Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/225

Rh It thus appears that 401 teachers receive in all rupees 1,297-4-9, averaging to each rupees 3-3-9 per month. At the time I visited this district I had not adopted the practice of noting the different sorts of perquisites received by teachers, every thing coming under that denomination being recorded in one sum.

Regarding the school-houses of this district, I shall transcribe only a few of my notes which appear to contain any thing peculiar or characteristic. In one village the school-house was built by the teacher at a cost in money of rupees 1-4, with the aid of his pupils who brought materials from the jungle. In another the school-house was built by the scholars at a cost of rupees 1-8, in addition to their own labour. The house is thatched, and the walls consist of branches and leaves of the palm and sal trees interlaced. In a third the scholars assembled in the village place of worship, and they were engaged in building a school-house with thatched roof, beams and rafters, and mud- walls, which was expected to cost in all about rupees ten, besides their labour. Several school-houses are noted as having been built by subscription amongst the parents. Baithak-khanas, kachahris, store-houses, verandas, shops, and temples, are used here as elsewhere. The temples consecrated to, the Judge of the Departed, the of Hinduism, I have found frequently used as school-houses in this district in consequence of the extent to which the worship of that deity under the title of Dharmaraj prevails.

In 412 schools the total number of scholars is 6,383, giving to each school an average of 15.14, and the average age of the whole number at the time when the different schools were visited was 10.05 years. The age of entering and the probable age of leaving school were not ascertained in this district.

Of the whole number of scholars, 3 are Dhangars, a tribe of Coles; 3 are Sonthals, another forest tribe; 20 are Christians, the children of native converts taught in a Missionary school; and 232 are Musalmans. All the rest, amounting to 6,125, are Hindus, and the number of each Hindu caste is exhibited in the following list:—