Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

A meeting of the General Committee was held at the Freemasons' Hall on Thursday , the 24 th inst . Bro . J . H . Matthews , P . G . Std . Br ., occupied the chair , and there were also present Bros . A . Spaul , H . A . Hunt , T . Massa , G . Ouick , Walter Vincent , R . G . Barton , J . S . Cumberland , C . H . Webb , William Masters , E . Spooner , W . F .

Smithson , T . Fenn , W . Lake , and F . R . W . Hedges . Five petitions were approved and one deferred . Bro . T . Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes , brought up the following report of the Centenary Committee on Scheme B . Since their Report , dated 27 th September , 1 SS 7 , your Committee have had under their consideration a revised

plan of Scheme B of the proposed improvement and enlargement of the building submitted to them by Bros . Hunt and Clutton , which provides for some important alterations in the position of the Centenary Hall and of the Domestic Offices . From the plans submitted herewith , it will be seen that the Centenary Hall has been turnedj round , so as to be

approached directly from the principal entrance of the building , thus occupying an almost central position in easy communication with the Dining Hall and School and Class Rooms , to which a much better light is afforded . The size of the Hall is 100 ft . by 40 ft ., instead of 105 ft . by by 42 ft . The new Domestic Offices have been brought nearer to the Alexandra Wing , the Kitchen being directly adjacent

to the Dining Hall and on the same level ; a Fore Court is thus obtained between this Building and the public road . The cost under this revised arrangement will probably be somewhat less . Your Committee , including some

representative brethren from the provinces , whom they have added to their number , are unanimous in strongly recommending this revised plan to the General Committee for approval . THO . FENN , P . B . G . P ., Chairman .

EXPLANATION OF PLANS . The design contemplates removing the Domestic Offices in the N . E . Wing , which , having been arranged for a School of about So Girls , are quite inadequate for a School of 200 ; And building , ( a . ) A large Hall , 100 feet by 40 feet , for assemblies of

the whole School , Drill and Recreation , to be called the Centenary Hall . ( b . ) New Kitchen Offices , with Matron's Room , Cooking Class Room , House Dining Room , and Servants' Bed Rooms . ( c . ) Converting the present Large School Room in the Alexandra Wing into a Dining Hall .

( d . ) Converting the present Dining Hall and Cookery Class Room into School Rooms . ( 1 ? . ) Building three Large Class Rooms having an average area of 722 sup . feet each . (/ . ) Six Large Dormitories over on Two Floors , with necessary Governesses' Bed Rooms , Lavatories , and Bath Rooms .

( g . ) Constructing New Wide Hard Wood Staircases in place of the existing ones , which , at present , include a Small Circular Staircase and one with many winders . ( It . ) Erecting Day Lavatories , Boot and Cloak Rooms , and Latrines . The increased accomodation must be considered relativel y to the increased space demanded in the existing building ,

in order to give 50 feet area to each bed . At present there are 206 children sleeping in the Dormitories , but in order to give each child 50 feet superficial area , the number would have to be reduced to 172 . The altered building will accomodate sleeping space for 240 children , with 50 feet superficial to each child , with an average height of 15 feet .

It is proposed to warm the Old Building as well as the New with hot water , and to ventilate the new Rooms by a system of exhaust similar to that used at the Ventnor Hospital . It is estimated that the cost of these works , without warming , scientific ventilation , and fire mains and hydrants , will be under £ 20 , 000 . New Kitchen Building under £ 7 000

, Corridor to communicate with Alexandra Wing and Main Building „ 6 oo New School Room , Dormitories , Stairs , & c . ,, 5 , 000 Latrines , Lavatories , & c „ 1 , 400 Centenary Hall ... „ 5 , 000 Contingencies ( exclusive of Warming , Scientific Ventilation , and Fire Main ? , & c . ) „ 1 , 000

£ 20 , 000 It was proposed and carried that the plans as revised be approved and referred to the General Quarterly Court at the meeting in April , iSSS , with the recommendation that the revised plans under Scheme B submitted therewith be adopted .

Dinner To Bro. John H. Comming, Treasurer 2191.

DINNER TO BRO . JOHN H . COMMING , TREASURER 2191 .

