The Masonic Orphan Schools, Dublin.

THE MASONIC ORPHAN SCHOOLS , DUBLIN .

By a strange coincidence the festivities in connection with the Centenary of the foundation of the Masonic Female Orphan School , Dublin , and those which take place at the Anniversary Festival of our Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , will be held concurrently . In the case of the latter the prizes will be distributed at the Institution , Battersea Rise , on Monday ,

the 16 th instant , when the presiding genius of the occasion will be the Duchess of Connaught , who has kindly signified her intention of visiting the School on that day and performing the gracious ceremony which pertains to it . On Wednesday the Festival itself will be celebrated at Freemasons ' Tavern under the Chairmanship of the Duke of Connaught , Past Grand

Master , Provincial Grand Master of Sussex , District Grand Master of Bombay . As regards the sister School in Dublin , the distribution of prizes lias been appointed fpr the same Monday , the 16 th instant , and the rest of the week will be devoted to the Bazaar and Fancy Fair , which our Irish brethren , with a view to commemorating in a suitable manner

the Centenary of its foundation , have been organising with so much zeal and assiduity during the greater part of the last twelve months . As we pointed out a few months' since , the School was founded in 1792 , and though for the first 50 or 60 years of its existence it was in a languishing condition and unable to effect much good , it has latterly been rendering

most important services to the Craft in Ireland , and is justly regarded as one of the best-regulated and most successful of the many institutions of its kind in the United Kingdom . The " One Hundredth Annual Report " demonstrates this most clearly . At the outset , this Report , before treating of the events of 1891 , describes briefly what the Institution had been able

lo effect since its establishment . It relates how the present School buildings , near Ball's Bridge , were completed in 1882 , how the site has since been purchased in fee-simple , and the number of pupils increased to 81 " without incurring debt , and without drawing upon the invested funds which have from time to time accumulated , " and with a very natural feeling of pride it

adds : " During the hundred years of its existence , among the great number of destitute and deserving orphans who have found the means within its walls of preparing themselves for the battle of life , not one , so far as the Governors have been able to trace , has ever brought disgrace upon her training , or given cause for shame to her benefactors or instructors . " As

regards the year 1891 , there were 80 pupils maintained during the entire period , and an additional one was elected in December , while 13 outgoing pupils and a former pupil received outfits , fees , and other assistance , raising the total number of children benefited to 95 . The income

lor the year—exclusive of bequests , amounting to £ 500 , and receipts at tlie distribution of prizes to the extent of £ 223 4 s . —was £ 2489 6 s . 9 d ., of which , £ 1652 9 s . nd . was in respect of donations and subscriptions , £ 100 from Grand Lodge , £ 50 from Grand Chapter ( R . A . ) , £ 679 os . 4 d . for interest and dividends , and the small remainder for result fees—Intermediate

'nil Science and Art . With reference to the most important of these Hems the Report notices that there is a falling off in the subscriptions and don . ttions as compared with 1 SS 9 , amounting to upwards of £ 229 , but it attributes this in great measure to a temporary diversion of moneys to the C entenary Fund , though , at the same time , it suggests that the annual

olhtinl subscriptions are far less than they ought to be , " considering the 1 Ifcit increase in the numbers and influence of the Masonic Order in ( 'fel . ind , the large number of lodges , chapters , and preceptories , the ease : * Uh which every Masonic body might qualify at least one of its oflicers as 1 " Governor , and the claims of the School upon every part of Ireland . " The

I Wai current expcndilure for 1891 amounted to a fraction over £ 2321 , being at f e rale of £ 24 8 s . 8 d . for each orphan receiving bencfil , the average for each ij "' going and former pupil being £ 5 11 s . iod ., and for the maintenance and I "cation of the girls on the establishment less than £ 25 a year . At the "c lime the educational results are spoken of as having been in all

' spects most satisfactory , nearly all the girls who submitted themselves at various intermediate and other public examinations acquitting themi a , CS ' ° ' le sa'isfaction of the examiners , while a majority of them were ' , [ nrt , e d honours in one or more subjects . Such a Report of the financial posi-• 0 | the School during the year and the educational results of the training mite * 1 i J —— -- *— w —*—•¦•• £ ,

- 1 De highl y gratifying to our Irish brethren , and we hope the very great 1 p . nv ° i'rs made by those in charge of the arrangements for the Centenary : Cs will bring forth good fruit abundantly , and that the fund which it is ¦ filii lo ralsc ky moans of these Fetes for the purpose of further bene-\ 1 ^ * ^ children when they have left School will be sufficient , not only for s it h ec ' lllrem enls of the Institution at its present strength , but likewise when I ' ) e cn still further extended . We may add that the invested funds of

The Masonic Orphan Schools, Dublin.

the School both for general and special purposes amount to about £ 19 , stock of various kinds . Our Irish brethren are fortunate in having another Institution of the same kind but for the education of boys . This is known as the " Masonic Orphan Boys' School , " and is located at Richview , Clonskeagh , in the

vicinity of the Irish capital . It is of more recent foundation than the Female School , and the number of children for whom it makes provision is smaller , but the Report of the Committee of Management is to the full as satisfactory . The income shows a slight diminution in the individual and official annual subscriptions , but on the other hand there is a substantial

increase in the individual Life Donations and the receipts from Permanent Official Governors . That the health of the School has been excellent is shown by the fact that only . £ 1 16 s . 7 d . was expended during the year for medicines for an establishment which , including the resident staff , numbers 70 inmates . The educational results are highly satisfactory . Owing to the

increase in the establishment having taken place so recently , the School is largely composed of boys who are too young to be entered for any public examinations , and , therefore , the successes achieved by those who were allowed to offer themselves as candidates at the University and College , the Intermediate , and the Science and Art Examinations are all the more creditable .

