The History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls

In April , 1794 , two sets of indentures , in accordance with the above Regulations , viz . ( 1 ) for children going into domestic service and ( 2 ) for children who wero apprenticed to some trade or calling , were submitted and approved , ' and thanks accorded to Bro . Millett for his trouble in preparing them . Somewhat later , on the Matron reporting

vcry favourably of the conduct of one of the children named Hannah By tield , who had set a good example to her schoolfellows and rendered valuable assistance in the house , the General Committee "resolved that the House Committee be requested to bestow some suitable reward " on the child "for her assiduity ancl industry , and that they will

likewise from time to time reward any of the children whose industry and deportment they shall judge from the Matron ' s Report entitled to merit encouragement . " On the other hand , there occurred about this time a more than usually flagrant case of misconduct on the part of a girl , whose detention iu the School , it was seen ,

would prove dangerous to the morals or her companions , and whose friends it was discovered , on inquiry , had altered and antedated the register of her birth so that she might be within the 10 years limit of ago for admission , while , as a matter of fact , she was a year too old . This girl was summarily

dismissed , and her case referred to the Governor , on whose sole recommendation she had been received into the Institution . This and the other circumstances already cited show how difficult a task thc Governors had at the outset , and it is not surprising we should find the Committee showing such resolution to keep their charges free

from the influences of their friends , who , in many cases , appear to have belonged to a grade of society which does not ordinarily supply candidates for the ancient and honourable fraternity of Masons . In May , 1794 , another stringent law was passed to the effect "that no Child be permitted to be taken out of the School by her Parents

before thc Expiration of the time limited by the Regulations of the Charity ( except in the case of illness ) , unless such Parent shall pay for her Board , Cloathiiig , & c , from the time of her being admitted into the School until the time of her being taken out . " This rule , IIOAVever , was not harshly administered , for an application whicii had been

made shortl y before for the removal from the custody of the Governors of a child AVIIO was soon about to complete her fifteenth year , and had a favourable opportunity of entering on a situation , was

favourably entertained , and permission granted her to leave before her term was concluded . In another case a child , whose health was unsound , was returned to her parents , and the sum of £ 10 g iven them towards her future support .

One other circumstance deserves our attention . At a meeting of the General Committee in December , 1793 , a letter * was read from Bro . the Rev . William Peters , G . Portrait Painter , and Prov . G . Master of Lincolnshire , iu which he requested the Governors would

lionour him by accepting a portrait he had painted of the Chevalier Ruspini , and a vote of thanks liaving been passed to our rev . brother for his acceptable gift , the Secretary was ordered to take charge of it till the Quarterly Court should decide as to its custody .

Having thus enumerated the chief incidents which occurred , and tlio measures that Avere adopted for the . better government of the Institution during the time the plan for obtaining more commodious premises was being prepared ancl carried out , Aye find the field coniparatively clear for describing in a connected narrative the p lan itself

and the various stages of its progress . We haye shown alread y that the necessity for such an enlargement became manifest as early as the month of June , 1790 ; but that the subject Avas not again seriously discussed till toAvards the close of the following year ; Avhen Bro . Charles Carpenter , the Treasurer of the Institution , made it knoAvn that he was

prepared , m the event of no one else being ready and willing to take the matter in hand , to commence a separate subscrip tion as a Building Fund apart from the General Fund provided for the ordinary requirements of the School . The idea was instantly taken up , and Bro . Carpenter was requested to lay his views before the Committee at

their next meeting in January , 1792 . Accordingl y , at the meeting in question , Bro . Carpenter , AVIIO presided , said he had no particular plan in VICAV , but if a subscription were opened for the purpose " he pledged himself to give the Names of six Gentlemen AVIIO AVOUIC ! contribute

l-Vcnt y Guineas each toAvards carrying such a design into execution . " Ho Avas followed by Bro . Tenbroecke , AVIIO emphasised the necessity for providing a larger Schoolhousc by stating "that Mr . Boys , one of the

Surgeons of this Charity , had acquainted him that , if the season should at any time be warmer than usual , that Avith the present number of Children HOAV in the School at Somers Town it might be attended with A ery prejudicial consequences to their health . " On this , the following series of Resolutions were unanimously adopted :

" That Mr . Millett bo requested to inquire for a piece of Ground suitable to erect a School House upon among the Parcels noAv letting near the Foundling Hospital and report thereon at thc next General Meeting . " " That it be recommended to tho next General Meeting to open a distinct Subscri ption for tho purpose of erecting a New School House . "

The History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls

The Committee , fully sensible that when tho Governors take into their Consideration tho enormous expense of the Rent , Taxes , Repairs , & o , of the present House , which is so inadequate for accommodating auy considerable

number oi Children , thoy will readily concur in carrying into execution thc preceding Regulation " (? Resolution ) , " ancl further recommend that a Circular Letter bo sent to every Governor and likewise to every lodge under thc Constitution to request their support in this Undertakinn-. "

