Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/261

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Beerbhoom Persian and Arabic Schools.
201

Hindu of the brahman caste and six are Musalmans. The following are the castes of the Persian scholars who are Hindus and the number of each—

Brahman . . . 27
Kayastha . . . 15
Kurmi . . . 6
Kaivarta . . . 4
Aguri . . . 4
Suvarnabanik . . . 2
Napit . . . 1
Mali . . . 1
Sutar . . . 1

The following are the average ages of the Persian and Arabic scholars at the three periods formerly mentioned, viz., the age of admission to school, the age at the time the schools were visited, and the estimated age of leaving school :—

Persian scholars . . . . . . 9.5 . . . 13.5 . . . 20.8
Arabic scholars . . . . . . 11.0 . . . 17.4 . . . 21.1

The following works comprise the course of Persian reading, viz., the Pandnameh, Gulistan, Bostan, Payindeh Beg, embracing forms of epistolary correspondence; Insha-i-Matlub, containing forms of correspondence and contract; Joseph and Zuleikha, the history of Joseph; Asafi consisting of odes; Secandar Nameh, poetical history of Alexander the Great; Bahar-i-Danish, tales; and Allami, consisting of the correspondence of Shah Akber, Abulfazl, &c., &c. About one-half of the Persian teachers limit their instructions to the Bostan and Gulistan, and the other, works are more or less taught by the remaining number.

The only works read by the Arabic students are grammatical, viz., Mizan, Tasrif, and Zubda on the inflecsions, and Sharh-i-Miat Amil on the syntax of the Arabic language.

District of Beerbhoom.

This district contains 71 Persian and 2 Arabic schools; of which two villages contain four each, two contain three each, three contain two each, and fifty-three contain one each.

The number of teachers is the same as the number of schools. Of the teachers of the Persian schools, sixty-six are Musalmans and five Hindus; and of the latter three are Brahmans, one is a Kayastha, and one a Daivajna. The teachers of the Arabic schools are Musalmans. The average age of all the teachers is 36.3 years.

Six Persian teachers and one Arabic teacher instruct gratuitously. The following are the modes and rates of remuneration of the remaining number :—

Rs. As. P.
1 Arabic teacher receives monthly wages . . . 7 0 0
2 Persian teachers receive monthly wages . . . 15 0 0
23 Persian teachers receive fees . . . 135 4 0
3 Persian teachers receive monthly wages and perquisites . . . 21 12 0
37 Persian teachers receive fees and perquisites . . . 232 4 6