The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

THE .. April Quarterly Court and usual Half-yearly Election of this Institution took place on Saturday last at Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen Street , London . Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall , Grand Treasurer , occupied the chair , and in due course the minutes of the previous Court

were put to the meeting and confirmed In accordance with the recommendation of the General Committee , one more vacancy was declared for the day ' s election , bringing the number of vacancies up to twenty-three , ancl later on

that number of girls were elected . Bro . Horace B . Marshall was re-elected Treasurer of the Institution , and in acknowledging the compliment said he feared he should not be able to devote that time and attention to the duties

of the office which had been given by his predecessorthe lamented Bro . Colonel Creaton . His many other engagements rendered the amount of time at his disposal very small . He was willing to devote as much as he

could spare to furthering the efforts of the managers of the Institution in their labour of love , efforts which had raised the School to its present state of perfection , and he hoped thafc what ho could do would be of service .

From an experience of upwards of a quarter of a century in the working of many orphan establishments he could emphatically state that the pupils of the Masonic School at Battersea were excelled by the

girls of no other similar establishment , either in their general bearing , their lady-like deportment , or their scholastic acquirements . To be associated in the raanao-ement of such an Institution—in virtue of the office to

which he had that day been elected—was a great honour , and he thanked the brethren for having elected him to it . Bro . Henry Smith Prov . G . Sec . W . Yorks , Vice-Patron of the Institution , then submitted the motion standing in

his name to the effect that one thousand guineas be accepted from the Province of West Yorkshire , for the purchase of a perpetual presentation of one girl to the School , to be called the " Sir Henry Edwards

Presentation . " He felt it was quite unnecessary for him to say many words in offering this proposition , as he knew he had the sympathy of the brethren in the matter , and also felt they would readily give their consent to it . The

proposition was seconded by Bro . Samuel Rawson P . D . G . M . China , and carried . Bro . Frank Richardson , in the absence of Bro . Robert Grey , moved the proposition standing in the latter brother ' s name , seeking to confer the rank of Honorary

Vice-Patron , with the votes attaching thereto , on Mrs . Howell , wife of the hon . surgeon of the Institution . Fewbrethren were aware , he said , of the great services rendered by this lady to the School and its inmates . In an

Institution such as theirs it was not customary , nor would it be politic , to spend the money of the subscribers iu teaching the pupils singing , but Mrs . Howell , who was an accomplished vocalist , attended regularly at the School

and did her best to instruct fche girls ia singino * . The great progress made by the pupils must have been manifest to any one who had recently heard them . He accordingly proposed that the honour he had mentioned should be

conferred on Mrs . Howell . Bro . Cbas . Lacey heartily seconded the proposition . He was pleased to learn how much the lady had done for the Institution . Scrutineers of balloting papers were then appointed , and the election for Girls was

The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

proceeded with , the result being that , of thirty candidates , twenty-three—of whom wo give a list in another columnwero elected , whilo the following seven wero unsuccessful .

The votes recorded against each will be carried forward to the next election , when we trust those of the girls then eligible will be more fortunate than they have been this time . No . on

List . Forward . Polled . Total . 28 Fi ' tt , Maude Emily 1403 1403 12 Smithers , Louisa Adelaide 500 760 1326 30 Read , Mary Frances 1219 1219 11 Mansell , Minnie Madeline LSI 798 982 21 Wells , Lilian Frances 574 574 , 15 Smith , Mary Alice G . 197 197 9 . Smith , Rose A . M . ( Last application . ) 56 42 98

The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

THE Subscribers and Governors of this Institution held their regular Quarterly Court on Monday , the 13 th instant , at Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen Street , under the presidency of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart P . G . D . V . P . & c . The usual formalities as rewards the minutes of tlio

last court having been observed , the brethren proceeded to the election of a Treasnrer for the Institntion , Bro . George Plucknett being unanimously re-elected , on the

proposition of Bro . W . Roebuck seconded by Bro . J . L . Mather . Bro . E . F . Storr gracefully announced that after consultation with several friends he had como to the

conclusion it was better to withdraw his proposition affecting the age of candidates , and this was accordingly clone . Bro . A . F . Godson , Vice-Patron of the Institution , proposed that Law LVII . —whieh stipulates that candidates resident within six miles of Freemasons' Hall shall attend

on presentation of their petition , and give evidence to tho Committee of their ability to read , whereas those resident beyond the six miles have only to forward a Certificate to the same effect — should be erased . It hacl

now become useless , and it was no longer necessary that children should be brought before the Committee for the purpose of proving their ability to read , as a special rule was in force that a certain standard should

be attained previous to the admission of a child ' s name to the list of approved candidates . Bro . 0 . F . Hogard seconded the proposition , which was opposed by Bro . C . H . Webb . Law XLL , which fixes the standard to bo

attained by candidates prior to their being accepted , waa of a general character , and he thought thafc the Committee should personally satisfy themselves that candidates wero eligible whenever ifc was possible for them so to do . As

an old attendant afc the Committees of the two Schools , he was able to say that children who had reached an age when they should read fluently were frequently referred back io

qualify themselves in reading . He thought that the old system should be continued , as when once a child was pub on the approved list , it was simply a question of influence to secure election . Bro . J . E . Curteis moved as an

amendment that tho proposition should bo adjourned until the next Court , in order that the question mighfc bo fully considered , but the Chairman ruled that the 'imendiceifc

could not be received . Bro . Ratclitfc considered that a law which made so invidious a distinction between candidates resident within six miles , and those outside that limit ,