Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/49

Rh est permancy of that rule; and the Educational system introduced into this country by the new rulers sought to secure this acquiescence by capturing the will, the intellect and the imagination of the people. Education, thus is an instrument by means of which the Government has sought to consolidate its power and perpetuate its authority. In self-governing countries where the interests of the rulers and of the ruled are identical, the education that is imparted is necessarily of a highly ennobling kind. It kindles patriotism, refines sentiments, strengthens moral sense and stimulates all the latent powers of the soul. But the education, which India has received during the last hundred years and more has been quite of a different nature. It has taught us to disbelieve our religion, disrespect our social order and even to disobey our parents. It has perverted our patriotism, has made materialistic our outlook of life and by causing us to neglect our ancient history and culture weakened our moral stamina and all but broken our national back-bone. But this is not all. The medium of the English language has put a crushing burden on our students. Add to this the mental isolation of those, who were appointed to fix the curriculum and one can easily understand how the hobby-horses of various Directors and Senators have mined the youths of this country. Education, to be useful must be in the hands of the Nation's chosen leaders. Alien Bureaucrats and uns3mipathetic Missionaries have no right to shape our mental and moral equipment. They would, no doubt encourage the production of a class of well-trained clerks, obedient, loyal, quiet, submissive and single-minded in the discharge o£