The following extract from the Local Committee's Report will serve to shew their opinion as to the discipline and condition of the College: "The number of students on the roll on the re-opening of the College in October 1846, was 240. The number in attendance on closing it last month, was 270. From the numerous applications for admission, lately received, this number is likely soon to be greatly increased. "The attendance of pupils continues very regular and satisfactory. "The work of instruction is conducted without interruption from noise of any kind, the College building having been for some time finished. "The College ground has been levelled and cleared, and now forms a good play ground. "During the year embraced by this Report a new head master has been appointed, and other changes have been made in the instructive force, which, we believe, are calculated to be very advantageous to the Institution. "A separate room has been appropriated to the reception of the philosophical apparatus of the College, which has been in use to illustrate lectures in experimental Philosophy. "The Library has been freely resorted to by those students, who are privileged to have access to it. "We believe that the discipline both of the Senior and Junior Departments has been improved during the year. "The classes of the Junior Department, we are glad to be able to inform His Honor, passed a good examination, with the exception of the third class, Section B, under the master Abdool Luteef. "We are of opinion the defects and faults, noticed in our last Annual Report, are gradually disappearing; but the 4th class of the Senior Department, under Mr. Gunn, passed a bad examination. In valuing the answers in pure Mathematics, the examiner did not take into account the questions, which involve a knowledge of the differential calculus, the subject not being included in the senior scholarship standard. "The history paper for the junior scholarship candidates extended considerably beyond the limits of their standard. In valuing the answers to this paper the Principal found it absolutely necessary to allow for this circumstance." The following extracts from the elaborate Report of the Principal, submitted through the Local Committee, are here inserted, as illustrative of the amended condition of the College: During the year, I have given much attention to the improvement of discipline and although still much may remain to be done, something has, I hope, been effected. Masters in the Junior Department particularly, were in the habit of complaining of the difficulty of controuling their pupils, forgetting at the time that they were only exposing their own want of efficiency. They felt a want of influence without knowing how to acquire it. I believe that many of them have now obtained a command over the will and affections of their pupils by interesting themselves in their behaviour and progress. Teachers in the Government service feel too independent. They receive their pay from the Govern R ment, and are apt to be indifferent about their pupils and their guardians. They are too frequently ignorant of the dispositions of their pupils, of the reasons of their absenting themselves from College, of their guardians' names even, and occupations. I required them to remedy these deficiencies by calling on the guardians of pupils when they are absent, and by making their acquaintance, that they might occasionally report good or bad behaviour, industry, and application or idleness. By asking the masters questions on visiting their class rooms relating to the circumstances of their pupils, I ascertain whether my instructions are attended to. The attendance has been considerably improved by this means. Bad attendance and complaints of want of influence I ever regard as marks of inefficiency in the master. I am aware that influence is too frequently turned into money in this country--but as long as my superintendence continues vigilant and active, I am not afraid of its being thus abused. "In the Senior Department considerable improvement has, I believe, been effected. I never receive complaints from the senior masters, with perhaps one exception, of their being unable to enforce discipline, or to maintain regularity of attendance on the part of their pupils. The petty fines which were imposed to strengthen the hands of the master, and to improve the behaviour of the pupil, were, I discovered, fraught with irritation, and vexation to pupils and parents; and the punishments was open to the serious objection of liability to abuse by pupils to the prejudice of their parents. These, I have, therefore, abolished— and we have never had occasion to regret the measure, or to substitute any other punishment in their place. The moral influence which every master ought to possess should enable him to dispense with all punishments which are likely to be continually in requisition. "I would not, however, have it to be understood that I have never under any circumstances found it expedient to impose a fine. There is a