A dinner was given on the 2 nd inst . at the Hotel Rennert , Baltimore , to Bro . John B . Cumming , Treasurer 2191 , by Bro . Thomas J . Shryock , Grand Master . The gentlemen at the dinner were Bros . Geo . L . McCahan , Dep . G . M . ; W . H . Martin , J . G . W . ; Wm . H . Shryock , G . Treas . ;

John M . Carter , Past G . M . ; Gen . F . C . Latrobe , John S . Bullock , Charles T . Sisco , Charles Koppelman , George R . Medairy , Prof . M . A . Newell , Norval H . Busey , A . E . Booth , and John B . Kurtz . Bro . Shryock , G . M ., presided . A toast to the " President of the United States " was

responded to by Gen . Latrobe , " Her Majesty the Oueen " was responded to by Prof . M . A . Newell , " The Grand Lodge of Maryland " by Bro . Carter , Past G . M ., "Woman" by Bro . Norval H . Busey , "Anglo-American Lodge , No . 2192 " by Bro . John B . Cumming , the guest of the evening . —Baltimore American .

Bro . Lord Magheramorne presided at the usual weekly meeting of the Metropolitan Beard of "Works , on Friday , the 18 th instant .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . COL . JOHN MACHEN , P . G . D . Our readers , and especially the brethren in Warwickshire , will learn with sincere regret that Bro . Col . John Machen died on Saturday last , at Leamington , after a comparatively brief illness . Our deceased brother had rendered most valuable services to the Craft in Warwickshire for very many years past . He had won distinction ,

not only in private lodge and chapter , but in Prov . G . Lodge , before 1 S 67 , when R . W . Bro . Lord Leigh , P . G . M ., appointed him Deputy Prov . G . M . in succession to Bro . Elkington . Since then he had taken a permanent part in the province , and had not long resigned his post , when death so unexpectedly overtook him . Bro . Col . Machen was among the brethren on whom the Prince of Wales ,

M . W . G . M ., was pleased to confer Past Grand Rank in United Grand Lodge at the convention held in the Royal Albert Hall , on the 13 th June last , to celebrate the J ubilee of her Majesty ' s reign , the honour and privileges of a Past G . Deacon being assigned to him ; while at the Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter , in

August , he received the rank of a Past G . Principal Sojourner . Our late brother was a Life-Governor of all our three Charitable Institutions , and had served one Festival Stewardship for the Girls' School and two for the Boys' School . His loss will be ' severely felt everywhere , but especially by his Warwickshire brethren , with whom he was deservedly popular .

BRO . LORD NORTHWICH . Bro . Lord Northwich died at Upper Norwood , on the 18 th inst ., after a lingeting illness , and , as he leaves no issue of his marriage with the Lady Caroline Stewart , a daughter of Bto . the Earl of Galloway , who survives him , the title becomes extinct . His lordship was in his 77 th year , having

been born August 30 th , 1 S 11 , and while at Christ Church , Oxford , was initiated into Freemasonry in the Apollo University Lodge , No . 35 S , Oxford , in 1831 , among his contemporaries being the late Bros , the Duke of Abercorn , G . M . Ireland ; Lord de Tabley , P . G . M . Cheshire ; Viscount Lifford , Earl Canning , Sir VV . VV . Knighton , the fourth Lord Suffield , P . G . M . Norfolk , and others .

BRO . W . O . GOLDSMITH , W . M . 192 S . The very rare incident of a W . M . dying during his year of office received a melancholy illustration on Tuesday , the 15 th inst ., in the case of Bro . VV . O . Goldsmith , the Master ol the Gallery Lodge , No . 192 S . 'The event is the more deplorable and the more striking from the fact that within three days of his death he presided at his lodge and

performed the whole of the work . On Saturday afternoon , the 12 th inst ., as recorded in the Observer of the following day , Bro . Goldsmith raised Bro . Robert Masson , of the Scottish Atat's , to the Third Degree , and passed Bro . W . H . Ashenden , of the Central News , to the Second Degree . He had , at an emergency meeting on the Gth August , initiated Mr . Ashenden , who , before Bro . Goldsmith became

Master , promised him to become an initiate under his Mastership . The remainder of the work of the lodge included the unanimous election of Bro . John C . Duckworth , of the Liverpool Courier , as Master of the Gallery Lodge for the ensuing year , and the voting of a Past Master ' s jewel to Bro . Goldsmith , and a testimonial to Mrs . Goldsmith in addition , as a recognition of her great

services to the lodge in having through her tender nursing of her husband during the first five months of the year preserved not only to his family its head , but to the lodge its Worshipful Master . Bro . Goldsmith went through his duties admirably , and he was congratulated by the brethren on what he had done , for they knetv that it was only by a manful effort , and a thorough love of Masonic

work , that he was among them on that occasion . His duties , however , did not end there , lor he presided at the supper , and acted as a host detei mined to do his best to make the brethren comfortable . On the Monday following he was out on his professional duties , but at ten minutes to six in the evening of Tuesday he quietly passed away , a man completely exhausted , and his whole physical machinery

