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Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

SATURDAY , MARCH IS , 18 99 .

» In addition to the School voting papers , which , as we mention elsewhere , were circulated early in the week , we have received the reports and statements of account of

the two Institutions for the year . As regards the Girls' School , the House Committee report , firstly , that the year's expenditure was below the average of the last five years ; secondly , that with the exception of a few mild cases of whooping cough , the general health of the School has been good ; and further that there had been no necessity for appropriating any pirt

of the . 64000 which had been placed on deposit in view of the expected shortcoming of the anniversary Festival towards th-j year ' s expenditure , and , consequently , tint the said sum together with an additional . 62000 had been invested . The particulars relating to the successes of the girl * at sundry public examinations in 1897-8 and 1898-9 need not be referred to as they have already been described in our columns , but

Masonic Notes.

we note with pleasure that the Civil Service and Commercial Classes are still working satisfactorily , and that the children are making great progress in shorthand and typewriting . * * * Turning to the several statements of account , we remark that the Income and Expenditure Account

shows a total receipt of £ 16 , 47 s 14 s . iod ., and a total disbursement of £ 13 , 764 us ., the balance remaining being ^ 2714-33 . 10 L But , allowing for depreciation on the School and Office Furniture and the Freehold buildings , this is reduced to £ i 6 g 2 4 s . id . The chief heads of receipt comprise £ 11 , 651 in respect of

Donations and Subscriptions—or more than £ 2000 in excess of the sum announced at the Festival—Special Donations , . £ 2105 , and Interest on Investments and Deposits of £ 2568 . The chief items of expenditure were for Provisions , £ 3369 ; Clothing , £ 1029 ; House , . £ 456 ; Alterations and Repairs , £ 580 ; General

Cleaning , . £ 604 ; Rates , Taxes , and Insurance , £ 798 ; Coals , Gas , and Water , £ 730 ; School Books and Stationery , . £ 268 ; Infirmary , £ ^ 6 g ; Gratuities and outfits tcrgirls on leaving , . £ 187 ; Salaries , School and Office together , X 3390 ; Stationery , Printing ,

Postages , & c , . £ 673 ; and Pensions , ^ 435 . The balance sheet shows value of land and buildings , . £ 97 , 720 ; of Furniture , & c , at School and Office , . £ 6260 ; and of Investments , ^ 96 , 391 ; with cash in hand , & c , ^ 832 ; the balance to be carried forward of asset s over liabilities being . £ 200 , 417 .

» * » The report of the Board of Management of the Royal JUsonic Institution for Boys , and the Statement of Accounts for 189 S , make , as may readily be conceived , very pleasant reading . There is no need for us to refer to that portion of the former in which

are enumerated the successes achieved by the pupils at the Cambridge and other public examinations , as they have already benn noted in previous issues . It is , however , gratifying to learn that the plan of retaining boys of exceptional ability beyond the age fixed for their leaving the School has been attended with satisfactory results , not so much because they

have been in a position to compete on better terms with the senior boys from other schools , but because , as the Board are able to report , they have " secured more advantageous situations on leaving the School in consequence of their better equipment for the battle of life . " * * #

It has always been our opinion that the ruling powers made a great mistake when they altered the limit for remaining in the School from 16 back to the old limit of 15 years . It is true that when they did this , they reduced the minimum limit of age for admission from eight to seven years ; but we are

satisfied that an education which extends from eight to 16 years is productive of far greater good than one from seven to 15 years . As children approach more nearly to " years of discretion" their minds develop more and they are better able to grasp the full meaning of what they have been taught . There is a great tendency

in these days to force children forward to a certain standard of proficiency in their studies , quite regardless of their capacity for acquiring knowledge . We venture to think that children learn more between the ages of 14 and 16 than during the whole 01 their previous school career ; and , what is of still more importance in the case of our children—who are for the

most part orphans and must depend chiefly on their own efforts to make their way in the world—they are able to turn the knowledge they have acquired to better account . We should be glad to see the minimum age limit for admission into the School restored to eight and the limit for remaining to 16 years . * * *

But let us return to the Board s Report , which is equally satisfactory , but especially to be commended is the report of the Examiner selected by the Cambridge University Syndicate to examine the whole School . This gentleman appears to have done his work thoroughly and conscientiously , noting carefully whatever he found commendable , but , at the same

time , taking ¦ jqual care to point out any weaknesses shown in the subjects of examination by any of the classes . The very favourable judgment he passes upon the work done by the highest class—Form V . — strengthens our contention in the preceding Note in favour of restoring 16 years as the limit for remaining in the School . * » We also notice with pleasure that the health of the boys has been good throughout the year , and that

