“That it be also an object of this Society to select pupils of distinguished talents and merit from elementary and other schools, and to provide for their instruction in seminaries of a higher degree; with the view of forming a body of qualified teachers and translators, who may be instrumental in enlightening their countrymen, and improving the general system of education. When the funds of the Institution may admit of it, the maintenance and tuition of such pupils, in distinct seminaries, will be an object of importance.”
In 1821, it had 115 Vernacular Schools, containing 3,828 scholars, under its patronage, i.e. it gave books, examining and superintending the schools by its officers and agents. In 1823, they received a monthly grant of Rupees 500 from Government, and worked admirably until 1833.
Adam’s Report, pp. 21, 22, 23, gives a fuller detail respecting it.
In 1819, the London Missionary Society directed its attention to Vernacular schools, “impressed with a sense of the exceeding great importance of well conducted schools in this country.” They established them in 1820 at Chitla and other places in the neighbourhood of Tallygunge, but there were strong prejudices at that time amongst the natives against attending schools where the Scriptures were read. Still in 1820 a Vernacular School attended by 25 boys was opened in a bungalow chapel at Kidderpore.
The Calcutta Church Missionary Association had for many years 600 children under instruction in their Vernacular Schools in Calcutta. The Baptist Missionary Society had also several hundreds.
In 1821, the Calcutta School Society transferred some of its schools to the Church Missionary Society, and Mr. Jetter became Superintendent of them. An examination of 600 boys took place in 1822; Sir E. H. East, the Chief Justice, who was one of the founders of the Hindu College, presided. Mr. Jetter states, in 1822, that the mention of the name of Jesus in a book has kept several boys away from school; that on introducing writing by dictation into a class, he offered one boy a tract as a prize for his good dictation,—the boy flung it on the ground saying it contained the words of Jesus Christ. In one of Mr. Jetter’s schools, the teacher objected to instruct the boys out of a book in which the name occurred, on which a Brahman stood up and said—do not be afraid, I have read the book, and am not a Christian: this gave confidence, and the book was read. The Church Missionary Association in 1824 took the greater part of these schools under their management. In 1825 Mr. Reichardt, on every Saturday evening, explained to the pundits the books taught by them in the schools: their attention is increasing, and their inquiries often lead to important discussions; they are alternately instructed in the scriptures, the catechism, and geography; one of them reads a sentence, after which he asks the other
