The Boys School Festival.

them . They must not forget that the State took m charge the boys and the girls of the country , nor that the aged among them who were in need were left unprovided for ; bearing that in mind he trusted they would always give to the Benevolent Institution of the Craft all the consideration it so richly deserved . The girls they

loved , the boys they respected , but for the old people there must always be love and veneration when they thought for a moment that it was to them they owed their presence in the world , and it was them who had laid the foundation of the present success of Freemasonry .

Col . J . Davis Prov . G . M . Surrey proposed the health of the Stewards of the day , and Bro . Edgar Goble D . P . G . M . Hants and Isle of Wight President of the'Board of Stewards replied . Bro . James Stephens P . D . G . D . C . gave the remaining toast —that of the Ladies , which was acknowledged by Commander H . G . Giles , R . N ., Prov . G . Sec . Hants , & c . This concluded the proceedings , which were regarded throughout with the liveliest satisfaction by all who were present .

Prize Day at tho School . THE attendance of Stewards and their friends at the School on Monday was somewhat disappointing , from a numerical point of view , and it is a matter of regret that it should have been so , as there was so much to see and hear likely to please those who have an interest in the work . The experience this year seems to point

to the need for some alteration in the arrangements—perhaps it would be better if the visit to the School was fixed for the clay immediately preceding the Festival , or it may be that the time is not very distant when the completion of the new quarters at Bushey will make it possible to hold the Festival itself under the roof of the Institution , or in a temporary marquee erected on the grounds

of the Charity , and let the inspection of the Schools , distribution of prizes , and gymnastic display form part and parcel of the one day ' s outing . That , we think , would be found to be a very popular arrangement , and would be a Festival indeed , far more convenient than the system we have so long been accustomed to , of dividing

the celebrations over two days , and holding them many miles apart . There may be objections to such a course being adopted every year , but we think they would have to be very great indeed to nullify the many advantages which might accrue from such an arrangement .

Bro . Harry Bevir P . A . G . D . C . Vice President of the Institution and Chairman of its Board of Management occupied the chair at Monday's meeting at Wood Green , and in his introductory remarks made touching reference to the late chief Bro . Richard Eve , whom he designated as a firm friend of the Institution , one who devoted many years of his life to furthering its best interests . He referred

specially to the system lately adopted of retaining some of the more promising pupils beyond the age of fifteen years , and said that some thirty pupils had received this special consideration , while the results achieved had fully justified the course adopted , and which the Committee were so anxious to continue and even greatly extend . It was extremelv difficult to achieve good results when boys were

taken away from school at the age of fifteen , and the policy of the Board of Management would be to try and extend the system lately adopted , of giving special facilities to those boys who showed marked ability . He hoped all who had so generously assisted the Institution would believe that the funds were both wisely and economically spent and that the work was done with every effort to ensure success . Those interested in the matter would find that the

time of the pupils was well divided between work and playrecreations were not neglected , but took their proper place in the routine of the School . Looking back they would find that the School had been for the last ten years under the care of their good friend the headmaster Bro . Hebb , with most satisfactory results . It was gratifying to all to know that the work of the past year had been not only as satisfactory as any of its predecessors , but that

The Boys School Festival.

he might even go a step farther , and say better than ever . The results showed praiseworthy efforts on the part of the headmaster and his assistants , who from early in the morning until late at night were busily engaged in one way or another in the work of the School . The influence of the tutors was such as must be beneficial to the scholars and on that account he felt the Masters one and all

deserved special thanks for the excellent work they were doings Bro . Bevir concluded by specially addressing the boys , urging them to show an abiding interest in all they were able to undertake . In years to come they would learn that knowledge was power , and they would regret they had not been able to learn more in their schooldays . He further urged them to work , not only for themselves , but for the reputation of their school also .

Bro . Rev . H . A . Hebb , M . A ., headmaster of the School then made his annual report . He said it was twelve years since he first appeared before the Craft on such an occasion as the present , and he felt they might congratulate themselves on the very great improvement and advances made by the Institution . With a view of encouraging further emulation and activity among the boys it

had been decided that no pupil should be allowed to take a prize in any subject unless he could show a practical knowledge of shorthand , and the idea had been so well taken up by the lads tnat it was probable the system would be extended to other subjects of a particular yet general character . Their endeavour was to so train the boys that when they went out in life they would prove themselves a credit to their school , their families , and their country .

The prizes were then presented to the successful pupils by Mrs . Beach , who was accompanied by Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . iU . Hants and Isle of Wight , President of the year ' s Festival , and at the conclusion Bro . Bevir ttonnked those two

distinguished visitors for having attended that day . It was always a source of gratification to those who had the management of the Institution to find that the Chairman of the year took an opportunity of paying a visit to the School on prize day . That was not the first occasion on which the Institution had been indebted

to Bro . Beach for advocating its claims . On behalf of all associated with the School he tendered the very best thanks to Mrs . Beach , for having devoted an afternoon to them , and for so kindly consenting to distribute the prizes to the boys . The vote was seconded by Bro . Harry Manfield Past G . Treas . and enthusiastically carried .

