Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Bro . Sir J B . MONCKTON , P . G . W ., said they now came home again for a few moments . They had been addressed by one who in a little time had been abroad , and who had shown the truth of the old proverb—Quifacit per aliumfacit Parsee . ( " Oh , " and laughter . ) He would now propose a toast which was the most welcome— "The Health of the Chairman . " ( Applause . ) The success of their annual gatherings to keep those Festivals of the Institutions—the beloved

Institutions—mainl y depended on the brethren they could secure as Chairmen . On that occasion many of the brethren who took a deep interest in the welfare of the Girls' School thought themselves most fortunate when they got an old Master in the Craft and an old Provincial Grand Master to consent to take the chair , and that brother was Sir Francis Burdett . Many of the brethren were present at the prize distribution at the Girls'School on Monday ; he ( Sir J . B . Monckton ) was

there , Sir F . Burdett was there ; and two ladies were there who cast Sir Francis entirel y in the shade . Those ladies were Lady Burdett , the wife of Sir Francis , and Miss Burdett , their daughter , and they most gracefully and kindly performed the ceremony of giving the prizes . The brethren felt more than ever thankful to Sir Francis that he allowed himself to be put in the shade on that occasion by

those amiable and gracious ladies . The brethren had much to be thankful for to their Chairman , for he was a veteran in the Craft well-known and much esteemed , and therefore further words from him ( Sir J . B . Monckton ) Would be almost offensive to Sir Francis Burdett . He , therefore , asked the brethren to rise as one man , and with acclamation to drink the health of the Chairman .

Ihe CHAIRMAN , in reply , said he felt it was almost impossible for him to express his feelings on that occasion for the very kind and enthusiastic manner in which they had received the toast which had been so ably and flatteringly put before them by Bro . Sir John Monckton . He always had great pleasure in being among Freemasons , but he had no idea that he would be so enthusiastically received as he had been that ni ght . It had been his object through life to meet

the wishes of all his brother Freemasons in whatever rank , whether Entered Apprentices or in the highest degrees ; and when he was asked by the Committee of the Girls' School to preside at that One Hundred and Second Anniversary Festival he had the greatest pleasure in acceding to their request , though he felt at the time there were many others who would be much more acceptable to the brethren and more able to perform the duties he had endeavoured that night to perform

than he . Still , his interest in the Institution they had met to support were such that he felt he could do something to advance the cause of an Institution which he considered to be one of the best and most ably conducted in the world . He was sure they could not find a better one . The g irls were educated well in it ; from what they had seen it was excellent in every possible way ; and he must

thank Bro . Sir John Monckton for the mention and the brethren for their kind reception of the names of Lady Burdett and his daughter . It gave Lady Burdett and Miss Burdett the greatest pleasure and gratification to be present at the distribution of prizes and to be instrumental in the distribution . He hoped they would have many opportunities of meeting again and again .

The CHAIRMAN next said the toast he had to propose to the brethren now was one of great consideration and consequence , and he thoroughly felt he was not able to put it before them in a way that it really ought to be put , and that many brethren then present would do it better than he could . Yet he was confident no one would do it with more good feeling to the Institution than he would , for he was thoroughly convinced that no Institution was superior to the Masonic Girls '

School . Many of the brethren were quite aware of what took place two years ago at the Centenary Festival of the Girls' School , which was held at the Royal Albert Hall , when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the M . W . G . M ., and the King of Sweden and Norway were present . That celebration made an impression on all who were present . Those who were not present were aware from the newspapers of what took place on that occasion . It was a Centenary that recalled to them ancient

times when the Institution was first formed—in 1788—as a childs' Institution under the patronage and support of her Royal Hi g hness the Duchess of Cumberland . In those days very little was thought of education , not half so much as now ; but as time went on advances were made , and in 178 9 a school was established in the East-end of London , in Somer ' s-place . That was the second they had , it was commenced there , and 15 girls were entered in it . He did not know

what the education then was , or how the girls were trained , but still it was a beginning , and a very good beginning of what was now before them . In 1 795 these girls increased in number to 30 , and the establishment was then removed from Somer ' s-place to St . George ' s Fields . There was an improvement made , and in 1851 a grand movement took place , when the Institution got possession of the plot of land they now had , on which the present School buildings stood , which

were increasing every day . At that time they were able to take in a great many mote children , and they took in from 68 to 80 when the building was opened at Battersea Rise in 1851 . They now saw what had been done b y the generosity of the brethren ; the subscriptions had been added to , and by the exertions of the Committee they had a magnificent building capable of holding 26 4 girls . That alone spoke for itself . Npt only was the building capable of holding that number

