Royal. Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL . MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The 75 th anniversary festival of this Institution was celebrated on Wednesday evening at the Freemasons' Tavern . The chairman of the day was His Grace the Duke of St . Albans , Provincial Grand

Master of Lincolnshire , who was supported on his right by the Right Hon . Lord Leigh , Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire , and on his left by Col . F . Burdett , Provincial Grand Master of

Middlesex . There were also present a great number of Grand Officers and of Provincial Grand Officers . The brethren who attended from Provincial and London Lodges numbered about

300 , and many ladies also graced the festival with their presence . It had been announced that an endeavour would be made to wipe off the debt of £ 6 , 000 hanging over the school , and it will be seen

from the list of subscriptions announced below that the stewards' lists more than justified the desire entertained . But it must be remembered that brethren should

not relax their exertions to obtain subscriptions because the current year ' s expenses ; which are very large to maintain 120 boys , have to be met , in addition to the clcarine

of the debt . The dinner was admirably served by Bro . Francatelli , and a . general opinion was expressed that the improvement in this particular was a marked one . When the

repast had been freely partaken of , grace Avas sung by the vocalists engaged , and the speeches in honour of the many Masonic notabilities who are never forgotten on these occasions , were delivered . In giving the first toast , "The Ouccn , "

The Chairman said : We had it on the high authority of the representative of the United States last August that our Queen is looked upon on both sides of the Atlantic as the embodiment in her example of all those virtues which make our homes dear .

I would only say that in any assembly of Englishmen the toast at this time will be welcome , but in an assembly of Masons the toast of their Queen , the daughter of a Mason , the mother of a Mason , in our

Royal brother the Prince of Wales ( hear , hear ) , the mother-in-law of a Mason , in our illustrious brother , Frederick , Prince of Prussia , would be equally well received , but she has this further claim on this occasion

to our respect , our loyalty , and our devotion , that she has , ever since her reign commenced , been the ardent patroness and supporter of tin ' s Institution . Under these circumstances , I can scarcely suppose any

further words will be required from me to make you receive with that enthusiasm which I believe thoroughly in all parts of this city pervades the community , her name . Love and loyalty towards the

throne would always make it acceptable , and believing that that sentiment fills your breasts , I give you " The Health of Her Majesty the Queen , the Patroness of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . " ( Cheers . )

The toast having been drunk , was followed by the rendering by the vocalists of the National Anthem .

The Chairman : It is my privilege to give you now the toast of " The Most Worshipful the Grand Master , the President of the Institution , Lord Ripon . " I

believe that everyone in this room must regret his absence from among us to-night . I greatly regret it myself , and I believe you all regret it , the more from . the know-

Royal. Masonic Institution For Boys.

ledge of the cause of it—the illness , and the unhappy accident that led to it , of his only son , in the South of France . I feel that I am expressing the feeling of every brother in this room when I say that

throughout the Masonic Craft in England there has gone forth but one voice , and that a voice of deep sympathy with our popular Grand Master , in the sad distress

which has come upon him at this very critical time . Brethren , I give you "The Health of our Most Worshipful Grand Master , Lord Ripon , President of this Institution . "

The Chairman : I have now to give you "The Health of the Earl of Zetland , " who was so long our Most Worshipful Grand Master , and who did such admirable service

in the past . I have at the same time to propose to you "The Health of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Past Grand Master . " I feel that this toast requires no words from me to render it acceptable to this assemblage .

The toast was drunk with the usual loyal enthusiasm .

Bro . F . A . Philbrick—My Lord Duke , my lords , and brethren , I have the honour to ask this assemblage to drink " The Health of our Right Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon , and

the rest of the Grand Officers , present and past . " In the Earl of Carnarvon we have a Deputy under our Most Worshipful Grand Master of whom the Craft is justly

proud ; and in the Grand Officers who have graced this festival with their presence we have a number of brethren whose support and countenance are of the utmost value to

our Institution . To sec brethren in those distinguished positions rallying round one of the great charities of our order—a charity which everyone who bears the name of Mason may be justly proud , is an

advancement of the charity itself and an example to all who hold any position among us . And , therefore , my lord , I venture to propose that which I am sure

this assemblage will accept with enthusiasm — "The Health of the Right Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master , the Provincial Grand Masters , and the rest of the Grand Officers . "

