Royal Freemason's' School For Female Children.

speare ) , £ 133 2 s . ; 723 , £ 81 18 s . ; County of Northumberland , £ 189 5 s . ; 5 , £ 65 2 s . ; 21 , £ 68 5 s . ; Bro . Winn , of the Canonbury Lodge , a further donation of 50 guineas . The total of the lists received amounted to £ 3 , 829 14 s . ; with nineteen lists to come in . The Chairman then gave " The Vice-Presidents , Trustees ,

various Committees , and Medical Officers , " coupling with the toast the name of Bro . Udall . Bro . Udall returned thanks ; and said it was most gratifying- to him as an old man to see such an assemblego as they had that day ; and although he had been associated with Freemasonry for more than thirty years , when ho mixed with his fellow men on

such occasions it was most gratifying to him to see the largo amount of good that had been done . He thanked the brethren for the way in which they had responded to the toast , and bo felt sure that all the officers would do their duty . Bro . Col . Bowyer proposed " The other Masonic Charities , and success to them , viz : Royal Masonic Institution for

Boys and The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution- " He warmly eulogised the merits of these institutions , and said that although from unforseen circumstances over which they had no control , they might be reduced to the lowest ebb of poverty and distress , yet their noble institutions were established to succour them in the time of need . He proposed

the toast , coupling with it the names of " Bro . Binckes and Bro . Farnfield . Bros . Binckes and Farnfield respectively returned thanks . The other toasts were given and the proceedings brought to

a close . The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . "W . Fielding , assisted by Miss Edith Wynne , Miss Palmer , and Bros . Wilbye Cooper , Edward Land , Lawler , and Chaplin Henry , and they gave unqualified satisfaction . Bro . Spencer discharged the duties of toast master in his usual able and efficient manner , and tho proceedings were brought to a close without a single incident to mar the general happiness that prevailed .

DiSTErntTTioF oi ? PRIZES AND AXSTTAI ESEEKTAIJOIE : ; - ! ' . A visit to the beautiful ancl picturesque institution provided for the reception of the female children of our poorer brethren , is at all times one of peculiar interest to any member of our noble Order , for , independently of the fact of its being the oldest of our institutions , its special mission is to administer to the wantsancl takeas it werewith a parental care of those

, , , -who are the least able to take care of themselves . Indeed , its objects are well stated in the report of tho committee , ancl coming as they do from the best authority , we shall here allow the committee to speak for themselves . They say : — "The Royal Freemasons' School for Female Children was instituted on the 25 th March , 17 S 8 , at the suggestion of the late Chevalier Bartholomew , surgeon-dentist to His Eoyal

Highness the Prince of Wales , for the purpose of clothing , educating , and maintaining a limited number of female children , orphans or otherwise , of brethren belonging to the ancient and honourable society society of free and accepted Masons of England , whose reduced circumstances in life mi ght prevent them affording their female offspring a suitable education . His lato Royal Highness tho Prince of Wales , with other members of the Eoyal Family , the nobility , clergy , and gentry ,

ancl many of the most influential and benevolent members of the Craft , gave the project their warmest support , and by their united efforts established this institution , which has preserved numbers of children from tlie dangers and misfortunes to which females are peculiarly exposed , trained them up in the knowledge and love of virtue and habits of industry , and cultivated the practice of such social , moral , and religious duties as might best conduce to their temporal welfare and happiness . " Such are the purposes for which this institution was founded ,

and it is further stated that since its establishment , 860 children have been educated , clothed , and maintained within its wallr , most of whom , at the expiration of their term of residence , have returned to their parents or friends ; those who had no home have been provided with suitable situations , or apprenticed to respectable trades , in which they have invariably so conducted themselves as to deserve and receive the commendation of their employers and the approbation of their benefactors .

The institution having now existed eighty years , its nature has been abundantly testified hy the uniformity satisfactory reports which have been made long after the pupils have left the school , showing the lasting value of the training and instruction received within its walls ; and numerous have been the instances where homes have been made happy mainly by the exercise of those princiles inculcated in their early Masonic

p home , and which many of those who have passed away , carried ou ; to the end of their lives , and at the same time left them as a valuable legacy to their children . Long may such an institution flourish , and long may it receive from the Craft that support which it so well deserves . Friday , the Sth inst ., was the day par excellence , when a visitto the school became especially agreeable , for it had "been set

apart for the examination of the children in their different branches of learning , and to distribute the prizes awarded to them by the examiners for their proficiency in the different branches of their studies . The clay was lovely , and indeed all that could be desired , and that no doubt was partially the cause of so large an attendance of visitors , as there were upwards of 400 present , the greater portion of the ladiesappearing iu summer toilet , which very materially added to the

beauty of the scene . The majority of the visitors adopted the London and Southwestern Railway to reach the spot , and although Clapham Junction station is always tolerably well patronised the thronged appearance of it showed that the neighbourhood that day presented more than usual attraction . The walk from the station to the school , splendidly situated on Battersea-rise , after crossingthe railway , was an easy one , and on entering the hall of the

building tbe company were kindly received by Bro . Udall , Bro . Patten , Bro . Muggeridge , or some members of the house committee , and tho floral decorations gave the interior a delightful aspect , showing the pains that had been taken to receive the visitors in a proper manner . We ought not to omit to mention that Mrs . Jarwood , the amiable matron , was ever attentive to the lady visitors , so that nothing might he wanting to render the occasion as agreeable to the themas it was the hope and

, earnest desire of the committee that it should be , and one of unmixed pleasure . Having inspected the building , a goodly portion of the company proceeded to the garden and orchard , which bore evidence of the attention that had been paid tothem , and not the least interesting part was those little bits of ground set apart to the pupils for their own especial cultivation , and the condition of some of these lots showed that floriculture

p is well cared for at this establishment . At four o ' clock the children were assembled in tbe recreation hall , and their neat attire , and happy and healthy appearance was the theme of general admiration . Miss Davis , the amiable and accomplished head governess , took her place at the lower end of the hall , and the general company having assembled , the following programme of music was performed by the pupils : —

Hallelujah Chorus ( Handel ) 8 performers on 4 pianos . Thine , 0 Lord , is the greatness Vocal Trio . Andante con moto ( Beethoven ) 4 performers on 4 pianos .. Finale from Symp . in D . ( Haydn ) ... 4 performers on 4 pianos . Airs Suisscs 12 performers on 4 pianos . Oberon ( Weber ) 8 performers on 4- pianos . Where the bee sucks ( Dr . Ai-nc ) Vocal Duett .

Etude ( Heller ) 4 performers on 4- pianos . Batti , Batti , "Don Giovanni " ( Mozart ) 4 performers on 4 pianos . Tho Heavens are telling ( Haydn ) ... 8 performers on 4 pianos . Les Orgies cle Caraffa 2 performers on 1 piano . Kinderleben ( Kullak ) 4 performers on 4 pianos . Overture to Zampa ( Heroic !) 8 performers on 4 pianos . Chough aud Crow ( Bishop ) 4 performers 4 ianos

ou p . Murche from Iclomenio ( Mozart ) .., 12 performers on ¦[¦ pianos . God save the Queen 4 performers ou 4 pianos . It would be difficult when all was gone through so well to particularise any piece as worthy of special commendation , but we cannot withhold our meed of praise for the skilful execution