Untitled Article

in a training school , and ultimately , with a certificate of meritj obtain a good situation as a schoolmistress . Bro . C * Robinson seconded the motion , saying that he went , the other day , to the offices of the Committee of Council , to ask whether it was likely this school might be received under inspection , and he found there would be no difficulty in its being admitted , and also that two of the largest Institutions of this kind , the London Orphan Asylum and the Infant Orphan , had just made similar applications , which he regarded as an excellent example .

Bro . Barrett strongly opposed the motion , upon the ground that many subscribers would refuse their support , if the independent character of the Charity were compromised by Government aid . He declared that such a change in the management would be the commencement of the ruin of this school , which had been the pride of the Masonic body ; and he feared that , if Government weie once let in , they would by-and-bye take possession of the whole concern .

Bro . Patten expressed the same apprehension to which Bro . Barrett had given expression , which was shared , he said , by Bro . White , the G . Sec , a liberal supporter of the school . He knew fifteen or twenty subscribers who would , he was perfectly certain , withdraw their contributions if the school were placed under Government inspection . He acknowledged , however , that for his own part he was not so well informed upon the question as to give a decided negative to the proposition ; and if the advantages of a Government inspection could be shown to him , in six months or twelve months hence , he would vote for it .

Bro . G . Bone likewise thought that , if the Institution were given into the hands of Government , the subscribers would feel deprived of their responsibility , and lose their interest in the school . Bro . ! Newsome was very desirous of having the school visited by a Government inspector , for it had been going on too long in the old-fashioned dame-school way ,

and was not creditable to the intelligence of its managers . A new era had now begun , and they should avail themselves of all the advantages offered by the Committee of Privy Council . A healthy spirit of emulation would be excited among the children , and the best girls might be rewarded with a maintenance for life , in the profession of a schoolmistress , which was as high an object of ambition as he ( Bro . Newsome ) could wish for a daughter of his own .

Bro . J . J . BlakE complained that the subscribers had not been sufficiently apprised of this motion , which he opposed as a monstrous innovation , that would be repugnant to the feelings of most of the Brethren , the supporters of this Institution . Freemasons had always prided themselves on their independence , and why should they now , for advantages that appeared quite insignificant , put the control of their school out of their own hands ? The house Committee should examine the children regularly , and if they wanted inspection , they might request some educated gentleman to visit the school occasionally .

Bros . G . T . Fox and L . Chandler both said they were unwilling to decide a question of such importance in so small a meeting as the present . Bro . WARkteN signified his doubts of the expediency of accepting Government control . Bro . SYMOtfDS replied , challenging those who disapproved of Government inspection to find any single instance , since 1839 , where the subscriptions to any school had fallen off , because its supporters were dissatisfied with the conduct of

the Government inspectors . No one would withdraw his money on so fallacious and unfair a pretext . A school , in his own neighbourhood , had trebled its numbers lately , because the improvements suggested by the inspector were carried out . The inspector could never dictate or order anything , but only advise . They might dispense with the inspection at any time , if they chose , since they would not receive any grant for books and maps ; and as for the Government obtaining any control over the funds or management of the school , it was utterly impossible .

The motion , on being put to the vote , was negatived , only three hands being held up in its favour . The appointment of Miss Jarwood as matron , and that of Miss Souter as schoolmistress , were then approved . A motion , of which Bro . Robinson had given