Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Projected Extension Of The Girls' School.
THE PROJECTED EXTENSION OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .
AS may bo gathered from our correspondence column , the question of the purchaso of Lyndcombe House and grounds by tho Royal Masonio Institution for Girls is not likely to pass unchallenged . So far as we are concerned , we have no feeling in matters of this description
beyond that which shonld actuate us all—to do as much good as possible with the funds annually subscribed by the Craft for the purposes of charity , whether they be dispensed by Grand Lodge , or one or other of the Institutions connected with the Order . We are almost tired of
explaining this fact in connection with our remarks , but it seems necessary to again refer to it , for we hear it is asserted that we are acting in opposition to the true spirit of Masonic charity . We do not know whether thoso who mate this statement do so from ignorance or stupidity .
If from the former , we hope we have now enlightened them ; if from the latter we once for all decline to discuss tbe matter ; we can only hope that the future ¦ will clearly prove the disinterestedness of our comments . We
have given expression to our ideas on this particular matter in rather stronger terms than is our wont , from the fact that we consider the grant a most unwarrantable diversion of the funds of the
Institution from their proper course , and in the hope that we may arouse the general body of subscribers to take action for themselves , rather than leave the matter in the hands of the few who were present when tbe vote was passed . We are strongly of opinion that a notice should be sent
to every subscriber of the Charity when such a proposition as the one under question is to be brought forward , and if nothing else results , we hope the present discussion will be the means of causing an alteration in this respect to be made in the laws of the Institution . Considerine that an event of
so much importance can hardly occur more than once a year the outlay is not worth mentioning—a matter of £ 15 being ample for the purpose—and then it would be impossible to say that the whole matter had been rushed through , without all interested having been made acquainted with the
proposal . Under present arrangements it cannot be said that notice has been given , for there are very many brethren in the more distant Provinces who do not even see a London daily paper from one year ' s end to another , much less notice any particular advertisement
out of the thousands therein inserted ; neither can it be expected that the Provincial Grand Secretaries can make it known throughout their respective districts in time to be of any service . It is not our wish to urge the brethren to upset the matter on mere
questions of rendering of laws , although we believe the whole of the proceedings could be nullified on that ground alone ; we rather advocate a full and free discussion of the arguments for and against the proposed expenditure , and hope that in the end the result will prove for the benefit
of the School . We think that whatever is done there can be no necessity to make a personal question of the matter ; those who approve of tho proposed outlay are as much entitled to respect as those who object to it , and as far as we are concerned no expression of opinion will be excluded
from our pages . Hitherto we have been opposed to the expenditure , and unless we can be convinced we are wrong , we shall use every honourable argument in our power to support our view of the case , and that withont offering insult to any who may differ with us on the sub-
The Projected Extension Of The Girls' School.
ject . In our issue last week we predicted that any ono who undertook the task of leading an opposition must be prepared for abuse ; the words were not published beforo they were verified , for a contemporary , which was issued the same day as ourselves , opened the attack on tho
objectors with as much abuse as was m its power to cxpross in tho few lines devoted to the subject . We will not question the policy or taste of tho course adopted , except by pointing out that it virtually defeats the end in view , for no one who has tho slightest self-respect would
care to lay himself open to such insult as is offored by tbo editorial in question . Our contemporary understands that the purchase is being violently attacked by privately circulated statements , circulars , and petitions . We do not profess to know all that is going on in the Craft , but we
presume we are cognisant of a great deal of what is being done , and so far as we know the purchase is attacked neither violently nor privately . Those who object to tho outlay naturally feel that the question must be made public , or else the W'hole matter will be settled without
what they deem the desirable object being attained . So far as we know tbey support our . idea that a circular announcing tho proposal should be sent to every one entitlod
to a vote at the meeting , and surely if thoy desire to serve all alike they can hardly be accused of acting privately . As regards petitions , the only paper anything like a petition we have seen is headed as follows : —¦
EOYAL MASONIO INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .
Proposal to spend Six THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS in tho purchase of a House and three-quarters of an aero of Land !!! The undersigned Governors and Subscribers to the It . M . I . Girls respectfully invite co-oppratiou in opposing this suggested misapplication of the funds of the Institution .
December 1879 . What , we ask , is there in this to warrant the charge of violence ? If our contemporary has been told that there is any secresy maintained iu circulating this form , we can only say , so far as our knowledge goes , that he is misinformed .
We have one at our office , ready for the signatures of any wise care to sign , and could name many brethren who likewho have copies if there were any need for such a coursebut wo hold there is not . It is legitimate , as well as customary , on such questions as the one at issue , for an
opinion to be asked for without any hint being given as to who are actually leading ; every one who signs may naturally be supposed to have signified his intention of working , and no obstacle would be placed in the way of a
brother who felt any desire to obtain a complete list of tbe signatures . Our contemporary further states that it " says nothing of the ingratitude involved in such proceedings towards that distinguished brother whose labours for the
welfare of the Girls' School are beyond all praise ; neither of the unworthy clap-trap displayed and the ' bad form ' manifested in such underhand proceedings , but desires to protest openly , as before the Craft , against a system of procedure which is unworthy of us as Freemasons and
gentlemen , and which evidences lowness of mind as well as an utter forgetfulness of all Masonic teaching , alike in the motives it seeks to suggest , and the end it is apparently anxious to achieve . " It is first necessary to point out to the writer of this paragraph that the question at issue concerns
no individual in particular , and that it is no more a Masonic matter than is the purchase of a plot of ground in an obscure part of the world by an individual who has never even heard of the existence of Freemasonry . It is a public question , and one that concerns hot only tho
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Projected Extension Of The Girls' School.
