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Article THE MASONIC INSTITUTIONS. Page 1 of 2 Article THE MASONIC INSTITUTIONS. Page 1 of 2 →
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The Masonic Institutions.
THE MASONIC INSTITUTIONS .
THB next few days promise to be busy ones in connection with the three Central Charities of Freemasonry , and it is not too much to say that the events of the coming week will for ever stand out prominently in the annals of
Masonic Benevolence . First we may expect that the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Management and condition of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will be distributed among the Subscribers of that
Institution ; then there will be the consideration of a letter of protest drawn np by its House and Finance and Audit Committees ; next we may look to the sanctioning by the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls of tbe expenditure of a sum of £ 31 , 000 , on new buildings and other matters , as
a part of the income of the Centenary Celebration of that Charity—a Special General Court of the Subscribers being called for Thursday next , to give the necessary powers ; and , finally , there is the Annual General Meeting of the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , to be held on Friday , when , if wo mistake not , something more will be said on the subject of reform and alteration in the conduct of tho business of the Masonic Institutions .
It is not necessary for us to repeat our remarks of last week in regard to the delay in sending out the Report of the Boys' School Inquiry Commission to the Snbrcribers . The Craft is still without copies , and the delay of a week which we then found fault with is now extended to a
fortnight . As a consequence all manner of strange rumours are afloat as to what the Committee have discovered , what they find fault with , and what they suggest . We regret we are unable to give any official contradiction or confirmation of these rumours , but the following , which
we extract from the Yorkshire Daily Post of Thursday , bears such a stamp of authenticity as to induce us to regard it as genuine , although why it should have found its way into a Yorkshire paper , when all information is denied the Subscribers and others most intimately interested , we are at a loss to understand . Our
contemporary says : — The conclusions unanimously arrived at by tbe committee are as follow : — " 1 . The school is in aa unsatisfactory state as regards its manage , ment . 2 . The educational staff is satisfactory , tbe teaching good ,
and the school discipline well maintained . 3 . Tbere is an antagonism between the educational and domestic staff which seriously impairs the usefulness of the institntion . 4 . The effective control has fallen away from the House Committee . 5 . The expenditure is extravagant and not properly regulated . 6 . The
feeding and clothing of tbe boys are not such as are represented by the expenditure , and their health and comfort are not satisfactorily attended to by tbe domestic staff . 7 . The Finance Committee exercises no real check on the expenditure . 8 . The accounts are not kept on a proper system , and those published are misleading .
9 . The secretary has engrossed the control of the institution into bis own hands , and to this and tbe friction between bim and the domestic staff on the one side , aud the bead master and his adherents on the other , the great part of the present evils is to be attributed . "
We therefore are of opinion tbat" 1 . Au entire change in administration , and a thorough breaking away from the present practice , must take place before the management , discipline , and expenditure of the institution will be satisfactory . 2 . There should be bat one head authority ( viz ., the
head master ) at Wood Green , and the entire establishment there be subject to him . 3 . The House Committee should be able and willing to take and keep tbe control in its own hands , must be in touch with the daily life of the school , and give more personal attention and exercise an intelligent authority in tbe institution . 4 . The
The Masonic Institutions.
