Distribution Of Prizes At The Girls' School.

( Renewed applause . ) I am sure your ladyship would like to know that we have , with the exception of the Centenary Festival , the largest number of Stewards we have yet had—no less than 535 , So above the highest we have ever had—so that , my lady , I hope I shall not be a false prophet in saying

that when his lordship takes the chair on Wednesday we shall all do our utmost to surround him with very heavy purses , and I am sure that will be the best way to show our gratitude to your ladyship for your kindness in having come here to present the prizes to-day . ( Hear , hear . ) I now ask all present to pass this vote with acclamation . and said must

This having been done , the Countess of CORK rose : I , first of all , thank you very much for the kind reception you have accorded me , and the lovely flowers with which you have presented me , and I wish next to express my admiration of the remarkable performance of _ drill and calisthenics which we have been witnessing—a performance that might have challenged competition on any parade ground—and which , considering the

ages and numbers of the performers , is truly marvellous ; and I can assure you that it has given me great pleasure to be able to come here to-day to distribute to you the prizes so well earned in such important , I may say in such essential , subjects . To those descending like myself into the vale of years , life returns few objects of greater interest than witnessing the work and progress of the young in training for their careers , and you if one judge of that

future by the results of to- day , a wide sphere of usefulness , to yourselves and others , is being opened out for many of you . The advantages of latterday education , as we understand it , are made strikingly apparent by such a paper as this prize list , showing how much solid information and knowledge , absolutely unthought of as within the scope of the youthful of both sexes some 50 years ago , is now brought well within the grasp of

intelligent and painstaking girls , ln looking down this list , 1 must first congratulate the good conduct winners of prizes involving the constant exercise of some of the most valuable qualities in girls and women . Next , the gold and silver medals for proficiency tell their own tale ; while the numbers who have distinguished themselves in the Cambridge Examination reflect great credit on the system and

teachers , as well as on the pupils of this Institution ; and that 60 out of 68 should have passed in the College of Preceptors' Examination , all distinguished in arithmetic , seems to me a fine record . Time does not allow of my dwelling on each branch , though I do not overlook the drawing and French , while of the high-class music cultivation we have just had good evidence . In all these departments the competition in actual life is so keen

and intense that their study had need be as thorough as it clearly is here to achieve any real distinction . I must say a word now on the practical matters that more particularly belong to our sex , for the immsnse advancement and improvement of late years in English cookery is simply invaluable on all accounts , and you cannot strive too anxiously and determinedly to arrive at perfection therein—the same remarks applies to needlework—from the

bailing of a potato and the sewing on of a button upward , you will , I feel sure , let no detail be beneath yourattention or beyond yourdiligence and the habits and capacities thus developed will sland you in good stead wherever your lots may be cast . I wish also strongly to recommend to those who have taken up shorthand , typewriting , and clerical qualifications generally , the utmost perseverance and application in mastering their intricacies , for in

these lines I believe women may very successfully compete with membsrs of the other sex in quickness of apprehension and deftness of manipulation , and in such cases the race may well be to the swift rather than tl * e battle to the strong . In conclusion let me offer you , one and all , my earnest and best wishes for your respective and different careers . Trials will of course beset you all in various ways , and the rock of difficulty lies at times in the path of

everyone . But patience , courage , and industry are great overcomers and the sweetness of hardly-earned success is , as some of you must have already discovered , an unfailing source of happiness . As your work then , so may your day be , and doubtless it will , if you ever bear steadfastly in mind the precept of far higher authority than mine — " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , that do with all thy might . "

Her ladyship ' s party afterwards inspected the School before leaving lor the day , and the visitors partook of refreshment , subsequently making a tour of the premises and witnessing all the arrangements . At 6 o ' clock they retured to the hall , and were entertained for an hour wilh selections from the following music ( Pianoforte pieces on eight pianos ) -. Part song , "The Daisy" ( D . Redman ); trio , "Jubelfeier" (\ V . Kramer ); duet ,

" Norwegische Tanzc , Nos . 2 and . * ( Grieg ); part song , " Merry June ( C . Vincent ); solo , "Impromptu , Op . 90 " ( Schubert ); duet , " Norwegischer Braulzug" ( Grieg ); part song , "Heaven" ( II . Smart ); duet , " Septett" ( Beethoven ); solo , " Cracovienne Melancolique " ( Nowskowski ); duo ( two pianos ' only ) "Si oiseau j'etais " ( Henselt ); part song , "Violets" ( Cowen ); and duo , " Variations on a Theme of Beethoven" ( Saint-Saens ) .

