The Girls' School—Analysis Of The Lists.

cf " Our Girls " simply because their popular Deputy Prov . Grand Master has transferred his invigorating influence to his own aristocratic London Lodge . The neighbouring county of Wilts , also bristling with staunch adherents of the Craft , and from which Ave have been

accustomed to look for a bulky instalment , is absent ; as also is Essex , which has scarcely done anything since 1875 . People shrug their shoulders when North and East Yorkshire is mentioned , for , in spite of their high falutin' at home , there is very little wool amongst the much cry . The

Western Division of South Wales has also this year taken its place in the rank of non-contributing Provinces , whilst the Channel Islands , Jersey , and the Isle of Man arc in their usual place , enjoying a serenity which is only broken by a hundred-guinea contribution from Jersey two years

ago . Having dismissed the sixteen districts which , by their laxity , have missed the privilege of ministering to the happiness of our little maidens , it is pleasing to direct attention to thoso active Provinces that have helped to swell Bro . Hedges ' s list to so gratifying a degree this year .

West Lancashire , the ever open-handed , opens tho ball with the magnificent sum of £ 594 17 s , of which Bro . Robert Wylie , who represented the Province , brought up a hundred guineas ; Bro . W . C . Deeley , on behalf of the Sefton Lodge , No . 680 , Liverpool , £ 126 ; and Bro . Thomas

Salter , of the Merchants' Lodge , No . 241 , Liverpool , £ 115 10 s . From the same city Bro . H . R . Robertson , of the St . George ' s Lodge , figures with the goodly total of £ 53 ; whilst the young Architects' Lodge , No . 1375 , of Didsbury , is to be congratulated upon enabling their Bro .

G . D . Pochin to come up with a substantial £ 48 6 s . It may be urged that from the second seaport in the kingdom Ave have a right to look for large assistance , and in this assertion Ave agree ; bnt comparing Liverpool Avith other flourishing ports , such as Hull , Bristol , and Newcastle , Ave cannot but admit that our West Lancashire brethren have

acquitted themselves like men . West Yorkshire , Avhich last year led the van , and SAvelled the lists by the splendid contribution of £ 900 , has hardly come up to the average at this Festival , although we must not grumble at the " Avilling horse " that has done so much for our various

Charities in times gone by . Scarcely ever is the name of West Yorkshire missed from the annual summary of any of the Institutions , and the stalwart aid thoy have rendered

noAv for so many years past entitles the Province to the appellation of one of the mainsprings of Masonic benevolence . Taking the last five Festivals for the Girls' School , onr brethren in that Province have subscribed no less than

£ 3 , 161 8 s , or an average of a little over £ 632 on each occasion . And Avhilst doing so they have by no means overlooked the other calls upon their attention and help . Looking over the lists of the four Festivals for the Boys ' School , we see they have averaged over £ 611 at each ,

making an aggregate in the time mentioned of £ 2 , 445 Sslld . At the Benevolent Festivals they , moreover , have contributed £ 2 , 425 15 s , or an average of nearly £ 500 at each . Bro . Wordsworth , the Vice-Chairman of the County Committee , slightly differs from us in the figures which Ave

again quote , but we take our amounts from the lists published officially after each successive Festival , and irrespective of any sums Avhich may be sent up afterwards . It is quite possible , therefore , that Bro . Wordsworth , Avhoae letter AVO publis ! ed in March , may be correct , but in

this analysis Ave deal , as Ave have said , alone on the merits of the lists published after the Festivals . At all events , the result is a grand one for West Yorkshire , which must once again be dubbed " good and faithful servant . " Fifteen only out of the sixty-six Lodges Avere represented

last Aveek , bnt evidently the system Avhich has been so admirably Avorked in past years will continue to be productive of good and enlarged results . Would that the

spirit animating the West Yorkshire folk could bo caught by the dAvellers in the North and East Ridings . A comparison in this case Avould indeed be "odious , " and if the brethren to Avhom Ave allude have not been made to blush

ere this , for their mean support of the Charities , Ave fear nothing AVC can say -will make them . We alluded some time back to a scheme which tho Deputy Prov . Grand Master has under consideration for establishing some

system of charity in his district , and Ave Avish him all success . Past results , however , bid us fear that our worthy Bro . Dr . Bell will not have a too eager folloAving , for the " sturdy beggars "in North and East Yorkshire may be counted on the fingers , and the result of their labours even more readily dismissed . Kent , with its forty-three Lodges ,

The Girls' School—Analysis Of The Lists.

