The Masonic Year 1876.

sided , and the subscription list—announced in the course of the proceedings—presented the very handsome total of £ 8 , 214 , with twelve Stewards' lists still outstanding . Thus we are justified in setting down the full amount of the year ' s contributions handed in at the Festival at

£ 8 , 500 , and that irrespective of other sums subscribed at different periods of the year . Two days previous , the Stewards of the Institution paid their annual visit to the School , when certain of the pupils delivered recitations , and the prizes wero distributed , in the presence of a very

strong muster of friends and brethren , among whom , as a matter of course , the ladies were fully represented . We cannot enumerate all tho prize-winners , nor , indeed , is it desirable we should do so , as the list was given in our columns at the time when the meetine ? was held . Ib is

right , however , we should commemorate the names of those who secured the most important prizes . These were Miss Lilian Mary Nelson , to whom were awarded the Gold Medal for Proficiency , given annuall y by Bro . Paas , and £ 5 given by Bro . Winn ; Miss Lucy Kate

Clemence , who took tho Silver Medal for good conduct , given by the Institution , together with £ 5 given by Bro . Winn ; and Miss Jano P . Pattison , who received £ 5 , given by the same brother , for General Proficiency . Ib is desirable , also , we should mention , as

evidence of the excellence of the education provided in tho school , that prizes were also awarded to those pupils who had passed successfully the Cambridge Examination , among them being Miss Leila Lucy Caparn , who passed with honours , and obtained special distinction in Religious

Knowledge . We have mentioned incidentally that it is intended to enlarge this school , so as to accommodate over two hundred pupils , but it is necessary we should give some fuller particulars . Several schemes were submitted for the consideration of the General Court of Governors

and Subscribers . Iu some it was proposed that the school should be removed into the country , while in others various suggestions were offered for the purpose of further accommodation in the neighbourhood of the present building . However , after a patient examination of all the

requirements , it was resolved , on the motion of Lieut .-Colonel Creaton , to erect a large Assembly Hall or School-room , with dormitories , & c . over , sufficient to accommodate additional fifty-six girls , thus raising the total number of pupils to 204 . The cost of this enlargement will amount

to £ 9 , 400 , according to the original contract ; but , doubtless , before the work is complete , a further sum will havo been expended . Such , at least , is our experience of all contracts of this description , that they invariably exhibit a

tendency to expand instead of contracting their limits . Be this as it may , but a short time will elapse ere the requisite building is completed , and then we shall have a masrnificent school for the maintenance and education of

over two hundred girls . We may add that no time has been lost in giving effect to the above resolution . The first stone of the new building- has already been laid , Lieut .-Colonel Creaton , as tho proposer of the scheme , appropriately taking the leading part in the interesting

ceremony , and the work is being pressed forward with all the diligence of which the contractor and his staff are capable . One other pleasing duty we have to perform in

connection with this Institution , and that is to record that a testimonial of fifty guineas was presented by the Governors to Miss Moss , on her retirement from the post of governess .

It next becomes our duty to chronicle tho fortunes of the Boys' School 1876 . It is doubtless within the recollection of some of our readers that in the summer of last year a fierce controversy arose between certain of the brethren of the Province of West Yorkshire on the ono hand , and

the Governing Body of the School on tho other , as to the government and expenditure of the school . The former alleged that the educational staff did not receive that amount of consideration to which it was justly entitled , and that the funds were not as wisely and economically

administered as they should be . The latter , of course , maintained that every thing was being done that could be done to promote the welfare of the school , and to make it a first-class educational establishment . A good deal of acrimony was imported into the controversy , but as time

passed on , and it was found that the position of the Executive was impregnable ; when , the more the matters in dispute were sifted the more apparent it became that the committees had acted on the whole wisely , and beyond all doubt honestly and honourably ) in . the interests of the

The Masonic Year 1876.

