Institution the Patna school had been first considered subordinate. This school was visited by the Inspector in the autumn of 1847, and the following extracts from his Report will serve to shew the condition of the Institution:

One Rupee per
Mensem.

"As might have been expected, from the previous history of this Institution, its abolition as a College in April last, was regarded by the natives with perfect indifference. The same apathy or neglect which they exhibited on its establishment three years ago was shewn on this occasion, and persons at a distance were more interested in the cause of the changes than those on the spot. The alterations that took place were more nominal than real, the removal of a principal for whom there was little or no occupation, and the substitution of School for College in the official returns. It cannot therefore be supposed these slight changes, together with the short period they have been in operation, can have produced any visible effects by which the future may be anticipated, yet what has taken place is decidedly favourable, and leads to the hope that the school will not meet with the same fate as the College. Though no reduction has been made in the amount of the schooling fee demanded, and the education now offered is of a lower standard, yet an increase has taken place in the number of students and the daily average of attendance is remarkably good. Since the first of May two students have obtained employment, two proceeded on scholarships to the Hooghly College, one has died, three have left, and one has been dismissed, whilst to supply their places fifteen new boys have been admitted and the whole number raised to fifty-five. I had intended reducing the schooling fee to eight annas, and thought the present would have been a favorable opportunity, but from enquiries made on the spot, I was induced to think it would have no beneficial effect, because to the class of natives whom we wish to have in the Government Schools, that charge is not too much, and of such persons the city of Patna is chiefly composed. The proportion of Christian to native youths, which has hitherto been so great as to give quite a character to this school, is now considerably decreased, there being but fifteen of the former, of the latter the majority are from the respectable classes, whilst some are of the highest rank, but these unfortunately are so irregular and indifferent to rules that their exclusion from the school will be necessary.

"The three best boys in the school are on the point of competing for junior scholarships, and from my examination of them, I am inclined to think they are more deserving of success than the majority of those to whom scholarships are awarded in the district schools. Their knowledge of Euclid reaches to the standard fixed, but in algebra and arithmetic they are not nearly so perfect-the last subject always has been badly taught in the school-they read correctly, but not with ease, and their explanations are not so satisfactory as could be expected or wished, yet their English compositions and translations are decidedly very good, their answers to a paper on history were accurate and full, being more faulty in judgment than in matter.

"The remainder of the first class consists of four much older and very inferior students, who were examined together with nine much younger boys composing the second class. Their performances lead me to

conclude that the senior students are not capable of receiving any thing beyond a very common education, and that neither next year nor at any future period will they be deserving of scholarships; the younger portion though much their superiors in intelligence, did not pass a good examination in their late studies, simply because the books were too difficult without more explanation from the master than he had time to give the weak points are arithmetic and geography; the strong ones, a very creditable acquaintance with English, the power of speaking, understanding and to some extent of writing it, and most particularly their youth, which bears a very favourable comparison to their progress, and gives promise of their becoming good scholars.

"Taking from the third class two particularly dull young men there remain eight very promising boys, almost children, who read well, understand when spoken to in English, can work sums in compound division, point out the principal places in the map of Asia, and translate easy sentences from English into the vernacular. Mr. Mason, the second master, has taken great pains with these boys, and since my first acquaintance with him has considerably improved as a teacher, yet I think he would do himself more justice with a higher class; he is not suited for explaining to beginners the most elementary things, and is wanting in life and animation so particularly required amongst children; the consequence is, his pupils have no emulation nor confidence in themselves.

"The last class, containing twenty-seven boys in three sections, is also under Mr. Mason. Those in the first section, of whom eleven were present, have a good pronunciation, but can read only with the greatest deliberation and with a total disregard to stops or pauses. In arithmetic some can do simple addition generally, and the others can work the easiest examples only in that rule. Five in the second section could not explain the few sentences they had studied, nor spell the simplest adjectives in their lessons, whilst seven more in the third had learnt so little, during the two months and upwards they had been in the school, as to convince me that two English masters could not perform the whole of the duties."

This school was visited by the Inspector in October last, and the subjoined extract from his report will shew the opinion formed by him as to the proficiency of the scholars.

The Committee recommended the appointment of an Urdu. teacher, but the Deputy Governor was unable to approve of this suggestion owing to the depressed state of the Education funds.

The Local Committee were permitted to renew the lease of the school house for a further period of two years, and the magistrate was requested to employ a few convicts in erecting a fence round the building. No students proved themselves qualified to hold junior scholarships at the annual examination, but this fact is satisfactorily accounted for by Mr. Lodge.

