MANUAL OF THE NILAQIRI DISTRICT, 423 



CHAPTER XXV. 

 EDUCATIONAL. 



History of education among the hill-tribes. — Badaga schools — Scheme of Union 

 Schools. — Schools for Anglo-Indians. — The Breeks' Memorial School.— Convent 

 Schools. — Tamil Mission School. — Hobart Girls' School. — Private Schools. — 

 Educational needs. — Coonoor. — Lawrence Asylums — history — amalgamation 

 with the Militarj' Male Orphan Asylum — revenue — instruction — medical — 

 domain. 



As early as 1839 the Court of Directors desired the Govern- CHAP. XXV. 

 ment to take into consideration the provision of education for „ ^ 



the Todas. In December 1840 the Collector of Malabar explained 



the reasons which had prevented any steps being taken in this ^u^ation* 

 direction. Up to the close of 1842 he had been unable to bring among the 

 forward any feasible plan for effecting this object. The Court of ^^^^-t'^^^s. 

 Directors thereon expressed their regret that the efforts of the 

 Madras Government to introduce education and civilization among 

 the Todas had hitherto been unsuccessful, but they did not 

 doubt that this Government would not neglect any available 

 means, if they should offer, of effecting this object. The Collectors 

 of Malabar and Coimbatore were again urged to do what they 

 could. Nothing, however, was done until 1846, when the Basel 

 Mission Society established an agency on the plateau and made 

 attempts to instruct the Badagas and other hill tribes, though, 

 owing mainly to the apathy of the people — their wild habits and 

 indifference to learning — their labours were rewarded with but 

 little success. 



It was not until ten years later (1856) that the Badagas first 

 appear to have shown any desire for instruction, especially in the 

 Tamil language, being probably stimulated by the discovery that 

 a knowledge of this tongue might be useful in their dealings with 

 European planters who were then beginning to settle on the Hills, 

 and also in their business in the courts and with native officials, 

 who generally were unacquainted with Kanarese dialects. A report 

 had also become current among them that only men able to 

 speak Tamil would be selected for the post of maniyagar, the 

 height of a Badaga's ambition. These facts we learn from the 

 report of the Tahsildar of the time to the Collector of Coimbatore, 

 Mr. E. B. Thomas. On the strong recommendation of this officer, 

 Government, in August 1857, consented to the establishment of 

 four schools under the supervision of Lieutenant-Colonel Pears, 

 R.E., Inspector of Schools in North Tamil Division. The Govern- 



