Anniversary Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The 106 th Anniversary Festival of this Institution was held on Wednesday at Freemasons' Tavern , London . The Karl of Latham , M . W . Pro G . Master , was to have presided , but , in consequence of the sudden death of his sister-in-law , the Countess of Clarendon , he was unable to attend . His p lace was taken by Lord Skelmersdale , J . G . W . Kngland , who was supported by Bros . W . L . J ackson , M . P ., Prov . G . M . West Yorks . ; and Henry Smith , D . P . G . M . West Yoiks Treasurer of the Institution .

The fallowing letter to Bro . Sir John B . Monckton , from the Pro G . M was read :

" 41 , Portland-place , \ V ., May oth , 1894 . DEAR SIR J , —It was with the deepest regret that I sent you the telegram this morning announcing that owing to the death of " my sister-in-law , Lady Clarendon , it would be impossible for me to attend the Festival to-night . I had been looking * forward to once more meeting friends and supporters of the Institution and also to the opportunity

of beaiing my witness lo the admirable way in which ever ) thing with the School is conducted . I should have liked to have publicly congratulated Miss Davis on the extraordinary success of her work and that of those under her as shown by the result of the various examinations the pupils have recently passed through ; but this is not to be . I have asked my son ,

Lord Skelmersdale . He will be able to say how much pleased Lady Lathom was with all she saw on Monday . May I ask you , Sir John , to kindly express my regret to the brethren who have so kindly , and I am sure liberally , come torward to support me on this occasion . —Believe me , very fraternally , LATHOM . " After Grace had been sung the toasts were proposed .

In giving the toast of " The M . W . G . M ., " Bro . Lord SKELMERSDALE read the following telegram from the Prince of Wales : " My fraternal greetings to you and the brethren , and I trust that the Fes'ival in which I take so deep an interest may prove a great success . ( Signed ) ALUERT

EDWARD , Grand Master . ( Applause . ) Lord Skelmersdale proceeded to say his Royal Highness neve . * forgot what he was connected with in Freemasonry ; his interest was always there—especially in the Girls' School , His beloved Princess opened the new large hall of the Institution , which she allowed to be called after her name .

Bro . Sir J B . MONCKTON proposed " The Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Oflicers , Present and Past , " and in call'iig on the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., lo reply , said Bro . Jackson would take the chair at the next Festival of the Boys' School , when he hoped whatever success might attend the Festival of that evening , the Boys' Institution might have a better .

Bro . W . L . J ACKSON , in reply , said there had been imposed upon him a very great responsibility . Lord Mount Kdgctimbe was so well known to the Craft that it needed no words from him to respond on his behalf . In West Yorkshire the brethren had reason to be thankful and grateful to the Dep . G . M . for many kindnesses he had shown to that Province , and particularly one of comparatively recent date , when Lord Mount Kdgcijmbe undertook

the important duties connected with laying the foundation-stone of a hospital at Halifax . On that occasion lhe Masons of West Yorkshire showed their appreciation of Lord Mount Kdgcumbe ' s position in the Craft , and their affection for him as a brother Mason , by their enormous assembly . This , he believed , convinced Lord Mount Edgcumbe that in Yorkshire the Masons recognised their duties , and that when a distinguished nobleman went down

there to perform an act of Charity and benevolence of that description , the whole population of the district warmly received him . But beyond the responsibil ' ty put upon him ( Bro . Jackson ) to respond en behalf of "The Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Ollicers , Present and Past , " there had been imposed upon him another duty not less c n : rous—even still more difficult to discharge properly—to propose the toast of " The Pro Grand Master of England . " It

was to the brethren as to him—nay , he would go further and say that their disappointment was as nothing to the disappointment of the Pro Grand Master himself at being absent from that Festival . The Earl of Lathom had looked forward for months past with feelings of the grea'est interest and hope to the result that would be realised on that occasion . The brethren s ) mpalhiscd with his Lordship in the cause of his absence , and their response

to the toast would be not the less cordial and generous in his absence . But they were fortunate—as the Pro G . M . was fortunate—in having Lord I . athom ' s son—the worthy son of a worthy father—to preside over them . ( Applause . ) When that son conveyed to his father the information , not only of the cordiality with which thebrethren received the Pro Grand Master ' s name , hut also his son ' s name , he would feel deeply gratified . It would be impertinent

in him ( Bro . Jackson ) to attempt to depict the virtues and qualities of the Pro G . M . Sufficient for him to say , that Lord I . athom's name and presence were loved , known , and respected through the length and breadth of the land ; he was , indeed , one of those noblemen who had discharged the duties of their high position always with credit and distinction , and in the Masonic Craft they

ft-cognised his graceful presence and his perfect work on all accasions . lo lhe Pro Grand Master he had every reason to be personally grateful for his kindness in installing him as Prov . G . M . of VVest Yorkshire . On that occasion the Masons of the province sent Lord Lathom home with a feeling ° f gratification and pride , that the neighbouring province to his own held such a high and proud position in the Craft . The Masons of West Yorkshire—of

Anniversary Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

whom a great many were now present—knew Lord Lathom well , and whatever it might be necessary to do in other cases , it was needless to say a single word in his praise . He had only one more word to say , and that was with regard tothe Girls' Institution—happy girls—fortunate girls -to have as their own President the Pro Grand Master .

