Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

tilv sympathise with him in the sad event which has kept him from ^ to-night . I would not allude to that now , except to say I shall have US all on another brother to respond to the toast which I have to give t 0 the toast of " Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " and y ° H' - that I should like to say one or two words . This Institution , as I IT rrllv need tell you , has achieved exactly its ioist year . It may not be hafoiy . . . . .... „ . «« * .: n ~ . „ ,.,. —i „ .. ... i— T brethrenit not known to till when

, b own to you , —was me yesterday , I was iking over a history which Bro . Hedges had given me , with his usual houehtfulness , in order that I might make something of my address to you -night ; but I found in that little book , and it is one I should recommend ! ° " tne study of all in this room , that it was on the 22 nd May , 1788 , 101 ears ago this very day , the first meeting was held with regard to the y tohlishment of the Masonic Girls' School ; therefore , it is just 101 years esldui" ¦ i

. . ,, ,.,. . .. _ , . .. .- .. _ rrr :. _ r . n Id You know in that old and traditional institution , the Flitch of Bacon , 0 QUnmow , the flitch was given to that married pair who not only for a a ear but a year and a day , had lived happily together . We are not 100 , hut ' 101 years old . One hundred and one is the number of my old students of Christ Church , which is a grand thing . I found also in innkine : over . the list of Girls admitted into the Institution 100 years ago ,

that one of those girls was Anne Martin . She was not my mother or my grandmother , nor had I anything to do with her as far as I know . At the same time it appeared to me one of those marvellous coincidences which sometimes arise . When I heard that the Institution was 101 years old tonight , I thoug ht it as well to mention that there was a Miss Martin who was a candidate for the Institution 101 years ago . It is a grand , glorious ,

and noble Institution . To any one who would like to know what the Masonic Institution for Girls is , I would say , do as I had the honour and privilege of doing yesterday , go down to the Masonic Institution for Girls at BatterseaRise , or , as some people would prefer to call it ) close to Clapham Junction , and see the wonderful duty those g irls are trained for , and what is done there for their comfort ; see those calisthenic exercises they go through ,

that drill which won from our Grand Master himself in the Royal Albert Halllast year great praise , which has won from well-seasoned warriors who are accustomed to reviewing troops the declaration that , often as they had seen soldiers drill , and well-drilled soldiers too , they had not seen anything equal to this . Then if you turn to the records of what , they do intellectually , you have , only to turn to the class list of the Cambridge local and other examinations they have competed in , and you will perceive wonderful results

attained by our girls ; And remember that in these days it is no light thing to go through these examinations . In old days , when you were able to answer a certain number of questions in a not very satisfactory way you had your diploma of merit , and were able to go on your way rejoicing . But that is not the case now . What has to be done has to be done well , and the girls that are examined are tested in a way

which some of us who are older would shrink from in positive horror . In their recent examination , out of 20 presented 18 passed ; and so it is in everything they do ; there has been a percentage of 90 or more per cent , who have passed every examination they have gone in for . I thought before yesterday that I knew something of the way in which the piano could be played , but yesterday there were seven pianos going at

once , with four girls at each piano , all of them keeping time , and it astonished me as it astonished everybody . It is not only with regard to music , but it is also in the higher branches of education that they distinguish themselves . Cookery also is a thing they learn , and there are other branches of education for fitting them for various spheres of life in the future to which it may please Providence to place

them . They have in every way a thorough and excellent education , and I think in committing these girls to the charge of this Institution we may be perfectly certain that we are . giving them to those who will faithfully discharge the trust imposed in them . I could talk to you all night about the Institution ; I could lay before you statistics , ) but that is not necessary—everyone has this information in his hands—and I do

not want to weary you with statistics ; but I do want to say this to you , that we are assembled here to-night at the ioist annual Festival of our Girls' School . We look forward to these Festivals to receive at them a large amount of support . That large amount of support to-night we cannot expect , perhaps , to receive . You in this room will remember the glorious Festival in the Albert Hall last year , when the Prince of Wales presided .

fhat occasion was the Centenary Festival , and the absolutely unprecedented sum of any Charity in the world , given out—a total of ^ 50 , 600 was augmented afterwards by ^ 2000 more—and that result , as I said to you , has never yet been obtained by any Charity in the world . Therefore it is not in the nature of things that people could be expected to come forward on an occasion like this with any very large amount .

