Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/104

84 dice, and over it a light white robe. Their jet-black hair is braided, or gathered into a mass back of the left ear, and adorned with flowers, of which they are passionately fond. In quickness, they are equal to children of the same age in any land. Every day the native teacher or his assistant goes to the houses of his pupils to send or bring them to school.

The missionary himself does not attempt to teach in these schools, but oversees and instructs the teachers; if married, he has the assistance of his wife in the management, instruction, and oversight of the girls. Their studies are largely scriptural. After learning to read, and at the same time to write, they commence with simple catechisms and Scripture narratives, advancing to the Gospels, Psalms, arithmetic, and geography, with sewing. The teachers, generally men, because the women of the present generation are untaught, are paid from two to four dollars a month; the assistants or monitors, from one to two dollars.

When the text for the day had been repeated, a few questions were asked, to see that its meaning had been understood, a few words of exhortation were given, and prayer offered in the Tamil language. The school then divided into