fickleness which marks the character of the Bengallee which needs correction. A prospect of a situation presents itself, a glimmering prospect only, perhaps, the student leaves the College to proceed to Furreedpore, or Commillah, or Sylhet, and after two or three months returns to implore re-admission. To thrust every student indiscriminately, who acts in this way, from the gates of knowledge, were harsh and impolitic. When a culprit, from the progress he has made, or from good natural ability holds out the promise of receiving to the full the good the College is capable of imparting, it seems only wise to afford him another opportunity of study, if this can be done without damaging the discipline. I have thought that the imposition of a heavy fine would suffice to guard against this danger-and have, therefore, where I have been satisfied the withdrawal was one of an excusable nature, and that a return to the College would be followed by great benefit to the seceder, levied in one case a fine of ten rupees, in others of five rupees-in one case, I have insisted on the prepayment of two years' tuition fees, in others of twelve months. But never in cases except where promise of good to the College (that is, to the pupil-for the interest of the College and that of the pupil are identical) is to be read in unmistakeable characters, can pupils be re-admitted who have once left it. The fines imposed in these cases must be heavy in order to guard the discipline from damage, and to prove that the applicant values learning, and promises to benefit by it. The fact of pupils being willing, nay eager, to re-enter the College on these terms, speaks in favour of its popularity. "The conduct of masters and pupils has been generally satisfactorythat of the latter, with the exception of one class, to be commented upon in the report of its examination, "Two hundred and fifty six-students out of two hundred and seventy were present during the examinations, and submitted to the tests. Of the fourteen who absented themselves, some are known to have been absent from sickness, the rest must leave the College. "All the Government prizes, the Ramlochun prizes, as well as those kindly given by Messrs. Commissioners Dunbar and Donnelly have been won, and were awarded this year." On the whole His Honor the Deputy Governor was convinced that increased care and attention on the part of the Local Authorities, as well as on that of the Principal and Masters had been followed by proportionate success in the general working of the classes, and as it is the intention of Government to make over both this and the Kishnaghur Colleges to the Council of Education, it is not unreasonably hoped that the Dacca Institution may eventually afford the means of a really liberal education to the inhabitants of the Eastern Districts of Bengal. C. T. Buckland, Esq., ... ... Commissioner and Sudder Board, Officiating Magistrate. Sheik Obedoollah Khan, Bahadoor, Late Sudder Ameen, now a Pensioner. Principal Sudder Ameen. Ditto ditto. ESTABLISHMENT. ... Head Master. ... Second ditto. ... ...... Third ditto. Fourth ditto. Poornoo Chunder, Muddun Mohun, No report has been received from the Inspector on the condition of this school since April 1847. Mr. DaCosta, the second master, having accepted the appointment of head master at Ramree, the vacant place was supplied by Mr. Lochner. Only one scholarship was available for award at the annual examination, which being declined by Joseph DaCosta, the first in order of merit, was bestowed on Adinath Tewaree, who was directed to join the Dacca College. A proposition for transferring scholarships vacant at other Institutions to the Chittagong school, for distribution to those who had come up to the scholarship standard, was not acceded to by Government. Improvement in the discipline and working of the school was attested by applications for entrance on the part of several of the most respectable inhabitants of the town; and on the whole the Deputy Governor considered the state of the Institution to be satisfactory. R. Watt, Esq., F. Courjon, Esq., H. Roe, Esq., ... Bahadoor, ... ... ... Civil and Sessions Judge. Magistrate. Asst. to Collr, and Magistrate. Agent to the Rajah of Tipperah. Ditto. Moulvee Mahomed Ally Khan,} Chief Sudder Ameen. Golaum Ayeah, Baboo Gour Mohun Roy, Baboo Kalee Doss, Mujoomdar, Muddun Mohun Bysack, Kishen Chunder Chucker-} Officiating Fourth ditto. butty, ... ... Nobin Chunder Banerjee,... Pundit. No Report has been received from Mr. Lodge on this school since February 1847. Three Government Scholarships were available at the annual examination, and two additional given by the Rajah of Tipperah; of these three were awarded to the scholars who had come up to the prescribed standard. The attendance at the school was on a par with the average of former years, and ten boys were removed under the orders of the Inspector for continued irregularity of attendance. On the whole the condition of this school does not appear to manifest much improvement on former years. |