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| Selected Works | |
| Slavery | |
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DEDICATED TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AS A TOKEN OF ADMIRATION FOR THEIR SUBLIME DISINTERESTED AND SELF SACRIFICING DEVOTION in the cause of Negro slavery; and with an earnest desire, that my countrymen may take their noble examples as their guide in the emancipation of their Sudra Brethren from the trammels of Brahmin thraldom. | |
| Memorial addressed to the education commission | |
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Memorial Addressed To The Hunter Commission
A statement for the information of the Education commission | |
| My experience in eduacational matters is principally confined to Poona and the surrounding villages.About 25 years ago, the missionaries had established a female school at Poona but no indi- geneous school for girls existed at that time.I, therefore,was induced about the year 1854, to establish such a school,and in which I and my wife worked together for many years.After some time I placed this school under management of a committe of educated natives. Undere their auspices two more schools were opened in different parts of the town.A year after the nstitution of the female schools,I also established an indegenous mixed school for the lower classes, especially the Mahars and the Mangs.Two more schools of these classes were subsequently added.Sir Perry,the president of the late Education Board,and Mr.Lumsdain, the then Secretery to the Government,visited the female schools and were much pleased with the movement set on foot,and presented me with a pair of shawls. Icontinued to work with them for nearly 9-10 years,but owing to circumstances ,which it is needless here to detail, Iseceded from the work.These female schools still exist ,having been made over by the committe to the Educational Department under the management of Mrs Mitchell.A school for the lower classes Mahars and Mangs, also exists at the present day,but not in a satsfactory condition.I have also been a teacher for somr years in a mission female boarding school. My principle experience was gained in connection with these schools.Idevoted some attention also to the primary eduaca- tion available in this presidency and have had some opprtunities of forning an opinion as to the system and personal employed in the lower schools of the Educational Department.I wrote some years ago a Marathi pamplet exposing the religiopus practi- ces of the Bramhins and incidentally among other matters,adverted therein to the present systemof education,which by providing ampler funds for higher education tended to educate Bramhins and the higher classes only, and to leave the masses wallo- wing in ignorance andpoverty. I summarised the views expressed in the book in an English preface attached thereto,portions of which I reproduce ere so far as they relate to the present enquiry:- | |
| "Perhaps a part of the blame in bringing matters to this crisis may be justly laid to the credit of the Government. Whatever may have been their motives in providing ampler funds and greater facilities for higher education,and neglecting that of the masses, it will be acknowledged by all that n jusice to the latter,this is not as it should be.It is an admitted fact that he greater portion of the revenues of the Indian Empire are derived from the ryot's labour -form the sweat of his brow.The higher and richer classes contri- bute little or nothing to the state exchequer.A well-informed English writer states that our income is derived, not from surplus profits, but from capital; not from luxuries, but from the poorest neccessaries.It the product of sin and tears". | |
| "That Government should expend profusely a large portin of revenues thus raised, on the education of the higher classes,for it is these only who take advantage of it,is anythiong but just or equitable. Teir object in patronising this virtual high class education appears to be to prepare scholars who, it is thought in time would vend learning without money and without price.If we can inspire,say they ,the love of the knowledge ine minds of the superir classes, the result, will be a higher standard, of morals in the cases of the individuals,a large amount of affection for the British Government,and unconquerable desire to spread among their own countrymen in the intellectual blessings which they have received". | |
| "Regarding these objects of the Governmrnt the writer alluded to, states that we have never heard of philosophy more benevolent and more utopion.It is proposed by the men who witness the wonderous changes brought about in the Western world,purely by the agency of popular knowledge,to redress the defects of the two hundred millions of India,by giving superior education to the superior classes and to them only.We ask the friends of Indian Universities to favour us with a single example of the truth of their theory from the instances which habve already fallen within the scope of their experi- ence.They have educated many children of wealthy men and have been the means of advancing very materially the wordly prospects of some of their pupils .But what contribution have these made to great work of regenerating their fellowmen?How have they begun to act upon the masses? Have any of them formed classes at their own homes or elsewhere,for the instruction of thir less fortunate or less wise countrymen?Or have they kept their knowledge to themselves,as a personal gift, not to be soiled by conract with the ignorant vulgar? Have they in any way shown themselves anxious to advance the general interests and repay the philanthropy with patriotism? Upon what grounds is it asserted that the best way to advance the moral and intellectual welfare of the people is to raise the standard of instruction among the higher clas?A glorious arguments this for aristrocracy,were it only tenable.To show the growth of the national happiness,it would be necessary to refer to the number of pupils at the colleges and the lists of academic degrees. Each wranker would be accounted a national benefactor; and the exisrence of Deans and Proctors would be associated, like the game laws and the ten-pound franchise, with the best interests of the constitution". | |
| "One of the most glaring tendencies of Government system of high class education has been the virtual monopoly of all the higher offices under them by Bramhins.If the welfare of the Ryot is at heart, if it is the duty of Government to check a host of abuses , it behoves them to narrow this monopoly day by day so as to allow a sprinkling of the other castes to get into the public services.Perhaps some might be inclined to say that it is not feasilble in the present state of edeucation.Our only reply is that if Government look a little less after higher education which is able to take care of itself and more towards the education of the masses there would be no difficulty intraining up a body of menevery way qualifed and far way better in morals and manners. | |