Lord SKELMERSDALE acknowled ging the toast , said the brethren had heard the letter from his father which was read just now , aud he would add to lhat that Lord Lathom had himself expressed to him that afternoon his deep regr . t at not being able to be present . The brethren all sympathised with him in the sorrow which had come so suddenly upon them . He would not dilate upon it any further than to say it was a very real sorrow .

Bro . Jackson had reminded the brethren that Lord Lathom had the pleasure —he would say , and the honour—of installing him as Prov . Grand Master of West Yorkshire last autumn , of the pleasure it gave the brethren of West Yorkshire . He ( Lord Skelmersdale ) heard from his father immediately after he had performed the ceremony , of the great pleasure it gave him to do it , and to see such a splendid and admirable gathering to witness it . On

behalf of his father , he thanked the brethren most cordially for their reception of that toast . He would now turn to the toast of the evening , " Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . " He was not going to bother them . with figures , but would like to remind them that this Institution was opened 106 year ** ago with 15 girls ; it had now 26 3 receiving its benefits . 'The brethren had seen the sort of education the girls received—an excellent ,

sound , English education—one that in his opinion was calculated—in the opinion of all present that was calculated to fit the girls for the duties of life when they grew older and left the Institution . They were not only instructed in these things , but in music and singing . Their physical training was also well cared for ; they had a swimming bath . They had been successful in their examinations . During nine years 99 had entered for the

Cambridge examinations , and 88 had passed—a large proportion with honours and distinction . For the College of Preceptors ' examinations 198 had gone up in five years and 18 S had passed . Only 12 girls had failed out of a total of 2 S 8 . In addition to that , nine went in last year for the School Examination of the Associated Board of . the Royal College and the Royal Academy of Music , and all passed . He ventured to say there was no

school in the United Kingdom or in the world which could show such results . Further , the brethren had one great pride in the School , with the honourable exception of Miss Davis , the Head Governess , that all the resident staff were ex-pupils of the Institution ; and in addition ex-pupils held high positions in other Institutions . One of these , who was present at that Festival , , was the Head Governess of the Masonic Girls' School , Dublin . Some of the

brethren had thc pleasure of being at the School on Monday and seeing the prizes given . It was not for him to say how the prizes were given —( applause)—though , personally , he was very proud of the way in which his mother gave the prizes . They were all very much impressed and perhaps touched by the sight of the girls . For his own part it almost brought tears into his eyes to see those daughters

of Masons sitting down with such happy , contented , and healthy faces . The Masonic brethren did their best to contribute towards the monetary part of the Institution , but they owed a very great debt of gratitude to Miss Davis and her able staff for looking after those girls and keeping them so healthy and happy . It was the first lime he had been . there ; he was sure it would not be the last . He was very much impressed with the charming manner of the

pupils , and by their admirable drill and calisthenics . Last year the School was visited with scarlet fever , but there were no fatal results . There was extra and extraordinary expenditure on account of the visitation ; additions had to be made to the infirmary , and a thorough investigation was made of the system of drainage . In this way there was an excess of the normal disbursements to the amount of / 2200 . That no doubt would

be met that evening . He must remind the brethren of one fact - that the pupils were not derived only from England ; they came from all parts of the world where the Grand Lodge of Kngland held sway , There were now in the School 13 girls from foreign stations—from Australia to New Zealand , from Shanghai to Antigua . The subscribers to this School did not lose sight of it ; they showed their interest in it b y being present at the prize-giving . He was told there was an old pupils' day at thc School

when old pupils came from all parts of England to > enew their acquaintance with it , and who were proud to be able to testify in their own persons to the benefits they had derived from it . Thc subject of the Girls' School he felt very strongly upon , young Mason though he was . Of all thc jewels Masons hung upon their breasts the jewel of Charity was the one that shone brightest . His lordship concluded by formally proposing " Success to thc Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . "

Bro . HENRY SMITH , P . G . D ., Dep . Prov . G . M . for West Yorkshire , Treasurer of the Institution , in acknowledging the toast , said : My Lord , Ladies , and Brethren—As Treasurer it becomes my duty to respond to the toast of "Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " so kindly proposed by our noble chairman , in the unfortunate absence of the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master . The claims of the Institution have been so fully laid

before you , that it is only necessary that I should allude to the present peculiar circumstances of our financial position . The unexpected demand upon our resources , caused by the outbreak of scarlet fever in the spring of last year , necessitated an expenditure of nearly , £ 1500 . A thorough examination of the system of drainage at the junior school revealed defects necessitating an outlay of £ 400 . The enlargement of the infirmary caused an expenditure of . £ 600 , making a total of ^ , " 2500 . Happily , by careful