The Approaching Festival Of The Girls' School.

THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

WE are now coming' within measurable distance of the Annual Festival in connection with the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , which is fixed to take place at Freemasons' Hall , on the eleventh of next month : and

very naturally there exists a certain degree of hopeful speculation in the minds of many as to the magnitude its results will assume . The Institution is so grounded in the affections of the Craft that there need be little fear

as to the outcome of the united exertions of its supporters ; at the same time it is absolutely necessary to occasionally remind the brethren of England of the responsibilities which devolve upon them in connection with this and the other

Charities of the Order . Time passes so swiftly that there almost seems to be one continuous appeal before the Craft on behalf of its three Institutions ; no sooner is one Festival disposed of than preparations are made for its successor

and the various Lodges are again asked to lend a hand in raising the funds actually required to meet the expenditure of the year . It is just this necessity of providing for current expenses which renders such frequency of appeal

imperative , and it is just this urgency which should influence brethren when they come to decide on the answer they shall give . It is not sufficient to refer to the large sums contributed in the past—they have been spent , and

they have induced a line of action which virtually demands a continuance of past liberality ; promises have been made by those who have contributed in years gone by which

have to be redeemed by the present generation of Masons , and we feel it is only necessary to remind them of what is expected in order to ensure its being supplied .

Freemasonry in this country owes no small part of its popularity to the three Charities which are so intimately associated with it , and it is not therefore out of place for special attention to be devoted to the Festivals of the

Institutions as year by year they come round . The actual continuance of Freemasonry is , in a measure , dependent on the success of those Festivals , for however much any one may urge that the Charities are not essential to the Order , there

is no gainsaying the fact that without the practice of charity on an extensive scale Freemasonry would have no particular object in the United Kingdom . If we took away from Freemasons the privilege of benefiting their

fellow creatures nothing would be left sufficiently attractive to keep them together for any length of time , and accordingly the Order would gradually dwindle away . Benevolence being , then , the main object of Masonry ' s

existence , the practice of it on a large scale naturall y follows , but unfortunately there are far more applicants than it is possible to relieve . This will explain how it is that so little provision has been made for the future by

the Institutions entrusted with the distribution of the Craft ' s bounty . In their desire to do the greatest amount of good at the time , the subscribers have spent the money as fast as it has come in , feeling sure that brethren who

came after them would do as much in their turn as th enpredecessors . The Festival to be held next month will no doubt prove , as those which have gone before have done , tne

correctness of this surmise , but it behoves us to look around and make sure that every effort is being used to preclude the possibility of failure , especially when , as is usually the case , we have in onr midst a body of carpers

The Approaching Festival Of The Girls' School.

ready to use every opportunity of throwing a shadow of doubt and distrust upon any well-intentioned scheme . The " wet blanket" class have not been behind-hand Jhis time , but ! shall we be too sanguine if we venture to express

our belief that notwithstanding tho vapourings of a few who conjure up sentimental grievances and apprehensions , the coming Festival will be a success , worthy to bo reckoned amongst the prominent Masonic events of the Jubilee year ?

We have already witnessed the celebration of one Anniversary Festival this year—that on behalf of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution—and the exceptional result of that gathering induces us to hope that a like measure of success is in store for the other Masonic

Festivals of this auspicious year . Anyhow , we are not disposed to encourage any gloomy prognostications in regard to that on behalf of the Girls' School .

Judging from what we hear around us on every side there is as healthy and robust a feeling of interest in the School this year as ever . Up to present time two hundred and fourteen Stewards have offered their services

and support to the President of the day , Brother Sir Offley Wakeman , Bart ., Provincial Grand Master of Shropshire , and undoubtedly in the few weeks that have to elapse before the Festival this number will

be further augmented . With such a body of supporters the Festival can hardly fail to be satisfactory , and we trust there is an abundant store of disappointment in waiting for the " croakers " who would throw cold water upon the affair .

Within the last few weeks ample evidence has been given to prove how thoroughly the Chanty k fulfilling its mission , all the candidates eligible for the April election having been admitted without the cost , trouble

and anxiety of a contest at the poll . But this step has added to the number of pupils in the School , and has consequently increased the claims which the Charity has on the sympathies of the Craft , while it has also

given rise to a report that the Institution is not really in need of funds . The mere fact of admitting all who were eligible is sufficient in the eyes of some to prove that the Institution has as much as it wants ; but what is really

the case r As a special matter , a few children who would otherwise have been rejected have been admitted to the Institution , on the supposition that the Craft will do as much on its behalf in the future as it has done in the past

There is no room for a falling off of support ; on the contrary , additional responsibilities have been undertaken , and to meet them increased funds are necessary , so that instead

of calling for lessened aid the action of the subscribers should cause renewed enthusiasm ; for it is only by such means that the Institution can be maintained , or its work among the daughters of English Craftsmen continued .

It would be idle to speculate as to what the result of the coming Festival will be . So many matters have an influence on the ultimate total that any estimate we might give would be little else than the result of guesswork ; at

the same time there are indications sufficient to justify onr prediction of a success , although we cannot say wc are convinced that this year ' s " success " will be a comparison with some of the totals which have been realised in the

past . It does not follow that a satisfactory Festival must be in advance of all its predecessors in regard to total of donations , although we naturally look for a regular ¦ upward tendency . All we can hope for is , that sufficient