Page:Macaula yʼs minutes on education in India, written in the years 1835, 1836 and 1837 (IA dli.csl.7615).pdf/36

 derable at the Hindu College.—[Book K. page 90.] 5th September, 1836.

''MoorshebadMoorshedabad [sic] Prizes too numerous. Mr. Melville’s proposal for giving Stipends''.—The prizes are too numerous. There are twenty-two prizes among sixty-seven boys. Here, by the bye, I may observe that our orders respecting prizes have been utterly neglected at the Hindoo College. At the late distribution, there were at least ten times as many as ought to have been given. I can vouch, from having examined the first class, that two prizes, at the utmost, would have been sufficient. But to this subject I shall feel it my duty to call the attention of the Committee as soon as I can find leisure, which at present I have not.

I am quite against the stipends. The case is indeed a special case, that is to say a specially bad case. These stipends are mere alms; the conditions for holding them are merely poverty and descent. If it be proper that the members of this family should be pensioned, let them be pensioned. But do not let us mix up these eleemosynary allowances with our system of education. Do not let us discourage the diligent and able student by giving to his fellow students, far inferior to him probably in merit, stipends from which he is excluded by the accident of birth.—[Book O. page 101.] 5th April, 1837.

Prize distribution at the Hindoo College.—I wish to call the attention of the Committee to what passed at the late distribution of prizes to the boys of the Hindoo College. I have several propositions to make respecting that cere mony. At present I only beg Mr. Sutherland to send in circulation our orders about the number of prizes, to inform us whether those orders were communicated to the Managers of the Hindoo College and at what date; and to circulate a statement of the number of prizes given at the late distribution.—[Book K. page 154.] 6th May, 1837.

Prizes given for subjects.—What is meant by a subject? some distinct rule ought to be laid down on that point. But I am quite certain that the number of prizes given at the last distribution was five or six times as great as it would have been if our rule, construed in any manner, had been observed. If I had been consulted I would have given an exceedingly handsome and valuable prize to the first student of the first class. I would have given him, for example, a well bound copy of the Encyclopædia Britannica. To the second I would have given some other valuable book, and I would have given no other prizes. I am satisfied that this course would excite great emulation. As the thing was managed eight or ten students were brought up together and received each a book with-