" ut there is another subject I should like to mention to you with ^ gard to that . Those who have had the management of the Girls ' festival this year have felt , and felt very strongly—and we must all sympathise with them in it—that , having had their grand success last year , it * as not right or proper for them to compete with the other Institutions this year . Therefore , they were content to hold their hand , and not to make to the to for for

^ y special appeal brethren—not press support their own jistitution , but rather to be content to leave it in the hands of the brethren ! ° do simply what they are pleased to do and just what they could , but not " > any Way to try and press the claims of their Institution against the c | aims of the others . The Festival of the Masonic Boys' School is shortly rifling

on , and we may hope and trust that that Institution will receive as , ge amount of support in the future as it has done in the past . ( Hear , earj and cheers . ) There have been certain clouds , as you know , passing . ^ r that Institution lately ; but I think our ; part is rather to suspend all judgment in respect to that in the meantime , and to put our shoulders to e wheel , and to determine , as far as we possibly can , to show by anything e are able to for that Institution that we do heartily , and truly , and sina / f ' y sympathise with those who are trying to carry on that Institution , ^ o that we are determined to do what we can to support it . I would now , t 0 en ' ? k y ° drink the health of this Institution which I have the honour v Pres 'de over to-night . I know it has been said " a large amount of money s ^? ubscribed last year— . £ 50 , 000—what has been done with all that large com ' . ^ ls t 0 be tne outcome of it all ? " First , I would say the out-I ™? ° \ 't has been the admission of 20 extra girls upon the strength of that that ' 1 ° ' ma ^ ln S the number 26 4 who are able to receive the benefits of la institution during the coming year . Then it is proposed to add * hf h t 0 l ^ ex i ' E buildings , to add a large hall for great meetings , pnj ^ f . yes terday the building was scarcely able to accommodate . Another Give 1 S l ° 'ar Se ' y improve the domestic accommodation of these premises . n an Institution of . that kind , it is necessary that everything that goes

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

on above stairs and below stairs should be as perfect as it possibly can be , and when you remember that the cooking operations of the establishment were meant for a far less number of children than those who are now there , it must be clear that a great addition is necessary for the larger number of girls who will be accommodated . There are also a number of small items necessary to render our School in deed and in truth that which it is our proud boast—that

it is a model for all the charitable institutions of the great country of England . I wili now ask you to drink the toast I have already given you with all heartiness . We may earnestly hope and believe that the absence of our Chairman to-night , Lord Henniker , will not interefere with the response you would give to the toast . I would ask you to give , not only for the Institution , but for sympathy with the Chairman who was to preside over you ,

and I would ask you to give also as a substantial proof of the sincere feeling of your hearts in receiving the mention of my name so well . I will now propose " Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , " and I shall couple with the toast the name of a brother who has devoted an enormous amount of time , energy , and attention to the Institution—I mean Bro . Letchworth . There are also I know other brethren , Bros . Frank

Richardson , Matthews , Peter de Lande Long , and others , who are never tired of doing anything they can for this Institution , but I ask you to couple with this toast the name of Bro . Letchworth , a Vice-Patron of the Institution , and I know that in asking you to drink that health I am asking you to drink the health of one who , with myself , you will delight to honour , as one of the most worthy representatives of the Institution . ( Hear hear . )

One word more . It is , as I said , almost an impossible thing to come up to the totals of former years after the great success of last year , We are starting to-night perfectly handicapped with the success of last year , with the loss of our Treasurer ; but if we can only be able to get together some £ 4000 or £ 5000 at the outside , I am sure you will feel that you ape upholding the honour of the Craft . I do not know what you have subscribed

or what my own Province , which has rallied round me , has subscribed , but I do know one thing , that whenever I appeal to Suffolk Masons—brethren of my own province—to my own lodge in thecouutry , of whom I am pleased to see so many members present—the Stour Valley Lodge—if I ask them to do anything for me , even to lend me a sixpence for myself —( laughter

and cheers)—they do it directly . I ask you to give liberally . I know the total will not come up to anything like your expectations at another time . I am sure you will feel those brethren who have supported it have done their best , and " we hope for better results next year . Nevertheless , do not let us forget the other Institutions whose Festivals are coming on . The toast having been duly honoured ,

Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , P . G . D ., said : In the absence of the Treasurer of our Institution—which absence is due to a cause which we all deplore—and in the absence of the Chairman of the Committee of the Girls' School , who , I shrewdly suspect , is enjoying the society of the ladies at the present moment , although he ought to be here—the duty devolves upon me , as one of the senior members of the Committee of this Institution , to acknowledge the

kind and cordial manner in which you have received the toast so ably proposed by the very worshipful brother in the chair . Our Chairman has referred so fully to our Institution , that I feel that nothing is left for me to do than to thank you , the Stewards of this Festival , in anticipation , for the efforts I know you have taken to make for this Institution as good a result as possible . Of course , after the splendid success of last year , we

cannot anticipate anything but a very moderate amount , but that will be due , I am sure , not to any lack of energy on the part of any of those brethren who have so kindly undertaken the duties of Stewards . It is a fact that we have necessarily discounted for some time to come that support which we had a right to expect the Craft would render us . Most of the brethren who are here to-night were probably at our School yesterday , and ,

therefore , they had the means of judging to some extent of the manner in which the funds placed at the disposal of the Committee are expended . I can only hope that what they saw yesterday met with their entire satisfaction , ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) But I can also assure them , and the Craft generally , that those who , with myself , have the charge of the management of that Institution , are animated by one desire , and one desire only , to do their duty , and to make that Institution as perfect as it can possibly be made . ( Hear , hear . ) On behalf of that Institution , allow me once more ' to express to you our hearty thanks for the manner in which you have received the toast . ( Cheers . ) The toast having been drunk enthusiastically , The Stewards' lists were then read by Bro . HEDGES , and the details will

be found appended to this report . Sir John B . MONCKTON , Past Grand Warden : I have an excellent toast to propose to you , and I only regret that I must not do that which I should like to do—enlarge more lully upon it . The ladies , God bless them , are elsewhere ; they have left two of the most charming of their number in the gallery , as you may see , in the charge of one of our most indefatigable

piewaras j so muse oreaK tne rule ot Drevity which has been laid down , in order that we may adjourn as soon as possible . Do not imagine that it is for want of heart that I propose to you this toast very briefly indeed . Good wine needs no bush , and a good subject wants but little to be said of it ; and in asking you to drink "Success to the other Masonic Charities

viz ., the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , " I am sure I am only appealing to that blessed gift of Charity which is the distinguishing characteristic of every good Freemason ' s heart ( cheers ) . I offer you the toast in all cordiality , and , as the rule is that the Secretary of the Institution whose festival is yet to come should respond , I shall call on Bro . Binckes to respond to this toast .

Bro . BINCKES : It would be difficult for me to tell you during the last 28 years how many times and on how many different occasions I have had the opportunity to respond to this toast or somewhat similar toasts , but I do not hesitate to-state that I never felt myself more complimented on any occasion than I feel on this , when we have presiding as our chairman such an experienced and excellent Mason as Bro . Martvn . That worth y

brother who has had the gratification of presiding over so many of his dearest and oldest friends who are supporting him , has occupied the chair this evening with such geniality that I am sure it must be a gratification to every one of us to see him in that distinguished position . Although the Institution has not achieved one of those great and gigantic successes to which we as Freemasons are generally accustomed , I think those who have

spoken on behalf of the Institution under the circumstances so gracefully alluded to must feel nothing but sincere gratification at what has resulted at the festival of the Girls' School . Looking forward with anxiety after what we have suffered in the past year , I hope I may rel y with confidence on the sympathetic consideration and generosity of the numerous friends I have made during my 30 years' connection with the Boys' School , and I