of girls , but as an accompaniment they had every accomplishment that could be taught—they had swimming-baths , laundries , and everything else that could be expected ; and yet with all that it went on in the most smooth and quiet manner that it had gone on for the last 10 or 15 years . He trusted that the School would have as good a Committee for many years as it now had , and although some might come and some might go he had no doubt that those who took the place of

their predecessors would do their work equally well . There was hardly anything more he need say , but he could not do better than advise them to put their shoulders to the wheel and support the Institution , for they were all interested in it . He trusted they would interest others in it . They had an opportunity on Monday o ( hearing most wonderful performances on the pianoforte , in which , though so many performers were at work at the same time , if anyone had turned his back he might

have imagined that onl y one pair of hands was playing . There was , too , the most perfect system of calisthenics he had ever seen . His old friend , Sir Arthur Otway , an old soldier , who had served in several capacities , was present , and he was very much surprised to see the accuracy and precision with which everything was done without a word of command . The girls worked like a piece of machinery .

He did not think there was a single hand or a finger out of place during the whole of those calisthenic exercises . There were other departments of life in which the children received education—cookery and several other useful household accomplishments which they could bring into use if there were no servants in the house . The children were all instructed in those branches which would make them either

good mistresses or good servants . That augured well for their future , and he was confident they would turn out in after life excellent women and excellent wives . He proposed " Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " and coupled with it the name of its Treasurer , Bro . Henry Smith , Deputy Prov . G . Master for West Yorkshire .

Bro . HENRV SMITH , in reply , said it afforded him very great p leasure to acknowledge the enthusiastic reception of the toast of " The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " so ably put before the brethren by their distinguished Chairman . He was quite sure that as the neivly-elected Treasurer they would scarcely expect him to be fully acquainted with all the requirements of the Institution , with 264 children maintained within its walls and watched over and educated

by a staff of young ladies who , he firmly believed , were second to none in the kingdom , who possessed the ability and the desire to discharge faithfully their duties . They were watched over by a Committee who , he ventured to think , were not to be surpassed by any Committee of any Institution . The brethren would perhaps forgive him for mentioning a few facts as to the Annual Festivals which ¦ ni ght not be generally known . When he first became acquainted with the Insti-

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

tution in 1859 , tnere were 7 ° children in the School , and he then took a deli ght and interest in it which had remained with him to the present moment , with this addition , that it had been intensified . The Festival in 1859 , over which Lord de Grey and Ripon presided , produced £ 2000 . In 186 4 there were 100 girls in the Institution , and the Festival yielded £ 3300 . In 18 71 , when there were also 100 girls in the School , the Prince of Wales presided , and the Festival produced

£ 5200 . In 18 7 8 there were 200 girls in the School , and the amount collected through the Festival was £ 8350 . At the Festival of 1880 , the late Duke of Albany took the chair , and the large sum of £ 13 , 759 was produced . The Duke of Con . naught presided in 1882 , and £ 13 , 232 was realised . At the Centenary Festival of 1888 , when the Prince of Wales again presided , there were 250 girls in the School , and £ 51 , 516 was raised . He was quite sure that the presence of Sir Francis Burdett that evening was a proof that he took with him ( Bro . H . Smith ) a deep

interest in the Institution , which he trusted mi ght be sustained in its efficiencv . He would like to have said much more of its requirements , its necessities , its large expenditure , and the necessity for increased space for class rooms , which had been provided at very large cost , and which he was sure they would all approve of when they went over the Institution . It only remained for him to cherish a hope that Bro . Hedges would shortl y announce a satisfactory amount for 1 S 90 , which would not only meet the annual necessities of ihe Institution , but admit of their adding to its invested funds .

The Stewards' lists were then read b y Bro . HUDGRS , and the details will be found appended to this report . The CHAIRMAN next gave " Our Kindred Institutions , " both of which he said were equally deserving with that which had been so enthusiasticall y received . The Institutions were thoroughly supported by Freemasons , though entirely by voluntary contributions . He had had to say a great deal about the Girls' School b . it

he was sure there were a great many who knew much more about the Boys ' School than he did . Still , he had been at the Boys' School and presented the prizes to the boys , many of whom he knew would make their way in life and who would be proud to say they were educated at the Masonic Boys' School . The Masonic world had its eye upon it , and he had no doubt that in a short time it would hold a very high position , a position as high as that of the Girls ' . It was not

those who were coming forward , but those who had passed many years in Masonry , who had done great things for the Boys' School—those who were now resting 011 their easy chairs and spending a life of ease and comfort . It was to those Ihey looked for support , those who had done a great deal , and were always endeavour , ing to aid and assist the widows and orphans of Freemasons . Whether boys or girls , widows or old Freemasons , they were all deserving of sympathy and kindness , and he was confident they would receive it .