Bro . Beach acknowledged the vote . On behalf of Mrs . Beach and for himself he returned sincere thanks for the honour paid them . Mrs . Beach was not quite a tyro in the cause of education , she being " chairman" of one large School Board , a member of another , and manager of two private Schools . It was a great gratification to hear of the progress made by the boys . Really they

nced be under no doubts as to the future of the School , while they could feel that the Institution was jn . an excellent position generally . He was very glad to hear that steps had been taken to continue the work of the School beyond the age of fifteen , as there was great fear that those who had been well taught up to that age might forget much if they had no opportunity of keeping on in the good work .

He felt they could not visit that Hall and look around on the School buildings without a pang of regret in the knowledge that they were so soon to be vacated , and no longer used for the purposes for which they were designed . But he trusted the School mi ght continue to progress as long as it remained in its present quarters , and that in its new homo the benefits it was intended to > confer would be continued and enlarged .

Refreshment was then served , and afterwards the pupils gave an excellent display of physical drill and gymnastics under the direction of the Instructor Sergt . Willmott , whose safe return from the South African campaign was a source of gratification to the many who recognise that he has done much to train and keep " Our Boys " up to the standard of perfection they have certainly arrived at in this particular branch of their studies .

List Stewards And Amounts Collect

List Stewards and Amounts collect

LONDON . LODGE £ s d i Bro . B . W . Levy , F . S . A . 15 15 o 2 ,, Alfred H . Thornton , J . P . 32 n o 4 „ Albert Ellis 19 19 o 5 ,, B . G . Gardner 50 7 o 6 ,, Philip H . Martineau

7 ,, n-dmund A . bmitli 145 19 o 8 ,, W . J . Batho •40 19 o 10 ,, J . E . Evans-Jackson 52 10 o 18 ,, Josiah Gunton 21 o o 19 „ Martin Pulvermann 40 19 o 21 „ George T . S . Gill iS 6 6

26 ,, A . H . Godfrey 15 15 o 2 9 ,, Arnold Muir Wilson 21 o o 30 ,, F . C . Foster 15 15 o 34 ,, Gerald S . Ashby-Darby 50 o o 46 ,, Ambrose M . Hooper 64 11 6 49 , •John Staines Wilton 52 10 o 40 ,, * W . A . Tharo _

49 „ * W . P . Wilton — 49 „ * H . S . Wilton _ 58 ,, C . F . Wahl 213 3 o 58 „ * Thomas C . Tanner — 63 ,, * Ernest J . Reynolds ( see also Lo . 218 3 Middx . and R . A . C . 58 ) _

List Stewards And Amounts Collect

LODGE 73 ,, Alfred Booth 35 14 o 90 ,, A . L . Reynolds 53 11 o 91 ,, W . J . Styles 23 2 o 95 „ J . Birks 32 11 o 134 ,, F . Flower Grimes 3 ^ o o 162 ,, Reginald Burge Shipley 26 5 o 1 ^> S >> J ° ' Woodhouse 3 6 15 o 176 ,, Mihill Slaughter 52 10 o 177 „ T . S . Smith So o o

1 S 0 ,, W . C . Parsons 43 1 o 185 „ D . S . Woolf 67 5 6 192 „ A . Fergusson 333 o o 192 „ * T . Cohu — 192 „ * F . Hughes

—192 ,, * C . Garton — 192 ,, * A . J . Rippin — 192 ,, * J . M . Barclay — 192 „ * W . H . Brough — ' 9 » **"•J . Doody — 192 ,, * D . Jackson — 192 ,, * J . G . Robeson — 193 ,, G . F . Carr 48 6 o

197 ,, His Honour Judge Masterman , D . C . L . ( see also Notts . ) 30 9 o 198 ,, E . A . Fuller ( see also R . A . C , 1706 ) 27 6 o

List Stewards And Amounts Collect

LODGE 205 ,, J . Trenner 28 12 o 213 „ R . P . Tarrant 39 18 o 22 7 » A . J . Thomas 44 2 o 235 „ R . W . Blackwell 15 i o 259 ,, A . D . Hansell - > , n n

26 3 ,, R . M . Minton Senhouse 30 9 o 435- jj G . Paxton no 5 o 700 ,, W . Chambers 105 o o 753 „ T . Cox 70 o o 822 „ T . O . Bclshaw 64 ¦ x 6

823 ,, * H . 1-. Kingdon — 902 ,, G . J . Brown 66 00 917 „ . R . C . Read 39 7 6 1155 „ J . H . Witty 31 10 o 1196 ,, P . H . Davy 26 5 o

1259 ,, C . W . Chandler 52 10 o 12 78 ,, H . J . Leroy 50 13 o 1361 ,, G . W . Kemp 21 00 1364 ,, H . G . Tayler 75 12 o 13 S 1 „ R . B . Hopkins 68 10 o 1381 ,, * T . Davies

13 S 2 ,, J . Faulconbridge 3 6 15 o 1 3 ^> 3 11 T - F - Marson ¦ 184 1 o 1 4 20 ,, G . E . Hayles 45 13 6 * 446 „ J . J . Morse ' 9 6 13 6 1472 „ D . Ross 75 1 6 1507 ,, E . G . Steers 43 11 6