Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

in such great difficulty . It was one of the immense difficulties they had to encounter , and they congratulated Bro . Keyser on the success of the Festival at the same time that they thanked him . It was not the first instance they had had of acts they had to thank him for —acts of kindness to this Institution . The valuable time he gave to the affairs of the Institution was known to them all , not only in his character of Treasurer , as a member of the Board of Management , but also as Chairman of the New Buildings Committee , under whose auspices the Schools

would be erected , which , with its noble chapel , to be built entirely at the expense of Bro . Keyser's generous gift of / . 5000 , would be a memorial to all time of his zeal on behalf of the Institution . Words failed him ( Bro . Spaull ) properly to express what he should say on this occasion , but he thought he had said enough to show the thanks to Bro . Keyser which he had so nobly earned , ani he asked him to accept , as a memento of the gratitude and respect of this Quarterly Court , this album which had been prepared , and he would ask the Secretary to read the inscription contained in it . ( Loud applause . )

Bro . J . MORRISON MCLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Sec , then read as follows : " Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . —To the Worshipful Bro . Charles Edward Keyser , M . A ., F . S . A ., J . P ., Past G . Deacon , Treasurer and Patron of the Institution . Dear Sir and Worshipful B rother , —At the Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers of this Institution , held at the Freemasons' Hall , Great Queenstreet , London , on Friday , 14 th July , 18 99 , it was unanimously resolved ' That this Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers desires to tender to the

Worshipful Bro . Charles E . Keyser , M . A ., F . S . A ., J . P ., P . G . D ., Treasurer and Patron of the Institution , its warmest thanks and appreciation of the eminent services rendered to tho Institution as Chairman of the 101 st Anniversary Festival , held at Brighton , on 28 th June last , and for his continued munificence . And that a replica of the album address , as presented to Lords Lathom and Leigh last year , be prepared for presentation to Bro . Keyser at the next Quarterly Court . ' The Board of Management , in giving effect to this resolution ,

desires to express its grateful thanks for the valuable services you have continuously rendered to the Institution , particularly for the ready manner in which you undertook the difficult position of presiding over the Festival immediately following that of the Centenary . The Board feels that the success of this particular Festival was due in great measure to the kindness which prompted your action and your renewed generosity in the contribution then made by you to the funds of the Institution . The Board also desires to take this opportunity of

tendering its best thanks to Mrs . Keyser for the gracious manner in which she presented the prizes to the boys of the School on Tuesday , 27 th June last , and also on the occasion of the annual athletic sports , held at the Institution , on Saturday , 27 th May . The Board trusts that your useful life may be spared for many years , and that the sympathetic interest taken by you in the affairs of the Institution may be long continued . Signed by order of the Board of Management , Richard Eve , Chairman ; J . M . McLeod , Secretary . Office , 6 , Freemasons ' Hall , London , W . C ., 13 th October , 1899 . " ( Prolonged cheering . )

Bro . C . E . KEYSER , P . G . D ., who was received with renewed cheers , in reply , said , although he was in the chair at the last Quarterly Court , he had forgotten that that presentation was to be made that day , and , therefore , it had come upon him as a kind of agreeable surprise . He had really done nothing to deserve that presentation . ( " Yes , yes . " ) Bro . Spaull had spoken of a difficult occasion . Perhaps some "Mould have shrunk from filling the chair on such an occasion j but the brethren might remember that in 1893 Bro , Terry was in the same difficulty

after the Jubilee of the Masonic Benevolent Institution , and he ( Bro . Keyser ) knew that following immediately a Festival which had yielded such enormous results it would not be so great a success . However , he consented to take the chair in 1893 , and he thought the result would be considered satisfactory on that occasion . That increased his assurance in coming forward and filling a gap which other more distinguished brethren would have been more justified in doing . On the whole the Festival was a success , notwithstanding it was held only a year after

a Festival had brought in . £ 140 , 000 . Bro . Spaull had said that the amount collected at the last Festival was quite enough to carry on the I nstitution for the year without drawng on the ordinary invested funds of the Institution . He was \ ery pleased to hear it . In conclusion , he thanked all the brethren ; he thanked Bro . Spaull for the kind words he had used with respect to him , and he thanked all the brethren who had participated in making him that beautiful present . He should always value it , and he hoped to have many years before him to witness the present in his drawing room . ( Applause . )