worn out . It is a melancholy history , and illustrates the French proverb that " Man proposes , but God disposes . " Initiated in the Chislehurst Lodge , he was so struck with the beauties of Freemasonry , that he resolved to learn all he could about it , and become at length a W . M . With this purpose he joined numerous lodges of instruction , and , having a good memory , soon acquired all the working of a

lodge , besides the lectures . He aimed at being the Master of that lodge , having been its first initiate ; but others got in front of him , and his object was never attained . This was his first disappointment . He left the Chislehurst Lodge , and when the Gallery Lodge was started , in 1 SS 1 , he joined it , and , being appointed to office , he worked his way up to the chair , in placing him in which , his old friend and

predecessor in the office ( Bro . C . F . Pardon ) bore an important part . There was a cheerful prospect before the brethren of the lodge for the ensuing year , when on the nth December , 1 SS 6 , Bro . Goldsmith—whom every member knew to be a splendid worker—assured the brethren he was going to do his best to keep up the prestige of the lodge , and show that the working was inferior to that of

no other lodge . The actual occurrences were the second disappointment . Ill-health soon afterwards overtook him , and before the Law Courts had met a week in the Hilary sittings of 1 SS 7 , Bro . Goldsmith , who was engaged in business in them , was compelled to go home , from which for several months he never emerged . For that time his lodge duties were readily and ably performed by the

I . P . M ., Bro . Charles Pardon . Bro . Goldsmith , who , for more than 10 years , had been on the annual staff of the Press Association ( Limited ) , represented that important News Agency at the Jubilee Celebration at the Albert Hall on the 13 th June , and was the writer of the excellent account of that celebration which appeared in much of the provincial press . The Press Association and its manager , Mr . E . Robbins , acted magnanimously to him

through all his illness , and it is not too much to say that the consciousness of this kindness contributed in a great degree to his temporary recovery . On the gth July , the brethren had the pleasure of having their W . M . again among them , both at the lodge and the picnic to Sir Thomas Lucas ' s , at Ashtead , and afterwards at Dorking . His health seemed to continue to improve , and , being desirous to do the work of his Mastership , he had an emergency meeting of the

Obituary.

lodge on the 6 th August to secure the presence of the brethren before the Parliamentary recess . Proud , indeed , would he have been to place his successor in the chair , and receive from him the P . M . jewel . It was his intention to do the installation : we cannot say he expected it , for there ran through most of what he said at the last meeting of the lodge which conveyed the impression that he knew

his hour was nigh . It came on the following Tuesday , and the final act was performed , on Saturday last , at Brockley Cemetery , when the Rev . J . Selwin , vicar of St . James ' s , Hatcham , performed the burial service over our deceased brother . The coffin was followed by the following members of the Press Association staff : —Messrs . E . Robbins , W . Hepburn , Bro . W . E . Pitt , Bro . J . F .

McCallum , Mr . J . Flint , Bros . Paul Hugh , W . T . Harvey , L . R . Wheeler , F . Hoole , H . Jewell , Messrs . E . Pardon , C . O'Dowd , Wright , Howe , Armstrong , Mars , Bowskill , VV . H . Paul , and S . Grogan ; also Messrs . Jas . Geddes , H . Y . Bussey , John Hawkings , and other journalists . The members of the Gallery Lodge who attended were Bros . J . C Duckworth , S . W . and W . M . elect ; Dr . Griffiths

J . W . j H . Massey , P . M ., Treas . ; R . I . Albery , Sec ; P . Ms .: H . E . F . Bussey , 'Thos . Minstrell , W . M . Duckworth , and J . H . Thomas , D . of C . ; Bros . Sidney Pardon ( for Bro . Charles F . Pardon , I . P . M . ) , Herbert Wright and W . T . Perkins , Deacons ; E . E . Peacock , W . S . ; F . H . Gale , Org . ; R . Redman , Jas . Macintyre , John Moore , VV . Potts , George Tarran , W . S . Seabrook , J . H .

Smith , Wm . Macdonald , John Bune , George Welsh , C . Greenwood , J . W . R . Brown , C . K . Moore , Peter Bruce , VV . J . Innes , J . C . Manning , A . McNeill , John Allan , Chas . Lock , George F . Babington , H . J . Sanderson , H . James , VV . Masson , W . H . Ashenden , Basil Cooke , Asst .

