OF WORK IN INDIAI TO PROMOTE FEMALE EDUCATION. iq REPORT BY MARY CARPENTER. BRISTOL: ARROWSMITH, PRINTER, QUAY STREET. a Bl efaty 4) Bows pa SP BSi et bea REPORT OF WORK IN INDIA TO PROMOTE FEMALE EDUCATION. MARY CARPENTER. BRISTOL: ARROWSMITH, PRINTER, QUAY STREET. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2023 with funding from Columbia University Libraries https://archive.org/details/reportofworkininOOcarp REPORT. A year having now elapsed since an Appeal was made in behalf of a Training Institution for female teachers in India, it becomes my duty to lay before the subscribers to that fund some account of its dis- posal, and of the course which I intend further to pursue in carrying out the object. Having learnt (as stated in my Appeal) that the Indian Government had granted £1,200 per annum for five years for the establishment of a Normal School in Bombay, and understanding that arrange- ments were already made to establish the School, I determined to commence my work at Ahmedabad, where a very strong desire existed for such help. Shortly before my departure the Indian Council granted me free passages for four ladies, viz., for myself, a young friend whom I hoped to make useful in teaching, and for two ladies who expressed a wish to codperato with me in the work ;—for their passage out I had previously arranged. On arriving at Bombay, however, I found that no steps had actually been taken towards the establish- ment of the Normal School, except the engagement of an English Certificated Training Mistress, who was expected shortly to arrive. Finding that it was the wish of the native gentlemen who took the chief interest in that object that I should remain in Bombay to carry out the work, and believing that it should be done without delay in this, the capital of the Presidency, I offered my gratuitous services to the Government, as Lady Superintendent; this was accepted, and I proceeded to arrange for the residence and boarding of the ladies who were to take part with me in the work. The great object in view was, of course, to prepare “native teachers for girls’ schools; but the difficulties to be encountered were great. The social customs of the Hindus make early marriages universal ; between eight and nine years of age, and at latest between ten and eleven, young girls are married, or as we should call it, betrothed, and after that time it is improper for them to be in the presence of the other sex. They are, consequently, commonly withdrawn at that age from school, as there are none but male teachers. From these young ladies therefore it is impossible to look for future teachers ; the widows are those whom it would be most desirable to enlist ;—to fit them for the work, they require both to be educated themselves and to be taught to teach. In order to train any native students in the art of teaching, and to instruct the ladies who went out in the mode of managing schools, it was evidently necessary to have a field of operation. Instead of establishing a girls’ school in which the students might be taught how to instruct a class, as our pupil teachers do in England, it appeared to me best to employ for the purpose any existing schools, the managers of which might wish us to work in them. JI therefore explained my plans to the Hindus and Parsis publicly at the Cowasjee Insti- tute, assuring them that the Government regula- tions respecting non-interference with religion and social customs would be strictly adhered to, that we would do all in our power to help them, but that their codperation would be essential in attaining the great object in view,—the preparation of native female teachers, and the establishment of an institu- tion in which a good system of training might be organised. Having received from the managers of some Parsi schools a request that I would commence the work in those under their care, I visited two which appeared well adapted for the purpose ;—one a large school near the Fort, containing about 200 young Parsi girls, instructed entirely by male teachers, one native female assisting in the needle work;—the other a small one of about 80 girls in a private resi- dence, and instructed by two very intelligent young Parsi ladies, of good families and well instructed, an older woman who had charge of the infants, and a male superintendent, who understood English, As it is provided in the trust deeds of those schools that no English shall be taught in them, it was only through the male teachers, as interpreters, that the instruction could be given, and the method of teach- ing communicated. The necessary arrangements having been made, on the arrival of the training mistress from England, she at once proceeded to the schools, which she attended on alternate mornings, with the three ladies who desired to prepare for future work; she organised the schools as far as possible, and gave lessons to galleries and classes in the English method; these the interpreter repro- duced, and the ladies studied; the native teachers and the English ladies thus gained improvement in the method of teaching. The infant department received special attention, as no approach to the English infant system had yet been made in native schools; young girls of five years of age sat listlessly on benches, often crowded in a small room, for long wearisome hours ;—I was informed that they are often six months in learning the alphabet, from