Page:General report on the public instruction in the lower provinces of the Bengal Presidency (1844-45).djvu/11



the 15th June the Supreme Government sanctioned the appointment of an Inspector of Colleges and Schools in the Lower Regulation Provinces. The necessity for this arrangement had been repeatedly and strongly urged by the Council of Education, and the experience of past years had left no room to doubt that without regular, strict, and systematic supervision by a responsible and highly qualified officer, having his attention directed to no other object, the means appropriated for the education of the people could not be applied with a prospect of adequate success. Mr. Ireland, the Principal of the Dacca College, who was employed last year to inspect some of the Zillah Schools, and had performed his duty in this, as in other respects, in an able and satisfactory manner, was selected to fill the situation of Inspector; and on the death of this deserving officer which took place in August, Mr. E. Lodge, Principal of the Agra College, was nominated to succeed him. Mr. Lodge entered upon his duties on the 27th November, and extracts from his first reports will be found in the Appendix No. 5.

The appointment of an inspector rendered it necessary to modify in some degree the functions of the Local Committees. The Circular Order of the 25th July 1844, No. 16, conveying the intimation of these changes to the several Committees will be found in the Appendix No. 1. Opportunity was also taken to explain the general views entertained by the Government on the subject of education, which may be gathered from the annexed extract:—

The principal objects had in view by the Government, to the accomplishment of which your efforts will be mainly directed are,

1st. The provision of means for imparting a high standard of moral and intellectual education through the medium of English in the Colleges of Dacca and Moorshedabad, as well as at any other institutions of a similar character which it may hereafter be expedient or practicable to establish.

2nd. The acquisition by the students, at the same time, of a sufficient mastery of the Vernacular to enable them to communicate with facility and correctness in the language of the people the knowledge obtained by them at the Central College.

3rd. The extension of the means of instruction in the zillahs by the

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