OUTWITTING THE WATER DEMONS OF KASHMIR 



507 



The boys are just answering roll-call 

 as we enter the main assembly-room, 

 which is most interestingly decorated. 

 There is one religious picture, "The 

 Light of the World," hanging over the 

 dais that faces the pupils. Portraits of 

 King Edward VII and the present King- 

 Emperor hang near by, along with one 

 of the Maharajah of Kashmir, who is 

 the real ruler of internal affairs and 

 whose imposing palace we passed as we 

 came down the river (see page 5 10 )- 



Above all is the school crest — a pair of 

 heart-shaped paddles, crossed, and the 

 words "In all things be men." 



THE TOP CLASS, NOT THE TOP BOYS, 

 REWARDED 



Four honor boards are always kept be- 

 fore the eyes of these impressionable 

 orientals. On one are the names of those 

 who have distinguished themselves for 

 pluck, skill, and endurance, such as those 

 who have swum the most dreaded lake in 

 Kashmir, five miles across. On another 

 are the names of the two head boys for 

 every year since Dr. Biscoe took charge. 

 On the third are the names of sixteen 

 lads who have risked their lives for 

 others. On the last there is just one 

 name, that of a boy who died saving his 

 brother from drowning. 



Familiarity with the oriental mind is 

 revealed in the school attitude toward 

 prizes. Individual rewards are not made, 

 for the eagerness to appear better than 

 one's fellows is so keen with the Kash- 

 mir youth that he will resort to dishonest 

 tricks to attain his end. 



Instead of rewarding the top boys of 

 the classes, a prize is given to the top 

 class of the school — that is, the class 

 which obtains the highest average in all- 

 round standing as revealed by the char- 

 acter sheets. The boys divide the prize 

 among themselves or keep it for the com- 

 munity. 



The orthodox custom of rewarding 

 the top boys of classes does not neces- 

 sarily result in the boy who works the 

 hardest getting the prize. 



Often, in the average school, the boy 

 with natural gifts of memory, rather than 

 the dull plodder who needs encourage- 

 ment, gains the prize. With Kashmir 

 boys, this tends to bring out undesirable 

 traits, for the top boys may cheat, and 



even try to bribe their masters, to gain an 

 individual reward. 



At the Church Mission School the 

 bright boys in a class know that their 

 weaker fellows are likely to bring down 

 the mark of the whole class, and there- 

 fore there is cooperation between the two 

 groups. In this way esprit de corps is 

 developed, and this in turn is recognized 

 and a special mark given for it. 



A Burmese gong booms to remind us 

 that the half-hour recess for gymnastics 

 has arrived. The Junior School of 300 

 comes out first ; then the Upper School of 

 300, for the playground will not accom- 

 modate all at once. 



Are these languid sons of the East we 

 are watching, or an occidental class in 

 gymnastics, exercising amid strange sur- 

 roundings and in bizarre costumes? In 

 twenty-five seconds all are assembled. 

 The boys from the upper stories come 

 sliding down poles like firemen respond- 

 ing to an alarm. 



The school band strikes up a tune and 

 in a few seconds the inclosure is alive 

 with swinging, whirling, jumping, fenc- 

 ing, boxing boys. 



HOW BOXING WAS INTRODUCED 



Boxing was introduced under unusual 

 circumstances. At first these young men 

 always knew "a little more" about every 

 subject than their instructors did. A 

 professor was talking about Ceylon and 

 happened to mention that his brothers 

 had visited the island. 



"That is impossible," stated a super- 

 cilious Brahmin. "Ceylon is the home of 

 the Hindu gods, and the holy books teach 

 us that no infidel may go there." 



This cocksureness was too much for 

 the Anglo-Saxon, to whom discipline in 

 thought and in school administration 

 were very dear. He produced two pairs 

 of boxing gloves and suggested, "As you 

 seem to know everything, you probably 

 know how to use these gloves." 



"Yes," said the all-wise youth, "I 

 know." 



"Why not give the class a practical 

 demonstration of that truth?" the in- 

 structor suggested. 



The gloves were put on. 



"Can you prevent me from hitting 

 your nose three times running?" 



"Certainly," said the confident student. 



