Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/105

Rh familiar with the tables of Bengalee arithmetic. Nothing is learned by rote. Recently young Christian widows, who were themselves educated in the Missionary schools, have been employed as teachers. More than half the girls of the central school are composed of very young children, affording excellent materials for an infant school.

Population.—Burdwan, in proportion to its extent, is considered the most productive and populous territory of India. It is surrounded by the jungles of Midnapore, Pachete, and Birbhoom, appearing like a garden in a wilderness. In the year 1813-14, Mr. Bayley, then Judge and Magistrate of Burdwan, endeavored to ascertain the exact number of inhabitants within his jurisdiction. His first object was to obtain returns of the population of numerous villages and towns situated in the western parts of Bengal, with a view of ascertaining the general average proportion of inhabitants to a dwelling, and from the returns of ninety-eight towns and villages, situated in various parts of the districts of Burdwan, Hugly, Midnapore, Birbhoom, and Jungle Mehals, an average was deduced of five and a half inhabitants to a house, Mr. Bayley next proceeded to ascertain the actual number of dwelling-houses in the district of Burdwan, distinguishing them as occupied by Hindoos and Mahomedans respectively; and the result was that the district contained 262,634 dwelling-houses, of which 218,853 were occupied by Hindoos, and 43,781 by Mahomedans. Allowing five and a half inhabitants to each dwelling, the total population was thus estimated at 1,444,487 persons, of whom the proportion of Hindoos to Mahomedans is as five of the former to one of the latter. Another statement exhibited the total Hindoo population of 26 villages in the district of Burdwan amounting to 40,238, of whom 7,382 males were below sixteen years of age, and 5,208 females were below twelve years of age. Part of the district of Jungle Mehals has recently been united to that of Burdwan, but the population of the former district, which was formed in modern times by sections from the districts of Burdwan, Midnapore, Ramghur, &c., does not appear to have been even conjecturally estimated.

Indigenous Elementary Schools.—Mr. Bayley did not extend his enquiries to the state of education, but Hamilton states that there are few villages in this district in which there is not a school where children are taught to read and write; and that the children of Mahomedan parents receive their education in the common branches from the village school-masters. No detailed account is given of the system of village-schools, but there is no doubt that it is substantially the same as that which has already been described.