The following are extracts from the Inspector's Report:

"A conjunction of several circumstances makes the present an unfavorable time for reporting upon this Institution. For many months it has been without any head master, and left entirely in the hands of two inexperienced native teachers, and previously it was superintended by a person who though not without some skill as an instructor was from character and conduct, which finally led to his dismission, an unsafe and improper person for the post. During the interval that followed until the present head master arrived, which was only a few weeks ago, an indiscriminate admission of more than seventy students took place, increasing the numbers borne on the rolls to one hundred and thirty. These admissions arising from the discontinuance of a free school in the station consist of students of every age and at various stages of education, whose classifications of reading were arranged rather according to their own demands, than to the judgment of the masters. They seem, in fact, to have taken the school by storm, stipulated upon the conditions on which they would remain, and on the discipline which should in future be observed. I found it necessary at once to dismiss six young men, to degrade two others who instantly withdrew, to strike off the names of many who purposely absented themselves in consequence of my visit, and to record some as withdrawn, who had not been in attendance for many months, and I ultimately left upon the registers the names of one hundred and four with a daily average attendance of ninety. It must not be thought that any strict standard has been observed as to age and proficiency, such as are used in larger and more firmly established Institutions; for such would have reduced the numbers by more than one-half; but considering the circumstance of a great number of half-educated youths being suddenly deprived of the education they had been led to expect would have been completed, and the wishes of the local authorities, who have contributed so much towards this Government school, I ventured to exercise my judgment in allowing all to remain who shewed any symptoms of future proficiency or improvement, and consequently in the lower classes there are many whose right to be there is only doubtful.

"In ascertaining the attainments of the students, I necessarily found it difficult to determine where the blame for their defects ought to be laid, if on themselves or on the masters in the free school or on the Government teachers, but wherever it might be, I have considered it best to make allowances and give a further trial. I would observe that the standard of the highest class is very low, not only in consequence of there being no head master, but because the five most advanced students have lately withdrawn, four of them upon scholarships at the Kishnaghur College. During the whole of my visit I was not only occupied in examining the students, arranging their studies, watching and directing the masters, but had also the entire instruction of the first class, by which means I was able to form some opinion of their capabilities for receiving learning. Excepting one boy out of the eight in the class who has youth and industry in his favour, the rest are old, heavy, and backward, so much so that all thoughts of their competing for junior scholarships at the next annual examination must be abandoned, and, if qualified to do so the year after, their advanced ages will be a great objection.

“The second class now containing seventeen pupils, whose ages vary from fourteen to seventeen years, are just entering upon the studies assigned for the second class of a junior school department; and consequently their proficiency is between two and three years behind what it ought to be. A few of the boys are intelligent and promising, but the greatest inequality and confusion exist in their attainments, which will be a source of inconvenience to their teacher; some having read the histories of Greece and Rome, who cannot do a sum in simple division, and others, who have advanced considerably in arithmetic, cannot express five words of English correctly. The third and most valuable class has 23 boys, the majority of them young, these are at the commencement of every subject, having merely learnt two or three pages of geography, two or three of English grammar, simple addition, &c. The last class in two sections has 56 students; and amongst them many of thirteen and fourteen years of age, who can do nothing more than spell a few easy English words, and repeat small portions of the multiplication table. From some of these I demanded a schooling fee of one rupee as the condition of their being allowed to remain in the school, and for the purpose of meeting the expense of one additional master. It will be necessary on my next visit to give this school a further weeding, particularly in this lowest part, as I cannot expect all the older boys to make satisfactory progress; but as I have said before they have been allowed a trial to satisfy the residents, and because the removal of all at once would have been too great a shock for the school to sustain.

"I had to comment severely upon the dress of the students, and upon the slight restraint they put on their manners and habits. They were as free in the school room as they could be in the jungles, and were some times so offensive as to interrupt the teaching of a class; but I hope in future no visitor to the school will, in this respect, find them offensive.

"As I have recommended in my letter, No. 27, dated February 1848, two more teachers are required, and until their arrival the head master is obliged to instruct the first and second classes, besides the general management, whilst the third master has the entire teaching of 56 boys; tasks quite impossible, they can perform well. Many of the native residents I found rather clamorous for the appointment of a pundit; but upon the principle of their admitting that the present native teachers were able to instruct in common Bengallee but not in Sanscrit grammar, I considered they were able to teach the Vernacular to the extent contemplated by the Government, though they were informed that should they be so anxious as to raise funds for paying the salary of an able oriental scholar, there would be no objection to attach him to the school, subject to the same rules and authorities as the Government masters."

This school has realized the expectations created regarding it last year, under the unremitting interest exhibited in its behalf by Mr. Trevor, the Joint Magistrate, and the attention to their duties displayed by the masters. The head master, Pearicharan Sircar, is very well spoken of by Mr. Trevor in his report. At the annual examination, junior scholarships were awarded to Rajkissen Mittra, Dinonath Ghosal and Khettra Mohun Mukarji, tenable at the Kishnaghur College. Ninety-three boys are now in attendance at the school, which is held within the jail. It is, however, in contemplation to erect elsewhere a building suitable for the purpose.

A request was forwarded to Government by the inhabitants of certain villages in the Baraset district, soliciting the assistance of Government towards the establishment of another English school; but owing to the low state of the Education funds, it was deemed inexpedient to accede to the above request.

Χ

The new school house has been finished since the last report, and the school was removed there early in the spring.

The number of boys borne on the rolls at the close of last year was about 113, which is a considerable falling of since the previous return, and is mainly owing to the demand of a schooling fee of one rupee a head, levied in accordance with the instructions of Government. Satisfactory progress has however been made by several of the classes, and the Institution will henceforward be placed under the superintendence of the Inspector.

The numbers and attendance at this school continue to be remarkably good, but with reference to the former it has been thought expedient to limit the full number to 200, which will give an average daily attendance of about 180 boys. This, it is calculated, will be full as much as one head master and four assistants can properly superintend.

Five students competed for junior scholarships, of which four were awarded to Kalipada Chatterjee, Umeshchunder Ghose, Nabakissen Mukarji and Gopinath Mukarji, who were permitted to hold them at the Hindu College.

Obhoycharan Banerji was appointed as fifth master in August last.

An upper story has been built over the school for the residence of the head master, who will thus be enabled to devote more of his time to the school, and exercise a more immediate superintendence over it, than if he resided at some distance.

His efforts and qualifications are well spoken of by the Committee.