Page:Macaula yʼs minutes on education in India, written in the years 1835, 1836 and 1837 (IA dli.csl.7615).pdf/100

Rh their exertions and for their interesting report. I quite approve of what they suggest as to the internal arrangement of the school and the providing of new masters. Masters should be selected with as little delay as possible.

There is little hope that we shall be able to obtain the barracks. We must therefore think of building, and here I would recommend that we should neither build nor clear any land for building, till we have purchased all the ground that we shall want. For if we begin to build before we have bought all the land, we shall find that the price will rise enormously, as the proprietors will know that they have us at their mercy; and I fear that the Hooghly College, being a private endowment, will not be considered by the Government as one of those public works for which individuals may be compelled to give up their land at a valuation.

I approve of what is suggested with respect to the visitation of the College, and I do not object to the proposed name.—[Page 44.] 16th September, 1836.

Persian writing master.—I shall not object if Mr. Shakespear and Mr. Smith think that this master is wanted and that the proposed remuneration is reasonable. I should not have thought that the scientific drawings of a native of this country were likely to be of any value.—[Page 48.]

Lodgings and food for students not to be given by the College.—I am against sanctioning the huts and against building dormitories for poor students. Dr. Wise does not in the least understand our views on these points. I would recommend that he should be distinctly informed that we mean to give instruction gratis, that every rupee laid out in building huts for students or giving food to students is a rupee withdrawn from more useful purposes, and that we desire that he will on no occasion depart from this rule without reference to us.—[Page 50.]

College libraries should be open to the public.—Dr. Wise’s rules seem to have been in the main judiciously framed on the principles laid down by us. With respect to the plan of making our College libraries, circulating libraries, there is much to be said on both sides. If a proper subscription is demanded from those who have access to these libraries, and if all that is raised by this subscription is laid out in adding to the libraries, the students will be no losers by the plan. I should think also that such a system would be beneficial, as it would connect our schools with the best part of the English society at the Mofussil stations. Our libraries, the best of them at least, would be better than any library which would be readily accessible at such a station; and I do not know why