amount , but it was the largest but one of the totals realised in connection with an ordinary Festival of the Institution . Only once before had it been exceeded , in 1801 , when Earl Lathom was in the chair , and £ 29 , 000 was announced . The total of the day ' s returns was certainly a good second .

Bro . Rev . H . R . Cooper-Smith , D . D ., P . G . Chap , proposed the next toast . He considered it was one that came very appropriate after the result they had just heard announced , and it required no eloquence on his part to ensure its hearty reception , as it was the toast of the Chairman of the dav . They in Hampshire knew what Bro . Beach had done , not only in the Province of Freemasonry ,

but also in the Parliament of the country . The outcome of his more than thirty years rule was shown in the result announced that day . He was a member of the Lodge in which their esteemed Brother was initiated—the Apollo University—and knew much of his private work in the Craft . This was not the first occasion on

which he had presided at a Festival on behalf of the Charities of the Craft ; when he presided before the total realised was a record for the time , and the result on the present occasion was almost equally as satisfactory . They all trusted Bro . Beach might live for many more years to give his services to Freemasonry and to his countrv as he had done for so long in the past .

Bro . Beach was accorded the heartiest reception , musical honours being given . In reply to the greetings he tendered to all sincere thanks for the way in which they had received the toast . It had afforded him the greatest pleasure to preside on the occasion , and to be supported so splendidly . He was particularly grateful to the members of his own Province . It was indeed gratifying for

a Chairman to hear such announcements as had been made that day , and he was personally pleased to see the Institution so well supported . He remembered acting as a Steward on its behalf within a year of his initiation , and he had never ceased to take a lively interest in it . He indeed feel grateful that he had been received so heartily as he had been on this occasion .

Bro . Harry Bevir Chairman of the Board of Management proposed the other Masonic Charities and success to them , and Bro . Terry replied . The result of that dav ' s Festival had raised the total of the year ' s returns to upwards of , £ 75 . 000 . Could

anything be better , when they looked at the total , than to think that this vast amount was collected among themselves ? They did not appeal to the outside world , but raised the money out of their own pockets . Not only so , but he firmly believed the members of the Craft would continue to do sp as long as it was required , of