Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Institution for Girls . On the other hand , I am perfectly sure there is not one brother , from the highest to the lowest , who has contributed anything towards the success of the festival held this evening , who is not actuated by the most generous feelings and the heartiest desire to promote the success of the other Institutions connected with our Order . If , your Royal Highness

and my lords , 1 may infer—as I think I may with some justification infer , for the support rendered to any one particular Institution , is to be gauged from three different points of view , by its claims , by its needs , and by the work that it is doing — I myself say that , while the two festivals of two of our Institutions have been already most

successfulthe Benevolent Institution in February last , and the Girls' to-night with unprecedented success—we have a right to augur on behalf of an Institution whose claims are equal with those pleaded to-night , whose resources are not one half those this Institution has at its disposal , and the demands upon which are increasing to an . extent that we cannot by any

possibility cope with , and we are compelled to appeal to you for further support for founding a preparatory institution , while we stand before you " iii forma , pauperis , " if I may say so , on behalf of the poorest of our three Institutions . But while I say this I am quite prepared to admit that for a long number of years the Institution with which I am associated has received a

largeamount—an extraordinarily large amount—of generous support ; wealso meet with an amount of sympathy that I am utterly powerless to express in words , which I hope my acts and deeds will be the best exponent of . But I wish to place before you that I have a very agreeable recollection of one of the festivals held on behalf of the boys , over which you , Sir , presided with

marked ability , and the results of which were most successful . Would you allow me to offer to-night my very sincere and respectful congialu-Iations that in presiding over the festival of the sister Institution . I think you have the honour of presiding at the most successful festival held on behalf of any one of our great Masonic

Institutions . We are told , from first to last in the study of Masonry , that it is a progressive science ; but will you allow me to tell you that the support of our Masonic Institutions ought to be and must be progressive . For what you have al ! done in the past we have no other words but thanks . We gracefully and gratefully appreciate what you are doing , as evidenced by to-night , in the present ; and we look forward hopefully to the

future , and we know we shall not be disappointed . I should be very sorry indeed to trespass further upon you . I only hope that , as the two festivals of the two Institutions have been celebrated so successfully , the Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , over which the Lord Mayor of London will preside , on the 2 S 1 I 1 June next , and , I believe , will be held al Brighton , will be even a larger success than that upon which we congratukite ourselves to-night .

Bro . TERRY : After the remarks which my colleague and friend , Bro . Binckes , has made to you , it is not my intention to occupy your time but for a few moments , and I , therefore , have to thank you for the very cordial and generous support which in February last you afforded to the Benevolent Institution , when - £ 12 , 600 was brought in ; and looking forward to the future

may I express the hope that now that your Royal Highness has presided over the festivals of the Boys' and Girls' Schoolslooking to the youngest Institution of the three , and one that perhaps requires the greatest amount of support , —we may at some future day , not very far distant , also have the pleasure , and privilege , and honour of your Royal Highness ' s presidency over the Benevolent

Institution . If so you will merely complete the round which His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales made . You have taken first the Boys ' , second the Girls ' , and then we hope you will think of old age the next . And , brethren , let me tell you this , that if His Royal Highness should honour the Institution by accepting the position of President of its festival , I know that I may rely upon your generous sympathy and your active support whenever that takes place . General BROWNRIGG , C . B ., Prov . G . Master for Surrey : May it please

your Royal Hig hness , the toast that I have to propose is a very important one , because if it were not proposed , and I had not the opportunity of proposing it , we should none of us have enjoyed the excellent banquet we have just partaken of . The toast is that of the body of brethren who by their exertions have provided this banquet for us this evening . I know , from

personal experience , that the duties of a Steward are very awkward and very thankless duties ; but I am quite sure that all who have been here this evening—and I think His Royal Hig hness will endorse what I say—that we are thankful to the Stewards for the entertainment provided for us . I will couple with that toast the name of my distinguished brother on my left hand , Lord

Leigh . I had the pleasure of being with him on Monday at the distribution of the prizes at the School , and I wish your Royal Highness could have seen that hattalion wheeling column . I assure you , sir , the distinguished regiment of which you are colonel could not have done it better ; could not have done it with more precision ; and , I need hardly say , when we consider the sex of the battalion , nothing could have been prettier in the world . I was extremely

impressed with what I saw there , and 1 may be allowed to allude to it because this is an admirable Institution . I do wish that every brother whom I have the honour of addressing would go for himself and judge , and see what that School is . It was the prettiest thing I ever saw in my life . I couple with this toast the name of the President of the Board of Stewards , Bro . Lord Leigh .

LORD LEIGH : I thank you , brethren , for the honour you have done me . I cannot myself lake any credit whatever for the management of this banquet to-day , for the duties were devolved upon my excellent Bro . Sir John Monckton . I can only say I am the honorary president ; the whole management of it has devolved upon the Acting Steward , Sir John Monckton , and , I think you will agree with me in giving the thanks that are

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

due to that Bro . But I have had one pleasing duty to perform as president and that was to have given away the prizes to what my excellent Bro . on my right called that very pretty battalion . I must endorse all he has said . It was a pretty battalion . I never saw 230 such pretty young ladies . The wheeling column could not be done better by any regiment in the country . I can only say f thank you sincerely , and I only hope and trust that the charity will always have Sir John Monckton as their Acting Steward .