Bro . Sir J B . MONCKTON then addressed the company , and said the time had now arrived for them to separate . They had all had a most delightful evening ; it had been most successful , indeed , the most successful they had ever had . A larger numberof visitors and brethren had attended than had yet been witnessed , and they had all been delighted with what they

had seen . All connected with the School were very proud of it , and the the Countess of Cork ' s testimony to it was highly encouraging , not only to the managers , but to the teachers , the children , the staff , and the subscribers . Her ladyship had shown her appreciation of the arrangements , and had so expressed herself in her speech . He hoped the brethren would show their appreciation by supporting her ladyship ' s son on Wednesday with an overflowing subscription list . ( Cheers . ) The proceedings terminated with the singing of the National Anthem .

Mark Masonry.

Mark Masonry .

Cumberland Lodge , No . 60 . I he annual installation meeting was held at the MasonL Temple , Fisher-street , t-arlisle , or . Tuesday , the 2 nd inst . Bro . W . P . Gibbings was installed W . M . ( or the ensuing year . The Installing Master was Bro . James Girdiner , P . M . 151 , Prov . G . f-ec , assisted by Bros . T . Atkinson , P . M . 220 , P . J . G . W . Bro . Gibbings afterwards invested his oliicers as follows : Bros . W . Mathews . l . l ' . M . ; D . L . Thorp , S . W . ; J . M V ' ^ , V K . A . Clark , M . O . ; VV . Pogson , S . O . ; D . J . White , J . O . ; TL C . 1 IJ '*?' li-Baber . J . D . ; H Webster , Reg . of Marks ; J . G . Iredale , Treas . ; Tyler S 0 " ' ScC-J '" J- | , arl < er > Organist ; F . Ritson , I . G . j and J . Wilson , H „ ^ ft" lhe , installation , a banquet was held at the CofCcc House , Crown and Mitre notel , when the usual loyal and Mark toasts were pledged .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Gloucestershire And Hereford.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND HEREFORD .

CONSECRATION OF A MARK LODGE AT ROSS . The Prov . G . Lodge of Mark Masons of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire held its annual assembly on Friday , the Gth instant , at Ross , in the latter county , and with this gathering may claim to have virtually completed its second decade . The initial meeting of the provinc ; of Gloucester was held at Cheltenham on June 19 th , 18 79 , Bro . the Rev . C . R .

Davy . Past G . Chap . Eng ., being installed as Prov . G , Master . Since then both he and his successor , Bro . Thomas Walker , M . A ., have joined the great majority of brethren of the Craft , and for some years the province , which since 1897 has embraced the county of Hereford , has been presided over by Bro . R . Vassar Vassar-Smith , Past G . M . O . Eng ., the Dep . Prov . G . M . being Bro . Orlando Shellard .

The officers of Prov . G . Mark Lodge appointed in Hereford in May last were the following -. Bros . A . Townsend , Prov . S . G . W . ; R . H . Shrapnell , Prov . J . G . W . ; Col . R . Rogers , Prov . G . VI . O . ; W . Parblv , Prov . G . S . O . ; R . P . Summer , Prov . G . J . O . ; Rev . Dr . Lynes , Prov . G . Chap . ; J . Balcomb , P . P . G . W ., Prov . G . Treas . ; H . G . Couctenay ,

Prov . G . Reg . ; G . Norman , P . G . D ., P . P . G . M ., Prov . G . Sec ., VV . F . Plimmer , Prov . S . G . D . ; John Jennings , Prov . J . G . D . ; G . D . Woodman , Prov . G . Insp . of Works ; . M . LI . Evans , Prov . G . D . of C . ; N . Philpotts , Prov . G . S . B . ; F . T . Palmer , Prov . G . Std . Br . ; F . Forty , Prov . G . Org . ; H . H . Parry , Prov . G . I . G . ; and Tarr , Prov . G . Tyler .

