The Projected Extension Of The Girls' School.

THE PROJECTED EXTENSION OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

IT will be seen from an advertisement which appears in another part of this issue that the desirability of purchasing Lyncombc House and grounds as an addition to the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls is to be again brouo-hfc before the Governors and Subscribers of that

Institution before the vote passed at the recent Special General Court is offered for confirmation . The reason assigned for this step is , " to ensure the matter being ' in order '"—a question of the construction of the Laws having arisen as to tho manner in which the notice was

given for the resolution passed at the Special General Court of the 22 nd ultimo . We are pleased thafc the proposers of the expenditure have adopted a course which will at least give an opportunity for a further discussion of the merits of the proposal , and now that an opportunity is

offered , we trust that Ihe subject will be fully considered from every point , and thafc in the end it will not be possible for either side to express disapproval at tbe action of the other . It is well known to our readers that wo are opposed to the outlay , for several reasons , and we arc still of

opinion that the expenditure will prove detrimental to ihe Institution . Wo therefore urge every subscriber if possible to attend tho Special General Court summoned for the 3 rd January , and then form his own opinion of the subject , which is really of far greater import to tho Craft

then appears to be considered . The outlay of , £ , 0 , 500 on the acquisition of further premises is in itself a question for deliberation ; bnt as at the present timo there are ample invested funds belonging to the Institution , this will not entail an appeal to the Craft to make up the amount .

What is of far greater moment , and what should influence the vote , is ihe cost of utilising the property for the purposes of a School , and providing the amount annually needed to maintain ifc in a state of usefulness . No house built for ordinary domestic purposes was , or ever will be ,

suited for a public school , and notwithstanding the fact that the sum of £ 700 has just been spent in repairs—as stated by "One of tho Committee who voted for the purchase , " in a letter in our present issue—we maintain that the building is only worth to the Institution its value in

old building material . It is useless the proposer or his supporters stating thafc ifc is suitable as a school for the younger or more backward of tho scholars—they are just the ones whose health requires the most attention , and if the Institution can afford to provide a separate

establishment for them , it should be at some healthy sea-side resort , where bracing air and regular country life would implant strength and vigour to their young and sensative frames , not in the midst of a thickly populated and rapidly extending neighbourhood where , even now , it is next to

impossible to obtain pure air . The mere fact thafc it has been desirable to lately expend £ 700 on repairs , appears to us rather a disadvantage than otherwise , considering the purpose for which the property is required . The house must evidently be an old one , or it could not have been

necessary to lay out so large an amount as £ 700 in repairsor ifc may be alterations . If it cost that amount to adapt the building to the modern style of dwelling-house , how much more will it cost to prepare ifc for a school ? It would be far better to build an establishment on modern

plans than to think of utilising an existing structure , unless we intend to disregard all existing ideas as to the sanitary and sleeping requirements of the inmates , and this we are certain would never be allowed in connection with one of the Masonic Schools . Some of the principal

advantages of the existing building belonging to the Institution are the splendid arrangements that are made to ensure cleanliness . Is ifc proposed to put Lyncombc House on an equality ; if so , how , and what will be the cost ? We say again , it would be cheaper in the end to rebuild , and , in

that case , wh & t comes of the £ / 00 recently spent iu repairs , as well as the nominal value of the structure as a dwellinghouse . The next question is , that of the cost of maintenance . The outlay of £ G , 500 , even reckoning household investment afc the same rate of interest as is at present

obtained from Consols , represents an annual rental charge of over £ 200 , in addition to which there is the cost of a separate establishment , teachers , clothing , & c . Considering the largo amount required to maintain the present School , the addition is a considerable item , because it is virtually permanent . The brethren of the future may have different

The Projected Extension Of The Girls' School.