D . of C ; Jas . Very , Tyler ; H . Coulter , W . Hancock , E . Barnes , and Thos . Wright . Bro . J . H . Hawes , S . W ., VV . M . elect No . 3 S , an old Press colleague of the deceased , was also present . Elegant wreaths were sent by the Gallery Lodge , Bro . and Mrs . Innes , Bro . and Mrs . R . J . Griffiths , Bro . Gale , and Bro . J . H . Smith .

BRO . FREDERICK SAUNDERS . An old colleague of Bro . Goldsmith on the-Press Association , and a fellow member of the Gallery Lodge , Bro . Frederick Saunders , died quite suddenly at three o ' clock on the morning of Bro . Goldsmith's funeral . Bro . Saunders was an initiate of the Gallery Lodge and was a regular

attendant . He never took office , but he contributed largely to the enjoyment of his brethren . He was but 35 years of age , and a widow and six children , besides his Masonic brethren , mourn his loss . He was buried at Woking yesterday ( Thursday ) , and a deputation from the Gallery Lodge were among the mourners .

BRO . FREDERICK THOMAS ISITT . We regret to have to announce the death of Bro . Fred . Thomas Isitt , late of the Crystal Palace Lodge , No . 742 , a Deputy Lieutenant of the City of London , and aleading member of the firm of J . and C . Boyd , and Co ., Friday-street . Our deceased brother had a fall at the Broad-street , Station about a fortnight since which dis ' ocated his shoulder , and caused further complications which led to his death ,

on Tuesday evening , the 21 st inst . Bro . Isitt was principally identified with the Charities connected with the wholesale ( rides , such as Warehcusemens' and Clerks ' Schools , Commercial Travellers' Schools , and Benevolent Society , and more particularly the London General Porters ' Association , of which he was the Chairman of Committee of Management . The funeral will take place at Highgate Cemetery on Saturday ( to-day ) at 1 . 45 p . m .

BRO . J . RANDLE BUCK . We regret to announce the death of Bro . J . Randle Buck , which took place at his residence , Sidbury , on the evening of Ihe 13 th inst . For some considerable time past Bro . Buck had been in failing health . Some months ago he had a serious iilness , from which he partially recovered , but the effects of which of which were clearly visible in his

appearance . On Friday morning , the nth inst ., he was again taken ill . He was attended professionally by Mr . Bates , and at the last Dr . Crowe was called in , but he grew worse , and died , as stated , on Sunday evening . Bro . Buck was a familiar figure in Worcester , where he was well known not only in his professional capacity as a surgeon , but in connection with several public movements in which he took an

interest . He was a native 0 ^ Liverpool , and came to Worcester about 15 years ago from Alcester , where he had been in practice . He was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians , and was known as a skilful and scientific practitioner . Previous to coming to Worcester he had spent some time abroad , in Germany and elsewhere . Bro . Buck had been

for many years a Freemason , becoming a joining member of the Worcester Lodge , No . 2 S 0 , when he first went to Worcester . He had passed through all the lodge offices , and was Past S . G . W . of the Prov . Grand Lodge . He was also D . P . G . M . of the Prov . Grand Mark Lodge , P . M . 59 ( Mark ) , P . C . N . Ark Mariners , E . C . Knights Templar , P . M . W . S . 1 S , Grand Sub-Prior , and a member of the 30 .

So recently as Monday , the 7 th inst ., he lectured at the Semper Fidelis Lodge on Freemasonry , and was of the Royal Arch chapter , of which he was P . Z . He received a commission as lieutenant in the B company of the 2 nd Battalion Worcestershire Rifle Volunteers on the 9 th December , 1 S 74 . He became captain 29 th January , 1 SS 1 , and surgeon 23 rd July , 1 SS 6 , which rank he held at the

time of his death . He was an accomplished musician , being a pianist of remarkable skill . He was a Festival Steward , and in other ways displayed the great interest he felt in music . Some years ago he spent considerable time in the improvement of the Volunteer band . The St . John Ambulance Association was a movement to which he devoted considerable time , lecturing to classes in Worcester ,

Birmingham , and other towns , and succeeded in passing a large percentage of candidates at the examinations of the different centres . In November , 1 S 74 , he entered public life as member of the Town Council for the Ward of St . Peter , continuing in the Council till October , 1 SS 0 . On the in

visit of the British Medical Association to Worcester 1 S 82 Bro . Buck was entrusted with the arrangement of the museum , which task he performed in such a way as to call forth high encomiums from the officers of the Association . He was twice married , his second wife , who survives him , being a daughter of Mr . VV . Under , vocd , of Malvern Link-