Prize Day At The Boys School.

PRIZE DAY AT THE BOYS SCHOOL .

THE annual visit of the Stewards and lady friends to the Institution at Wood Green took place on Tuesday , when Bro . Richard Eve P . G . Treasurer presided , the Duchess of Devonshire attending and presenting the prizes won by the boys of the School . Bro . Eve , in opening the proceedings , said he was very glad to see so large an assemblage , and on behalf of the Board of Management offered all

of the guests a hearty welcome . This was the ninety eighth year of the School's existence , and all must be pleased at the result . Still , they were looking forward to do more when they had the opportunity of extending their sphere of usefulness . They were gratified at the presence of her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire , who had so kindly come forward to present the prizes on that occasion .

Bro . H . A . Hebb then read his annual report . This , he said , was the seventh time he had presented'the Head Master ' s report in the School . He felt they might heartily congratulate themselves on the past twelve months , which had not only been the most successful of the 6 £ years during which he had been associated with the Institution , but the most successful of the ninety-eight years since ' it was established . Bro . Hebb then referred to

the different examinations to which the boys had been subjected , and the large number of successes gained . Of the first seventy-seven boys of the School , only eight had failed to satisfy the examiners in the different tests thoy had been subjected to . The Scholarship won by J . L . Heinke — £ 150 a year for two years—would enable that lad to spend the first twelve months in England under a professor of his own choice , after

which he would go to a foreign University , and if his conduct was satisfactory the grant would be continued for a third year ; this , he believed , was the first occasion on which a Scholarship had been won by a boy direct from the School . The report of the Examiners of the whole establishment stated the organisation appeared to he most satisfactory ,

while the progress left nothing to be desired . Dr . Lott reported great advances in musical knowledge , and the physical training also displayed a marked improvement . Carpentry , printing , and bookbinding was at present carried on merely as pastimes for their leisure hours , but he ( Bro . Hebb ) hoped that ere long tbey would become a part of the curriculum of the School .

The Scholarship connected with the Institution , which was last year referred to as a possibility , was now an established fact ; some £ 1 , 500 haying been collected , without entrenching on the funds of the School . The ' regulations in connection with the grant had been drafted , and he hoped that in the course of a few days it would be announced that the first Scholarship had been awarded . Nine-tenths of the success of the proposal was due to the energy , tact and perseverance of the Secretary of

the Institution Bro . McLeod , and the pride he must feel at such a success must be increased by the knowledge that he—a past Provincial Officer of Derbyshire—had heen able to carry it to a successful issue during the year ' s presidency of that Province ' s chief . He felt there was improvement in every department , and that better accommodation was now the first and most pressing necessity in order to make the School continue to occupy its high position anions such establishments in the country .

The Duchess of Devonshire then presented the prizes to the pupils , the following being the

PRIZE LIST . Form Prizes IB—IB . Lowick , 2 J . C . Stacey . „ IA—1 B . Frost , 2 A . E . Evans . „ IIB—0 . Morton . „ IIA—1 W . L . Dallas , 2 M . A . S . Grace . „ IIIc—1 H . E . Hind , 2 S . W . Hughes . „ Ills—1 S . A . Horsburgh , 2 G . Watson . IIIA—1 L . W . Croft , 2 J . M . Brewis .

„ IV—1 H . A . C . Dodds , 2 H . D . Culpin . VB-E . E . Whale . Writing . —H . B . Earl , K . C . Howell , B . G . Boden .

Sight Singing , Choir . —P . Harrison . ,, not in the Choir . —W . Holland . Pianoforte , Senior . —R . P . Chinneck . „ Junior . —A . Rogers and H . D . Pink , equal . Geology' and Physiography , Form VI , V . —J . H . Rangeley and A . E . Perkins equal .

Physiography , Form IV . —D . E . Greenwood . Printing . —H . R . Corner . Bookbinding . —J . H . Rangeley . Carpentry . —J . M . Brewis , W . B . G . Brightwell . Best Garden .- B . Troop . Best Athlete . —( Presented by Bro . H . Kemp ) 0 . 1 . Leeming . Gymnastics . —( Presented by Bro . Dr . Kempster ) 1 0 . I . Leeming , 2 G . W .

Foster , 3 ( presented by Bro . Blanchard ) E . C . Coates . Shorthand . —( Presented by Bro . W . Lupton ) Groombridge , Leeming , Foote , Davey , Chinneck , Whale , Perkins . Drawing , Senior . —( Presented by Bro . H . Kemp ) R . P . Chinneck . „ Junior . —J . M . Brewis . English Composition . —( Presented by the- Old Masonians' Society ) E . Richardson .

Essay on " The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , its activities , hopes , and successes . "—( Presented by Bro . F . B . Westlake , of Devon ) Essays to be sent in on or before Tuesday , 18 th August . Latin . —( Presented by Bro . Major Carrell ) VI , VA , E . Richardson , J . C . Longbottom . VB H . R . Corner .

French . —( Presented by Bro . H . Manfield ) 1 A . E . Davey , 2 C . I . Leeming . Bowyer Prize for Shorthand . —W . R . Binks . Cama Memorial Prize for the youngest Boy who passed the Cambridge Local Examination in 1895 . —W . R . Bennett . Cama Memorial Prize for Arithmetic—J . H . Rangeley . Escott Prize for Mathematics . —R . T . Groombridge . Thrupp Prize for History . —A . P . Shaw and B . P . Chinneck .

Prize Day At The Boys School.