Bro . C . E . KEYSER , after resuming his seat , rose to move "That in Law 77 , line 2 , the words ' The School' be substituted for ' its benefits . ' " The Law at present read— " All candidates elected to the Institution shall , before admission to its benefits , be required to pass an examination conducted under the authority of the Board of Management ; " and then the rule went on to point out the subjects of examination to be gone through to fulfil the necessary standard before boys could be admitted to the School . There had been several cases where , not owing

to any mental deficiency , but , probably , through nervousness of temperament in the boys , they had not been able to pass the examination . Many of the brethren had used great exertions , and taken great trouble , and spent much time in getting a candidate elected ; but it was impossible , according to the rule as it at present stood , to have such successful candidate admitted to the full benefits of the Institution unless he was able to pass this examination . The object he ( Bro . Keyser ) had in view by the present motion was not , he hoped , to reduce the stimulus to

the boys to work hard or their friends to push them on for getting them into the School ( because , there was no question that the benefits of being educated in the School were greater then those to be obtained out of it , even though the Board of Management could grant the full amount of ^ 30 a year for education of a boy out of the School ) , he hoped the alteration would not be taken as reducing the stimulus ; but if a boy was elected this rule would not allow a boy to come into the establishment unless he could pass the examination ; but it would . put it into

the power of the Board 01 Management to make a grant to a boy until he was able to pass the examination . Rule 77 finished thus : " No boy shall be received into the establishment unless the medical officer shall certify that at the time of reception he continues to complywith the provisions of Rule 7 ias regards health . " As the word " establishment" was here used he wished to substitute that expression for the word "school , " as it appeared in his notice of alteration . The altered rule would not prevent a boy of small mental capacity getting the grant

for out-education . The head-master was very strong on the point of not admitting a foolish boy ; they did not want stupid boys in the School ; but after having polled sufficient votes to get a boy elected it seemed hard he should not have some benefit out of the School . That could be got by the Board making a grant . No grant was given now except on a clear satisfactory assurance to the Board of Management that the school outside at which the boy was to be educated was a suitable one . Therefore , the brethren would not be doing anything in pussing this motion that would curtail the power of the Board in the

casi ! of boys elected . I he School must keep up its position . There were , he believed , at the present time three boys elected at great cost not getting any benefit Irom the Institution because they could not pass the examination . If it was not for the out-educated boy they would not be able to accommodate all the boys they had now in the School . Until they got the new Schools at Bushey they would not surmount this difficulty . Jle hoped his motion would be pissed . The Boaid of Management had had applications for grants in cases where boys could not get into the School on the point of education , and many members of the Board had thought they could not go outside the rules in the present form

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

and so make a grant . If the alteration as proposed was made this doubt would be got rid of . He then moved the alteration . Bro . GEORGE EVERETT , P . G . T ., seconded . Bro . ROBERT WYLIE , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . West Lancashire , objected . He thought the Institution was established for the purpose of educating boys ; but now it appeared it was established to take in children who were already educated .

Whether education was given inside or outside it did not make much difference ; it ought to be done , and it ought not to be expensive after a boy had been elected on the funds . They were given the power to educate out of the Institution . He knew from experience that the examination asked of boys after seven or eight years of age was such that they could not get through it . What did the Institution pay the teachers for ? Was it to teach the boys or to take them up to

the Universities ? Surely if the brethren elected a boy with 7000 or 8000 votes , as was expected that day , if a boy so elected could not piss the examination which was decided upon by the Head Master , he would not have the benefits of the Institution , and he was sorry to say that if that was to be the state of affairs , they would have to educate their boys outside at a cost of £ 20 . He thought the ornnosed alteration was a mistake . ( Hear , hear . ^

Bro . Major HUGH CARY-EIAYES asked that the Secretary should read the list of subjects boys were to be preliminarily examined in . Bro . J . M . MCLEOD read as follows : 77 . All Candidates elected to the Institution shall before admission to its benefits be required to pass an examination conducted under the authority of the Board of Management . The Subjects of the Examination shall be as follows :

FOR BOYS UNDER THE AGE OF 9 YEARS . Reading , Writing , Dictation . Arithmetic - . Numeration and Notation , Simple Addition , Subtraction , Multiplication , and Short Division .

F OR B OYS OVER 9 AND UNDKR THE A GE OF 10 Y EARS . Reading , Writing , Dictation . Arithmetic : Numeration and Notation , Simple Addition , Subtraction , Multiplication , Short and Long Division , Addition and Subtraction of Money ; Tables of Weights and Measures by-heart .

