On the Square

By W. H. Beable

Royal Masonic Institution for Girls

Few minutes’ walk from Clapham Junction station, on the high ground overlooking Wandsworth and the neighbourhood, is a handsome pile of buildings standing in its own grounds and known as the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls. For over 134 years this has been one of the outstanding marks of Masonic Benevolence and is the oldest of the three Masonic Charities.
Since its foundation 3,967 girls have received its benefits. There are now 950 girls receiving the benefits, the General Courts in April and October last having decided to admit without ballot the whole of the 78 Candidates for Election; whilst 106 further nominations for Out-education without Election were granted, making a total of 184 girls added during the present year. 600 out-education nominations for girls at any age between 6 and 15 (the General Committee having power on sufficient cause being shewn to extend the grant to 16 or even 17) have been allotted to the Provinces, Districts, and London in proportion to their voting power.
1,207 girls have already benefited under this scheme. 400 Special War Nominations for the daughters of Brethren killed or totally incapacitated during the war have also been made available for any Lodges on the Register of the Grand Lodge of England. These 1,000 nominations are by way of grant, and are at no time subject to Election. At a Special General Court, held on April 7th, 1921, the amounts allowed for out-education grants were increased by over 50 per cent. to a maximum of £50 per annum. Grants are also made to assist deserving girls to continue their education at a University or elsewhere.
The education provided at the Girls’ School is founded on thoroughly sound principles, with a bias towards domestic science, and may be compared to that of the Public Secondary Schools. The girls are prepared for various public examinations, such as Cambridge Locals, Associated Board of Music, The Royal Drawing Society, etc. The efficiency is shown by the very large percentage of successes during the last 33 years, out of 1,277 candidates entered for the Cambridge Local Examinations, no less than 1,219 have passed, many with honours and distinctions. Domestic Science is represented by courses of instruction in needlework, practical cookery, as well as the domestic duties of the house. There is also a commercial side, including such subjects as shorthand and typewriting, whilst the bodily development of the girls is promoted by physical drill, organised games, swimming, etc. A new Chemical Laboratory, thoroughly equipped, has been recently added.

In accordance with the policy of the Institution practically every member of the Resident Staff has been educated in the School, several having University degrees, and others special teaching qualifications. This fact has brought about an excellent esprit de corps, besides preserving the Masonic traditions of the School. There is an Old Masonic Girls’ Association to maintain an interest in the School and for other excellent purposes.

As W. Bro. Robinson says in his interesting lecture: “With such highly trained staffs of teachers and such splendid buildings, specially designed and built for the purpose, it is no wonder that both schools (the Boys’ and the Girls’) are in such a high state of efficiency, and provide, as they do, a liberal and virtuous education, whereby the human representative of the Rough Ashlar, received in a primitive state, rough and unpolished, is wrought into due form, and is thereby rendered a fit member of civilised society.”

On the Square

By W. H. Beable

The Royal Benevolent Institution

Nearly half a century after both the Girls’ and the Boys’ Institutions had been founded, it was felt that similar provision should be made for aged and distressed Freemasons. These had, to a large extent, been taken care of through the Grand Lodge Benevolent Fund, founded a few years after the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England, in 1717. But it was felt that some more permanent form of relief should be provided for the older members of the Craft who had fallen by the way.
After some four or five years of individual effort the Royal Benevolent Institution was founded, due partly to the enterprise of individual brethren, and in part to the liberality of the Grand Lodge. To private enterprise belongs the honour of having taken the initiative in providing for the wants of the aged Mason by establishing the Asylum at Croydon, and for many years the promoters went on pursuing their honourable labours, not only uncountenanced by the official members of the Craft, but in the teeth of very serious opposition from many of our most influential brethren.When at length Grand Lodge instituted the Male Benevolent Fund (widows were granted the Annuity in 1849), the two organisations, though having the same laudable object in view, were, for a time, kept separate and distinct, nor was it till some years subsequently that the Asylum for Aged Masons and the two Benevolent Funds established by the United Grand Lodge of England were amalgamated into one Institution. But, as in the case of the Schools, the main support of this Charity is now derived from the voluntary contributions of the brethren; and as in their case, the good work which was commenced on a modest scale has latterly assumed such magnificent proportions, that hundreds of old and indigent Masons and widows of Masons have had reason to bless the memory of the founders of the Asylum at Croydon, and the generosity of our Grand Lodge in establishing the Male and Female Annuity Funds.

The objects of this Institute are to provide annuities to aged Freemasons and widows of Freemasons under the English Constitution, who are in reduced and needy circumstances. A Mason to be eligible must be at least sixty years of age, he must be a Master Mason, and a subscribing member for at least 15 years. A widow must also be at least sixty years of age, and her husband must have been a subscribing member of a Lodge for ten years. Should a candidate be unsuccessful at two successive elections and have attained the age of 75 years, the Committee of Management have power to place him on the list, and they have also the power to give a donation of ten guineas to any unsuccessful candidate who has attained the age of 70 years.
The amounts at present payable to annuitants is £68 in the case of married Brethren, £64 to unmarried Brethren and widowers, and £56 in the case of the widows. There is also an arrangement whereby widows of Masons who were annuitants at the time of their husband’s death, receive a sum equal to one-half of their husband’s pension for 5 years. This, with the addition recently allowed, amounts to £44 per annum.

The Institution possesses Almshouses at Croydon, where about 32 of the old people are received as residents, but the great majority board and lodge themselves out of the funds provided, without the outside world knowing that they are in receipt of charity. There are now over 1,400 who receive between them the large sum of about £83,000 per annum. The Institution has more than doubled its members during recent years.
And can’st thou Mother, for a moment think
That we, thy children, when old age hath shed
Its silver glories on thy weary head
Should from our best of duties ever shrink?
Sooner the sun from its bright sphere shall sink
Than we, ungrateful, leave thee in that day
To mourn in solitude thy life away

On the Square

By W. H. Beable

Freemasons’ Hospital and nursing home

This is situated on the Fulham Road near South Kensington Station, and in the vicinity of other well-known specialised hospitals. It is restricted to members of the Craft, their wives, and children over 12 years of age. It is not a free hospital or a charitable institution, but is intended primarily for those who cannot afford the high charges of West End operations and nursing homes, and on the other hand do not wish to be inmates of the ordinary public hospitals. A nominal charge of three guineas per week is, therefore, made, in addition to which the patient is expected to pay what he can reasonably afford towards the surgical and medical services. There is, however, a special fund from which those who cannot afford to pay anything at all are provided for. The patients come from all parts of the Provinces as well as from London, and overseas visitors who are taken ill whilst in London are especially looked after.
The hospital, though small, is completely equipped with the finest and most modern Operating Theatre, Electrical and X-Ray Departments, and in fact everything that modern science can provide.
There is a Resident Medical Officer, and the Nursing Staff consists entirely of fully-trained nurses with high-class credentials, there being no nurses in training. The visiting Physician and Surgeons are members of the visiting staff of the leading public hospitals, but any patient may arrange to be attended by his own surgeon or physician.
The affairs of the Institution are conducted by a Board of Management elected by the subscribing Lodges and by the Brethren who have contributed to the funds. The success of the hospital has been so great that every bed is occupied and it is expected that it will shortly be necessary to further considerably enlarge its sphere of usefulness.