Winn Prizes for Boys who have gained Certificates in the Cambrid ge Local Examination in 1895 . —Senior . Passes . —Broad , Watson , Groombridge , Binks , Leeming , Foote , Podmore , Davey . Junior . —Second Class . —Chinneck , Rangeley . Third Class . —Whale , Kemp , Barker Clarke , Hitchcock , Bolsover , Richardson . Passes . —Ravenscroft '

Metcalfe , Long , Shaw , Harris , Longbottom , Appleby , Heath , Perkins , Corner , Roberts , Martin , Green , Bennett , Mears , Bedford , Robinson , ' Besly , Carr , Clunes , Swornsbourne . Canonbury Gold Medal for the most popular Boy ( elected by his comrades ) . —C . I . Leeming .

Supreme Council's Prize . —R . P . Chinneck . Greenwood Memorial Prize . —R . T . Groombridge . Institution Silver Medal for tho Head of tho School . —W . R . Binks .

SUCCESSES DURING THE YEAR . Department of Science and Art , South Kensington . Mathematics , First Stage ... 6 certificates „ Second Stage - - - - - 9 „ Geometry , Practical , Plain , and Solid - - - 14 „ Geology ..... g ) f Magnetism and Electricity - - - - - ' 2 ,, Drawing , Freehand and Model - . _ _ g

Pitman ' s Shorthand , Third Class - - 8 „ St . John ' s Ambulance Examination - - - 14

Cambridge Local Examination . Senior --- - - . . . 8 „ Junior ( 9 with honours and 3 distinctions ) - - - 30 ,, Preliminary ( 1 distinction ) ... 30

university of London . Matriculation ( First Division ) .... 1

Owen s College , Victoria University . J . L . Heinke , Natural Science Scholarship of £ 150 a year for two years . Bro . Richard Eve submitted a proposition which he felt sure would be passed with the greatest enthusiasm—a vote of thanks to the Duchess of Devonshire for her attendance that day . Few Provincial Grand Masters had shown greater interest in the Institution that the Duke of Devonshire ,

who upwards of ten years since had first presided at one of the Festivals on behalf of the Institution . They had heard from the head master how the School had progressed , and it was eminently satisfactory to know that with 278 boys on the funds of the Institution there was not a single case in the infirmary , a fact that spoke well for the physical condition of the boys and the care bestowed upon them by the Doctor . The Management recognised

that the best means of meeting any infectious disease was to prepare for it , and with this in view had erected a sanitorium where any case could be isolated immediately on discovery , and so minimise the risk of infection . Bro . Eve gave particulars of the boys' successes as the result of their physical training , particularly referring to the visit of Bro . Penley and other friends , when the boys defeated " Charley ' s Aunt" at cricket , but were defeated when ,

on the invitation of Bro . Penley , they paid a visit to his splendid home at Woking . The desire of the Board of Management of the School was to make it second to none of its kind in the country , and they were well supported in this endeavour by the head master and his staff , who were deserving of special recognition on such an occasion as the present . Bro .

Eve concluded by calling on the company to pass the vote of thanks he proposed to the Duchess , and this having been heartily accorded , Brother Smithson briefly replied on her behalf , expressing her appreciation of what she had seen and listened to that day , and how gratified she was in being surrounded by so many zealous workers for the Institution .

The next item on the programme was a performance of " Patience , or Bunthorne ' s Bride , " by the pupils of the Institution , under the direction of Mr . Herbert Hilton , A . R . C . O ., A . R . C . M ., the Music Master at the School . The display was admirable , and reflected the greatest credit , not

only on the ability of the pupils , but also on the skill of their tutors . The Opera was given by kind permission of R . D'Oyly Carte , Esq ., and the make-up of the boys was so excellent as to win general admiration , in fact many of those present would hardly believe that the boys had not been compelled to call in the aid of their " sisters . " The cast was as follows :

Colonel Galverley -, * R . J . Mayfield Major Murgatroyd l ( Officers of Dragoons ) J H . Martin Lieut . Duke of Dunstable J . (_ A . S . Clunes Reginald Bunthorne ( a fleshly poet ) ... ... R . P . Chinneck Archibald Grosvenor ( an idyllic poet ) ... ... J . H . Bedford

Mr . Bunthorne ' s Solicitor ... ... ... ... A . P . Shaw Officer who sings " The Heavy Dragoon " ... ... P . H . Dickinson The Lady Angella \ 1 J . R . Bradshaw The Lady Saphir / T 3 , , ., , C . J . Callander The Lady Ella * ( Rapturous Maidens ) , •A . J ^ lland The Lady Jane ) ( E . E . Whale Patience ( a dairymaid ) ... ... ... ... W . A . Spain

Chorus of Officers of Dragoons and Rapturous Maidens . The music was provided by a String Band , the following kindly giving their services : — 1 st Violins Messrs . A . 0 . Handley-Davies ( leader ) and R . Andus

2 nd Violins Messrs . A . P . Pitman and E . Markham Lee , Mus . Bac . Cellos ... ... ... Messrs . Hammit and Popham Bass ... ... ... ... Mr . L . Cane , F . R . C . O . Harmonium ... ... ... Mr . A . Ely , Mus . Bac . Piano Mr . Arthur H . Cross , A . R . C . O . ( Organist at Sandringham ) .

Mr . Frank B . Wood , F . R . C . O ., former Music Master at the School , kindly acted as Musical Director behind the scenes , both at the dress rehearsal and at the performance , and much of the success was doubtless due to his efficiency . The final item was a Gymnastic Display by the pupils , their skill in the different exercises being the subject of general commendation , it being

regarded as most gratifying that such successful results could accrue from the three months tuition they had received at the hands of the instructor recently appointed for the purpose . Perhaps his friendliness towards the boys , which was apparent to all , has led to their rapid progress , but ihroughout the establishment it seems the boys make friends of the Masters , -ather than regard them with proverbial schoolboy awe .