Institution entrusted to their care , a strong feeling prevailed that the controversy must be summarily closed , or the school would suffer . Accordingly , at tho Quarterly General Council held on the 10 th April , Bro . the Rev . A . F . A . Woodford moved a resolution expressing tho

unabated confidence of tho whoje body , governors and subscribers , in the House Committee and Executive gonerally . This resolution ivas met by tho brethren of West Yorkshire with a direct negative . A sharp debate followed , and was prolonged far beyond the usual hour

for closing the business of the Court , the result being that Bro . W oodford ' s resolution was carried , in a full house , by an overwhelming majority . Since then , we believe , a feeble attempt has been made to revive the controversy , but it was a lash flicker . The candle

of discontent has burnt out , and we trust , in the interests of the school , we shall hear no more of these unpleasant differences . It is evident , however , that the disputes can have had no effect whatever on tho main body of the Craft . The canvass for subscriptions was , if

possible , more energetic than in previous years . There were no less than 280 Stewards , a number greatly in excess over all previous Festivals . Lord Leigh , Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire , occupied the chair , and among his supporters was a very numerous

sprinkling of the fair sex , who , thanks to the gallantry of Bro . Binckes , have been permitted these last two years to play an active , as well as an ornamental , part in the proceedings of the day . When Lord Leigh had proposed the toast of " Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Institution for

Boys , " and the toast had been enthusiastically welcomed , the Secretary announced a subscription list amounting to £ 12 , 100 , there being , however , twenty lists still outstanding . Thus , it will be rather under than over the mark , if we set down the labours of tho 280 Stewards as

having resulted in the contribution towards the funds of the Institution of the handsome sum of £ 12 , 500 . But this , as is the case with the other two charities , is very far from representing the total contributed during tho year . There has , indeed , been paid this year into the Bank no

less a sum than £ 14 , 400 . Thus over £ 32 , 000 must have been raised this year by voluntary subscriptions among the Craft for the maintenance of our three magnificent charities . That Our Boys should receive the largest share of support is only to bo expected , for the Institution has

but little invested property , and every year an increase is made in the number of pupils . Seventy-eight years ago the school was started , with six boys , aud there are now iu it somewhat over one hundred and eighty , and we noto with satisfaction that it is contemplated next year , at leasb by the

worthy secretary , Bro . Binckes , to found a preparatory school that will suffice to accommodate one hundred little boys , the sons of Masons . The cosb of this additional school is reckoned at £ 10 , 000 . At the dietribution of prizes , which was held on the Monday

preceding the Festival , the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite presided , Bro . J . M . P . Montagu , Grand Chancellor , occupying the chair , and among those present to support him were Major Gierke , the Grand Secretary-General , Hyde Pullen , Assistant Secretary , S . Ravvson 33 ° ,

and R . Giddy , Inspector-General 33 ° , for South Africa . Prior to the distribution of prizes , Bro . Binckes offered a few remarks as to the state of the School and tho result of the year ' s work . He mentioned , with just pride , that while the number of boys who passed the Cambridge middle

class examination averaged 55 * 3 per cent , of the whole number who submitted themselves for examination , fourteen out of eighteen boys from the Royal Masonic School , or a per centage of 77 7-9 , were successful last December . An even greater degree of success attended the examination early

this year , for while , for the whole of London , only 21 passed out of 44 , 9 out of the 11 Masonic boys passed , or 81 9-11 per cent . Then two pupils , named Bryant and Shaw respectively , obtained second-class certificates from the Science and Art Department , South Kensington ,

and he added that three pupils took tirst-elass honours at the Cambridge local examination ( for juniors ) , namely , Beaumont , Bryant , and Shaw . These , ho very properly pointed out , were highly satisfactory proofs of the value of the education given in the Boys' School . Then followed the annual speeches , and dramatic representations , the various prizes being distributed in the intervals . The Canonbury Gold Medal , given bv Bro . Edward Cox , was awarded to W . H . Packwood , and the silver modal for good conduct , presented by the Institution , to H , Oh Shaw ,