comes third in order on the Girls' list this year , with a total of £ 408 3 s 6 d , as against £ 77 7 s at the last Festival . Six Lodges Avere represented , Bro . James D . Terson , of the Peace and Harmony Lodge , No . 199 , at Dover , brings up the " cock score" of his Province , in the

shape of a cheque for £ 180 7 s Od ; Brother H . A . Lovett , of the Acacia Lodge , No . 1314 , Bromley , follows with £ 73 10 s ; Bro . A . F . S . Bird , of tho Welling , ton Lodge , No . 784 , Deal , with £ 68 15 s 6 d ; Bro . H . Tuff , of St . Michael's , No . 1273 , Sittingbourne , with £ 68 5 s ; and

Bro . E . J . Dodd , of the Amherst Lodge , No . 1223 , Westerham , Avith £ 16 16 s . There is yet ono list to come in , from Bro . W . Etheridge , of the Sydney Lodge , No . 829 , Sidcnp ; so that , altogether , AVO may mentally shake hands with the men of Kent ; and congratulate them upon the healthy

spirit of charity by Avhich they are actuated . Next in the order of merit is the aristocratic county of Warwickshire , AA'hich as a Province has for years manifested an unwavering interest in our Institutions . Eight out of the thirty Lodges were represented at last week ' s Festival , the

total amount subscribed being £ 379 2 s against £ 207 18 s last year , when no less than sixteen Stewards appeared under the same banner—that of the Athol Lodge , No . 74 , Birmingham . Warwickshire has always been munificent in the support it has accorded to our Charities , and there

is the additional recommendation about the work of the brethren there , namely , that it is constant and systematic . This year we also see a larger number of Lodges participating in the good work , the Shakespeare No . 284 Warwick , sending up Bro . J . G . Moore with £ 47 5 s ; the

Guy ' s Lodge , No . 395 , Leamington Priors , tAvo Stewards ( Bros . Nathaniel MerrideAv and Herbert Stanley ) Avith twenty-five guineas ; the Howe Lodge , No . 587 , Birmingham , £ 28 7 s per Bro . C . F . Rowe ; tlio Bedford Lodge , No . 925 , two Stewards ( Bros . E . Worrall and James

Stevens ) , Avith £ 120 15 s ; EdAvin Handley of the Grosvenor , No . 938 , Birmingham , with £ 47 5 s ; the Forward , No . 1180 , with two Stewards bearing tAventy guineas each ; and the younger Lodges , St . Alphege , No . 1431 , Warwick , £ 36 15 s by Bro . Benjamin

Allsop , and the Charity Lodge , No . 1551 , Birmingham , £ 31 10 s per Bro . Thomas Hands . CornAvall , Avhich Avas not " in the SAvim " at all last year , sends up £ 377 , of Avhich our Bro . W . J . Hughan , of the Fortitude Lodge , No . 131 , Truro , —a Avorker well knoAvn in the Craft in

more senses than one , —collected no less than £ 367 10 s . He appears to have been the only active Steward in the Province , as the £ 10 10 s subscription by Bro . S . G . Bake , of the One and All Lodge , No . 330 , of Bodmin , has the appearance of a personal gift . HoAvever , the land of

pilchards and cream is apparently imbibing some of the right spirit , and no doubt if actively appealed to the rugged honest charity of " Cousin Jacky " may be still further aroused by future appeals in aid of a good cause . Staffordshire , an old friend of " the Gals , " but last year

conspicuous by its absence from the list , has revived its interest in the old love , and sends up this year the very respectable sum of £ 376 13 s . When the men ' of pots and furnaces do work they are not half-hearted , as we see from the Sutherland Lodge , No . 451 , Burslem , sending up

Bro . H . Parker with £ 148 ls ; and J . Lovell Hamshaw , of the Menturia Lodge , No . 418 , and Chapter , Hanley , with £ 133 12 s . Supplementing these amounts Bro . James Walker , of the St . Peter ' s Lodge , No . 419 , of Wolverhampton , steps in Avith £ 94 10 s ; and it just shows the

brethren of the other seventeen unrepresented Lodges what it is possible to do if they only put the shoulder to the wheel , as AA'C trust they may do next year . Coming nearer home , Avesee the Province of Middlesex has raised its list of £ 177 3 s Gd last year to £ 347 0 s 6 d this ; and still retains its character as a constant contributor to our Institutions ,

Eight Lodges out of the tAventy-nine , and two out of its nine Chapters , are represented , and especially must be noted the plucky manner in Avhich our enterprising young FCIIOAV Craft , Bro . H . B . Marshall , of the Hanover Lodge , No . 1777 , HonnsloAv , has exerted himself in raising a total

of 100 guineas for addition to the fund . It Avill be recollected that Bro . Marshall , as an E . A . accomplished a similar feat on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , and it shows that evidently he has entered into the Craft with a

thorough and proper determination to uphold the most cardinal of our principles , in a continuance of which Avork all the brethren will wish him good speed . Gloucestershire also shows an improvement upon last year ' s effort , the total sent up being £ 31219 s , as against £ 229 16 s in 1878 .