Festival Of The Girls School.

FESTIVAL OF THE GIRLS SCHOOL .

"ITl / HEN we said we hoped that the result of the V ? Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls would be to add another to the already long list of triumphs secured by the Masonic Brethren of England ,

in support of the Charitable Educational Institutions associated with their Order , we little thought what was in store for the Craft when the announcement came to

be made on Wednesday ; and we think there were very few Brethren , outside those who actually knew the state of affairs , who , even on the morning of the Festival , would have pinned their faith on a total

exceeding £ 15 , , but as a matter of fact that sum was very considerably exceeded , the amount announced by Bro . Hedges Secretary of the Institution being no less than ^ 21 , 045—tnat is , ^ 3 000 in excess of any

, previous total , save that of the Centenary Festival , secured by a Board of Stewards totalling 547 Ladies and Brethren—103 in advance of any previous record , with the one exception just referred to .

Words fail us to express our surprise at this grand contribution , so far in advance of what was expected and , may we say it , in advance of what is really required , unless the Committee contemplate some

departure from the policy of the past . There is such a thing as being killed by kindness , and really our Educational Institutions seem to be running a fearful

risk of coming to some such an end , and unless something is done to put matters on a more equitable basis than exists at the present time the results may be far more serious than many imagine .

As the Treasurer of the Institution said in response to the toast of the evening , this splendid contribution from the Craft of England will remove all anxiety as to

the current year ' s expenses , and will allow of a substantial addition to the invested capital of the Institution , which latter will no doubt be increased to one

hundred thousand pounds , or more , as the result of this year ' s surplus income . This is a very nice amount to have put away for the future , but what will be its ultimate fate ? So large a sum ready for disposal is a

standing menace , and we should never be surprised to hear a proposal made to squander it in the erection of costly new buildings , just as the Craft has lately had an experience of in another direction .

We have recently pointed out the all but impossible task set anyone who desires to win for a child a home in one or other of the Schools of English Freemasonry , and there are many who feel even stronger

on the point than we do , and yet in spite of it all the money flows in as we have seen it during the last few days , and it seems now absolutely necessary for the Committee to adopt some new measures of spending

it . Will they do so m that most wasteful of all ways —the purchase of bricks and mortar , or will they find some method of conferring the benefits of a ' good education in a less costl y way than is now rendered

Festival Of The Girls School.

necessary at our Schools—costly we mean in the matter of accommodation ? Why not devote the interest on the £ J 00 , 000 invested capital to providing

education and clothing for children at their own homes ? It works well in other quarters , but may not be quite so showy as large educational establishments of princely magnificence .

As already ^ stated , the figures announced by the Secretary were .- LONDON , . 265 Stewards , ^ 10 , 990 ; PROVINCES , & C , 282 Stewards , ^ 10 , 055 ; a total of 547 Stewards , bringing up ^ 21 , 045 .

The Benevolent Institution.

THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE annual meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows will be held on Friday next , at 12 o ' clock at noon , at the Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen Street , London .

According to the programme announced at the time of the issue of the voting papers fifteen Brethren and twelve Widows are to be elected , but at the meeting of the Committee of Management held on

Wednesday it was decided to increase this number by the creation of eight new Annuities , five for Aged Brethren , of ^ 40 each ; and three for Widows , of ^ 32 each .

This will raise the number to be elected to twenty and fifteen respectively , and in addition there will be the vacancies caused by death to be filled , so that

altogether a goodly number of the candidates eligible for election will be admitted on Friday next . May they one and all live many years to enjoy the bounty of their Masonic Brethren .

I paid a visit on Tuesday to the Hampden Lodge of Freemasons , whereof Bro . Thomas Moss , B . A ., is Master , and which meets at that admirable residential club , the Hampden , in Phoenix Street . I there had the pleasure of participating in mysteries which included the raising to the

degree of a Master Mason of Mr . William Pearce Jones , the head of the firm of Jones Bros ., of Holloway Road . There were rejoicings thereat and thereafter , and a charming evening was passed with music and oratory of a high class . The

Hampden Lodge is one of the most flourishing of the North London Lodges , just as the club is one of the most successful of its kind , for it has over 200 residential members who have the luxuries of a good hotel as well as an up-to-date club . — The " Merrie Villager , " in "Islington Gazette . "

The Brethren of the Temple Bar Lodge of Instruction , No . 1728 , have decided to hold their weekly meetings at the Raglan Hotel , St . Martin ' s-le-Grand , E . C ., of which establishment Bro . H . Cork is the manager . The first meeting at the new quarters was held on Wednesday , when the annual supper took place .

We are compelled to hold over the summary we had prepared of the contributions of the Provinces to the Girls Festival , and several other items .