Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

THE result of the December examination of the College of Preceptors has been announced , and is extremely gratifying , the number of pupils sent up for examination being 78 ( excluding seniors who entered for the Cambridge Local ) , of whom 77 were successful . So strong a record of successes is not

only , as we have said , extremely gratifying , but supplies further evidence of the high quality of the education that is being provided for the pupils in the School , and also of the care and ability bestowed upon them by the chief of the establishment , Miss Davis , and her staff . No doubt the Committee and the parents share in the general satisfaction that must follow so good a result .

A ball at Doncaster , on the 22 nd ult ., promoted by the members of the Craft in the town , and under the patronage of the Prov . G . M . Rt . Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., attracted a large attendance . A ball also took place at Stamford the same day , the proceeds being intended for the Masonic Institutions . The

annual private invitation ball of the Pembroke Lodge , No . 1299 , held at Liverpool , on the 27 th ult ., was attended by upwards of one hundred members and friends . At Bournemouth , on the 22 nd , a very successful ball took place at the Hotel Mont Dore , under the auspices of the local Lodges , on behalf of the Charities ,

and under the patronage of the leading Brethren of the Province . The Temple Lodge , of Folkestone , had a ball on the 22 nd ult ., with a children ' s party the next day , and similar gatherings have been held in connection with the Beaumont Lodge , of Kirkburton .

It has been arranged that the Grand Master of Scotland Sir Charles Dalrymple , of Newhailes , Bart ., M . P ., will , on Friday , 7 th February , lay the foundation-stone of the new Masonic Hall , in Ayr , which is being built by Lodge Ayr , No . 204 . On the following day the Grand Master will instal Brother Hugh E .

Wallace , of Cloncaid , as Master of Lodge Mother Kilwinning , an appointment which carries the Provincial Grand Mastership of Ayrshire , in succession to Brother the Hon . Thomas Cochrane , who has resigned . At these functions the Grand Master will be accompanied by the Grand Officers .

With the title of the " Hugh Owen " Lodge—a delicate compliment to the able Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Board , Sir Hugh Owen—a Masonic Lodge is about to be formed for members of the Poor Law service . The

consecration will take place at the Frascati Restaurant , Oxford Street , on Friday , 14 th inst ., and Bro . J . H . Rutherglen , of Kensington , the President of the Union Clerks' Association , will then be installed as its first Master , says the " City Press . " Bro . Eoberts , 7 Buxton Road , Chingford , is acting as the Secretary .

The " Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News " last week gave portraits of several of those who were instrumental in establishing the National Artillery Lodge , or who officiated at its consecration .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

THE GIRLS SCHOOL CANDIDATES .

To thc FBEBMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am considerably disappointed you were unable to get the particulars I desired , as to the cost of an election for the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , but if I may judge from your foot note to my last letter the case I attempted to make out hardly enlisted your sympathy . I feel very strongly on the point I raised , and have spoken in regard to the course adopted by the Committee to several Brethren , who all agree with me that it is scandalous money subscribed for charitable purposes

should be wasted over an election in the peculiar circumstances that have now arisen ; but many have also told me I am but courting trouble for myself if I attempt to interfere in any way with the progress of events in connection with the Institutions , more especially when the spending of their huge contributions is concerned . But I did think you , Sir , would have lent me your aid in the case I submitted , and I still hope you will see your way to do so , despite the " vested interests" that are assailed when any criticism is offered .

I should have thought tbe Secretary of the Institution would deem it part of his duty to supply the information asked for , and if not from him then I expected information as to the cost of an election from one of the Committee

Correspondence.

but they all treat me with contemptuous silence—perhaps as I do not sign my name to my letter I deserve it—but in doing so they stand condemned , Silence may be golden , but it is not generally so regarded when the spending of other folks' money is called into question . I do not care to bolster up my case by mere heresay , but I have been

told that the cost of the election next April will be more than double what would be required to provide for the seven girls to be left out , after the result of the next ballot is made known , and as this statement is being freely used by some to whom I have repeated it I hope someone in authority will see the necessity of making a reliable statement on the subject .