questions of sufficient playgrounds and proper appliances for health and cleanliness of the pupils require immediate attention . 5 . The Finance Committee should regulate the expenditure under the House Committee , and not rest its efforts after merely checking the vouchera and books put before it . 0 . The account * should be kept
as recommended by a qualified public accountant , and annually published as audited and approved by the Finance Committee . 7 . The Secretary's duties should be strictly limited to tho office , and he should not interfere at Wood Green save as the mere official channel of communication with the Head Master . " If this is the substance of the Committee ' s views on the
several points submitted to them we think that far too much alarm is being shown by the supporters of tbe Charity , and it proves the evil of forming an opinion on
hearsay evidence , or on rumour alone . We recognise tbd conclusions arrived at by the Committee , as given above , as being somewhat of a serious nature , as affecting the Institution and its management , but to say they are as bad as we have been led to believe is absurd . Putting the
matter briefly , we may sum up tho conclusions as something like a storm in a tea cup . Tho case that is made out shows a want of unanimity among the managers of the Institution , which is to be regretted , but which we regard
as wholly inseparable from an establishment conducted on the lines of onr Institutions . Domestic friction does , and must occur at all times in so large an undertaking , but it is only on special occasions that the proverbial ' * dirty
linen " gets " washed in public . When this does unfortunately occur—and it is only necessary for our readers to look around and they will find instances of it in private as well as public life—it is usual for much to be made out of
very little . This has happened in connection with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which , if we may judge from the Committee ' s conclusions , is unfortunate
in having numerous heads , without any one in actual authority to manage the whole concern . It appears to be the old story over again , —it is everybody ' s business to see
matters go straight , and as a result no one does it , and until some recognised control is assumed by some individual or Committee we cannot expect much improvement . The Inquiry Commissioners appear to recognise this when thev propose (" see No . 3 above ) that " the House
Committee shonld be able and willing to take and keep the control in its own hands . " This is undoubtedly necessary , and it must be carried out to the letter . Without question the present House Committee have
been both able and willing to do this in the past , and if in this respect they have not proved themselves efficient it is becanse they have erred on the side of leniency . They may have allowed small matters to pass unnoticed ,
rather than be for ever grumbling or finding fault , which , as those of our readers who have had experience in managing large establishments will agree , is absolutel y necessary to ensure efficiency . It is not possible among
so many persons as are associated with the Royal Masonic Institntion for Boys for all to go on smoothl y year after year , and if the House Committee or other governing body does its work properly it will have fco
settle the many trivial as well as important grievances which arise ; in doing so it is not always possible to satisfy every one . It is for the governing body to act fearlessl y and zealously , to make rules and enforce them , without
fear or favour , and they will earn the approval of those for whom they act , and will secure an amount of good feeling which is not possible by any other method . If , on the other hand , tbey are lenient , and allow eacb and all to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Institutions.
THE MASONIC INSTITUTIONS .
THB next few days promise to be busy ones in connection with the three Central Charities of Freemasonry , and it is not too much to say that the events of the coming week will for ever stand out prominently in the annals of
Masonic Benevolence . First we may expect that the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Management and condition of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will be distributed among the Subscribers of that
Institution ; then there will be the consideration of a letter of protest drawn np by its House and Finance and Audit Committees ; next we may look to the sanctioning by the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls of tbe expenditure of a sum of £ 31 , 000 , on new buildings and other matters , as
a part of the income of the Centenary Celebration of that Charity—a Special General Court of the Subscribers being called for Thursday next , to give the necessary powers ; and , finally , there is the Annual General Meeting of the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , to be held on Friday , when , if wo mistake not , something more will be said on the subject of reform and alteration in the conduct of tho business of the Masonic Institutions .
It is not necessary for us to repeat our remarks of last week in regard to the delay in sending out the Report of the Boys' School Inquiry Commission to the Snbrcribers . The Craft is still without copies , and the delay of a week which we then found fault with is now extended to a
fortnight . As a consequence all manner of strange rumours are afloat as to what the Committee have discovered , what they find fault with , and what they suggest . We regret we are unable to give any official contradiction or confirmation of these rumours , but the following , which
we extract from the Yorkshire Daily Post of Thursday , bears such a stamp of authenticity as to induce us to regard it as genuine , although why it should have found its way into a Yorkshire paper , when all information is denied the Subscribers and others most intimately interested , we are at a loss to understand . Our
contemporary says : — The conclusions unanimously arrived at by tbe committee are as follow : — " 1 . The school is in aa unsatisfactory state as regards its manage , ment . 2 . The educational staff is satisfactory , tbe teaching good ,
and the school discipline well maintained . 3 . Tbere is an antagonism between the educational and domestic staff which seriously impairs the usefulness of the institntion . 4 . The effective control has fallen away from the House Committee . 5 . The expenditure is extravagant and not properly regulated . 6 . The
feeding and clothing of tbe boys are not such as are represented by the expenditure , and their health and comfort are not satisfactorily attended to by tbe domestic staff . 7 . The Finance Committee exercises no real check on the expenditure . 8 . The accounts are not kept on a proper system , and those published are misleading .
