this public Seminary is growing, has kindly granted the use of a few necessary articles, but provision must be made without delay for a complete set of fittings-up, which should be made either in Calcutta, or at Dacca, for nothing durable in the shape of furniture is procurable at Noakolly. "The Committee and Head Master were without rules of any description. I supplied Mr. Davis, the Secretary, who is very anxious to be thoroughly acquainted with his duties, with information on all the points on which he solicited it, and the Head Master has some experience. But the sooner the provinces of the Local Committee and Head Master are distinguished, the more satisfactory will be the working of the School. I explained that the Head Master is generally responsible for the introduction and maintenance of discipline; and that it is the duty of the Committee to support him in the performance of this part, and to satisfy themselves that it is performed efficiently. 66 Highest Class, Second.-I was surprised to find these boys of the highest class of this newly-affiliated School so far advanced in their studies. I am not without hope that some of them, by close application, and great diligence, may gain Junior Scholarships in 1855. This class contains six pupils, five of whom were present. They are taught by the Head Master, Mr. Gregory, lately Second Master of the Junior School of the Hooghly College, and educated in the Parental Academy of Calcutta. But all the credit, which is considerable, of advancing these pupils in English is due exclusively to Mr. Jones, by whom they were instructed until within the last few days when Mr. Gregory joined. In Bengali they are taught by the Third Master. The standard of the class, which has only lately been commenced upon, is that for Junior Scholarships, although many of the class-books, as Crombie's Grammar, Goldsmith's Essays, Moral Tales, had not been received from the Book Agent. The Oral Reading from the Poetical Reader No. III. was fair, but more strict attention must be paid to pronunciation. The explanation of the several passages of the same book in which I examined them was very satisfactory, and satisfied me that these pupils had been carefully and efficiently instructed by Mr. Jones. The examination in Geography showed that they had a creditable acquaintance with its first principles, and with the general features of Europe and Asia. They were only just commencing the study of Algebra and Geometry, so that I did not examine them in these subjects. But I observed that the working in Multiplication in Algebra of some of them was neat and clean. They have a fair knowledge of Etymology and Syntax. The performances in Translation and Composition were less creditable, showing that they require to be systematically and frequently practised in these exercises. Doorgadoss Roy has the greatest command of the language, but the captain of the School is, at present, I think, Omakant Dey. "Second Class, as it is called.-This class is not one step, but fully two steps, below the one above it in point of advancement. Its standard of study I have placed in the margin. It contains Prose Reader No. IV. Poetical Reader No. I. Dictation. 13 pupils, 11 of whom were present. They are taught in all subjects, except Bengali, which they do not learn, by Mr. Jones. All of those present, with two or three exceptions, are boys of a good age. Their Oral Reading from the Prose Reader No. IV., was middling. They read too fast, and indistinctly, but it is almost impossible for the Master to correct all errors of pronunciation in the din and confusion of this school-house. The explanation of one of the pupils, Ajahchundre Mozumdar, a very sharp and promising little boy, far in advance of his class, was remarkably satisfactory. Two others answered very well. Five were middling, the rest indifferent. The class contains a young Mahomedan of promise. In English Grammar, two passed a good examination, five passed pretty well, whilst four were much less advanced. Four of these pupils worked sums in Vulgar Fractions, and six in the Rule of Three, correctly. The rest failed. The working was neat; and the exercises in writing from Dictation of six or seven were satisfactory. The questions I proposed in Geography were generally correctly and quickly answered. "Third Class, so called.-Though, as a comparison of the two standards of study will show there is a wide gap between this class and the one immediately above it. Indeed this class only reads and explains the English Reader No. I. It contains 17 boys all of whom were present, and is taught, three hours daily, by Babu Gooroochurn Doss, lately a student of the First Class of the College Department of the Dacca College. Six boys are between 13 and 15; the rest are of a fair age. The pronunciation was not very good. The class ought to read Bengali, and be taught Arithmetic and Spelling and Writing, without delay. Fourth Class.-This contains 38 boys, 32 of whom were present. About six are much beyond the age and ought to leave. About 20 are young and promising. They are taught only Spelling, two hours daily. The rest of the time they are idle. It is plain that a different distribution of the duty of instruction must be adopted. As neither the Head, nor Second Master teaches Bengali, and as the number of pupils in the classes at present instructed by them respectively is small, these Masters should teach the First, Second and Third Classes. The Third Master will then be able to devote himself to the Fourth, which contains upwards of half the school, and should have the whole of the time of one Master. This will leave the Bengali of the three upper classes to be provided for, in two of which it is now entirely neglected. Perhaps, as a temporary arrangement, a Bengali teacher might be added to the Establishment, and continued on it until the school shall reach a growth to justify the appointment of a Fourth English Teacher. In the meantime no new admissions should be made, unless the Council are willing to sanction the payment of a supernumerary Teacher for their instruction out of the fees of the new admissions. "Every boy pays a Schooling fee of Eight Annas." |