Masonic Notes.

the premises are in a thorough state of repair . But what will prove of still greater interest to know is that " the working drawings and quantities for the new buildings at Bushey" have been completed , and are now in the hands of eminent builders and contractors , from whom tenders are expected to be received during

the present month , " so that the Board " hopes to be able to report fully thereon to the Quarterly Court in April . " It is added in a footnote by the Secretary that since the preparation and adoption of the report , tenders from 19 builders had been received , and " that of Bro . Henry Martin , of Northampton , amounting to £ 9 8 , 950 , being the lowest , was accepted . "

* * * As for the Statement of Account , it is , perhaps , only necessary to mention , as stated by the Board , that " whilst increased benefits have been given to the boys during the year , and although the price of provisions has been greater , the average cost per head will be

found to compare favourably with past years . " The number of boys on the establishment including , of course , those who are out-educated , was 280 , while the general and special expenditure reached £ 13 , 951 . The total amount of invested capital is returned at £ 155 , 116 11 s . nd ., of which £ 92 , 264 8 s . 6 d . was invested in 1898 . #

* * We are in a position to state that his Royal Hi ghness the M . W . Grand Master of the Mark Grand Lodge has been pleased to sanction a re-arrangement of the lodges in the Province of East Anglia , and that those located in Essex have been constituted a Province by themselves under Bro . the Earl of Warwick as its

Grand Master , while the lodges in Norfolk , Suffolk , and Cambridge will remain under Bro . Lord Henniker , as Prov . Grand Master of East Anglia . The subdivision thus sanctioned is as nearly as possible into two equal parts , the lodges in the new Province cf East Anglia being six in number , and comprising the

Albert Victor , No . 70 , Ipswich ; the Walpole , No . 92 , Norwich ; the Freeman , No . 105 , Bury St . Edmunds the Isaac Newton University , No . 112 , Cambridge ; the Youell , No . 317 , Great Yarmouth ; and the York , No . 334 , Cambridge . Essex will muster seven lodges , namely , the Constantine , No . 145 , Colchester : the

Beaconsfield , No . 205 , Walthamstow ; the Chelmer , No . 342 , Chelmsford ; the Brentwood , No . 377 , meeting in the town of the same name ; the St . Nicholas , No . 413 , Harwich ; the George Graveley , No . 461 , Leytonstone ; and the West Ham , No . 467 ,

Stratford . The re-arrangement has been made just in time to admit of Essex filling the role of " Chairman's Province" at the approaching Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund , at which Lord Warwick has consented to preside .

* * * It will be seen from an account we publish lhirr » week , and for which we are indebted to the courtesy ok Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., that Freemasonry has sustained a heavy loss through the death of Bro . Enoch T . Carson , one of the highest authorities on

Masonic Bibliography of which the Craft has been able to boast . Bro . Carson waf also till within a few weeks of his lamented decease the fortunate possessor of one of the best furnished Masonic libraries , having spared neither trouble nor money in order to collec t

together all that was best and most valuable in our literature . We tender our sympathy not only to the family and friends of our late Bro . Carson , but also to the Craft in the United States , of which for so many years Bro . Carson had been a distinguished member .

There will be sincere and widespread sympathy among the brethren of the English Craft with 3 ro . the Right Hon . Sir M . White Ridley , Birt ., M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of Northumberland , in the great bereavement which has just befallen him . About a fortnight since the Hon . Lady Ridley was attacked

with influenza , and pneumonia supervening , her ladyship died on Tuesday morning at her house , No . 10 , Carlton House-terrace . Lady Ridley was the eldest daughter of the late Bro . Lord Tweedmouth , and sister of the present lord . She was married in 18 73 , and was beloved and respected , not only by her family and friends , but also by all with whom she came in

contact . » * The numerous friends of Bro . General J . C . Smith , Past Grand Master ol Illinois , U . S . A ., will be glad to hear that he is again on a visit to Great Britain and

Ireland , and especially to attend certain meetings of the High Degrees in Edinburgh and Dublin , this month and the followi ng . " Our General " is in excellent health , full of vigour , and zealous as ever on behalf of the Craft Universal , on the " old lines , " and in the " old ways . "