The October Election To The Girls' School.

THE OCTOBER ELECTION TO THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

11 HE half-yearly election of pupils for the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls will take place on Saturday , the 8 th prox ., when fifteen g irls will be elected from an approved list of thirty candidates . It will be remembered that at

the last Election , in April of the current year , the whole of the twenty-eight girls then elig ible for the School were admitted without ballot , so that each of the candidates now seeking admission to the Institution are first application

cases . Four of them also make a final application on thia occasion . No . 1 , Mary Elizabeth Rowe , an only child dependent on a widowed mother , is the daughter of a late

member of tbe Phcenix Lodge , No . 831 , and the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , No . 1529 , of which latter he was Junior Warden . The case is the only one from the Province of Cornwall , and will no doubt in consequence receive tbe

official support of that district , in which event its success is all but assured . No . 3 , Amy Harriett Turnell , is one of five fatherless children now dependent on their mother . The father was initiated in the Wentworth Lodge , No . 1289 ,

West Yorkshire , in 1875 . Here also the case is the only one from the late father ' s Province , and when this happens with such a well organised district as West Yorkshire , the success of the child almost becomes a certainty . We hope

that in this instance nothing will occur to upset this view of the candidate ' s prospects . No . 22 , Amy Henrietta Smith , is one of three children dependent on a widowed mother .

The father died in June of last year , after having been a member of his Lodge for upwards of seven years . He was initiated in the Royal Sussex of Emulation , No . 355 , Wiltshire , and the child who now seeks admission

to the Girls' School has the advantage of being—as is the case with the other last applications to which we have referred—the only case from her father ' s Province . Let us hope that in consequence she will

receive such support as will entitle her to a place in the school . The other last application is a London case , No . 28 , Elsie Caroline Matthews , daughter of an old member of the St . James ' s Union Lodge , No . 180 . Both

her parents are living , but there are six children now dependent on them for support . We think sufficient has been said to show that each of these cases has a fair prospect of success , but it would be well for brethren who

consider that children whose age precludes them from taking part in another contest should have preference to all others to make inquiry before parting with votes which , in their opinion , by right belong to " aged" candidates .

Another section—and , to our mind , an equally deserving one—is composed of children who have neither parent lifing . Three of those on the present list are so placed , and we feel that each of these children has a claim on the

subscribers of tbe Charit y lor which they are now candidates which should prove almost irresistible . No . 7 , Jane ^ dmnnds , is one of four orphans dependent ou friends , lhe father was affiliated to the Prince of Wales ' s Lodo-e

" ° - b / 1 , South Wales ( West Division ) , in 1866 , and remained a subscribing member thereto for ei ghteen * w 5 ' N ° ' 17 , Mary EIizabefch Herratt , is one of three cwldren similarl y bereaved . Her father was initiated in

The October Election To The Girls' School.

the Earl of Zetland Lodge , No . 1364 , in October 1884 , and died within a twelvemonth , leaving his children dependent on friends and relatives . Let us hope tbat his Masonic brethren may deserve to be classed among the

former . No . 5 , Georgina Balch , is the other parentless candidate . She and one other child are dependent on friends , except that one is partially provided for . She has had a sister in the Institution for which she is now a

candidate , and is accredited to the Province of Somersetshire , her father having been initiated in the Roval Clarence Lodge , No . 976 , in 1877 , subscribing thereto until the time of his death , in 1880 .

We have thus disposed of seven of the candid > it \ s . Of the remaining twenty three five are accredited to London , and one to Norfolk and London jointly . No . 8 , Maud Mary Freeman , has a brother in the Boys' School . Both her parents

are living , and there are eight children dependent , one of whom is , however , partially provided for . The father is a P . M . of the Justice Lodge , No . 147 , wherein he was initiated in 1870 . No . 13 , Sarah Bissett . is one of five

children dependent . The father was initiated in 1876 in the Temperance in the East Lodge , No . 898 , and he remained a member thereof until his death , which occurred

at sea , where be was lost " between 1881 aud 1882 !" No . 14 , Henrietta Ada Staff , is one of six children left to the care of a widowed mother . Her father was initiated

in the Clapton Lodge , No . 1365 , ra November 1885 , and onl y survived his initiation ten months ; in that short time , however , he became a contributor to the Benevolent Institution , a fact which should have some effect , on the

number of votes recorded for his daughter next month . No . 19 , Elsie Maudslay James , is one of two children dependent on the widow of a very old member of the Craft . He was initiated in the Robert Burns Lodge , No . 25 , as

far back as February 1853 , subsequently joining the Britannic , No . 33 ; in these he subscribed for 24 | years . He was a Life Governor to all the Charities , and no doubt did his share in winning for his Lodges the reputation for

benevolence they now enjoy . May his generosity to the Craft be now repaid on behalf of his orphan daughter . No . 30 , Maud Alice Walker , is one of nine dependent children . The father was initiated in the Wandsworth

Lodge , No . 1044 , in 1877 , and subscribed thereto until his death , ei g ht years later . The case accredited to Norfolk and London jointly is No . 15 , Olga Katinka Tettenborn , one of three dependent children , of whom one is partially

provided for . She has a brother in the Boys' School , and we hope we may ere long hear that she is entitled to a place in the sister Institution . The father was initiated iu

the Sincerity Lodge , No . 943 , in 1865 , and subsequentl y joined the Metropolitan , No . 1507 . He showed a Craft membership of fourteen years .

The other cases are accredited as follows : four to the Province of Devonshire , two to Dorsetshire , and one each to Cambridgeshire , Cumberland and Westmoreland , Essex ,

Hampshire and Isle of Wi g ht , Hertfordshire , Kent , Northumberland , Suffolk , Sussex , South Wales ( West ) , and one to tbe District of Victoria .

There are no doubt many who will regret the Institution is not in a position to throw its doors open to the whole of these candidates , as it was enabled to do iu April last , but

we think there is much to be thankful for when , out of a list of thirty candidates , it is possible to offer a home to fifteen . May the most deserving receive the greatest support .