The Masonic Charities.

from eig ht to sixteen years of age . Admitted as early as eight ( eleven is tbe limit ) , and theyleave at sixteen , "Tliey A'ery ' . quickly settled . doAA'n to their usual routine of duties—the larger portion in the schoolrooms , some in separate class-rooms for particular subjects , some . to music . This music-room is divided into many compai'tments formed of AVOOC I aid glass , " AA'ith a p iano in . each , so that a number : may practise at one time . Others

Averenitlie ' se . AA'ing-room , Avhere they make and mend all their clothes under the direction Of'a ' s ' ewing-niistress . And the Avhole generally qualifying themselves as future ornaments to society , and blessings to mankind . .. " The education given is of a superior nature ; but there is a Avise proA'ision which lam . assured is put into practice—that there shall be no anxiety to make a display of exceptional' talent ShoAvn by individual girlsbut a careful solid teaching throughout

, , rather than deyelOj ) the ability of a feAv to the injury of the less talented . '" As a test , however , of the standard of instruction hi nearly every instance for some years , honours , with . prizes of certificates of having passed with credit , have been aCCorclect all th ' e . girls ' wEo' have" been entered as . " candidates for . the Cambridge Local Examinations .... One pupil , after completing her "term in the school , stayed as Teacher aid-Assistant Governess ,, and . is HOAV Head Governess . in a similar , school . Some , are

Governesses in noblenien ' s families , ancl others , in similar situations . Several are now articled pupils in pritate schools . Two are assistant mistresses in large Middle Class Schools , ' abd ' one is Mistress of an Infant Board School ; several others are Assistant Mistresses in GoA'e . rnment Schools , and many are doing Avell in houses of business . Such ' 'illustrationsi bear . testimony t'O the admirable education and training they

receive . . _ . " On lea \ 'ing I parted from my Rev . Brother , Avho Avas obliged to return home , and ariiebl' . wrtli a card , of introduction from Bro . Binckes , the Secretary of the Boys' School , I booked in the afternoon of the same . day at King ' s Cross Station to Wood Green , whence a quarter of an hour ' s walk brought me to the Boys' School , a similar building m many respects to that of the Girls ' . "

" , ' ;' ., / The'Boys' School is thus sketched also by . Bro . Taylor : — ""' "'It Avas established 1798 , and commenced by clothing ancl educating six sons of deceased '' or indigent Freemasons . ' In 1856 the land at Wood Green was bought , and a building for maintaining them too Avas soon inaugurated , ' and twenty-five boys admitted . ; ,. ; Iu ' 1 S 62 groAving demands for admission and increased aid caused an entirelnew 'building to'be erected on that sitedistinguished not onlfor its

architecy , y ture and " striking appeaiw internal accommodation ; and in 1865 it was opebed ' for the' reception' of eighty pupils . But'to meet other increasing demands additions and alterations have , from time to time , been made , ancl 1 , 394 boys have since its establishment shared its blessings and privileges , 211 being at present the number ot its inmates . The cost of a recent extension Avith furniture and fixtures has been nearly

£ 4 , 000 , " and defrayed out of the ordinary revenue . This Institution , iinbke the others , has bit a small sum invested , and hence its permanent income is not more than £ 300 per ' annum' ! . f ' - ' . ' .. ' , ' . '"' " '' During the last year this Institution also suffered a serious loss by the failure ot Messrs " . Willis , Percival , and Co ., its bankers . Bro . S . Tomkins , a partner , Avas neither Treasurer hor Trustee of the Boys'School , asbeAvas to Grand Lodge and other Masonic bodies , which losses have recently been made good out of bis private estate . A letter

from * : BroJ'Binckes , the Boys' Secretary , published only on Saturday , Feb . 28 th , definitel y states that o \ A * ing to the Boys' Institution being held to . have no locus stand * qn . the estate' of Bro . Tpiuldns , it sustains tlie full loss of £ 894 , and he urges an excel ' tipbal claijii lor sympath }\ ancl ' support in their hoiir of ' need . : " ' The Boys are ' admitted ' at eight years of age , and leai'e , as do the Girls , at siste en * D . r .-Morris , the Head Master , kindly conducted me through the whole Building—™ '' Playground , " Gyiibasiumi Garden , Laundry , and Infirmary , all of which I found modelled and arranged A'ery much after the manner of the Girls' School , only Avith a , less number of large rooms and more class-rooms . All the Boys were at lessons , and I looked W