The New Schools For Our Boys.

THE NEW SCHOOLS FOR OUR BOYS .

THE ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new buildings for the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , in course of erection at Bushey , which has been looked

forward to with considerable interest for some time past , was duly accomplished on Saturday last , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught Past Grand Master performing the duty , for , and on behalf of the Grand Master the Prince of Wales .

A large party travelled from Euston Station to Bushey , the London and North Western Railway making up three special trains of their handsome saloon carriages . The Duke of Connaught , in another special train , went through to Watford , where he was received by the Earl of Clarendon

, Lord Lieutenant of the county , and the Chairman and members of the Urban District Council , who escorted His Royal Highness to the Market Place , where an address was presented , and regularly acknowledged by the Royal visitor . His Royal Highness afterwards drove to the site of the

Schools at Bushey , and on arrival was received by a deputation of Grand Officers and of the Board of Management of the Institution . A few minutes afterwards , amid general cheering , the Duke entered the pavilion in which the ceremony was to take place , escorted by the Grand Officers and Members of the Board , all in full Craft clothing .

The procession was headed by the Grand Tyler , and the number of Officers of Grand Lodge present testified to the interest displayed by that body in the work of enlargement of our Boys School . The Pro Grand Master of England

Earl Amherst was the principal supporter of the Duke , and took a place on his right , the chair on the left being filled by the Earl of Clarendon who , although not a Mason , was invited by the Board of Management to occupy that place of honour .

Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , Trustee of the Institution , briefly addressed the Past Grand Master , and requested His Royal Highness to lay the Foundation Stone . His Royal Highness , in reply , delivered the following address : Men and Brethren here assembled to hold this

ceremony , —Be it known unto you that we , being lawful Masons , true and faithful to the laws of our country , and engaged by solemn obligations to erect handsome buildings to be serviceable to the Brethren , and in fear of God , the Great Architect of the Universe , have among us ,

concealed from the eyes of all men , secrets which may not be revealed , and which no man has discovered . But these secrets are lawful and honourable , and not repugnant to the laws of God or man . They were entrusted in peace and honour to Masons of ancient times , and having been faithfully

transmitted to us , it is our duty to convey them unimpaired to the latest posterity . Unless our Craft were good and our calling honourable , we should not have lasted for so many centuries , nor should we have had so many illustrious Brethren of our Order ready to promote our laws and to

further our interests . We are assembled here to-day in the presence of you all to erect this building for the promotion of education , and to the honour and glory of the Most High , which we pray God may prosper as it seems good to Him '

and as the first duty of Masons in any undertaking is to invoke the blessing of the Great Architect of the Universe , I call on you to unite with our Grand Chaplain in an address to the Most High .

Prayer having been offered by the Grand Chaplain the Duke of Connaught declared it to be his will and pleasure that the corner stone of the Institution should be laid with Masonic honours , and called upon the Grand Secretary Bro . E . Letchworth to read the inscription on the plate , which was as follows :

. This stone was laid on the 12 th May , A . D . 1900 , with Masonic ceremonial , by H . ft . H . the DUKE OP CojjNAtJGHT AND SMUTHEABN , K . G ., & c , & c , & c , & c , Past M . W . Grand Master ,

on behalf of H . B . H . THE PBISCB OP WALES , K . G ., & c , Ac , & c , & c , Grand Master , President of the Institution . The Grand Treasurer Bro . Harry Manfield then advanced to the stone , and deposited a phial containing coins while the Grand

Secretary placed the plate on the lower stone . The Duke of Connaught next spread the mortar , the stone was adjusted and regularly proved by the Duke , with plumb , level , and square . He next strew the corn ' and poured the wine and oil over the stone with the customary formalities , and concluded the ceremony with the hope that

The New Schools For Our Boys.

prosperity , happiness and good-will mi g ht ever prevail among those who would assemble in the building , to the glory of the Most High , until time should be no more . The Architect and others were next presented to His Royal Highness , to whom was delivered the plan of the

intended buildings . Having inspected it , His Royal Highness returned it , together with the several tools used in proving the position of the stone , adding : —I desire that you will proceed without loss of time to the completion of the work , in conformity with the plan which I now entrust to you .

Bro . Rev . H . A . Hebb , M . A ., P . G . D ., jHead Master of the Boys School , offered up prayer , and the Grand Chaplain gave the benediction . The Grand Officers then proceeded to the site of the Chapel which Bro . Keyser has so kindly promised to provide ,

where the Duke laid the foundation stone of that building , Bro . Keyser naturally taking a more prominent part in this portion of the day ' s proceedings ; being seemingly the most pleased of the many present , and certainly appearing to

exemplify the text that it is more blessed to give than to receive . We trust he will be spared to see the completion of his noble gift , and live to worship within its walls on many occasions thereafter .

The party now returned to the pavilion , and thence escorted His Royal Highness to his retiring room . The Trowel and Mallet used by His Royal Highness in the course of the ceremony were presented to him by the Institution . The blade and all surmountings of the Trowel

are of silver ; on the blade is richly engraved a view of the main entrance of Bushey New Schools , bearing also a suitable inscription of the occasion ; the handle is of ivory , with a silver shield inserted , upon which is engraved the coat

of arms of H . R . H . ; at top is attached a silver Royal Duke ' s coronet . The Mallet is of ivory , with a silver decoration below the handle , which bears the Duke ' s arms and crown , as on Trowel . The articles were manufactured by Messrs . Elkington and Co ., Limited , of London .

Subsequently the Past Grand Master was entertained to luncheon in a marquee in the grounds , a company of about 1 , 500 Ladies and Brethren being there assembled , under the presidency of Bro . Richard Eve P . G . Treas . Patron and Trustee of the Institution and Chairman of its Board of Management .

A most enjoyable repast was provided by Messrs . Lyons and Co ., who had made ample provision for the large party whose appetites were very naturally whetted by the three hours spent in the bracing air of the neighbourhood , after what was probably a hurried breakfast for many of those who had to travel from far off points .

At its conclusion the Chairman said the first toast among Freemasons was one always received with a great amount of enthusiasm—that of Her Majesty the Queen . For fifty years Her Majesty had been the Grand Patron of the Institution , had always practically supported it and was

that day the oldest Annual Subscriber on their lists . They thanked her , and recognised she had done much for the Craft of Freemasonry . She had reigned and ruled so well that to-day she was the most admired of all the sovereigns of the world . Her reign had been one unparallelled in

English history , and they were glad to find her so well and hearty as to be able to visit other parts of her dominions . Her reception in Ireland had made them feel that she had touched the kindlier side of the Irish people . It might be said there and di

were powers gnitaries that envied England he had no doubt of it—but as regarded Her Majesty , they all reverenced and adored her . She had made a mark that centuries would not obliterate . Long might she continue to reign over a happy and contented people .

Bro . Eve agam rose , and , addressing the Ladies and Brethren , said they had very few toasts that day , but there was one that must necessarily be given on an occasion like that—the health of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . The Grand Master was not even on the toast list , but he trusted

the Prince of Wales might long be their Grand Master , and that His Royal Highness might always be as well represented as he was on that occasion . They had to thank the Past Grand Master of England for coming there that day , and performing the work in so skilful a way . He had laid the

corner stone of a building which they hoped would cope with all the requirements of the Boys Institution during the next century , and be a memorial of the practical sympathy of Freemasons . At the Schools at Wood Green , the foundation stone of which was laid in the early sixties , there were 290 boys , yet they were quite insufficient to accommodate the pupils . The new buildings , the contract price for which