Bro . BINCKES responded , and said , although the Chairman in the very kind observations he had used , after celebrating a great success on behalf of the Institution over whose Festival he had that day so ably presided , did not make any direct mention of his name , it seemed to have been in accordance with usual custom that the brother associated with the Institution whose Festival was nearl y imminent to be called upon to respond , and he did not hesitate in appearing before the brethren

for something like the 29 th anniversary while he was still the Secretary . Without making anything more than an indirect allusion to the position in which he w . is placed , he never had greater pleasure than on the present occasion in responding to the toast of '' Success to the other Institutions , " and particularl y to the Boys ' School , to which the excellent Chairman had made such kind allusion . There could be no doubt inthe mind of anybody that the Girls' School was the Institution that

had commended itself , and was commending itself , and would continue to commend itself , to the nearest and dearest sympathies of every one who boasted of being a Freemason , and , as one who had a long connection with the Boys' School , but took great interest in the success of the Girls' School , he did not hesitate to say he was more than deli ghted in the close of life—no matter how brought about—to see that the Girls' School

was in a state securing such a position in the estimation of the Masonic world . He would even hope that , after all said and done , the Boys' School would not be forgotten . It had been subjected to a tremendous ordeal , to which he would make nothing more than an indirect reference ; but that it had done a large amount of good , and was doing still a large amount of good , and he hoped in the future would do a larger amount of good . In stating those facts and indul ging in that

aspiration he was sure he should carry with him the feelings and sympathies of every brother present . Never mind who mi ght have been occupied in that work or not ; he was about to retire into private life , and he hoped , spite of all that had been said , he might have the satisfaction of carrying into that retirement the sympathies at all events of a majority of the brethren among whom for near upon 30 years he had laboured assiduously and not unsuccessfull y . There were those who were of

a turn of mind who would stud y English poetry . There were " The Pleasures of Memory , " "The Pleasures of Imagination , " and "The Pleasures of Hope . " Well , Memory and Imagination might almost be swallowed up in regard to the Girls ' and the Benevolent Institutions ; Memory and Imagination no longer existed in reference to them ; but Memory and Hope in regard to the Boys' School mi ght be indulged in . They had presiding over them on the occasion of the Festival of the

Boys' School , not the Provincial Grand Master of any largely organised province , but one who had proved himself to be a good Mason , a man , and a brother , a Past Senior Grand Warden , a man who stood high in the councils of the Soverei ' . 'n , the First Lord of the Admiralty , and he sincerel y hoped that he might be supported at that Anniversary Festival—the ninety-second— on the 2 nd of July , unmistakeabl y the last that he ( Bro . Binckes ) would have any participation in , to his intense regret ,

but to the satisfaction of some few , not , he hoped , a majority , and his best efforts would be directed to make it a success under the guidance of the Provisional Management Committee , who were doing all they could to render the Institution perfect wherever it could be proved to be imperfect ; and subjected as the Institution had been to a strict investigation , he questioned very much if they had not come out of it as well as any other Institution . But there were 26 4 sons of Freemasons being

educated in the Institution . They knew the successes achieved—that nearl y 140 . / or 1500 had been educated there . They knew that Freemasonry was increasing , and that the demands on the Institution must increase with it , and he did trust that the Festival on the 2 nd of July would not be less than either of those alread y held this year , the Benevolent in February , and the Girls ' School thai ni ght . Congratulating them both on their success , he would like if he could by any quiet

sympathetic appeal to those who he knew still had their sympaUues with him in their work , to make this his last and final effort the greatest success of his Masonic : life . When he said that they would understand he was not speaking egotistically ; it was not success of his life , but the success of the Institution in which the best years of his life had been bound up . ( Loud applause . ) Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . Treas ., next said they had had a splendid gathering ,

and a great result had been announced by the Secretary , a result nut , perhaps , so large as they had had in some past years , but they must bear in mind they had not got out of the shadow of that great Festival of two years ago , when the t rince of Wales presided ; but it was a great result considering " they were in the proximity of that Festival . They had been addressed tnat evening by the excellent Chairman , the Stewards of whose province had well supported hun and

placed four figures at the disposal ot the Institution . The success of that evening was due to the body of brethren who had exerted themselves on behalf of the Institution , and the brethren had to thank them , not onl y for the result of that evening , but for the very kind reception they had had . A great work had devolved on the Board of Stewards , who had been most successful . A debt of thanks was due to them for the way they had performed their duties , not onl y for bringing funds on the list , but for the success of that great gathering .