The Girls School Festival.

THE GIRLS SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

EUREKA ! All the anxieties of the last few months , as well as the gloomy forebodings of the last week or two , as to the result of the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , were satisfactorily dispelled on Wednesday , when subscriptions to the amount of £ 16 , 026 6 s 6 d were

announced , and it became possible to describe 1897 as a record year in connection with this Institution , surpassed only on one occasion , and that essentially a special one—bhe Centenary celebration of the foundation of the School .

To say that we are pleased in being able to announce so grand a result falls far short of expressing all we feel on the present occasion , and we are convinced the Craft of England will join us in our hearty congratulations to the Secretary and the many who worked with him in order to ensure so

satisfactory a result for the 109 th Anniversary Festival . They have indeed cause for congratulation in the fact that the Board of Stewards responded at the last moment to the call for a special effort , which in turn culminated in the total we have just referred to .

As was mentioned at the Festival the marvel is as to

where so much money comes from , but there is the other side of the subject to also consider—the Craft is proud of its Institutions , and recognises that they must be supported , in

spite of any other claims that may be made in the cause of Charity—a fact that is clearly demonstrated in the grand total of £ 16 , 026 6 s 6 d announced as the result of the 1897 Festival on behalf of " Our Girls . "

We give elsewhere a report of the Festival gathering , and also details of tbe different Stewards and their subscriptions . The summaries from the several Provinces were as follow : Province . Stewards . Amount . £ a d .

Berkshire ... ... ... 5 194 5 0 Buckinghamshire ... ... 7 171 4 0 Cambridgeshire ... ... 2 10 10 0 Cheshire ... ... ... 5 110 5 0 Cornwall ... ... ... 1 68 5 0

Cumberland and Westmorland ... 1 10 10 0 Derbyshire ... ... ... 8 327 7 0 Devonshire ... ... ... 2 35 10 0 Dorsetshire ... ... ... 2 72 9 0 Durham ... ... ... 1 52 10 0

Essex ... ... ... ... 9 303 9 0 Gloucestershire ... ... 7 286 18 0 Hants and Isle of Wight ... 4 153 6 6 Hertfordshire ... ... ... 9 399 7 0 Kent ... ... ... ... 9 219 19 0 Lancashire , East Division ... 19 251 5 0

The Girls School Festival.

Lancashire , West Division ... 10 224 14 0 Leicestershire and Rutland ... 1 320 5 0 Middlesex ... ... ... 6 270 18 0 Monmouthshire ... ... 9 346 10 0 Norfolk ... ... ... 1 110 5 0 Norths and Hunts ... ... 2 78 10 0 North Wales ... ... ... 2 68 5 0

Oxfordshire ... ... ... 4 51 7 6 Shropshire ... ... ... 3 176 8 0 South Wales , East Division ... 11 1050 0 0 Staffordshire ... ... ... 5 225 5 0 Suffolk 4 227 10 0 Surrey ... ... ' ... 13 622 7 6 Sussex ... ... ... 10 205 9 6

Warwickshire ... ... ... 10 210 0 0 Worcestershire ... ... 4 199 10 0 Yorkshire , North and East ... 4 127 15 0 Yorkshire , West ... ... 22 420 0 0 Jersey ... ... ... 1 241 10 0 Foreign Stations ... ... 4 126 10 0 Mark Lodges ... ... ... 1 36 15 0 London ... ... ... 182 8083 2 6

The Benevolent Institution Elections.

THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION ELECTIONS .

THE Annual meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will take place on Friday next , when the vacancies on the list of Annuitants will be filled up . As previously stated the ballot paper for the Male Fund shows 65 approved candidates , with 13 declared vacancies ; that for the Female Fund 52 candidates , and 18 vacancies .

Durham.

DURHAM .

THE Provincial Grand Master Sir Hedworth Williamson having considered invitations for the holding of Provincial Grand Lodge , has decided to hold the annual meeting at Stockton , on the last Tuesday of September , and , all being well , the annual meeting of next year will take place at Barnard Castle , under the banner of the Barnard Lodge , No . 1230 .

Staffordshire.

STAFFORDSHIRE .

THE Provincial Grand Lodge is appointed to be held at Lichfield , on Wednesday , 26 th May . The Earl of Dartmouth Prov . Grand Master , Colonel Bindley Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and many prominent members are expected to

be present . The Grand Lodge will be held at the Guildhall . At 2 . 30 the Brethren will attend service at the Cathedral , and this will be followed by a banquet at St . James' Hall . It is ten years since the last Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the city .

The Prince of Wales will be re-installed as Grand Mark Master of England on Tuesday , 1 st June . This will mark the commencement of the twelfth year of His Royal Highness ' s Mastership of the Degree .

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EoyalMasonicInstitutionforBoys,WOOD QREEN , LONDON , N . Grand Patron—HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN . President— H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES , K . G ., M . W . G . M . Patmns ( , x offido \ - i THE EI HT HON . THE EARL OF LATHOM , M . W . PKO G . M . matrons \ ex-opao ) - j THB EIGHT H 0 N THB BARL AMHERST ) R w DEP _ GM > lreasurer— CHARLES E . KEYSER , ESQ ., J . P ., P . G . DEACON , PATBON OF INSTITUTION . Bankers—LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK , LIMITED ( BLOOMSBuuy BBANCH ) , 214 HIGH HOLBOBN , LONDON , W . C . 2244 Boys have received the benefits of the Institution since its foundation in 1 798 . 279 Boys are now being Educated , Clothed and Maintained . Permanent Annual Income £ 1 , 750 only . The 99 th Anniversary Festival will be held at the Hotel Cecil , Strand , W . C , on 30 th June 18 97 , under the distinguished presidency of TheRt.Hon.LordHy.CavendishBentinek,fl.P.,R . W . Prov . G . M . Cumberland , and Westmorland . The services of Brethren as StevOards ( representing Lodges or Provinces ) , and Ladies , are earnestly requested , and vOill be gratefully acKnouOledged . Secretary .- —} . MORRISON McLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Vice-Patron , 6 FREEMASONS' HALL , LONDON , W . C .