the perplexing looking black board covered with the very difficult Guzerathi letters, whichis placed before them. All the ladies took daily lessons of a master in the vernacular. This plan was carried out until I was obliged by my illness and by other causes to discontinue my work. It was very satisfactory to see a speedy change effected in the schools. The infants, who had hitherto looked dull and listless, were bright and animated when called out by an entertaining lesson with a picture before them, given by the training mistress, or one of the teachers who had learnt her method. One of the ladies was soon able to give a lively counting lesson to an infant class in Guzerathi, while another, who had gained a little previous knowledge of the vernacular, could hear a class read and question them in the meaning, with the aid of a young Parsi widow lady, who had gained some knowledge of English, when accompanying her husband to our country. The Chief of Jumkhundi and his Rane, a Brahmin lady, when at Bombay, visited the schools, and were so much gratified by them, that they placed at my disposal 500 rupees (£50) for their benefit; of this I gave 150 rupees to one of the managers for the purchase of presents, and I reserved 350 rupees, with the consent of the Chief, for stipends to normal students. The Rane sub- sequently sent me 720 rupees for the training during two years of two teachers, for schools she had established in their territory. A similar interest in the work I had undertaken was manifested by a native Prince who visited Bombay. After favouring me with a call, accompanied by the Government interpreter, he sent me 500 rupees with a note which was thus translated :— “The Hon. Miss Many CARPENTER, *T write to you as follows: you spend the whole of your time in philanthropic works, and give encouragement to the noble cause of Female Education. It is really a delightful circumstance. I send herewith rupees five hundred as my contribution to the fund for Female Education, and request your kind acceptance of the same. “ THAKORE of Sunsthan.” The marks of sympathy I received in my work from the Hindus and Parsis were very numerous, and tokens of gratitude were also given to the other ladies who had come over to help them. Many native gentlemen brought their ladies to visit us, and these appeared much gratified with inspecting every part of an English home, and the various treasures I had brought with me. They received with much pleasure small presents sent as marks of friendly feeling by English ladies, and both gentle- men and ladies were greatly pleased to learn the sympathy shown for Hindu women by her gracious Majesty the Queen, in the interview with which she honoured me for their sake;—and they beheld her writing in a highly treasured volume with great interest. The simple fact that they were thought worthy of trouble being taken for them, without any object but their own welfare, seemed greatly to touch their hearts. One widow lady came from Poona to confer with me respecting the training of a mistress for a girls’ school in which she was in- terested. After a long interview she wrote with her own hand in my book in Marathi: it was thus trans- lated by her interpreter :— “ My dearest Miss CarPENTER, “With best compliments, I will never forget the information given by you, and we all, Indian females, are in your debt for ever, for your obligation on them. “ Your true Sister,” A few young ladies who had learnt English in the Alexandra Native Parsi School, the only one in India with which I am acquainted where English is. taught, attended a class at our bungalow every Saturday evening, and showed great interest in their lessons from the ladies. Other classes of native married ladies would have been formed, but for the distance of our bungalow on Malabar Hill from the native parts of Bombay, and a desire seemed springing up among them for instruction. When the Parsi Schools appeared sufficiently organised, the native gentlemen who were most in- terested in the subject began to make enquiries for students; the Viceroy, the Earl of Mavo, had on his visit to Bombay kindly promised one scholarship, and others had been promised by natives. In the meantime I visited various Hindu schools, and after conference with the Students’ Society, under whose charge they were, it appeared that one belonging to Mr. Venayex Sunxerset, and established by his father, was very favorably situated for a model Hindu school, and he kindly promised to make the necessary alterations without delay. I then met a number of Hindu gentlemen at the house of Dr. Armaram Panpurune, who had, from the first day of my landing in India, afforded me codperation, to con- sult them as to the best means of finding suitable students. They thought that the enlightenment of the married ladies should be an object of primary impor- tance, as they would be then able to give encourage- ment and sanction to the widows to come forward. A deputation waited on me the next day of four native gentlemen, one of whom was an editor of the Hindu Prakash, with whom I had become acquainted 10 on my former visit. They stated that six married ladies had already signified their desire to join a class for me to teach them English, as a preliminary to further instruction; that they had arranged that the husband of one of these would attend as inter- preter, and give them also some instruction in