The Girls' School Festival.

THE GIRLS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

The result of the Festival which was held in Freemasons' Tavern , on Wednesday evening ' , in behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , will be received . everywhere with a feeling of satisfaction for two special reasons . In the first place , a belief existed in well-informed quarters that thoug h the Board of Stewards was above , rather than below the usual

strength numerically , the average per list would be exceptionally , if not disastrously , low . This anticipation has not been realised . The average , though far from being what we have known it in ordinary years , compares favourably with that of last year at the Festival of the same Institution . In the second place , the result shows a very substantial improvement , the

difference between the total announced on Wednesday and that of last year being very little short of £ 1400 . But though on these grounds \ vc are rrratified beyond measure with the returns we publish in another column , we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that the Girls' School is not receiving [ hat measure of support which it both deserves and needs . We

ran realise to a certain extent the difficulties under which the Girls' Festival Stewards laboured on this occasion . The usual sources of supply had been well nigh exhausted , firstly by the heavy demands made by the Bo 3 \ s' School in June , 1891 , when nearly ^ 30 , 000 was raised in order to place its fortunes on a sounder basis ; and then by the still

heavier demands of the Benevolent Jubilee in February , when a sum of donations and subscriptions amounting to about ^ 6 7 , 000 was obtained . In the ( ace of the drain caused by these demands , it was difficult , if not impossible , to secure the much-needed contributions , and as we pointed out a little while ago , in place of the 10 , 20 , and even 50 guinea—donations which

are forthcoming in ordinary years-the Stewards for this Festival had to content themselves with the more modest annual or life subscription . However , we need not dwell on these matters , but rather let us congratulate the illustrious Chairman , the Stewards , the executive , and last but not least , the Institution itself on Wednesday ' s celebration . The sum of - £ 9582 ,

which Bro . HEDGES was able to announce—but which , before the speeches were over , was increased by the brethren on the dais to £ 10 , 002—is , as we have said , a substantial advance on last year ' s total . Moreover , in itself it is a large sum such as very few charitable institutions outside- Masonry are able to obtain at their anniversary festivals , and it

is only because we have become so accustomed to big Returns—ranging from . £ 12 , 000 and ^ , 15 , 000 to . £ 20 , 000 and upwards-that brethren seem inclined to regard it as small . However , we know that all who took pari in the Festival exerted themselves to the utmost . We know the \ ' have

done good service , because , in face of the unprecedented difficulties we have mentioned , they have obtained a sum so nearly approaching to what is ordinarily raised . In the name , therefore , of the Craft generally we offer them our hearty congratulations and thanks for their timely aid to ( his most deserving Charity .

The Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

THE FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

'hi Wednesday evening the 104 th Anniversary of the Royal Masonic ' ¦ isj . ilntion for Girls was celebrated by a Festival at Freemasons' Tavern , iinilci' the Chairmanship ol his Royal Highness ( he Duke ol Connaught and wmhearn , K . G ., M . W . P . G . M ., Prov . G . M . Sussex , District G . M . Hniiihay , His Royal Highness was supported by some 400 brethren , while ; a ve ry large number of ladies also graced the occasion . The R 0371 I Chairi ""' 'HI lind flip Rnrl nf Mniinl Frlcn-iimhn nn bio rierbt niifl " sir I . A 1 . 1 t - — t-u j ^ ciii e / 1 . 1111111 i . uee . uiiiue uu tun tigin inu oil i ^ 11

^ ,, , . .. v . . S ' -telomere on his left . C ri ' before dinner was rendered by Bro . the Rev . H . R . Cooper-Smith , I ' " - ''" -plain , and after dinner " For these and all Thy mercies given " was I n S . '\ V the professional artistes . I he toasts were then proposed . ¦ \\ - 'I' ? ' )« ko of CONNAUGHT , in proposing the first toast , said : Right it . , . 'P'ul Deputy Grand Master and Brethren , 1 rise to propose " The

' , " , "' of her Majesty the Oueen , the Patroness of the Institution . " .. . '" ' toast , having been Honoured , was followed by the singing of the ¦ N " !» "al Anthem . ' U ,,, , , ! ' ^ uke of CONNACGHT next said : The toast I now give you is " The ; (; , " ^ ° | 1 'l . U . H , the Prince of Wales , our Most Worshipful Grand Master , \ V , r ^ - ' atro » , and President of the Institution , the Princess of Wales , 0 llinstitutionami tne otner inemiocrs oi tne

i rami ) ,,, U"LSS I , c , Koyal : oneQ /' . brethren , the first thought that comes into our minds is naturall y I . \|; i s ( ll ] deepest regret for the sad event that has necessitated our Grand I 'eeljn J ' . f t ' ' ng' into private life at the present lime . Knowing as I do those I our . \] n s . ° ! « T " m affection and deep sympathy that have ever bound you to ; I ha ' ff " ' ° i"shipful Grand Master , 1 know that on the present occasion , when l , le honour of presiding at a large Masonic festival , it would be out

The Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

of place if I did not refer to the sad loss our Fraternity has sustained in the death of the RAW Grand Master of Berkshire . ( Hear , bear . ) The deep feeling shown throughout the country on that s . ad occasion was never shown anywhere more strongly than by the Masonic brethren ; and I am certain that among the many expressions of sympathy and condolence the Prince has received , there is none that he has

appreciated more fully than that general sympathy of all the Masonic brotherhood over whom he holds sway . ( Hear , hear . ) Both the Prince and the Princess are personally connected with this Institution as its Patron and Patroness , and it is not so long ago that the M . W . G . M . and the Princess opened the splendid Alexandra Hall of this Institution , which

was an occasion of great importance , and marked an era in the history of the Institution for the benefit of which we are here assembled this evening , I will ask you , without further remarks , to join with me in drinking with every honour the health of the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., Grand Patron of the Institution , the Princess of Wales , Grand Patroness , and the other members of the Royal Family .

The toast having been duly honoured , The Duke of CONNAUGHT said : I rise to propose a toast which I know will meet with a most cordial response from all the brethren here present—it is "The Health of the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , Pro G . M . ; the Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , Deputy G . M . ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " We are very grateful to the Grand

Officers for having attended here in such large numbers this evening . We know that their presence here is most acceptable to us , and we are very much indebted to them—for many of them have important engagements at this time of the year—for having come here in such force . I am desired by Lord Lathom to express his very great regret that a most important engagement which it was not possible to be changed forbade his

being here ; but we are very pleased to see among us the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe . ( Cheers . ) Our Grand Officers at all times have been read y to place themselves at the head of all the great movements for the benefit and promotion of Freemasonry , and we are always pleased , as we are on this occasion , to see them sitting at this table . I feel that on this the first occasion since a very distinguished brother has left us for a better world , you

will not mind my referring to the great loss the Grand Lodge has sustained in the death of Bro . Col . Shadwell Clerke . ( Hear , hear . ) During the many years that he was Grand Secretary he worked with the greatest assiduity , with the greatest kindness , and with the greatest tact , and I know that our M . W . G . M . felt most deeply the death of one who had helped him so ably in his arduous duties as Most Worshipful Grand Master of England .

We are , I am sure , well pleased at the excellent choice that H . R . H . has made in appointing our new Grand Secretary . ( Loud applause . ) I wish to couple with this toast the name of one of our best known and best respected and loved Grand Officers , Bro . Beach . ( Applause . ) It would ill become me to sing his praises before him , but I think you know how much he has worked not only

in the Province of Hampshire but also throughout the Craft . It is not so many months ago that 1 was honoured by the Province of Hampshire to be their spokesman in presenting a very handsome and excellent picture of Bro . Beach as a mark of the esteem and appreciation of the brethren of the province of his services to that province and to the Craft in general .

Bro . W . W . B . BEACH , Prov . G . M . of Hants and the Isle of Wight , who was greeted with loud and general cheering on rising to reply , said : Your Royal Highness and Brethren , —In the presence of the Deputy Grand Master , who has another duty to perform , by command of the Chairman I respond for this toast . It is a great gratification to those who are charged with high duties in the Craft to endeavour to merit the confidence which has

been reposed in them by every means within their power , and if they can , in their respective provinces and localities in which they may be president , promote , foster , and encourage the principles of Freemasonry , it will do much to justify the position which the ) ' hold . And probably they can do nothing more beneficial to the interests of the Cralt than by encouraging these excellent Charitable Institutions which are the pride , of our Order .

When I was a young Mason , London Masons did the chief part in supporting the interests of these great Institutions , but since that time the merits of these Institutions , their needs and their wants , have been brought home to the knowledge of the brethren in all parts of the country , and now there is only a generous and healthy rivalry as to which can do the most to support those glorious Institutions . ( Cheers . ) Brethren , I thank you most heartily for the manner in which you have responded to the toast .

The Karl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , Deputy Grand Master : Your Royal Highness , who is about to give the next toast following after this one , would perhaps demur if I were to speak of this one as the toast of the evening ; but at the same time I venture to say that the toast which I am going to propose will be second to none in the enthusiastic reception which it will have from all the brethren present . ( Cheers . ) For many generations the

solidity ot Masonry has been shown by the fact that those placed highest around the throne have joined in the ranks of Freemasonry , and while a bond of real brotherhood binds them to the humblest and poorest Mason of the most distant provinces , the dignity and the respect belonging to the high position they have holds no feather in all the traditions that the- past generation

have well maintained in our generation especially in the person of the illustrious Duke who occupies the chair to-day ; and though the thought of those who , within our memory , have dropped out of our ranks cannot but ( ill our minds with some deep sorrow , which will long remain cherished by Masons with the recollection of those who are gone , we rejoice when-