The New School For Our Boys.

THE NEW SCHOOL FOR OUR BOYS .

AS is well know to our readers we have had little or no sympathy with the project which has been before the Craft for some months past in regard to the removal of the Schools of the Royal Masonic Institution

for Boys from Wood Green to Bushey , but we must confess that our views have been considerably shaken by a perusal of the plans drawn up for the new buildings ; and however much we may regret the decision arrived

at to expend a round sum of £ 100 , 000 on their erection , there is no gainsaying the fact that the completion of the work in the form proposed will place the Institution in

possession of a splendid property , and one that will possess many advantages over the existing accommodation at Wood Green .

We know the old proverb that " a man convinced against his will , remains the same opinion still , " but this will not apply in our case . We are far from being convinced , at present , that so costly a change was

necessary ; and very far from convinced that the best means has been adopted of expending the immense sum expected to be poured into the coffers of the Institution

in this , its Centenary year ; but that does not prevent our accepting the inevitable , or hinder us from admiring the prospect of what is likely to be produced as Bushey , as the result of so great an outlay .

The Board of Management of the Institution has very wisely felt that ocular demonstration of what it is proposed to do would be the means of satisfying many who were yet virtually in the dark , or were not fully

acquainted with all that it is intended to provide ; and as a result has issued a short description—with views and plans—of the new Schools to be built at Bushey , this Album of views being widely distributed throughout the

country among those whose services have been enlisted towasds providing the funds for the enlargement of the School ; and no doubt many of them will be able to put the views to a very good use , as a means of drawing yet

further on the good nature of many who have already contributed towards the extension , or of enlisting new support from' among those who were not fully cognisant of all it is hoped to do in connection with this great Centennial effort .

As we have said , the book just sent out by the Institution opens with a short description of the proposed new buildings , and then we have a view of the site for the Schools , which most certainly conveys the impression

that the land purchased is at once picturesque and splendidly open to the country . A view of Lodge Meadow Road , which forms the north-eastern boundary of the property is

next given , and is a typical lane of the district , which abounds in many such bits of rural scenery , as any of our Brethren who patronise * the " wheel" can soon prove .

The New School For Our Boys.

The third view is a reproduction of the prize design prepared by the Architects , Messrs . Gordon , Lowther and Gunton , and this will doubtless prove the great attraction of the Album , as it shows at a glance all that it is

intended to provide . " That the design has been highly approved is already known to the Craft , and we think no one will say that too much praise has been bestowed upon it once they have the opportunity of forming an opinion

for themselves . Reproductions of the Ground Plan and of the Block Plan are also given , the whole being concluded with a short account of the Institution itself , thus forming

an interesting and useful little work , copies of which may be had from the Secretary of the Institution , at the price of one shilling each .

Staffordshire.

STAFFORDSHIRE .

THE anuual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held' on Wednesday , 4 th inst ., at the Borough Hall , Stafford , the Earl of Dartmouth Provincial Grand Master presiding . There were present the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Lieutenant-Colonel Bindley P . G . D . Eng ., and a goodly number of Officers and Brethren . The Treasurer ' s accounts were passed , and Brother Newnham was re-elected to the office .

In his address , the Provincial Grand Master alluded to the able assistance that Lieutenant-Colonel Bindley had given to the Province during the past nine years , and regretted that owing to ill-health he could not accept office for the ensuing

year . He mentioned that Staffordshire had been able to produce a calendar of its own which was acceptable , and he made an earnest appeal to the members of the Province to send up a goodly number of Stewards to the Centenary Festival of the Boys School in June .

Brother Bindley responded to a vote of thanks passed to him upon the proposition of the Earl of Dartmouth , and upon his suggestion a vote of thanks was passed to Lieutenant-Colonel Walker Provincial Grand Secretary . The sum of one hundred guineas was voted from the Lodge funds to the Boys School . The Provincial Grand Master invested the following Officers for the year :

Bro . Lieut .-Col . Walker - - - Deputy J . T . Marson .... Senior Warden J . Payne - - - - - Junior Warden C . A . Newnham .... Treasurer F . Thompson .... "Registrar J . D . Steen .... Secretary Rev . B . Holland - - - . 1 . , ,. Bev . 3 . W . Wilson .... Chaplains

G . Shread - - - - / _ , . _ T . Barker J * Semor Deacons C . A . Loxton - - - I - . _ W . A . Davies - | Junior Deacons F . Gnosill - - - - - Superintendent of Works A . Smith ..... Director of Ceremonies

H . Hall --... Deputy Dir . of Cers . T . Cox ..... Assistant Dir . of Cers . T . Edwards .... Sword Bearer J . H . Dewes - - - - 1 _ , , __ E Nail ... f Standard Bearers

J . Jackson - - - - - Organist L . A . Taylor - Assistant Secretary G . Smith -- --- 'Pursuivant J . W . Norris .... Assistant Pursuivant A . E . Hart - - - - . | _ . , F . Hughes } Stewards W . Davis --... Tyler . St . Mary ' s Church was attended , and service conducted by the Rev . B . Holland , Provincial Grand Chaplain .