the vernacular; they wished to meet me three times a week at the house of Dr. Armaram PANDURUNG, for three hours each time. I willingly acceded to their request, and made the necessary arrangements. The next day, however, in the middle of February, I was indisposed, and as my illness became serious, my work was suspended, and I wrote to the Director of Public Instruction resigning all arrangements re- specting the establishment of a Normal School into his hands. The lady who had on my former visit so hospitably received me in Bombay, removed me to her house, where I received kindness for which I shall be ever grateful, until it seemed best for my complete restoration to return to England during the hot weather, accompanied by my young friend. Early in March one of the ladies proceeded to Ahmedabad to superintend a ladies’ school in that city. Soon after my arrival in Bombay I had re- ceived communications from the principal of the male Normal School, and the native Judge in Ahmedabad, who had before communicated with me, stating that a sum was granted by the municipality for the support of an English lady, who should superin-— tend the principal Girls’ School in the city, and train assistant teachers. This school had been rt established many years before by a native gentle- man, and is now chiefly supported by his widow. The Judge himself soon after called on me to make arrangements. Board, lodging and conveyance to and from the school, with 50 rupees per mensem, or £60 per annum, were provided for her ;—stipends were granted to widows who were ready to devote themselves to the work. One of the ladies who fol- lowed me out to Bombay had previously obtained considerable experience in teaching, by her gratuitous help in ragged and other schools in England, and it was then arranged, with her consent, that she would undertake the work, when she had had three months’ instruction in the vernacular, and experience in organising schools. JI therefore made with him every possible arrangement to promote her comfort when she should proceed there. Ihave recently heard that she is going on successfully, and to the satis- faction of the native supporters of the school; that she has twelve widows training as teachers under her, and that native ladies are desirous of receiving private lessons from her, but that this is more than she can undertake. This report is confirmed by a recent letter I have received from the Director of Public Instruction. The success of this unobtrusive commencement of a Normal School in Ahmedabad exceeds expectation; it is the more satisfactory as the two great difficulties have been surmounted by the native inhabitants themselves,—the support of the school from their own funds, and the finding of native widows who desire to be trained as teachers. 12 The other lady who went out, having no engage- ment, received from me money to pay her expenses. home; she has subsequently, however, received an appointment from the Government to a school in Poona. The Training Mistress remains in Bombay, under the sole direction of the Director of Public Instruction. His Excellency, the Governor of Bombay, kindly permitted me before my departure to defer any formal resignation of my duties as Lady Super- intendent, until after my return from England. Though my health is now re-established, and indeed better than before my last visit to India, yet past experience leads me to think that it would be imprudent for me again to expose myself to the anxieties of an official position, and that I may do even more for the advancement of female education by private work and influence; I have therefore respectfully tendered my resignation, and sha'l thus be free to promote the great object, wherever and however may seem best. . It is my intention to return in October next to Bombay ; there I must arrange for the safe disposal of my pictures, books, and small museum, with other property, and much school apparatus and illustra- tive engravings, which were temporarily deposited, through the kindness of the Committee, in the Cowasjee Institute. Some of these last I hope to make useful in the Ahmedabad School,—the first institution of the kind in the Presidency,—to which I hope shortly to proceed. After this I propose to 13 spend the cool months in visiting such places in the North-west and the Punjab as may desire my pre- sence, returning by Scinde, where quict but earnest efforts are already being made for female education. As every part of India has its own peculiar wants in this matter, I shall be able to learn from personal communication in what way help will be most useful. My past experience leads me to believe that Bombay itself is not only the most central, but the most prepared place, for future work. There I should desire to deposit permanently the works of art and other things which I took out for the benefit of the women of India. But a great difficulty exists in the want of a suitable building for the purpose, or even a private house, in a situation both healthy for an Englishwoman, and convenient for the native ladies. I could not procure such an one, or hear of any one which could be obtained, while in India, nor do I even know where to find a suitable residence for myself ;—without this, it is evidently impossible that any work can be done by me. It will appear from the circumstances which I have here stated, that only a small part of the money