Bro . Sir John MOSCKTOX , in proposing the toast of " The Ladies , " said that this Institution appealed most especially to women . As they had been told that evening , the first lady in the land recognised Freemasonry in a manner in which it had not been recognised for many years , by receiving a deputation that afternoon from Grand Lodge , and she had especially signalised that day by becoming Chief Patroness of this most illustrious Institution .

Bro . I-RANK RICHARDSON , in responding , said the ladies had passed a very pleasant evening . They were sincerely attached to Freemasonry , and as long as they supported the Craft so long would it flourish root and branch . The company then repaired to the Temple where a conceit was given ,

in which the following ladies and gentlemen performed under the direction of Miss Marion Burton : Miss Clara Samuell , Mdlle . Marie Vagnolini , Miss Marion Burton , Mr . Harper Kearton , Mr . H . Horscroft . Solo Violin , Miss Dunbar Perkins ; Violoncello , Mons . Albert ; at the Grand Pianoforte , Mr . Turtle Lee . Bro . HAVIIO was toastmaster .

Stewards' Visit To The School.

STEWARDS' VISIT TO THE SCHOOL .

In connection with lhe Ninety-Fourth Anniversary Festival of this Institution , the Stewards made their annual visit to St . John ' s Hill , Battersea Rise , on Monday last , to distribute prizes to the scholars , upon which

occasion they and their friends were entertained by the pupils with a performance of music and recitations . The Ri ght Hon . the Lord Leigh , Trustee of the Institution , R . W . Prov . Grand Master for Warwickshire , and President of the Board of Stewards , presided and distributed the prizes .

lhe Chairman was supported by the presence of a large number of Stewards , and the Grand Secretary , Bro . Col . H . Shadwell Clerke , was also present . The Chairman was ably assisted by Bro . Nunn , who announced the names of the prize winners . The House Committee was also well

represented , and there were present also a large number of eminent Masons and their friends , including a very considerable contingent of ladies , who , as is both natural and very desirable , take a warm interest in the welfare of " our girls . "

The'hall was opened at four o ' clock , and the entertainment was commenced with a duet performance , upon six pianos , of Handel ' s " Hallelujah Chorus , " by 24 hands , followed by a trio from Rossini ' s " Guillaume Tell "

by 26 hands , both admirable performances . Then followed a recitation of Longfellow ' s " Wreck of the Hesperus , " which was feelingly rendered by Miss Mary E . Spalding ; and a part song , entitled " Sunset , " by Abt , concluded the first portion of the programme .

1 he noble Chairman then proceeded to distribute the prizes awarded to the highest pupils , namely , 1 st , the gold medal , given annuall y by Bro . Paas , with five pounds added b y Bro . Winn , to Emma Lizzie Bridgeman ; 2 nd ] the silver medal , given annually by the Institution , with five pounds added by Bro . Winn , to Charlotte Coleman ; 3 rd , five pounds , given by Bro . Winn , to Susan Jane Norrish .

The following pupils also received prizes , given b y the Institution , consisting generally of handsome desks , workboxes , books , Sec . : Edith Ann Wilson ( the gold medalist of last year ) for passing the senior Cambridge Examination ; and for passing the Cambrid ge Examination , E . L . Bridgeman ( honors ) , C . Coleman ( honors ) , S . J . Norrish ( honors ) , A . H Clasc M . A . Jay , F . R . Sargant , and E . E . Daly . • '

1 he second part of the entertainment b y the pupils commenced with Haydn ' s "Toy Symphony" ( eighteen performers ) , which produced the prettiest effect possible . As the best evidence that it was fully appreciated it was repeated , by request , during the evening . After the calisthenic exercises were over , a recitation , entitled " Zacconi ' s Task , " was rendered with

very good taste by Alice VV . Cecil , and was followed by a quartet on the pianos " Marsch und Chor aus Tannh-iuser , " by Wagner , very well executed by twenty-four hands . This was succeeded by Longfellow ' s " Birds of Killingworth , " which drew forth a large amount of applause , and was indeed exceedingly well recited by Alice G . Pike . This part of the programme concluded with a part song , " The Voice of Spring , " by Behrend .

1 nzes , given by the Institution , were then distributed to the following pupils : First Class . —Music , S . L . Bellamy ; Writing and drawing , M F Barsby and A . G . Pike ; Needlework , A . E . Scott , j . Langley , E . ' Escott , Kate Boyd , and Florence Weston ; Machine Work , ° B . H . Fudge Matilda Hothersall , and M . J . Feltham ; General Usefulness , Josephine Herlan and K . J . Mills ; Order and Attention , E . M . Hill and E . A . Cecil

and A . M . Brunskill received the prize for Neatness among the Little Girls ! In the Second Class the prize winners were F . E . Lapington and S Al ' Norrish ; in the Third , M . B . Brasier and L . C . A . Wilton ; in the Fourth ' L . J . Busher and E . M . Garnctt ; and in the Fifth , C . E . Coales and C . A * Fellows .

The concluding part of the pupils programme opened with a recitation of " Morceaux d'Iphigenie" ( Racine ) , in which E . A . Wilson A . H . Clase , C . Coleman , B . L . Turner , and F . E . Lapington took part , and received much well-deserved praise . This was succeeded by Raff ' s " Rigaudon , " for twelve hands , on the pianofortes , admirably performed , which was received by the audience with long con ' tinucd applause . A recitation of Macaulay ' s " Horatius , " if rendered even