FOR BOYS OVER THE AGE OF 10 YEARS . Reading , Writing , Dictation . iritlimelic ¦ . Numeration and Notation , Simple Addition , Subtraction , Multiplication , and Division ; Addition , Subtraction , Multiplication , and Division of Money ; Tables of Weights and Measures by heart . N . B . —The last copybook to be shown in all cases .

No Boy shall be received into the Establishment unless the Medical Officer shall csrtify that at the time of reception he continues to comply with the provisions of Rule 71 as regards health .

Bro . Major CARY-ELWES said that such an examination , especially for the boys of those ages , was not too hard under modern circumstances ; for boys of nine or io it was quite simple . A boy of seven nowadays is quite educated enough to pass such an examination . Thirty years ago , when boys were not taught , it was dillerent ; boys of nine years old at that time did not know how to read and write ; but now boys began their education at four and five , and they ought to know how , and ought to pass such an examination . He was positive the examination was not too hard .

Bro . W . GOODACRK , P . G . S . B ., Prov . G . Sec . West Lancashire , felt that the examination subjects just read by the Secretary were most puzzling to children who had not been prepared by practising papers for the examination . It had been his duty in bygone years to examine on behalf of the Board of Management children for admission to the School , and the lines laid down for that examination had been such that the children in the School would have been plucked

if the letter of the instructions of the examiners had been adhered to . ( Hear , hear . ) Enumeration and notation children of seven or nine or 10 years would be extremely puzzled about , and to put a paper before a child seven years old which would puzzle many bright lads of nine would lead to failure . He took it , however , that the feeling which had prompted this examination in the by-laws would relieve those cases , because the children ,

though not admitted to the establishment , yet would have the benefit of being educated outside . The brother who spoke last he thought was mistaken . Bro , Wy lie knew what he was talking about . He ( Bro . Goodacre ) knew as a schoolmaster of a quarter of a century's practice what he was talking about . He did not mean to say that children were not educated , but it all depended on the kind of education they received and the kind of examination they had to undergo . A

child educated at a private school would be puzzled entirely . The line he took was that more liberty should be allowed to the examining schoolmaster for the admission of these boys . He might point out that a new rule was passed a short time ago . " The Board of Management may , with the approval of the Council , pay towards the education and maintenance of each such boy any sum in

their discretion not exceeding . 630 per annum until he has attained the age of 15 years , and continues entitled to the benefits of the Institution . Sons of Jewish parents may be educated out of the Institution if their guardians so desire . " The rule was limited by the one now proposed to be altered . If they exchanged " establishment" for "its benefits" it would be competent to the Board of Management to vote a grant to children who had deficiencies .

Bro . E . M . MONEY , P . A . G . D . C , said the remarks of Bro . Wylie and of those who supported him were sound and good . It was their duty to take into the Sch ool boys if elected and qualified for it , and if boys were backward , it was their duty to do the best they could for them . He thought the stipulated examination was too stiff . In the other Institution—the Girls' School—they had only a light standard of reading , which might be in one of the Board Schools . There was no such stiff examination as the Board of Management had made . If an amendment was moved he should suooort Bro . Wvlie .

Bro . F . B . WESTLAKE , Patron , P . D . G . D . C , thought the Board of Management had brought this discussion on themselves . Some \ ears ago they had an elementary school which , he . believed , admitted children without any examination . When the brethren were going to have a large establishment could not they make provision for such children ? ( Hear , hear . ) If they intended passing them to a higher school they would derive benefit this way .

Bro . C E . KEYSER enquired whether before he put the motion to the vote ' •< - might substitute " establishment " for " school . " ( " Yes , yes . " ) The motion was carried by an overwhelming majority . On the motion of Bro . WILLIAM RUSSELL , P . A . G . D . C . Vice-Patron of the Institution , seconded by Bro . Major J . E . LE FKUVUE , P . G . D ., the following resolution was carried : " That the number of boys to be elected to the benelits

of the Institution at the Quarterly Court on the 13 th October , be increased » . IS to 17 , to fill two Extraordinary Vacancies created since the close of the iisi of candidates , by the withdrawal of the boys , Elms ( William Hugh ) and Hayward ( Percy Henry ) . " , „ Bro . C . E . KEYSER then gave the following statement with reference to tne progress made with the new Schools at Bushey . He said , as Chairman 0 trie Buildings Committee , the works were going on well . A great part or 1 foundation was put in ; some of the walls were rising , and the works were maunB