Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/271

228 and affectionately, some with the address of 'mother,' some with 'sister', some with 'aunt'. On one occasion, Raja Dinkar Rao visited the school in company with Vidyasagar, and gave 300 rupees for distribution of sweets to the pupils. Cecil Beadon, the president of the School Committee, was afraid that the eating of a large quantity of sweets might generate their disorder of bowels. He forbade distribution of confectionery. Vidyasagar then determined to give them clothes, instead of sweetmeats. He consulted his mothers, sisters, and aunts, all of whom liked the idea. Accordingly he gave them each a piece of fine, Dacca-made Sari (female cloth). Even after he had given up his honorary office of the Secretary, Vidyasagar had the school most at heart. But subsequent difference of opinions with respect to mode of instruction made him, in his later days, averse to the institution.

As Principal of the Sanskrit College, Vidyasagar introduced another great innovation into the institution. Heretofore, the students of the College were all free, that is, they had to pay no tuition-fee. Vidyasagar saw the injustice of the practice. His idea was, that only poor boys, who were unable to afford to pay tuition-fee, should be permitted to read free, and not the sons of well-to-do families, who had sufficient means to pay. Besides, he was afraid, that unless some fees were realised from the students, the authorities, at any