Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The January Quarterly Court of this Institution's Governors and Subscribers was held last Saturday , at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Horace Brooks Marshall , P . G . T ., in the chair . There were also present Bros . Frank Richardson , Wm . Roebuck , H . Massey , Ralph Clutton , J . H . Matthews , Henry W . Hunt , C . H . Webb , Peter de Lande Long , E , M . Money , and F . R . W . Hedges ( Secretary ) . After the minutes had been read ,

The CHAIRMAN said that arising out of those minutes there was a circumstance he wished to mention . In connection with the purchase of the extra land at Battersea-rise he placed a notice of motion on the agenda of Grand Lodge , and it was his privilege , as Treasurer of this Institution , to make an application to Grand Lodge at the Quarterly Communication in December for a grant of money to defray the extra expenditure which would

be incurred by the purchase which had recently been made . He had the pleasure to state that the brethren assembled in Grand Lodge most cordially complied with his request , and unanimously voted the sum of ^ " iooo towards the after expenses connected with the purchase . Bro . J . H . MATTHEWS , P . G . Std . Br ., Vice-Patron , then moved , upon the recommendation of the House Committee . " That the House

Committee be authorised to expend a sum not exceeding £ 1300 in the erection of an entrance lodge , a carpenter ' s cottage , and the extension of the front fencing along that part of the frontage of the newly-acquired land facing the Common . " He said , as he happened to be Chairman of the House Committee on the occasion of the recommendation being made , he had brought forward this resolution . Immediately the purchase was sanctioned by the

Quarterly Court , the House Committee took all the subjects connected with it into their full consideration , and they called in their good friend , Bro . Hunt , who recommended that the two lodges mentioned in the motion should be built , the expense of which would not exceed ^ 1300 . They had thought before this of building a lodge , and doing away with the front gates , which at present allowed of any people getting into the premises who

ought not to be there . They thought of having a lodge gate on that side where the whole of the staff lived . But since this new ground was purchased it had come into the mind of the Committee that they would improve the premises very much by removing the present front gates to the corner of the newly-acquired piece of land , and there build a lodge . The entrance to the building would then be at the corner of the new land , where

the gates would be removed to , and where there would be a cottage to be occupied by the gardener and his wife . The other cottage , to be occupied by the carpenter and his wife , would have gates alongside , which would be used only lor the purpose of admitting coals , beer , and other heavy goods to the back of the building , thereby avoiding the admission of this kind of carts continually at the front . There was another reason . Up to the present time there had been a large open space in front , and there had not

been that actual necessity lor supervision of the children . Now , however , there would be round the building a main road , and beyond that main road a number of little houses ; and when the children came up to the boundary wall there ought to be some supervision . At present that could not be done . With the proposed cottages for the gardener and the carpenter there would be the required supervision . There were other reasons , but he thought that those he had given were sufficient .

Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , P . G . D ., seconded the motion , which had been fully explained by Bro . Matthews . He was quite sure that any one looking at the plans that had been drawn out would see that by what was proposed they would have the premises properly guarded . There were going to be some 200 or 300 houses built near the School . Up to the present time the School had not been badly guarded , because it had

Wandsworth Common in front , and there was very small traffic . But now that there was to be a high road the traffic would be enormous . At the Boys ' School at Wood Green they had a cottage at the gate , and every one going in had to give a proper account of himself . The circumstances of the Girls' School were now altered , and the Committee looked upon it as an imperative necessity to have the place guarded . They proposed that the

carpenter should occupy one cottage at the back . It was only a twelvemonth ago that they appointed a resident carpenter to do odd jobs , and they had found this plan to be a great saving to the Institution . They would have still further advantages if they could lodge him and his wife on the premises . With regard to the gardener and his wife , who had been living in the infirmary , they wanted to get them out from there , as the place

was otherwise required . The sum proposed to be laid out appeared to be very large , but it was not so in fact , as , in addition to building the cottages , it would also defray the expense of fencing . The Local Board and the railway had giver , notice of application to Parliament for power to turn the footbridge over the railway to the Common into a carriage bridge , and this would cause a great deal of tr affic in front of the School , which was an extra reason why the present gates should be closed .

Bro . W . ROEBUCK , P . G . Stwd ., thought it quite necessary that the proposed lodges should be built . Allusion had been made to the Boys' School , and in reference to that subject he might say that no one went into the Institution without having to pass the gatekeeper . As lo the Girls' School , there was formerly a private road in front ; it was now a public road , and that made the placing of lodges at the entrance to the grounds absolutely

necessary . The motion was carried . Bro . J . H . MATTHEWS next moved "to add to Law LX ., the following Clause II . : ' In the event of vacancies occurring from any cause before the newly-elected children are received into the School , the next highest unsuccessful candidates on the list may be admitted at the next Quarterly

Court . ' " The motion , he said , required some explanation . It happened occasionally , that though at a hall-yearly election the subscribers elected nominally a certain number of girls , between that day and the day of admission a vacancy occurred . At the August admission there were no less than three vacancies . As regarded the present pjsition , next week or the

week after the House Committee were going to receive the children elected in October , but one of those girls elected in October died the day after election . What the Committee wanted was to have the whole number of beds occupied , and to begin term with a full school . If they were given the power proposed by his resolution , this could be effected .