| " My object in writing the present volume is not only to tell my Shudra brethen how they have duped by the Bramhins, but also to open the eyes of Government to that pernicious system of high class education ,which has hitherto been persistently followed, and which statesman like Sir George Campbell, the present Governer Lieutenat of Bengal, with broad universal sympathies, are finding to be highly mischeivous and pernicious to the interests of Government.I sincerely hope that the Government will ere long see the error of their ways , trust less to writers or men who look through highclass spectacles, and take the glory into their own hands of emanicipating my Shudra brethen from the trammels of bondage serpent.It is no less the duty of each of my Shudra brethen as have received any education, to place before Government the true stae of their fellowmen and endeavour to the best of their powers to emancipate themselves from Bramhin thraldom.Let there be schools for Shudras in every village; but away with all Bramhin school-masters! The Shudras are the life and sinews of the country, and it ts to the alone, and not to the Bramhins, that Government need have no fear for their loyalty in the future." | |
| In Following subjects detailed explanations & information is mentioned in the original | |
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1) PRIMARY EDUCATION 2) INDIGENOUS SCHOOLS 3) HIGHER EDUCATION In conclusion, I beg to request the Education Commission to be kind enough to sanction measures for the spread of female primary education on a more liberal scale. Poona,
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| PRIMARY EDUCATION | |
| There is little doubt that the primary education among the masses in this Presidency has been very much neglected.Although the nuber of primary schools now in existence is greater than those existing a fw years ago, yet they are not commensurate to the requirements of the community.Goverenment collect a special cess for educational purposes, and it is to be regretted that this fund is not spent for the purposes for which it is collected. Nearly nine-tenths of the villages in this Presidency, or nearly 10 lakhs of children, it is said, are without any provision,whatever,for primary instruction.A good deal of their poverty, their want of self-reliance, their entire dependence on the learned and intelligent classes, is attributable to this deplorable state of education among the peasantry. | |
| Even in towns the Bramhins, the Purbhoos, the hereditory classes, who generally live by the occupation of pen, and the trading classes who seek primary instruction.The cultivating and the other classes, as a rule, do not generally avail themselves of the same.A few of the latter class are found in primaryand secondary schools, but owing to their poverty and other causes they do not continue long at school.As there are no special inducementsfor these to coninue at school, they naturally leave off as they find any menial or other occupation.In villages also most of the cultivating classes hold aloof, owing to extreme poverty, and also because they require their children to tend cattle and look after their fields.Besides an increase in the number of schools, special inducements in the shape of scholarships and half-yaerly or annual prizes, to encourage them to send their children to school and thus create in them a taste for learning, is most essential. I think primary education of the masses should be made compulsory up to a certain age, say at least 12 years. Muhammadans also hold aloof from these schools, as they some-how evince no liking for Marathi or English. There are a few Muhammadan primary schools where their own language is taught The Mahars,Mangs, and other lower classes are pratically excluded from all schools owing to caste prejudices, as they are not allowed to sit by the children of higher castes.Consequently special schools for these have been openedby these exist only in large town. In the whole of Poona and for a population exceeding over 5,000 people, there is only one school, and in which the attendance is under 30 boys.This state of matters is not at all creditable to the educational authorities. Under the promise of the Queen's Proclamation I beg to urge that Mahars, Mangs,and other lower classes,where their number is large enough, should have separate schools for them,as they are not allowedto attend the other schools owing to caste prejudices. | |
| In the present stae of education, payment by results is not at all suitable for the promotion of education amongst a poor and ignorant people, a no taste has not been yet created among them for education. I do not think any teacher would undertake to open schools on his own account among these people, as he would not be able to make a living by it. Government schools and special inducements, as noted above, are essential until a taste is created among them. | |
| With regard to the few Government primary schools that exist in the Presidency, I beg to observe that primary education imparted in them is not at all placedon a satisfactory or sound basis. The system is imperfect in so far as it does not prove practical and useful in the future career of the pupils. The system is capable of being developed up to the requirement of the community, if improvements that will result in its future usefulness be effected in it.Both the teaching machinery employed and the course in instruction now followed, require a thorough remodelling. | |
| (a) The teachers now employed nthe primary schools are almost all Bramhins ; a few of them are from the normal training college, the rest being all untrained men. Their salaries are very low, seldom exceeding Rs. 10, and their attainments also very meagre But as a rule they are all unpractical men, and the boys who learn under them generally imbibe inactive habits and try to obtain service, to the avoidance of their hereditary or other hardy or independent professsions.I think teachers for primary schools should be trained, as far as possible, out of the cultivating clases, who will be able to mix freely with them and understand their wants and wishes much better than a Bramhin teacher, who generally holds himself aloof under religious prejudices.These would, moreover, exercise a more benificial influence over the masses than teachers of other classes, and who will not feel ashamed to hold the handle of a plough or the carpenter's adze when required, and who will be able to mix themselves readily with the lower orders of society. The course of training for them ought to include, besides the ordinary subjects, an elementary knowledge of agriculture and sanitation. The untrained teachers should, except when thoroughly efficient, be replaced by efficient trained teachers. To secure a beter class of teachers and to improve their position. | |
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