1850.] 



'Education in Madras. 



391 



their several collectorates, specifying the numbers of scholars, Vedas 

 scholars, Soodra scholars, and scholars of all other castes, both male 

 and female, in the several schools ; also of Mussulman scholars ; and 

 a return of the population of the several districts respectively. The 

 Collectors were further required to state the names of the books gene- 

 rally read at the schools, the time which scholars usually continue at 

 the schools, the monthly or yearly charge to the scholars, and whether 

 any of the schools are endowed by the public ; and if so, the nature 

 and amount of the fund. Sir Thomas Munro also observed in his mi- 

 nute, that "when there are colleges and other institutions for teach- 

 ing theology, law, astronomy, &c. an account should be given of them. 

 These sciences," he remarks, "are usually taught privately, without 

 fee or reward, by individuals to a few scholars or disciples ; but there 

 are also some instances in which the native governments have grant- 

 ed allowances in money and land for the maintenance of the teachers." 



M In some districts," he adds, " reading and writing are confined al- 

 most entirely to Brahmins and the mercantile class ; in some they .ex- 

 tend to other classes, and are pretty general among the potails of vil- 

 lages and principal ryots. To the women of Brahmins and of Hin- 

 doos in general they are unknown, because the knowledge of them is 

 prohibited, and regarded as unbecoming- of the modesty of the sex, and 

 fit only for public dancers. But among the women of Rajbundah and 

 some other tribes of Hindoos, who seem to have no prejudice of this 

 kind, they are generally taught. The prohibition against women 

 learning to read is probably, from various causes, much less attended 

 to in some districts than in others ; and as it is possible that in every 

 district a few females may be found in the reading schools, a column 

 has been entered for them in the form proposed to be sent to the 

 Collector. The mixed and impure castes seldom learn to read; but 

 as a few of them do, columns are left for them in the form." 



"It is not my intention," Sir Thomas adds, " to recommend any 

 interference whatever in the native schools. Every thing of this 

 kind ought to be carefully avoided, and the people should be left to 

 manage their schools in their own way. All that we ought to do is 

 to facilitate the operations of these schools, by restoring any funds 

 that may have been diverted from them, and perhaps granting ad- 

 ditional ones, where it may appear advisable. But on this point we 

 shall be better able to judge when we receive the information now 

 proposed to be called for." 



The Court of Directors gave great credit to Sir Thomas Munro 



