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III. 



Native Schools in the Galle and Matura Districts. 



These schools were annually visited by the Galle Clergy, 

 who took it by turns, in company with a Scholarch. In 

 1707 mention is made of 30 schools, in 1719 of 37 schools, 

 18 in the Galle and 19 in the Matura District, and in 1722, 

 of 38 schools. Galle was a troublesome and refractory sta- 

 tion, hence the reports are full of complaints. 



In 1727 great difficulty was experienced in getting pa- 

 rents to send their children ; they set Government orders at 

 defiance. The annual visitation often did not take place on 

 account of the hostile disposition of the Singhalese. In one 

 village (1731) during the examination, a mob assembled, and 

 by vociferations interrupted the proceedings ; the Scholarch 

 went out to order them off, but they heeded not his autho- 

 rity ; and on his attempting to drive them away with his 

 walking cane, the ringleader levelled a blow at him with a 

 stick. At Kahewatte, Gatlemane, and Puwakdadawe, they 

 dragged the children out of the school-room. In 1733 the 

 School master at Kahawatte lodged a complaint against the 

 villagers for abusing and preventing him in his duties. Be- 

 sides the fact, that this district was the stronghold of Bud- 

 hism, as it still is, one alleged grievance was, that, since 

 Government ordered native professing Christians not to in- 

 termarry with Budhists, they were afraid they would not 

 be able to get wives. In 1734 the native Proponent visited 

 the schools in the Talpepattoe. In many places schools 

 were at a stand. The annual visitation was attended to but 

 with no pleasure ; the natives, especially the chalias, abused 

 and ridiculed. The number of masters and undermasters 

 was 87, of whom but 5 were in Church membership. In 

 1736 the Clergy were at a loss what to do to restore the 

 progress of education, and applied to Government for sup- 

 port and encouragement. There was nevertheless since the 

 last year, an increase of scholars, the total number being 

 4397, of whom 2697 were catechized by native Proponents 

 and school-masters. 



A church and school report, dated 1759, was sent from 

 Galle to the Colombo Consistory with the view of furnish- 

 ing the necessary information in the annual general state- 

 ment of churches and schools, to the East India Company 

 and the Church Assembly in Holland. It is divided into 

 two parts, the former giving an account of the course pur- 

 sued in the work of inspection, and the second a detail of 



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