Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/24

10 village or hedge School-master called a Guru Mahashay. The village system was a brotherhood, it has survived the ruins of Empires, as Lord wrote, "Hindee, Pathan, Mogul, Mahratta, Sikh and English are all masters in turn—but the village community remains the same.” Bengal is an exception.

Mr. Adam calculated there were more than 100,000 of these schools in Bengal and Behar, and that the great object ought to be not to supersede, but to supplement them. He has furnished in his Reports full information of the subjects taught, the teachers’ pay and emoluments, but one peculiar feature in those schools he has omitted—the singular punishments resorted to. We extract from the Calcutta Review No. IV., p. 331, a description of 15 different kinds of punishments used; these, however are now gradually falling into disuse—

“A boy is made to bend forward with his face toward the ground; a heavy brick is then placed on his back, and another on his neck; and should he let either of them fall, within the prescribed period of half an hour or so, he is punished with the cane.

“A boy is condemned to stand for half an hour or an hour on one foot; and, should he shake or quiver or let down the uplifted leg before the time, he is severely punished.

“A boy is made to sit on the floor in an exceedingly constrained position, with one leg turned up behind his neck.

“He is made to sit with his feet resting on two bricks, and his head bent down between both legs, with his hands twisted round each leg so as painfully to catch the ears.

“A boy is made to hang for a few minutes, with his head downwards, from the branch of a neighbouring tree.

“His hands and feet are bound with cords, to these members so bound a rope is fastened, and the boy is then hoisted up by means of a pullypulley [sic] attached to the beams or rafters of the school.

“Nettles, dipped in water, are applied to the body, which becomes irritated and swollen; the pain is excruciating and often lasts a whole day; but, however great the itching and the pain, the sufferer is not allowed to rub or touch the skin for relief, under the dread of a flagellation in addition.

“The boy is put up in a sack along with some nettles, or a cat, or some other noisomenoisesome [sic] creature, and then rolled along the ground.

“The fingers of both hands are inserted across each other with a stick between and two sticks without drawn close together and tied.

“A boy is made to measure so many cubits on the ground, by marking it along with the tip of his nose.

“Four boys are made to seize another, two holding the arms and two the feet; they then alternately swing him and throw him violently to the ground.

“Two boys are made to seize another by the ears; and, with these organs well outstretched, he is made to run along for the amusement of the by-standers.

“A boy is constrained to pull his own ears; and, if he fail to extend them sufficiently, he is visited with a sorer chastisement.

“Two boys, when both have given offence, are made to knock their heads several times against each other.