Masonic Charity In The Past Year.

MASONIC CHARITY IN THE PAST YEAR .

THE year we look back upon as just completed has shown a marvellous return in the way of subscriptions to the great Institutions of English Freemasonry , and the total received during the twelve

months by the three funds is not only a record , but will probably remain so for many years yet to come . The immense amount of the subscriptions made in connection with the Centenary celebration of the Boys

School have been referred | to so often as to be now known in all parts of the country , and indeed of the world , but despite the familiarity with which we regard

the total the full significance of the contribution is more fully brought home to us when we see that the sum actually received by the Institution during the

year was £ 126 , 276 19 s id . We give the totals ot the past three years for comparison . 1896 . 1897 . 1898 .

Boys £ 23 , 603 2 0 £ 23 , 303 5 7 £ 126 , 276 19 1 Benevolent 25 , 650 16 6 27 , 129 0 1 19 , 170 4 4 Girls 19 , 664 3 11 21 , 405 14 3 16 , 478 14 10 These figues total up as follow , for the three years :

Boys School £ 173 , 183 6 Benevolent Institution 71 , 950 0 11 Girls School 57 , 548 13 0

Giving a grand total for the period named of ^ 302 , 682 os yd , or an average of upwards of one hundred thousand pounds a year . We append details of the receipts in each case :

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . Donations and Subscriptions - - £ 117 . 679 15 8 Grand Lodge SpecialjDonation for Centenary ; Festival - - - - - 525 o o Grand Lodge Subscription - - - 150 o o Grand Chapter Special Donation for

Centenary Festival - - - 105 o o Grand Chapter Subscription - - - 10 10 o Grand Lodge Special Grant ( June 18 97 ) for Victoria Diamond Jubilee Scholarship , transferred to the R . M . I . B . Scholarship

Fund - - - - - 2 , 000 o o Dividends and Interest on Cash at call - 3 > 576 . 8 1 Music Fees - - - - * - 55 ° ° Science and Art Department ( Grants earned ) 62 8 1

Prize Funds ----- 145 18 Sundry Receipts - - - - 48 17 11 Rent of Bushey Grove Park - - - 83 1 3 Balance of Centenary Stewards' Fees - 1 , 800 o 0 Maintenance Refunded - - - 35 ° °

£ 126 , 276 19 1 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Donations and A SubscriptionsJ - - £ 11 , 232 16 1 Dividends ----- 4 , 046 4 4 Grand Lodge - - - - 1 , 600 o o

Grand Lodge Grant , Diamond Jubilee - 2 , 000 o 0 Grand Chapter - - - - 150 o 0 Interest on cash at call - - - 140 16 5 Sundries - - •- - 076 £ 19 , 170 4 4

Royal Masonic Institution fop Girls . Donations and Subscriptions - - £ 11 , 490 6 0 Subscription from Grand Lodge - - 150 o o Subscription from Grand Chapter - - 10 10 o Special Donation voted by Grand Lodge 2 nd June 18 97 , in celebration of the

Queen ' s Diamond Jubilee - - 2 , 000 o o Interest on Investments - - - 2 , 464 6 7 Interest on Deposits - - - - 87 1 4 Receipts for Musical Instruction - - 134 10 o Miscellaneous Receipts - - - - 1 42 o 11 £ 16 , 478 14 10

The School Quarterly Courts.

THE SCHOOL QUARTERLY COURTS .

THERE is little of interest to engage the attention of the supporters of the two Educational Institutions at the Quarterly Courts to be held next week—that of the Girls on

Thursday , and that of the Boys the following day . In each case the number of pupils to be admitted at the April elections , as well as the list of candidates , will be settled , while in the case of the Girls School some minor alterations

in the laws are proposed . For the Boys School Bro . Stanley J . Attenborough has given notice of motion-to award an unsuccessful candidate at the last election a yearly grant towards his education and maintenance . Although we hope the proposal will be carried ,

as we should be very sorry to see the lad excluded from all benefits after the efforts made on his behalf by his friends ( he had 870 votes ) , we can but regard the proposition as likely to create a very dangerous precedent . However , if we err at all ,

let it be on the side of leniency and liberality , as we can hardly wish a last chance case excluded from the benefits of the Institution in the glorious year of its Centenary . Why not have done the thing thoroughly , and proposed his admission direct into ' the School—half measures are seldom to be commended ?

New Year's Entertainments.

NEW YEAR'S ENTERTAINMENTS .

ACCORDING to usual custom , the annual entertainment to the annuitants of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution resident in the almshouses at Croydon was given on the premises on the first Wednesday of the year , in presence of a large gathering of Masonic Brethren and ladies . None of the expenses come out of the subscriptions to the

Institution , all the cost being provided by donations specially given . On this occasion there was a substantial balance over , which it was arranged should go to a Samaritan fund for furnishing additional comforts to the old people in the event of their being taken ill . Among the company was Bro . C .

E . Keyser , a liberal supporter of the Masonic Institutions , and Treasurer of the Boys School . The performances in the evening were the comedietta , . " Dearest Mamma , " with a prologue by the Master of Charterhouse , and the farce ,

" Leave it to Me , " both pieces being very creditably acted by the Charterhouse company , of which the Haig-Brown family furnish five representatives . The day's proceedings were very successful .

The Masonic Girls School , at Clapham Junction , also had a New Year's entertainment the same evening , for the girls who did not return to their homes for the Christmas holidays .

The installation meeting ofthe Domatic Lodge , No . 177 , will be held at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet Street , on Friday next , at 4 o ' clock , when Bro . William Hanes will be installed as W . M ., in succession to Bro . W . J . Ferguson . The other

business on the agenda includes the balloting for and initiation of a candidate , and the raising of a Brother on behalf of the Dalhousie Lodge , No . 865 . The banquet is timed for 7 o ' clock .

The regular meeting of the Upton Lodge , No . 1227 , will be held on Thursday next , at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool Street . The agenda of business is a heavy one , and includes the names of two candidates for initiation ,

three for passing , and two for raising , so that the Worshipful Master Bro . W . Athol Bray will have full scope for the display of his ability in the work of the Craft . The meeting is called for 5 o ' clock .

At the invitation of the Worshipful Master Bro . William Nutt , and Officers of the St . Germain Lodge , No . 566 , a company numbering about seventy attended the annual children ' s party and Cinderella dance , which was , on Thursday nig-ht . 22 nd ult .. held in the Public Rooms at

Selby . The arrangements were excellent , and gave entire satisfaction . The proceedings commenced with a tea . Subsequently a magic lantern entertainment was given bv

Bro . W . N . Chessman P . M . Other amusements were also introduced , and a pleasant evening was brought to a termination by a Cinderella dance , at which Bro . Mark Scott P . M ., and Bro . J . F . Watson P . M . acted as M . C ' s ,