The Masonic Charities.

" The establishment consists of a matron , her assistant , a head governess , five assistants , five junior teachers , a gardener and his Avife , under-gardener , and eleven female servants ; non-resident medical officer ( Dr . Howell ) , drawing mistress , and teacher of cookery . " This Institution has but a permanent income of £ 1 , 200 , and relies upon the voluntary contributions of the craft to tbe amount of about £ 10 , 000 annually .

" Brethren , I had beard a good deal about our Charities , but lAvas not prepared for the admirable Institution so eminently suited and adapted to every requirement of those 200 girls I saw within its walls . " The amiability and kindly attention Avhich marked our reception on the part , of the Matron , Miss Jarwood ( herself a former pupil of the Institution ) , her assistant Miss Sheppard , ancl the Head Governess , Miss Davis , in Avhorn the school has a treasure

of ability , made a most favourable impression , and fully prepared me to bear it endorsed by seA'eral of tbe children AA'ith AA'hom I conversed , Avho , one and all , expressed satisfaction and content . It scarcely needed this assurance Avhen you saAv them , for all looked bright , and healthy , and happy . " They Avere out for a AA'alk Avhen Ave reached the school , and so we had first an opportunity of examining the interior of the building , and admirably designed it is , the

first schoohoom , that of tbe neAv Alexandra Aving , being the best room for the purpose I Avas ever in—very lofty and airy ( so , indeed , are all the rooms ) , and fitted up Avith every modern improvement and requisite for its use . " There is a large play-room , smaller schoolrooms , a quantity of class-rooms and dining-halls . opening out of a long and handsome corridor which runs through the building . " The bedrooms looked the perfection of cleanliness and neatness , Avith plenty of light ancl air , and Avere most pleasant to look upon Avith their long I-OAVS of Avhite beds , one for each child , and a teachers' room attached . These dormitories are of various

sizes , some having only eight beds , some sixteen , eighteen , thirty-tAvo , and tbe largest thirty-seA'en beds . Adjoining are the 'lavatories , with toAvels neatly folded , and long rows of brush and comb bags . Next there are tbe Avardrobes , where each girl has a numbered drawer containing her best clothes . All having alike one set of clothes for best and another for week day , and every garment bearing her number . Tbe dresses are of dark blue rep , AA'bite straAv hats trimmed Avith blue to match ; long cloth jackets for ivinter , and tippets for summer . So here there is an advantage lacked by most girls of lurring no inordinate love of dress fostered , too often developing into vice . " EA'erything looked orderly and neat , the Avhole interior so tastefully decorated that their very surroundings could not fail to exercise noon those girls a refinine and

eleA'ating influence for future life . "I ivas now conducted to the Lifirmary , a detached building , a counterpart on a small scale of the larger building , Avhere any Avho are sick are at once removed to the care of experienced nurses , an honorary doctor ( Dr . HoAvell ) attending serious cases . I found only three inmates , ancl those merely Avith colds , comfortably ensconced before the fire . As one instance of many hoAV every requirement is studied , there is a covered

balcony open to a S . W . aspect reached from the bedrooms of the Infirmary , as a promenade for convalescents , so that exercise may be taken AA'ith ease and Avithout fear of contagion . " From here I AA'as led to the Laundry , another detached building fitted Avith every modern requirement for its use . Here work is going on tbe Aveek through by five maids , and these are assisted on certain days by relays of the elder girls , the same as do

they in cooking . In the latter art the teaching is supplemented by periodical visits ot a teacher from the School of Cookery , London , for you must know that all the girls jffe employed by turns in all the domestic duties of the house , so that AA'hilst cultiA'atmg the purely educational branches ( uponAvhich Eshall presently have a few words t 0 say ) , they do not lose sight of those humbler , but' equally useM qualifications so necessary to fit tbem for their several stations in life . " Just as Ave had completed a survey of the place the girls trooped in . They vary 33