Moreover , the report of the Examiners in respect of the School Examinations at Easter ,. 18 g 1 , are without exception favourable , bearing testimony as they do to the results of the system of instruction pursued by the Head Master and his staff . As regards the accounts , the income , including bequests amounting to £ 250 , amounted in round figures lo £ 2800 , of which of

^ 1662 was on account donations and subscriptions , £ 100 from Grand Lodge , and £ 50 from Grand Chapter , the interest and dividends on invested moneys being £ 486 , and result fees ( Intermediate Examinations ) close on £ 62 . The expenditure for school , garden , and office reached ^ 205 6 , and

there was also disbursed a sum of , £ 589 in the purchase of £ 500 Four per Cent , railway stock , leaving a balance of , £ 238 to carry forward to tho account for the current year . The expenditure per boy is slightly in excess of £ 2 $ per year . The invested funds amount to close on £ 12 , 700 stock of various kinds .

It will be seen that our Irish brethren have every reason to be proud of their two Orphan Schools . The Craft is a less numerous body in the Emerald Isle than it is in England , yet their two Institutions maintain and educate nearly 150 children , the orphan sons and daughters of worthy Masons , for whom but little or no other provision could be made . They are

well cared for and well trained while in charge of the Governors , and when they leave School everything is done to promote their welfare and place them in the way of earning an honest and honourable livelihood . We trust , therefore , that the Centenary Fetes , which will take place a fortnight hence , in behalf of the senior Charity will result in an appreciable addition being made to its resources .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

A meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire , was held in the Church Institute , Albion-place , Leeds , on Monday , the 25 th ult ., under the banners of Lodges Nos . 289 , 306 , 10 4 2 , 1211 , 1221 , 1 3 11 , and 2069 , there were present : Bros . Henry Smith , P . G . D . England , D . P . G . M ., acting as Prov . G . M . ; Wm . Henry Brittain , J . P ., P . G . S . B . England , as D . P . G . M . ; VV . F . Smithsun , P . G . D . England , Prov . S . G . W . ; Thomas Crossley , P . P . J . G . W ., as Prov . J . G . W . ; B . Broughton , L-eut .-Col . Joshua Dav , T . W . Embleton , George Brooke , Wm . Harrop , and T . Bateman

Fox , J . P ., P . P . G . W . ' s ; Rev . J . Rosser , P . P . G . C , as Prov . G . Chap . ; Rtv . Claud A . Lambert , Prov . G . Chap . ; Rev . T . C . Smyth , D . D ., P . P . G . Chap . ; Wm . Pepper , Prov . G . Treas . ; C . L . Mason , Thomas Ruddock , and John Leach , P . P . G . Treasurers ; F . Walker , Prov . G . Reg . ; John C . Malcolm , A . W . Stanlield , J . P ., and C . M . Wilson , P . P . G . Registrars ; Heibeit G . E . Green , Prov . G . Scc . j F . Laxton and F . Rand , Prov . S . G . D . ' s ; J . Hunt , Prov . I . G . D . ; G . F . Crowe , P . P . J . G . D ., as Prov . J . G . D . ; Sam Freeman , Mark Newsome , J . P ., C . T . Rhodes , Wm . Gauknger , R . Williamson ,

Wm . C . Lupton , Wm . H . Meward , G . Marshall , F . D . Walker , K . Kingston , T . I . Walker , F . Lleeves , Wm . H . Jessop , and W . R . Massie , P . P . G . Deacons ; J . Gerrard , Prov . G . S . of W . ; C . Gott , John Barker , Thos . Winn , Thos . Wm . Roome , James Lawton , Wm . Watson , and W . Greaves , P . P . G . Superintendents of Works ; W . R . Thompson , Prov . G . D . C . ; Tom Garnett , as Prov . D . G . D . C . ; John Y . Rideal , Prov . A . G . D . C . ; W . J . Beck , Samuel Slack , Austin Roberts , Thos . Whilaker , J . Dobson , I . Dyson , Wm , Fitton , and H . T . E . Holmes , P . P . G . Directors of Ceremonies ; Col . F .

C . Wemyss , Prov . G . S . B . ; Wm . Stott and J . J . Rutherford , P . P . G . S . B . ' s ; Robert Thompson and Robert Fisher , Prov . G . Std . Brs . ; Wm . I ^ aycock , Robert Riley , A . Stolt , Thomas Riley , and Joseph Wilson , P . P . G . Std . Brs . ; W . U . Toivnsend , P . P . G . O ., a * Piov . G . Org . ; Dr . Win . Spark , Wm . Ash , Max Blume , and Geo . Carbert , P . P . G . Organists ; Joseph Malthcwman , Prov . A . G . Sec . ; Henry Morton , Prov . G . Purst . ;

J . W . Monckman , P . P . G . D . C , as Prov . A . G . Purst . ; John Seed , Wm . Cockcroft , J . Harling , and F . W . Turner , P . P . G . Pursts ; Albert Walker , Sydney I " . Steele , J . Hey , John Scott , Wm . Ramsden , and John Cass , J . P ., Prov . G . btewarus ; T . Leighton , Prov . G . Tyler ; also Worshipful Masters , Past Masters , acting Wardens , and brethren from various lodges . Visitors : Bros . J . Morrison McLeod , P . P . G . W . Derbyshire , Sec . R . M . I , for Boys , and A . E . Charlesworlh , 324 . Letters and telegrams of apology for unavoidable absence were received from the Prov . G . M . ; Bros . John Chadwick , P . M ., Prov . Grand Secretary