Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/458

 368 EARLIER INDIAN SPEECHES

abuse of terms to call such men teachers. A scholar's childhood is the m6st important period of life. Know- ledge received during that period is never forgotten. And it is during this period that they are helped the least, and they are shoved into any so-called school.

In my opinion, if in this country, instead of devoting our pecuniary resources to ornamenting our schools and colleges beyond the capacity of this poor country, we were tc devote them to imparting primary education under teachers who are well trained, upright and sobered by age, in hygienic conditions, we should in a short tune have tangible results. Even if the salaries of the teachers in primary schools were doubled, we could not obtain the desired results. Paltry changes are not enough to secure important results. It is necessary to alter the framework of primary education. I know that this is a difficult subject. There are many pitfalls ahead, but its solution ought not to be beyond the power of the Gujarat Education League. It ought, perhaps, to be stated that their is no intention here of finding fault with primary school teachers individually. That they are able beyond their capacity to show us results, is a proof of the stability of our grand civilisation. If the same teachers were properly fitted and encouraged, they could show us undreamt-of results.

It is, perhaps, improper for me to say anything about the question of compulsory education. My experience is limited. I find it hard to reconcile myself to any compulsion being imposed on the nation. The thought, therefore, of putting an additional burden in the shape of cumpulsory education worries me. It appears to be more in keeping with the times to experiment in free and voluntary education. Until

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