which has been contributed has been spent. Part of it was given by friends for my own personal expenses in the work, which exceed my private income. I have however preferred not to employ this, but to vest £1200 at interest, that money may be ready whenever a definite object presents itself. This may be the erection of a building devoted to female education, as was done by the late Mr. Burnuns at Calcutta; this 14 appears a great desideratum at Bombay, and is in fact essential to the work. In conclusion, I trust that the kind sympathy which has hitherto been given, will continue to be extended tome. I believe this to be a most impor- tant work, for experience has shown that there can be no great progress in the schools until there are good female teachers in them, and it is only by the elevation of the women that real and permanent progress can be made in India. This is now under- stood and strongly felt by a sufficient number of educated native gentlemen, to give ample encourage- ment in the work. By such, the assistance of well- educated English ladies is much valued, if a confi- dence exists that there will be no interference with religion or social customs. They are pleased for us to live a Christian life among them, though they do not wish us to teach them the tenets of Christianity. Many true helpers will I trust in due time arise to take this department of our work in India, as numbers of excellent women have hitherto devoted themselves to labour in other fields in this important part of the British Empire. May the Heavenly Father’s blessing be upon us all, and may whatever we do be to His glory! Bristor, September 2nd, 1869. LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS. AMMEN OTIC ese | ses flee vse ewe, URIS Anonymous (Stamps)... Mr. Allen, Tenby ... Miss Allen, Tenby Lord Amberley ee Mrs. Armstrong, Lancaster aes Ditto (nd Donation), sesme omnes: HUTS BOS DIAN LLACKTCY! 00 .coumeet MMe UE coe Dr. Barham (the late), Newton ... ... s+ see ili, 1B ayes dee ope | epoe wood ccc Con» one Mr. Besser, Trowbridge ... ss. sae Rey. G. D. Boyle, Kidderminster oft Dr. Blakeston (per Miss Corlett) ... ... Mr. Robert Bright, Leigh, near Bristol The Misses Bright, Malvern Mr. W. Browne, Westwood, near Tage Mr. J. Browne, Bridgwater Miss F. Browne, _ ditto ae Mrs. Wm. Browne, Bridge Mrs. Brown, Wareham... Mr. and Mrs. 8. W. Brogno, Clifton... Mr. Bremner, Manchester ... 2. ‘ses see «eco IE es AE GM, Taye GHD. och! CGE. Q00 4 OA peboo | Gco Mrs. Bull, ditto Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Deamants Belfast Miss Carpenter, London eat Messrs. Carpenter and Westley, Londons a Dr. Carpenter, ittoves.cmmiece a SFO EO FOO FO FO 1 O72 OO FSS ROEO POMS O FO LON ORO EOrOLrO enor: cocoococoooocoooseoooocoocosooooocooocoo = 16 Rev. R. L. and Mrs. eg Bridport... Mrs. Carter ... Sey ada Mr. J. Bonham Caner, Lennon Mrs. Carroll, Longford oer Mrs. Clark, Edinburgh Wire Wir COBLersctmnscstmnas <1 mnecs The Misses Cogan Lady Coltman (per Mrs. Driineady Mrs. Colfox, Bridport ... Se Vine De COLO xammOlLlO mie stmnsee INIT Wie COLMLOKs GULLO umes. coe Nee ee Lady Croftor, Winchester ... 2...” Mr. Curnock, Bristol’... ... 4 Mr. and Mrs. Dickenson, Jun., en Mr. W. S. Downes, - ditto Lord Dufferin, ditto The Misses Edwards, Clifton Lady Elgin Mr. W. Enfield, Noeiaarkam: Mrs) Bvanss) Ondo =)... -s.cnmlecstnes semece Mx, Fe billitersViarenant W.cm «ce eee eee Mrs. Filliter, London ... Miss Francis.. i. Mr. J. H. Pitadaen (ae Rev. W. bane “6 Mrs. Paul Fisher, Sheffield... .0. ... Mr. H. Fordham, Royston ... 06 A Friend (per Mrs. Pearson) Ditto (per Rev. W. James) ... Ditto (per Miss Winkworth) Ditto (per Rev. R. L. Carpenter .. Dittoy at) Belfasts'0...° 2.38 cen scetmmers The Gilchrist Trustees REA «AAA eee Mrs. F. Grant, Manchester ... Miss Greeny Chester o.s1> .<- "testes. Rev. R. H. Gibson, Manenestere sas Mr. Hawkins, Trowbridge ... ..6 «+ Mr. R. Heywood, Bolton Pais Mr. cAt Hey wood iscrtievs tease Uticecietees immCRe Mr. Lawrence Heyworth, Liverpool... ... Mr. James Heather, London ... 11. eee see eee Arrant aranaoaana ft (foley) & ao w be SSO S16. Corer CS. Oo SO 6S So 8 SIO OC oC OO OC COC Por sooo oaoe Oooo o OOOO SC OOO OOOO OOOO OSO oO SO Ooms oo oo 17 Mr. Commissioner Hill, Bristol... Mrs. Houston, Belfast... Miss Humble, Chester.. Mrs. Charles H. James, er Miss A. J. Johnson, London Rey. J. Kenrick, York ... ... Miss R. Kenrick, Edgbaston Miss A. Lawrence, Leamington ... Ladies of Lewin’s Mead Congregation Lewin’s Mead Girls’ School Mr. C. Lumb, Cheltenham ... Mrs. Sergeant Manning, London Miss Manning, Clifton... sae Mrs. H. Martineau, Ambleside ... ... Mrs. R. Martineau, Bury St. Edmunds Mrs. and Miss Martineau, London Mrs. Melly, Liverpool ... Mr. E. 8S. Mercer, London ... Mrs. Michell, Bridgwater Mr. J. S. Mill, Blackheath ... Colonel Morrison, London ... Mrs. Needham, ditto Miss Florence Nightingale, London . Lady A. Noel, ditto Mrs. Norris, Clifton Mr. Clarkson Osler, Birmingham INUISS LON et BI Deco. Teco Base ace Mr. H. A. Palmer, London... a Mr. Abel Peyton, Edgbaston ... ... Mr. R. Pett, London ... ... Miss Phillips " Mr. R. N. Phillips, Maneater sec W. Price, Esq., M.P., Gloucester Mr. J. Proctor, Clifton... 50, Obs Mrs. Rathbone, Liverpool ... ... «.. Mr. Joseph Reynolds, Clifton Mrs. Reynolds, ditto Mrs. J. Robberds, Liverpool Mrs. Rowland, Neath ... Mrs. F. 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