ideas as regards the Institution than are the views of the majority of to-day , and , if we encumber them with establishments requiring all thoir energy to keep up , it will bo impossible for them to depart from the old course , except at a great sacrifice . As a consequence , being unable to

work according to their own notions they will lose heart , and either give up tho work altogether , or act independently . Unless something is done to assist every case thafc is brought forward , in some form or other , the movement that is being made by various provinces to support

local funds , instead of acting as adjuncts to the great central ones , will be found to work in direct opposition . If the two Schools offered grants—say of £ 10 , £ 15 , or £ 20 per annum—to assist in the education and maintenance of children whose friends were williim- to find a

liko sum , we are sure tho benefits would soon be appreciated , because they would be extended over a large sphere . There are few Lodges bnt would do something to support their 2 > voh '< je , if such terms were offered , while in many case ' s ifc would be possible for the parent to supply the balance . As

to our not being sure whether money so voted would be properly applied , —an argument put forward by Bro . Perceval in the letter already referred to , —the idea is preposterous . We might just as well ask , Are we sure it is properl y applied now ? Only responsible Schools would bo selected , and the

money paid direct to such , or to a Committee appointed by tho Lodge who took charge of the case . If ifc is impossible to trust business establishments to tho extent of a few pounds " per annum , it wonld be far hotter to give up all idea of such a thing ns honest y existing . There is always a risk

but to introduce this consideration as a special reason for stopping all ontside grants is absurd . Tho only other objection to which we shall refer , is that of the price that is to be paid . It is generally admitted that the property is valued at a fancy amount , and the reason assigned is , thafc

it possesses several advantages , among others that it gives the Institution a frontage in the main road near tho railway station , and that b y acquiring the propert y the present School cannot be hemmed in hy other buildings on this side . Neither of these arguments aro to onr minds

sufficient to warrant the funds of the Institution beine so lavishl y expended as is contemplated . We now lcave " the matter in the hands of the General Court , and n <> nin express a hope that personal feeling will be ignored , and that

tho interests of the Charity will alone actuate the votes of those who may assemble Tho meeting is fixed to take place on Saturday , the 3 rd of January 1880 , for twelve o ' clock afc noon , afc Freemasons' Hall .

An Extinct Lodge.

AN EXTINCT LODGE .

BROTIIEK HUGHAN , iu his "Sketches and Keprints , " alludes to tlie Lodge formerly held at the Punch Bowl , in Stouegate , York , and numbered 259 , observing that "its career was very short , yet noteworthy . " Perhaps an examination of the minute-book of this extinct body , which exists in the collection of the York Lod « e ,

No . 236 , may repay the trouble . This book is a small qnarto , containing about sixty leaves , nnd on the parchment cover is inscribed "J . Granger , Secretary , 1761 . " On the first page is " The Manner of Drawing out Certificates , " which is as follows : —

" Monday , the 176 " We , the underwritten Master , Wardens , and Brethren of tho Lodge held at tho Punch Bowl , in Stone Gate , York , do certify thafc Mr . was this day by us made and initiated a free and accepted

Mason , having received him into the 2 first degrees of the Craft , and by these do recommend him to all brethren to accept the said Brother as being duly such . As witness our Hands , on tbe above mention'd day and date . Master .

> Wardens . Past Master . Treasurer . Secretary . "

The first minute is that of the opening night , 2 nd February 1761 when Bros . Frodsham was in the chair , Oram S . W ., Leng J . W . Granger Sec , with four other brethren , presumably the founders . There were also eight visitors , one of whom was elected a member then and there . The Lodge was held fortnightly on Mondays , and seems at first to have been well attended and havo had a o-ood

supply of candidates , the fees for the two first degrees being about a guinea and a half . On the 16 th March , a candidate was made ia consideration of his furnishing the Lodge with three candlesticks . On the 20 th April , a Brother , who had received the two first decrees

on the luth lebiuaty , " was raised a Master , and paid lis 6 d for the privilege , and at the same meeting the S . W . was fined Gd for not attending at the hour appointed . Fines were not nnfrequent , and at the very next meeting a Brother was fined 6 d " for sitting down in