Col . Burdett : My Lord Duke and brethren , I assure you I feel under peculiar difficulties in attempting to respond to the toast which has just been so ably given by our Brother Philbrick , and so kindly

responded to by every brother of the order now present . I feel that I am attempting to respond to a toast which comprises an immense body , comprehending all those who influence the great Craft of which we

are so proud to be members . I have , first of all , to return you my very sincere thanks for tlie Earl of Carnarvon , for tlie warmth with which his health has been received . We all , I know , regret that he has

not been able to be with us , but we do not forget him , although he is absent . Wc know that though he is absent his heart is with us , and I believe that all the Grand Officers under his control , and those who

are associated with him , arc equally with us in heart . We all are associated together in the firm desire to do our duty , and whether we are present or absent , we always have the same wish to benefit the

Craft . You are all aware of the duties the Grand Officers have to perform , whether on these occasions , in Grand Lodge , or in the provinces over which they preside . I

believe they arc all appreciated , and they feel very much indeed the kind feelings that are exhibited towards them by all the brethren . In their name , therefore , and in

Royal. Masonic Institution For Boys.

my own , I return you their warmest thanks . Bro . F . Binckes then came forward and said , my Lord Duke , there are two prizes which are annually presented at this festival . I need hardly add that the great mass of the

prizes are presented at the Institution itself on the Sth of July ; but there are two particular prizes which are always presented at our anniversary festival by the chairman , one is the silver medal awarded by the

Institution to that boy who has manifested the greatest amount of good conduct , and the other prize given by our most worthy and revered Bro . Edward Cox , called the Canonbury Prize , given to the boy who is

elected by the unbiassed votes of his schoolfellows . I think those two prizes speak for themselves . I will not occupy your time in expatiating upon them . I shall , therefore , content myself by merely introducing the

two recipients to your Grace , William L . Crampton , the recipient of the Institution ' s silver medal for good conduct , and Frederick Cottmann the recipient of the Canonbury medal . I can no longer regard those two

youths as inmates of the school because they have just left us , having made their first successful attempt towards their future progress in life . ( Cheers . ) The Chairman then presented the prizes to the two recipients .

Bro . J . W . Luft , Steward for the Province of Devon , said , it is immensely gratifyingto me to sec a boy belonging to my province the successful competitor for one of these prizes . I had the pleasure to use very great

exertions to get him into the school , and as he has so honoured my province I shall be most pleased to present him with a guinea . ( Cheers . ) The Chairman : Brethren , when I look at the list of illustrious brethren who have

previously filled this chair , I can scarcely feel otherwise than nervous in approaching the toast of the evening . I may say that I am almost unknown to London Masonry . —( No , no , )—though perhaps only as

presiding over a distant province . Yet I would ask you to regard not the man , but the manner of my words , to look to what we all have at heart , the prosperity and the future success of the Royal Masonic

Institution for Boys . ( Hear , hear . ) Ladies and brethren , I am afraid I must detain you a certain time , as I think it is good for the Institution to place before you certain , what may seem dry , statistics ; but I promise

you I shall be as short as I can , to enable you afterwards more to enjoy the most excellent music which the Stewards of this evening are providing for us . Brethren , it was 1798 that this spark was first lighted

which has since illuminated the Masonic world . In the first instance , in 1798 , it had twenty-five boys who were clothed and educated by our brethren . It was at the jubilee in the reign of George the Third , this

number was increased to fifty . By gradual progress to 1851 there were seventy boys ; and I may here observe that up to 1855 these boys were educated in schools adjacent to the homes of their parents . All the

expensesof theireducation wen ; defrayed by the Brotherhood ; but there was no Masonic Boys'School at th . it time . In the same year , 1855 , a house was purchased at Wood Green , and in 1856 the first experiment

was made of giving a local home for the Masonic Boys' School . ( Hear , hear . ) At that time twenty-five boys were admitted , which left forty-five boys still to be educated

under the former principle—namely , that they received the money payment , and not the education . This experiment proved so successful and the encouragement was so great that the existing building was com-