You tell me it is now too late to take action in regard to the coming April election—that is unfortunate , but probably true , but it is not too late to provide for similar cases in the future , and I hope some strong protest will be offered by those who think with me that the funds of the Charity are being wickedly wasted over this election , for which , I maintain , there is no necessity or excuse .

Having expressed my opinion on the point , and having failed to get the information I desire without making a personal matter of it , I shall now see if I can arouse sufficient attention among other members of the Craft to put the matter on a settled basis .

Yours , & c , LIFE SUBSCRIBER .

[ Our correspondent is in error when he infers we take no interest in the question he discusses , but it does not necessarily follow that we wholly agree with him . As we said before , very much may be urged in opposition to his views . On the face of it

there are many who will say the expense of the election is simply money wasted , on the other hand it can be urged that routine procedure is the best , and further than this we believe it is customary for Charitable Institutions to look upon contested elections as means of advertisement , and it is questionable if the

money spent in the usual way is not a good investment under that head . Our correspondent will certainly do no harm in ventilating his views among the Brethren he meets , and in our columns , aud if he is really in earnest he may afterwards bring the matter publicly forward at one of the Quarterly Courts of the Institution , where he may rely on receiving official attention . — ED . F . C . l

TIPPING THE WAITERS . To tho FREEMASON ' S CHBONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —A short time since I read an article on " Tipping , " in which it was argued that the custom had become so common , so expensive , and so generally obnoxious as to kill itself , and that it would speedily become a relic of the past , looked back upon as one of the evidences of barbarism of the present age . It was further stated that our Grand Master had taken the initiative in the most desirable reform , and had

prohibited any of his servants at Sandringham from accepting gratuities from guests , on pain of dismissal , and that other leaders of fashion would at once follow the Prince ' s example . However that may be , it is very certain the practice is not " killed " so far as the public establishments of the metropolis are concerned , and so far from dying out the imposition becomes daily more and more marked , and instead of being looked upon as a favour , is often demanded rather as a right .

I do not so particularly object to the giving of a sixpence to the waiter who has attended to my requirements at a banquet , but I do object to be told : ' We are about to leave you , Sir , and you have not paid yet , " and I cannot be made to believe that such " gentle " reminders do anything but harm to the establishment where they are permitted—and that was my experience at one of the leading Masonic establishments of the metropolis a week or so back .

I can remember a different state of things existing ; a time when the waiters were prohibited from selling toothpicks at sixpence or a shilling each , and a sharp look-out was kept that they did not obtrude themselves upon the visitors to the different establishments , and I am fain to admit that those " good old times " were the best , although in writing thus on this subject I may perhaps be accused of meanness .

To initiate a reform in this direction will probably require some amount of pluck on the part of the management of the establishment that attempts it , but it would certainly redound to their credit , even if it did not ultimately prove a source of profit—and I am by no means sure this latter would not eventually result . Anyway I hope I have heard the last of waiters telling the guests they have not yet " paid " for the attention bestowed upon them during the service of the banquet . Yours , & c . DINER-OUT .

Lyceum . —We are pleased to learn that the success of Bro . Oscar Barrett ' s pantomime at this Theatre has been so marked as to warrant its being performed every evening as well as at the daily matinees as formerly , and we hope our energetic Brother may receive such further support of his latest enterprise as will induce him to keep the representation going for some weeks to come . The performances now take place twice daily , at 2 and 7 o ' clock , the pantomime being one of the finest ever produced , and well worthy a visit .

THE demand for the new issue of " British Battles on Land and Sea " in penny weekly numbers has been very large . 125 , 000 of the first number have already been prepared , and it seems highly probable that double this number may be in circulation in a few days' time . The mighty wave of patriotic sentiment which is passing over the land is no doubt accountable for this

special sale , combined with tbe fact that nowhere else can such a body of illustrated information respecting the exploits of the army and navy be found , whilst the price of the present issue is in the highest degree popular . A similar success seems likely to attend the popular edition of " Cassell ' s Illustrated History of England , " the first weekly part of which made its appearance on the 29 th ult .