The New Commercial Travellers' Schools At Pinner.

The New Commercial Travellers' Schools at Pinner .

IN no business or profession is Freemasonry more largely represented in this country than in that important body the commercial travellers , and it was in keeping with the general fitness of things that the foundation stone of the great extension of the school buildings should have been laid

with Masonic ceremonies . In accordance with the desire of the authorities of the institution , R . W . Bro . Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master for Middlesex , consented to perform the ceremony , which took place on Saturday , June 18 th . A

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large number of ladies and gentlemen attended , and a reception was first held by Mr . T . F . Blackwell , the president of the institution , who was accompanied by Mrs . Blackwell , and Lady Hamilton was also present . A luncheon followed .

Bro . D . R . Harvest , Chairman of the Board of Management , in proposing the toast of "The Visitors , " observed that no reference to the Masonic body would be complete without reference to Masonic secrets . Few persons knew them ; but there was one singular and distinguishing feature

of Freemasonry on which all were well informed , viz ., its charitable organisation . This , he thought , was the finest the world had ever seen and ever would see . It extended in all directions , both in and out of Masonic circles , and in this connection he referred to the Masonic Schools at Bushey ,

which had cost . £ 125 , 000 to build , and which were the finest in the world . The Board had been asked why they had invited the Masonic body to the ceremony of to-day . It was

because they recognised that the Masonic body interested themselves absolutely in works of benevolence wherever they occurred , and the fact of that body being present to-day was ample proof of their goodwill to that institution . This was not a Masonic establishment , but there were many

members of the Board who were Masons , and there was a number of children in the schools whose fathers were Masons . He would couple with this toast the name of Lord George Hamilton , who had devoted his life to the good of the country . It was a privilege to that institution that Lord

George Hamilton should be there to complete and give the finishing touch to this most important building , which they hoped would prove of the greatest advantage to the schools . Lord George Hamilton , in replying , said he was much

flattered in being asked to lay the foundation-stone of the extension of the school buildings ; and after consulting with those from whom he took advice in Masonic matters , it was unanimously decided that Masonic rites should accompany the laying of the stone . They hoped that the extra

ceremonial which might be associated with the laying of the stone might give greater prominence to the institution than it had ever enjoyed before . Mr . Harvest had alluded to the charitable duties and functions of the Masonic body , and expressed , in very warm terms , his high appreciation of that

work . He ( Lord George Hamilton ) could only say that those terms were well deserved . He thought the Masons from their principles did much to cultivate charity , whilst