9 . The secretary has engrossed the control of the institution into bis own hands , and to this and tbe friction between bim and the domestic staff on the one side , aud the bead master and his adherents on the other , the great part of the present evils is to be attributed . "
We therefore are of opinion tbat" 1 . Au entire change in administration , and a thorough breaking away from the present practice , must take place before the management , discipline , and expenditure of the institution will be satisfactory . 2 . There should be bat one head authority ( viz ., the
head master ) at Wood Green , and the entire establishment there be subject to him . 3 . The House Committee should be able and willing to take and keep tbe control in its own hands , must be in touch with the daily life of the school , and give more personal attention and exercise an intelligent authority in tbe institution . 4 . The
The Masonic Institutions.
questions of sufficient playgrounds and proper appliances for health and cleanliness of the pupils require immediate attention . 5 . The Finance Committee should regulate the expenditure under the House Committee , and not rest its efforts after merely checking the vouchera and books put before it . 0 . The account * should be kept
as recommended by a qualified public accountant , and annually published as audited and approved by the Finance Committee . 7 . The Secretary's duties should be strictly limited to tho office , and he should not interfere at Wood Green save as the mere official channel of communication with the Head Master . " If this is the substance of the Committee ' s views on the
several points submitted to them we think that far too much alarm is being shown by the supporters of tbe Charity , and it proves the evil of forming an opinion on
hearsay evidence , or on rumour alone . We recognise tbd conclusions arrived at by the Committee , as given above , as being somewhat of a serious nature , as affecting the Institution and its management , but to say they are as bad as we have been led to believe is absurd . Putting the
matter briefly , we may sum up tho conclusions as something like a storm in a tea cup . Tho case that is made out shows a want of unanimity among the managers of the Institution , which is to be regretted , but which we regard
as wholly inseparable from an establishment conducted on the lines of onr Institutions . Domestic friction does , and must occur at all times in so large an undertaking , but it is only on special occasions that the proverbial ' * dirty
linen " gets " washed in public . When this does unfortunately occur—and it is only necessary for our readers to look around and they will find instances of it in private as well as public life—it is usual for much to be made out of
very little . This has happened in connection with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which , if we may judge from the Committee ' s conclusions , is unfortunate
in having numerous heads , without any one in actual authority to manage the whole concern . It appears to be the old story over again , —it is everybody ' s business to see
matters go straight , and as a result no one does it , and until some recognised control is assumed by some individual or Committee we cannot expect much improvement . The Inquiry Commissioners appear to recognise this when thev propose (" see No . 3 above ) that " the House
Committee shonld be able and willing to take and keep the control in its own hands . " This is undoubtedly necessary , and it must be carried out to the letter . Without question the present House Committee have
been both able and willing to do this in the past , and if in this respect they have not proved themselves efficient it is becanse they have erred on the side of leniency . They may have allowed small matters to pass unnoticed ,
rather than be for ever grumbling or finding fault , which , as those of our readers who have had experience in managing large establishments will agree , is absolutel y necessary to ensure efficiency . It is not possible among
so many persons as are associated with the Royal Masonic Institntion for Boys for all to go on smoothl y year after year , and if the House Committee or other governing body does its work properly it will have fco
settle the many trivial as well as important grievances which arise ; in doing so it is not always possible to satisfy every one . It is for the governing body to act fearlessl y and zealously , to make rules and enforce them , without
fear or favour , and they will earn the approval of those for whom they act , and will secure an amount of good feeling which is not possible by any other method . If , on the other hand , tbey are lenient , and allow eacb and all to