Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/443

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CHAPTER XXI.

Wards' Institution.

This Institution was founded by Government in 1855 or a little prior to that, for the training of the minor heirs of the Princes and Zemindars of Bengal. It was placed under the direct control of the Board of Revenue for the Lower Provinces. Dr. Rajendra Lala Mitra was appointed its Director. The Hon'ble C. E. Buckland, in his 'Bengal under the Lieutenant Governors', says,—"In 1855-56 he" (Rajendra Lala Mitra) "was appointed Director of the Ward's Institute in Calcutta; and some of the Zemindars who were his pupils acknowledge with gratitude the debt they owed to his careful training." In November 1863, Vidyasagar was nominated a visitor of the Institution. On this subject he received the following letter from the Board of Revenue:—

"From
"R. B. CHAPMAN ESQR.
"Secretary to the
"Board of Revenue L. P.
"To
"Pundit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Dated Fort William, the 3rd November 1863.

"Sir,

"With reference to the second paragraph of a letter to your address from the Junior Secretary to the Government of Bengal No 981, dated 5th March