THE PROJECTED EXTENSION OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .
AS may bo gathered from our correspondence column , the question of the purchaso of Lyndcombe House and grounds by tho Royal Masonio Institution for Girls is not likely to pass unchallenged . So far as we are concerned , we have no feeling in matters of this description
beyond that which shonld actuate us all—to do as much good as possible with the funds annually subscribed by the Craft for the purposes of charity , whether they be dispensed by Grand Lodge , or one or other of the Institutions connected with the Order . We are almost tired of
explaining this fact in connection with our remarks , but it seems necessary to again refer to it , for we hear it is asserted that we are acting in opposition to the true spirit of Masonic charity . We do not know whether thoso who mate this statement do so from ignorance or stupidity .
If from the former , we hope we have now enlightened them ; if from the latter we once for all decline to discuss tbe matter ; we can only hope that the future ¦ will clearly prove the disinterestedness of our comments . We
have given expression to our ideas on this particular matter in rather stronger terms than is our wont , from the fact that we consider the grant a most unwarrantable diversion of the funds of the
Institution from their proper course , and in the hope that we may arouse the general body of subscribers to take action for themselves , rather than leave the matter in the hands of the few who were present when tbe vote was passed . We are strongly of opinion that a notice should be sent
to every subscriber of the Charity when such a proposition as the one under question is to be brought forward , and if nothing else results , we hope the present discussion will be the means of causing an alteration in this respect to be made in the laws of the Institution . Considerine that an event of
so much importance can hardly occur more than once a year the outlay is not worth mentioning—a matter of £ 15 being ample for the purpose—and then it would be impossible to say that the whole matter had been rushed through , without all interested having been made acquainted with the
proposal . Under present arrangements it cannot be said that notice has been given , for there are very many brethren in the more distant Provinces who do not even see a London daily paper from one year ' s end to another , much less notice any particular advertisement
out of the thousands therein inserted ; neither can it be expected that the Provincial Grand Secretaries can make it known throughout their respective districts in time to be of any service . It is not our wish to urge the brethren to upset the matter on mere
questions of rendering of laws , although we believe the whole of the proceedings could be nullified on that ground alone ; we rather advocate a full and free discussion of the arguments for and against the proposed expenditure , and hope that in the end the result will prove for the benefit
of the School . We think that whatever is done there can be no necessity to make a personal question of the matter ; those who approve of tho proposed outlay are as much entitled to respect as those who object to it , and as far as we are concerned no expression of opinion will be excluded
from our pages . Hitherto we have been opposed to the expenditure , and unless we can be convinced we are wrong , we shall use every honourable argument in our power to support our view of the case , and that withont offering insult to any who may differ with us on the sub-
The Projected Extension Of The Girls' School.
ject . In our issue last week we predicted that any ono who undertook the task of leading an opposition must be prepared for abuse ; the words were not published beforo they were verified , for a contemporary , which was issued the same day as ourselves , opened the attack on tho
objectors with as much abuse as was m its power to cxpross in tho few lines devoted to the subject . We will not question the policy or taste of tho course adopted , except by pointing out that it virtually defeats the end in view , for no one who has tho slightest self-respect would
care to lay himself open to such insult as is offored by tbo editorial in question . Our contemporary understands that the purchase is being violently attacked by privately circulated statements , circulars , and petitions . We do not profess to know all that is going on in the Craft , but we
presume we are cognisant of a great deal of what is being done , and so far as we know the purchase is attacked neither violently nor privately . Those who object to tho outlay naturally feel that the question must be made public , or else the W'hole matter will be settled without
what they deem the desirable object being attained . So far as we know tbey support our . idea that a circular announcing tho proposal should be sent to every one entitlod
to a vote at the meeting , and surely if thoy desire to serve all alike they can hardly be accused of acting privately . As regards petitions , the only paper anything like a petition we have seen is headed as follows : —¦
EOYAL MASONIO INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .
Proposal to spend Six THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS in tho purchase of a House and three-quarters of an aero of Land !!! The undersigned Governors and Subscribers to the It . M . I . Girls respectfully invite co-oppratiou in opposing this suggested misapplication of the funds of the Institution .
December 1879 . What , we ask , is there in this to warrant the charge of violence ? If our contemporary has been told that there is any secresy maintained iu circulating this form , we can only say , so far as our knowledge goes , that he is misinformed .
We have one at our office , ready for the signatures of any wise care to sign , and could name many brethren who likewho have copies if there were any need for such a coursebut wo hold there is not . It is legitimate , as well as customary , on such questions as the one at issue , for an
opinion to be asked for without any hint being given as to who are actually leading ; every one who signs may naturally be supposed to have signified his intention of working , and no obstacle would be placed in the way of a
brother who felt any desire to obtain a complete list of tbe signatures . Our contemporary further states that it " says nothing of the ingratitude involved in such proceedings towards that distinguished brother whose labours for the
welfare of the Girls' School are beyond all praise ; neither of the unworthy clap-trap displayed and the ' bad form ' manifested in such underhand proceedings , but desires to protest openly , as before the Craft , against a system of procedure which is unworthy of us as Freemasons and
gentlemen , and which evidences lowness of mind as well as an utter forgetfulness of all Masonic teaching , alike in the motives it seeks to suggest , and the end it is apparently anxious to achieve . " It is first necessary to point out to the writer of this paragraph that the question at issue concerns
no individual in particular , and that it is no more a Masonic matter than is the purchase of a plot of ground in an obscure part of the world by an individual who has never even heard of the existence of Freemasonry . It is a public question , and one that concerns hot only tho