The number of boys borne on the rolls in October last, including three fresh Hill boys, was 117, and considering the falling off in attendance during the year 1845-46, which was accounted for, the state of the Institution fully answered the expectations formed.

The great difficulty experienced in disciplining the Hill boys, and restraining their wandering propensities, led the Inspector to suggest a scheme for their messing under the superintendence of one of the pensioned sepoys, with a view to their being trained in those habits of order and regularity necessary for their well doing in their usual profession as soldiers.

Major Napleton, Commandant of the Hill Rangers of Bhaugulpore, was consulted on this subject, and the favourable opinion expressed by him on the suggestion, as well as his intimate knowledge of the disposition of the Hill Tribes, induced the Right Hon'ble the Governor of Bengal to consent to the experiment.

The necessary expenditure was sanctioned, and it was in contemplation to erect a building, which might serve as a residence for the boys, and to provide them with a cook, a water carrier and other necessary servants. By this means they will enjoy a home at all times, and be no longer, as formerly, reduced to the necessity of following their parents when sent on distant duty to Titalya, Monghyr, Bukowlee, &c. &c., to the inevitable interruption of their studies, and the loss of their acquirements.

The scheme, it is expected, will be found to work well.

The head master, to whose endeavours the Committee and the Inspector had borne testimony last year, was unfortunately absent for a considerable portion of the present year owing to ill health.

The following extract from Mr. Lodge's report, will shew the condition of the school:

"The intimation of the Secretary to the Local Committee to the Government, that this year there would be no candidates qualified to compete for junior scholarships, has not, I trust, led to the belief that there has been any falling off in the acquirements of the senior students of the school. If so, such an idea, in my opiuion, would be an erroneous one, for my impression after examining the first class at the commencement of this month, was, that there were more boys better advanced generally than I had found on any former occasion. It is true none of them are so promising as one or two who were sent some years ago to the Patna College, which may be the reason why they have not been allowed to compete, but, whilst remarking that the students are not more backward than formerly, I wish to be understood, that I cannot consider the scholarship examinations as any guide, either one way or the other, for determining the actual, or relative proficiency of the different Institutions; and since the two schools formerly existing at this station were joined, I have not considered the students as deserving to contend for, still less to obtain, junior scholarships. In the year 1844 there were two boys in the Hill school, whom I examined in some of the higher branches taught

in the Zillah Institutions; one of them is now dead, and the other is the present fifth master at this place; but these at that time were the exceptions, and had none to succeed them; and since then I have not had to examine in the Histories of Greece or Rome, in the higher parts of Geography, in Algebra and but very slightly in Euclid, subjects which make up a great part of the junior scholarship papers; yet last year, to three of the students scholarships were assigned, and the next best boy has lately left, which in some degree has prevented the progress I anticipated two years ago. To this must be added the continued illness of the head master, and his absence altogether for the five months preceding my visit, without any extra teacher to assist in the school, where, from the nature of the students in it, more labor is required from the masters than elsewhere.

"When there were two schools at Bhaugulpore, the number of students in them both amounted to 218; after they were combined, they steadily diminished by five or six a month, till at the close of last year the number was reduced to 111, since then to the end of September, twentyone Hill boys, fifteen Hindus and five Mahomedans have been admitted, whilst twenty-two Hill boys, twelve Hindus and six Mahomedans have left or been dismissed, so that the rolls contained Hill boys 46, Hindus 52, and Mahomedans 16, at the time of my visit. The decrease in the number of Hindus now receiving instruction, and the few who have lately applied for admission, has for some time attracted my attention; and I am inclined to attribute the decrease, in a great measure, to the diminution of a local fund, which at one time paid a far greater number of boys for attending the school than I had been led to expect. Upwards of 80 poor Hindus received support from this fund, and thus a wrong impression as to the demand for education in the neighbourhood has been formed by those who were ignorant of its existence. I am glad to say with the last month the last rupee was expended upon the seven remaining pensioners, and the school will re-open after this vacation without a single paid student. Leaving out the Hill boys for whose poverty and ignorance every allowance must be made, the appearance of the rest neither denotes wealth nor respectability; and I have therefore thought it better to aim at improving the cleanliness of their dress, and to enforce the purchasing of class books, than to introduce the pay system generally. This last, however, has not been neglected, but is gradually progressing, -in October 1846 eleven students paid rupees 3-8 a month; for October 1847 the sum of rupees 14-4, was paid by thirty, which leaves thirtyeight still as free who are liable to payment."

Parbutty, the teacher of the fourth class, was described by Mr. Lodge as inefficient, and it was in contemplation to supply his place by some more able person.