Bro . CLL ' TTON seconded the motion , observing that they could have but one object , that of making the Institution as useful to the Craft as possible . Bro . W . ROEBUCK supported the motion , which was put and carried . Bro . MATTHEWS thereupon moved that the Committee be empowered

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

to carry their resolution into effect by filling up the vacancies at the next day of admission . The motion was seconded by Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , and carried . Bro . MATTHEWS moved , and Bro . CLUTTON seconded , " That one additional girl be elected at the Quarterly General Court in April , therebyraising the number of girls elected in the Institution to 237 . " The motion was carried .

On the motion of Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , seconded by Bro . J . H . MATTHEWS , it was resolved that the list of candidates for the April election should consist of 37 girls , out of whom 23 should be elected to fill vacancies . Bro . HEDGES reported the completion of the purchase of the slip of land recently authorised ; and another resolution was afterwards adopted to the effect that a new box for the Institution ' s deeds and securities should be obtained and deposited at the bank . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The Quarterly General Court of the Governors and Subscribers of this Institution was held on Monday at Freemasons' Hall , when there were present Bros . George Plucknett , Treas ., in the chair ; Geo . Angold , A . F . Godson , Rev . Richard Morris , H . Massey , Charles Belton , John C . Mather , C . H . Webb , Charles Fredk . Hogard , Raynham W . Stewart , Joyce Murray , A . Whelley , E . M . Money , Joseph Clever , Wm . Browne Kidder , Dudley Rolls , C . F . Matier , W . A . Scurrah , Raynham Stewart , jun ., Francis F . M . Stewart , and F . Binckes , Sec .

After the reading and confirmation of the minutes , Bro . J OYCE MURRAY- , Vice-Patron , on behalf of the House Committee moved to amend Law 74 , Clause 2 , that it might read as follows : "The Assistant Teachers shall be appointed by the Head Master , subject to confirmation by the House Committee . " The Head Master , he said , had really the control of the education department , and he thought he should have the appointment of the teachers , subject , of course , to the confirmation of the House Committee .

Bro . A . F . GODSON , seconded the motion . The Committee had felt a difficulty in consequence of the opening of the Preparatory School , in which there would be Governesses who would have to work with the Head Master . They thought it would be better that the

Head Master should appoint , and that the House Committee should confirm or refuse . Of course they would not refuse unless something very strong came to their knowledge . They had power to make enquiries better than the Head Master . The motion was carried .

Another amendment was also moved by Bro . J OYCE MURRAY and seconded by Bro . GODSON , which was rendered necessary by the appointment of a new officer—the House Steward . This also was carried . Bro . J OYCE MURRAY moved , "That 10 additional boys be elected at the

Quarterly General Court on 12 th April next , making the total number 240 . " He hoped the brethren would assent to this proposition , because there were so many candidates for admission that the Committee felt it was their duty to admit as many as they possibly could . No doubt they would be able to make room for them after next election . They would not go into the School till August .

Bro . GODSON , in seconding the motion , said the House Committee had every reason to believe that the extra cost would not be much . The motion was carried . The Court then adopted the recommendation of the General Committee —that the list of candidates at the April Election should consist of 48 boys from which list 30 bo \ sshould be elected .

Bro . R . W . STEWART , P . G . D ., V . P . and Trustee , next moved " That the members of the House Committee shall be elected for three years , and that at the expiration of the first three years the election shall take place annually . The three at the top of the list shall then retire , and be eligible for re-election , and so on annually . " His great desire was to have a thorough working Committee . At present if a brother was elected he might

be thiown out by any candidate put up against him at the end of the first year , and , that being the case , he could not be expected to take that interest in the Institution which he would if elected for three years . He could not be master of the situation in a year . It was a very important position . The House Committee had the tegulation and management of the Institution , and it was requisite that brethren of some experience and knowledge should

be on it . His great object was to build up an Institution that would be a glory to t ' ie Order . As they now had the Preparatory School , and were going to increase the number of boys , great care and supervision would be required . He did not wish to benefit himself , as they well knew ; but only to produce good working brethren among them . The election would take place in June . In 1 S 89 three members would go off ; but be eligible to go

on again . Bro . GODSON suggested that four should go off , so that in three years the whole 12 would have retired . Bro . R . W . STEWART did not object . Bro . HOGARD said that would be simply an invitation to turn them off . _ Bro . BELTON thought the whole scheme unworkable , and objected to it . Bro . GODSON believed that those who went off each year should be those who had attended the fewest times .

Bro . BELTON did not see the necessity for any alteration of the present system . Bro . J OYCE MURRAY seconded the motion . The motion required a great deal of alteration ; but the princip le was not a bad one . It all the members were to be turned off every year it would be detrimental to the Institution . He had bten on several Committees , and he found the proposed system work well .

Bro . STEWART said he had altered his motion ; but he had not the motion as altered with him . He , however , expected to have it before the meeting was concluded . Bro . BELTON submitted that in that case there was no resolution before

the meeting . The motion could not be carried now and amended afterwards . The resolution which Bro . Stewart wished carried was not before the meeting . Bro . C . H . WEBB would like to ask how many of the House Committee had been rejected during the last two years . Bro . BINCKES said the changes had been very small .