106 CEYLON BRANCH— ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, 



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6. Manuscripts, Translations and Printed Books* 



7. Dutch Schools. 



I. 



The Scholar chal Commission. 



This body was composed of the Dessave or Collector of 

 the Colombo District (the highest European functionary 

 next the Governor) who was always the President ; all the 

 Clergy of Colombo, one of whom acted as Secretary ; and 

 three or four other gentlemen Civil and Military. The 

 Members were nominated by the Governor. They were 

 not only that which we understand by a School Commis- 

 sion, but they constituted a board, which took cognizance 

 of all matters referring to native marriages; and in short 

 the whole body of natives professing Christianity, and 

 living within the precincts of the schools, were under 

 their supervision. They examined and appointed not 

 only school masters but also the Tombo-holders, had under 

 their inspection the registries of native baptisms and mar- 

 riages, heard complaints and settled disputes on matrimo- 

 nial questions, and possessed a discretionary power to grant 

 marriage licenses in cases where consanguinity came into 

 question. Their decisions were however in all points sub- 

 mitted to the Governor and the Political Council. Their 

 jurisdiction did not extend beyond their own district ; hence 

 the Southern and Northern provinces had also their Scho- 

 larchal Commission, but that of Colombo was frequently 

 referred to for advice in difficult and important cases. Every 

 year two members of this association, a clergyman and a 

 layman, who was called the Scholarch, were deputed by 

 the meeting, with the consent and authority of the Gover- 

 nor, to visit all the School-stations and draw up an annual 

 report. Their visit was previously announced to the vil- 

 lagers by Tom-tom beating, when both adults and children 

 were summoned by the vidhan and the School master to be 

 present. At each school the two Inspectors remained a 

 whole day. The business of the day, in which the Clergy- 

 man of course, had the greatest share, was performed in 

 the following order : s 



1. In the forenoon the school children were examined in 

 reading and writing, in repeating their Catechism, the Ten 

 Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's prayer and other 

 prayers ; and further questions were put to ascertain whe~ 



