The School Courts.

THE SCHOOL COURTS .

\ X / E last week gave th , e result of the half yearly »? election for the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , held on Thursday , 13 th inst ., when thirteen children were elected from a list of twenty-seven

candidates ; and are now able to give like details in reference to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , to the benefits of which twenty-six boys were

admitted on Friday of last week , from an approved lists of forty-five candidates , reduced to forty-four by one withdrawal .

The half yearly Court of the Girls School was presided over by Sir Reginald Hanson , M . P ., Past Grand Warden Treasurer of the Institution , and was of a purely formal character , little business requiring

attention beyond that of the election . The Secretary announced that Viscount Dungarvan Provincial Grand Master for Somersetshire would preside at next year ' s Festival , and made an urgent appeal for Stewards .

The Boys School Court was held under the presidency of Bro , Richard Eve P . G . Treas . Patron of the Institution and Chairman of its Board of

Management , and on his proposition votes of thanks were accorded to Bro . Stanley J . Attenborough , Bro . A . C . Spaull , Bro . Edward Letchworth the Grand

Secretary , and a long list of other London and Provincial Brethren , for their great exertions in contributing to the success of the Centenary Festival , the result of which , it was announced , had been increased to f 140 , 176 17 s = ; d .

The proposal to grant a sum of money to Bro . J . M . McLeod in recognition of his great exertions , as Secretary , in connection with the splendid result , led to some discussion . It was ultimately decided to

make him a present of the proposed one thousand guineas , on the clear understanding , elicited by Bro . Henry Smith Past Deputy Prov . Grand Master West Yorkshire , that no further honorarium be given out of

the balance of the Stewards' fees , remaining after paying the expenses of the Centenary Festival . There was a very large gathering of Brethren and we are pleased that Bro . McLeod ' s services were thus recognised—with but four dissentient votes .

Bro . Richard Eve gave an account of the progress made with the development of the site for the new Schools at Bushey , and then the election was

proceeded with . The names of the successful candidates will be found in our advertisement columns , while elsewhere in this issue we give details of the votes recorded on behalf of the unsuccessful .

The 163 rd anniversary of the Angel Lodge , No . 51 , and the installation of Bro . Thos . Gilbert S . W . as Worshipful Master , will take place at the Cups Hotel , Colchester , on Thursday next , 27 th inst ., at 4 . 30 p . m . The Provincial Grand Master , his Deputy , and other distinguished Brethren have been invited , and a large gathering is anticipated .

Berkshire.

BERKSHIRE .

nnHE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was I held on Friday afternoon , 14 th inst ., in the Town Hall , Reading , when the attendance was larger than usual , and the proceedings excited more than ordinary interest , on account of the installation of Lord Wantage as Provincial Grand Master . The Brethren of the Province were honoured on

this occasion for the first time with the presence of Earl Amherst Deputy Grand Master of England and Provincial Grand Master Kent , who came down for the purpose of performing the installation ceremony , and was received at

the Great Western Railway Station shortly before three o ' clock by the Deputy-Mayor Bro . William Ferguson Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden , by whom his lordship was driven to the Town Hall . r

Lord Wantage is a Past Senior Grand Warden of England , and his appointment by the Prince of Wales as Provincial Master fills the gap which was unhappily caused by the lamented death of H . R . H . the Duke of Clarence and

Avondale , whose installation by the Prince of Wales Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Order took place in the same building in 18 90 , in the presence of a great assemblage of members of the Craft , including H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught Provincial Grand Master of Sussex , & c .

There was a special fitness in the arrangement by which Lord Amherst installed Lord Wantage , the noble peers having seen active service together in the Crimea , the former in the Coldstream Guards , and the latter in the Scots Fusilier ( now Scots ) Guards .

The attendance included many visitors holding high , Masonic rank , both in the Grand Lodge of England , and in neighbouring Provinces . Among them were Bros . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . Hauls and Isle of Wight , T . F . Flalsey , M . P ., Prov . G . M . Herts , Tohn Strachan , Q . C ,

Grand Registrar , Thomas Fenn Acting Grand D . C . Eng ., Frederick West D . P . G . M . Surrey , J . E . Bowen D . P . G . M . Bucks , Raymond H . Thrupp D . P . G . M . Middlesex , V . P . , Freeman Past Grand Deacon Prov . Grand Secretary Sussex , J . Terry Past Grand S . B . England Secretary to the Royal

Masonic Benevolent Institution , H . Bevir Prov . Grand Sec . Wilts , Charles E . Keyser Past Grand Deacon of England Treasurer to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ( High Sheriff of Berks ) , J . T . Morland Past Grand Deacon of England Deputy P . G . M . of Berks , J . W . Martin P . A . G . D . C . Provincial Grand Secretary , Colonel Keyser , C . B ., Past Grand Steward , & c .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened shortly before four o'clock by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master in charge Bro . T . T . Morland , under whose wise and able

direction the affairs of the Province have been so satisfactorily administered since the decease of the Duke of Clarence . The usual formalities were gone through , and the accustomed reports were presented and passed .

The Deputy P . G . M . having addressed the Brethren upon the subject of the installation , Provincial Grand Master-Designate Lord Wantage was introduced by the P . G . Director of Ceremonies and a deputation of seven Past Masters , and the installation ceremony thereupon proceeded ,

being conducted by Earl Amherst . Having been duly proclaimed and saluted , Lord Wantage , amidst much applause , appointed Bro . J . T . Morland as Deputy Provincial Grand

Master , and he m his turn was also proclaimed and saluted . The seven Past Masters were Brothers R . C . Mount , E . Margrett , Charles Stephens , j . Tomkins , J . O . Carter , S . Knight , and C . W . Cox .

Earl Amherst , before proceeding with tlie installation ceremony , observed that Lord Wantage ' s character in the past , and his achievements in the various walks of life in which he had moved , gave the Brethren the fullest assurance