Previous to the assembly in Prov . G . Lodge , the Prov . G . M ., attended by his officers , proceeded to the consecration of a Mark lodge at Ross , a warrant for such having been issued by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and by which the Kyrle Lodge is numbered No . 524 in the muster roll of lodges of England . There could be no better indication of the popularity of the Order , or tribute to the undeniable charms of the little town of Ross , than the large assembly of brethren who put in an appearance at the ceremony , for , in addition to the officers named above , the following were also present :

Bros . C . 1 . Martyn , P . G . C , P . D . P . G . M . East Anglia ; T . Colenutt , P . P . G . D . Somerset ; G . R . Powell , P . P . S . G . W ., G . S . Eng . ; Joseph Owner , P . P . J . G . D . ; Jesse Owner , W . M . ; Albert E . Denby , J . D . ; J . Rogers , P . G . O . ; E . Lea , P . G . S . ; J . Silter ; H . C . Ferris , P . G . I . G . Eng . ; A . Wilson ; A . J . Gay , P . P . S . G . W .-, J . W . Hudingham , P . P . S . G . W . ; J . S . Clark , P . P . G . W . ; J . H . Rea , W . M . ; J . Howell ; Evans ; E . Stephens ; Thomas Blinkhorn , P . P . S . G . W . ;

E . W . Prevost , S . W . ; H . J . Gadd , J . W . ; E . W . Wintle ; H . James , S . O . ; W . J . C . Style ; T . Matthews , S . W . ; G . Minett , J . W . ; J . H . Bussell ; F . Brendon ; J . S . Morton , P . P . S . G . W . ; H . H . Parry ; H . W . Hewett ; H . B . Cowse ; E . VV . Fennel !; W . Morris ; F . W . Barling ; L . W . Hooler ; G . R . Oldham ; A . H . Pearson , S . D . ; S . Millard ; G . W . Starr ; G . R . Sinclair , P . P . G . O . ; J . Bruto- , P . P . S . G . W . ; G . Court , J . D . ; A . J . Wintle ; T . Davis ; O . Wiltshire ; M . Carroll ; C . A . Wintle ; and others . .

The ceremony of consecration , which was of an impressive nature , com menced with the singing of the

hymn" Hail , Eternal , by whose aid , All created things were made , " after which the Consecrating Officer , having addressed the brethren upon the motive of the meeting , called upon the Chaplain to offer prayer .

Impressive addresses to the Master , Wardens , and brethren were delivered by both Bros , the Rev . Charles J . Martyn and the Rev . Dr . Lynes , and the warrant having been read , an anthem wa ? rendered , and the Kyrle Lodge , No . 524 , was fully consecrated to the purposes of the craft of Mark Masons , according to ancient usage .

Bro . F . S . Collins having been duly installed in the chair of W . M ., proceeded to appoint his officers for the ensuing year : Bros . Thomas Matthews , S . W . ; George Frederick Minett , J . W . ; Edwin Knibbs , Treas . ; F . W . Wintle , M . O . ; A . P . Small , S . O . ; J . H . Bussell , J . O . ; W . H . Smith , Reg . of M . ; H . B . Couch , Sec ; G . R . Oidhim , S . D . ; J . H . Hall , J D . ; A . H . Pearson , D . C . ; F . Brendon , l . W .

and W . Haines , Tyler . Su bst quently the Provincial Grand Lodge assembled under the banner of the Kyrle Lodge . at the Corn Exchange , the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Vassar Vassar-Smith , presiding . In the course of the proceedings he referred in feeling terms to the late Lord Lathom , Pro G . M . of England , and expressed the

assurance which he felt that every brother would regard his death as removing from their midst a noble and distinguished officer of their Order . The roll of lodges was next called , and the reports from each was of a highly gratifying character . The following brethren were then appointed as Provincial Grand Officers , and were invested with their collars of office :

Bro . O . Shellard ... ... ... ... D . Prov . G . M . „ F . S . Collins ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ V . H . Rea ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ G . R . Sinclair ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . „ O . W . Wiltshire ... ... ... Prov . S . G . O .

„ H . J . Brewer ... ... ... Prov . J . G . O . „ Rev . Dr . Lynes ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap . „ ] . Balcombe ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ E . W . Provost ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

,, G . Norman ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ B . Lucas ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ C . Rootes ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ T . Matthews ... ... ... Prov . G . L of W . „ M . LI . Evans ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C .

„ N . Philpotts ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ F . J . Warren ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ F . Forty ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . 11 W . J . Johnstoi . c Vaughan ... ... Prov . G . I . G . 11 F ' arr ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler .

Provincial Grand Lodge having been closed in due form , and with prayer , the brethren adjourned to thc Royal Hotel , where a substantial banquet was provided , the Prov . G . M . presiding over a full attendance . ' Ihe usual loyal and Masonic toasts having been drunk , the brethren dispersed , after what had proved a thoroughly enjoyable , if an unusually busy , day

We may mention that the Midland Railway Company provided saloon carriages for Bristol brethren who were desirous of taking part in the interesting ceremony , and a considerable numbsr availed themselves of the accommodation . The furniture was manufactured by Bro . George Kenning and Son , London .