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MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION For Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons . Grand Patron and President : His ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES , K . G . & c , M . W . G . M . Treasurer :: —JOHN A . FARNFIELD , Esq . Bankers : —LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK ( Bloomsbury Branch ) , 214 High Holborn , London , W . O . Upwards of 1672 Annuitants have received the benefits of the Institution since its foundation in 1842 and 1849 . 207 men and 248 widows are Annuitants at the present time . 30 widows , in addition , are receiving half their late husband's annuity . Amount paid Annually in Annuities £ 16 , 684 124 CANDIDATES FOR NEXT ELECTION . Only 18 vacancies . THE ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL Will be held at the FREEMASONS' TAVERN , LONDON , W . O ., ON TUESDAY , 27 TH FEBRUARY 1900 , Under the distinguished Presidency of The Right Honourable LORDADDINGTON, R . W . Prov . G . Master for Buckinghamshire . Brethren are earnestly solicited to accept the Stewardship upop this most important occasion , and to kindly forward their names as soon as possible , with full particulars , to JAMES TERRY ( Pat ., P . G . Swd . B . ) , Secretary , by whom the same will be gladly received , and who will thankfully acknowledge same . Office—4 Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C .

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THE BUNCH OF CRAPES , Lime Street , Leadenhall MarKet , E . C . Excellent accommodation for- Lodges of Instruction . Handsome Dining Rooms , fitted -with electric light , where Dinners , Lunches and Suppers are served a la carte , also Private Dinners by arrangement . All Wines , Spirits , Cigars , & c , of the best quality . ' MM The Confidence Lodge of Instruction meets at this establishment every Wednesday evening , at 7 * 30 . Bro . C . J . GOOVEARTS , Manager .

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LiL - IM p flL _ U B _ Ji 'JJ B CJL-B-iM B iF * S ^^ i fTJJLl ¦ >_ mjM _ M lg 3 I . U ¦ lit a^^^^^^^^a. SATUEDAY , 3 RD FEBEUAEY 1900 .

The English Education Exhibition And ''Our Boys.''

THE ENGLISH EDUCATION EXHIBITION AND ''OUR BOYS . ''

ON the 5 th ult ., our Grand Master H . E . H .. the Prince of Wales opened an English Education Exhibition at the Imperial Institute . Among the bodies asked to exhibit was the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys . The Exhibition had its origin in the desire of the Royal Commission for the Paris Exhibition of 1900 that English education

should be properly represented in the educational section of the coming Paris Exhibition . It was decided that the best way of securing this -was to organise a preliminary exhibition in London , from the exhibits at which a selection might be made to be sent to Paris , and we gather that some of the exhibits of the Boys School are among those selected to go .

The exhibition in London aimed at giving as complete a view as possible of the work of education in England . The spaces allotted to the various bodies invited to take part were so grouped that the exhibits of Institutions doing work of a similar character

were to be found m close proximity to one another , e . g ., the Universities , Public Schools , Girls Schools , Elementary Schools , Technical Boards . Among the Public School-exhibits was that of the Boyal Masonic Institution for Boys . The invitation to the School came somewhat late , but in the

The English Education Exhibition And ''Our Boys.''

few weeks given an attempt was made to show as clearly as possible the nature of the work done by it in all its aspects . On a table was a book containing the laws , & c , of the Institution , and its history from the foundation in 1798 . A large framed diagram showing the internal organisation of the School at the

present day was a prominent feature on the allotted wall-space . On this diagram were to be seen details of each form , such as the number of boys in it , their average age , and the programme of work for the term in the various subjects taken . It is generally agreed that a large school , especially a boarding school , should be

divided up into separate houses , of not more than fifty boys each . With larger numbers than this boys , as it were , feel lost , and the evils of barrack life , so universally condemned , become apparent . Perhaps the gravest disadvantage of the present buildings , happily to be remedied at Bushey , is the absence of adequate provision

for such separation . In the Main Building about two hundred boys live together . It might be seen from the diagram that an attempt has been made to obviate , as far as bricks and mortar will allow , this disadvantage by dividing up the senior boys into divisions called " houses , " containing each thirty-five boys , under the charge of a house master .

Under the heading " Monitorial System" the same diagram shows that the elder bovs have a share allotted to them in

the discipline of the School . It will be pretty generally agreed that the Prefectorial system has excellent results in the development of character and self-reliance . The time-tables of three representative forms , coloured to show the number of hours allotted to each subject , were hung in another frame close by .

On the table lay three portfolios containing marked and annotated examination papers , selected from those done by boys in the same three forms , in the examination conducted by the Cambridge University Schools Examination Board last autumn .

These papers were selected , not with a view to showing the best work done , but to show the sort of questions asked , the system of marking adopted , and the kind of notes and corrections inserted by those who marked the papers .

Of two albums one contained an account of the Athletic Life of the School , the second an account of other out-of-school occupations . In the former , by the Chairman of . the Games Committee , we read how cricket , football , & c , are organised ; how the services of the cricket professional are utilised , and under what conditions the inter-house competitions in cricket , football , fives

and hockey ( for the three former of which silver challenge cups have been given ) are conducted . Gymnastics form part of the regular School course in every form . Mention is made , too , of cross-country runs , athletic sports , and swimming . It will be seen that , despite the fact that the extent of the playing fields at Wood Green is inadequate for the present needs of the School , yet its athletic life is in a flourishing condition .

In the second album we get an account , by the President of the Natural History Society , of the work in the carpentry , printing and bookbinding shops , of the " Masonian " ( School Magazine ) , the Natural History Society , and the Photographic Club . The handicrafts mentioned are taken up by boys who volunteer to do

so as out-of-school hobbies under the charge of skilled teachers and under strict regulation and supervision . On the diagram previously mentioned it might be seen that , in addition to these voluntary occupations , a system of class teaching in manual work has been introduced into one of the lower forms , and that it will

be gradually extended throughout the greater part of the School . Specimens of the kind of work done in out-of-school hours lay on the table : copies of the Masonian , largely printed by the boys ; examples of printing and bookbinding ; photographs printed from negatives taken in the School , for a series of lantern slides

to illustrate lessons on English History ; specimens of carpentry ; and finally , the holiday collection of wild-flowers that won the first prize last year . The specimens of carpentry shown , viz . : a carved walnut cabinet , a carved reading desk , and some joints were , we think , of special excellence both in design and execution .

A third album contained photographs of the present buildings : —a general view , Big School , Dining Hall , a Dormitory , Class Booms , Gymnasium , & c , while prominent features on the wall were a perspective drawing and ground plan of the new buildings now being erected at Bushey , together with a letterpress description of the same , and small scale drawings .

We feel sure that all educational experts who may kave taken the trouble to make a detailed examination of the plans will have been struck with the extreme suitability of their arrangement for the life and work of a big school , and that those of them who are schoolmasters will , in most cases , have looked at them with feelings of envy .

A representative of the Grand Lodge of Canada recently attended the session of the Grand Lodge of Michigan , and presented to the Lodge a loving cup engraved with the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack . The British flag figured prominently in the decoration of the Hall .