The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

ALTHOUGH we were pleased to observe that the recent Quarterly General Court of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls was not allowed to pass without reference to the neglect of the management to extend the benefits of the Institution , in appreciation of the splendid result of the Centenary Festival , we were somewhat surprised that the protest came from so influential a personage as the chairman of

the day , and we even go so far as to question the propriety of the remarks made by Bro . H . Brooks Marshall , although , we must perforce admit , they

were m keeping with our fondest hopes . Bro Marshall , in his position as chairman of the meeting , regretted that , notwithstanding the munificence of the brethren on the occasion of the Centenary Festival of the Institutionon the 7 th of last Jrmfi . --

, . — ^ j —— . - — — ~; when the Prince of Wales presided , and more than - £ 50 , 600 was subscribed , there were vacancies for only nine out of sixty three - candidates . The

premises however , lie said , were going to be enlarged , and he hoped that at the next April or October elections the Institution would be able to take in all

candidates . These remarks called forth some strong expressions of disapproval , and we are sorry to say we think they were deserved . We can well understand

Bro . Marshall ' s personal feeling in the matter ; he , like many others who have done their best in support of the Masonic Institutions , is no doubt disgusted that such a Festival as that the Girls' School enjoyed this year should be passed over in contemptuous

silence , and we cannot blame him for expressing his private opinion , wherever and whenever he has the opportunity of doing so , but as Chairman for the time being of the Institution itself he ought to have been more guarded in his observations . He should not have made use of his public position to express his

private opinion , lor we think he will agree with us that what he said at the meeting referred to was merely an expression of personal opinion , not to be accepted as in any way official , or endorsed by those entrusted with the management of the Institution . TYT 1 " ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦ 1 -.- -a — . i

While it is true we have all along urged the extention of the benefits of the Charity as a mark of appreciation for' the Centenary Festival , we have known there was a great and . in one wav of thinking * .

an insurmountable obstacle in the way . The School buildings have for some time past been over crowded ; in addition to which alterations are in progress which still further encroach on the accommodation the School

buildings afford . It was therefore unwise , if not impossible , to elect any more children for admission to the School until the necessary additions had been

completed , but there was no obstacle to prevent an extension of benefits in other ways . Supposing the Committee had decided to elect the nine children for

The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

whom there were vacancies to the full benefits of the Institution , they would then have had fifty-four approved candidates to deal with , and for all of these something could and might have been done . Would it have been a very serious matter—in face of tho

( Jentenary Festival—to have elected them all , and educated them outside the School , either permanently , or until such time as they could be admitted in the ordinary way ? If such a course would have led to

the abuse of the privileges thus conferred , —as we are told was the case in years gone by , —it could have easily been discontinued as soon as the " Centenary " candidates came of an acre to leave the care of the ___ __ 0 _ _

^ Charity , but we do not believe that outside education , wo „ uld be either more expensive , or less satisfactory than that 'how practised , while it would afford a ready

means oi doing justice to the Craft , which has thus lar been neglected . It is not too late to remedy this omission , and we hone its "practicability may yet be

considered by those in authority . Reverting to Bro . Marshall's comments , we may say that the hope he expressed , that on the completion

of the alterations all the candidates would be admitted , was most injudicious and most unlikely of being fulfilled . We . are not surprised that some of those who were present when he made these remarks took occasion to express their disapproval thereat .

Une ol these , Uro . James A . ± Sirch , oi Manchester , has addressed a letter to the Manchester Courier , in which he , as a member of the Centenary Committee ,

says it is not at all likely that the increased accommodation at the School will be available even at October of next year , so that we may give up all hope of anything being done in the way of extending the benefits

oi the Charity as a result oi the ( Jentenary Celebration until 1890 at the earliest . Is this what the Stewards and supporters of the Centenary worked for ? We sav it is not : and we consider that something should

be done immediately to meet the exigencies of the case . It is no use holding out hopes , for 1890 , which may never be realised , besides which it is madness to even suggest that during that year all the candidates will be taken on . If such an opinion becomes general who

shall say how many candidates will be put forward ? Instead of having fifty-four to deal with , as is now the case , we should not be surprised to see ten eleven twenty times that number . Taking the average ,

is there one Lodge in ten that could not find a deserving candidate , provided the members knew there was a certainty of election ? Under these

circumstances , then , it must be evident that to hope for the admission of all the candidates of 1890 , as a recognition of the success of 1888 , is not worthy a moment ' s consideration , and accordingly some other

method must be devised of celebrating the grandest Festival ever known'in connection with a Charity , or else the matter must be allowed to sink into oblivion —a poor return for a very rich offering .