The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-09 00:00:00

royal Masonic Institution for Boys.

The sixty-seventh anniversary meeting of this
charity was celebrated last evening by a grand din-

ner at the Freemasons' Tavern. The efforts which

have been in progress for some years past to obtain
funds for the erection of new school buildings hav-

ing been so far crowned with success that the new
edifice will be opened in the course of the ensuing
summer, the proceedings were invested with unusual
interest, and the attendance of brethren was more
than ordinarily large. Amongst the grand officers

and other distinguished masons present, were—
The Duke of Manchester, grand master for North-
ampton and Hunts, in the chair ; Brother Colonel
Bowyer, grand master for Oxfordshire ; Brother
Augustus Smith, M.P., grand master for Corn-
wall ; Brother Llewelly Evans, president of
the board of G.P. ; Brother Havres, past grand
warden ; Brother Plucknett, grand deacon ;
Brothers Hopwood, Potter, Hervey, Wilson, Head,
Udall, past grand deacons ; Brothers Wood and
Fenn, directors of court ; Brothers Symonds and
Bradford, P.G.D.C., Brother Young, G. 5.8.,
Brothers Patten and Spiers, P.G.5.8., Brother G.
Clarke, G.S., Brother Farnfield, A.G.S., Brother
Dickie, P.G.Pur., &c. The stewards were 85 in
number, of whom 58 represented London and 27
provincial lodges. The musical part of the pro-
ceedings were conducted by Brother Wilhelm Ganz,
P.M., and the singers were Madame Parepa, Misses
Arabella Smith and Julia Elton, Mr. Donald King,
Mr. L. Wilson, and Mr. Wallworth. Grace after
dinner was sweetly sung by a number of the pupils
at the institution.
After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts the
healths of the Earl of Zetland, grand master of
England and president of the institution, and of
Earl de Grey and Ripon, deputy grand master, were
drunk with masonic enthusiasm. That of " The Pro-
vincial Grand Masters and the Present and Past
Grand Officers," was responded to by Brother
Augustus Smith, M.P., grand master for Cornwall.
Colonel BOWYER, grand master for Oxfordshire,
proposed " The Health of the Chairman" in com-
plimentary terms, and said that while noblemen
thus devoted their time and gave the prestige of
position to the interests of Freemasonry the brethren
might rest assured that their charities and their in-
stitutions would show no signs of decay.
The Duke of MANCHESTER, in responding to the
toast, said he believed English noblemen were gene-
rally anxious to do their duty and honourably to fill
the position they were placed in by Providence.
Their countrymen generally acknowledged this, and
as the nobility had no obnoxious and exclusive pri-
vileges to excite hatred and jealousy (which had
been the case in other countries), they were felt not
only to ornament, but greatly to add to the stability
of the social column—(cheer')—and he was proud
to think that it was not only in Freemasonry, but
generally, that the nobility enjoyed the esteem and
regard of their fellow countrymen. (Loud cheers.)
The boys of the institution were then introduced
into the room, and
The Duke of MANCHESTER rose to propose the
toast of the evening, " Prosperity to the Institution."
(Cheers.) He believed he might fearlessly state
that the education given to the boys was extremely
good. He was glad to see that classics and mathe-
matics were equally balanced, for he was one of
those who thought that schools generally in Eng-
land gave too great a preponderance to classics.
(Hear.) He did not think that the study of classics
strengthened the powers of the mind to the same
extent as that of mathematics. Some minds, no
doubt, were better qualified for the one than the
other ; and in such cases he would have the natural
iaclination of the mind consulted and any special
powers promoted ; but for the ordinary business of
life, in his opinion, the study of mathematics was
the best preparative. (Cheers.) For himself, he
would admit that he knew next to nothing of Ro-
man history, nothing of Latin, and—until the last
year or two, when he had studied it to read Homer
—nothing of Greek, and he found he did very well
without them. (Cheers and laughter.) At the
same time a man could not be a great orator or a
distinguished writer without he studied and became
familiar with the models of antiquity; but unless
they wished to follow literary pursuits, or take a
prominent part in the debates of parliament, it was
better for the boys to give their minds to mathema-
tical and :geometrical studies. (Cheers.) He un-
derstood that there was still wanting about £15,000
before the new building could be started clear of
debt, and he believed the brethren grnerally were
very anxious, and were making great exertions, to
secure that result. (Cheers.)
The toast having been duly honoured,
Brother BINCKES, the active secretary, presented
to the chairman one of the boys, named Thomas J.
Weaver, as the best boy of the year, who had taken
no fewer than six prizes at the school examination,
and now was entitled to receive from the noble
chairman a gold and silver medal. Without invidi-
ous comparisons he could say that no boy in the
school had ever stood in a prouder position.