" That General Garth be requested fco bring fcho subject under the notice of tho Duchess of Cumberland , and request her . patronage . " At a Special General Court in February , after Bro . Millett had reported what he had done and had been requested to continue his inquiries , it was unanimously resolved " that a distinct

Subscription bo opened agreeable to the recommendation of thc General Committee at their last meeting , for the purpose of erecting a JS ew School House , and that the present Bankers be requested to receive Subscriptions and to keep a separate account for the purpose . " At tho same time a letter was read from General Garth— who regretted his inabilit y

through indisposition to attend—in which he announced that he had had an interview Avith the Duchess of Cumberland , who "did not disapprove of the Measure , but thought that it Avould be more advisable to hire a larger House than have to do with Building and Builders . " On this the Committee resolved that the Secretary

should wait on General Garth , and request him , as soon as his health permitted , "to inform her Royal Highness of the impracticability of procuring subscri ptions for having a larger House , Avhich will be attended with a greater Annual outgoing for Rent and Repairs than the present Income of the Charity

will afford , that they submit to her Royal Ri ghness the Propriet y of their Resolution for erecting a Building by a distinct Subscri ption as the most advantageous to the Interest of the Charity by procurin ° ' a rTeAv and a large House without encroaching on the present Fund for more than a . small Ground Rent , and as the most likely means to

induce a greater number of Persons to become Subscribers , by having sufficient room to admit any number of Children thc Finances may be competent to support . " We hear nothing further as to her Royal Hi ghness ' s objections to having anything to do Avith " Building and Builders , " and we presume , therefore , that such cogent arguments as

the Committee requested Gen . Garth to submit must have converted her to tlieir views . At all events , in the folloAving May , Gen . Garth , MrL Cooper , and Mr . Yeomans were appointed a Committee " for the purpose of procuring a larger House "—but this almost immediatel y disappeared from the plan— " or a piece of Ground whereon a School

Honse , " capable of accommodating as many children as the finances would permit , mi ght be erected , and the Secretary was ordered to advertise in the public papers the fact that a separate Subscri p tion

for a neAV School had been opened , and to request the various Bankers of the Institution to keep a separate account of all moneys paid in for such a purpose . ( To be continued . )

Templary In Pennsylvania.

TEMPLARY IN PENNSYLVANIA .

" In the latter part of tbe last century a commandery ( or as then styled an encampment ) existed in the city of Philadelphia , and that was probably the earliest organization of Kni ghts Templar on this continent . The Templar order it seems , had been conferred under Blue Lodge or Chapter warrants , but to Philadelphia appears to belong the honour of organizing the first commandery or encampment of Knights Templar on the American continent .

" This encampment at Philadelphia , in connection with encampments at Harrisburg and Carlisle , working under Blue Lodge warrants , organized at Philadelphia on the 22 nd oi May , 1797 , the first Grand Encampment established in North America . It is not known how long that Grand Encampment continued in active operation , but it doubtless maintained itself until

1814 , and was merged in the body formed in February of that year by a Grand Convention of Kni ghts Templar , which met in the Masonic Temple , in the city of Philadelphia , embracing delegates from encampments in Pennsylvania , New York , Delaware , and Maryland , and which adopted thc title of the ' Pennsylvania Grand Encampment ol Knights Templar , ' with jurisdiction thereunto belonging .

" The Grand Encampment adopted a Constitution , the third section of which provided that : 'The jurisdiction of this Grand Encampment shall extend to any state or territory wherein there is not a Grand Encampment legally and regularly established , and it shall take cognizance of , and preside over all such encampments of Knights Templar , and the appendant orders , as have been heretofore instituted , and that shall acknowledge its jurisdiction , and it shall also have authority to grant charters and constitutions for

the establishment of new encampments in any state or territory as aforesaid . ' " More than two years later , in June , 1 S 16 , the present General Grand Encampment of Knights Templar , and Appendant Orders , for the United States of America , was instituted in the city of New York , but the Templars of Pennsylvania took no part in its formation . As late as the year 1816 , Rising Sun Encampment , No . 1 , of New York City vvas acting under a warrant from the Grand Encampment of Pennsylvania , as appears from ' Longworth ' s New York Register and City Directory' of that year .

" The Grand Encampment of Pennsylvania , in all probability continued in operation until as late as 1 S 20 , for there is a record of its annual communication in June of that year , and a list of the Grand Officers chosen at that time . During the latter part of the past century , and the beginning of the present , several attempts were made to form a General Grand Encampment for the United States , but success alone attended the present body

, vvhich , as I have already stated , vvas instituted in New York City , in June , 1816 , and under vvhich our Grand Commandery vvas organised in April , 1854 . It is not my purpose to give a history of the Order of Kni ghts Templar even in Pennsylvania , for such a history would far exceed the proper limits of this address . We think Pennsylvania may properly claim to have

instituted the first strictly Templar organization , Grand and Subordinate , on the American continent , and we know that encampments in the States of Nevy York , Delaware , and Maryland , were proud to recognise the Pennsylvania Grand Encampment as the body vvhich gave them birth . "—Address of Grand Commander Alexander .