Page:Macaula yʼs minutes on education in India, written in the years 1835, 1836 and 1837 (IA dli.csl.7615).pdf/61

Rh the Sub-Committee should be instructed to make no arrangement which may cause an increase of charge, without a reference to the General Committee.—[Book O. page 15.] 9th June, 1836.

Meerut School Examination.—Highly satisfactory. I see the Local Committee ask for a Master in the Vernacular language. I would allow them one, and let them chusechoose [sic] (sic) him. I should be obliged to any gentleman acquainted with that part of the country, who would suggest what he thinks would be a reasonable salary.—[Book K. page 121.] 30th January, 1837.

The Meerut Committee suspend Mr. Halford for causing two European boys to be punished.—I would instantly expel the offending boys. I must own that I think Mr. Halford’s conduct by no means inexcusable. If any power of correction at all be given to a master, this is one of the cases in which the exercise of that power seems to be justifiable. If the Local Committee think that the transaction is likely to make Mr. Halford’s services less useful at Meerut, I would find another situation for him. But I really do not think that what has passed, is morally discreditable to him: nay, I do not think that it ought to lead us to pronounce him an indiscreet person.—[Book N. page 91.] 15th May, 1837.

Transfer of Masters from one place to another.—I do not very strongly object to Mr. Sutherland’s proposition about this difficult matter. But I cannot help feeling that we are a little too indulgent to the whims of the people in our employ. We pay a large sum to send a master to an up-country station. He dislikes the place. The Collector is uncivil; the Surgeon quarrels with him: and he must be moved. The expenses of another journey have to be defrayed. Another man is to be transferred from a place where he is comfortable and useful. Thus we have a collection of rolling-stones which, as the proverb says, gather no moss. Our masters run from station to station at our cost, as vapourish ladies at home run about from spa to spa. It is desirable to make a stand. It does not much matter whether we make it on this occasion. But it must speedily be made. All situations have their discomforts: and there are times when we all wish that our lot had been cast in some other line of life or in some other place. But necessity forces people to make the best of what they have got; and they become contented because it is of no use to them to be otherwise. I fear that we encourage our masters to be capricious and fastidious; and I think that we should b8 wiser if we were a little more hard masters.

Now would Mr. Pereira like the change? His taste surely ought to be consulted as much as Mr. Halford’s.