"As far as the boys had read they gave a good examination, but none of them knew to write Urdu or Persian and only one or two could write Bengali. No Musalman can aspire to be an educated man who does not know Persian. As to the necessity of learning Bengali, I take the liberty to copy the remarks of Mr. Raikes, magistrate of Mymensing, with which he favored me in a letter dated 28th June 1851. "I take this opportunity of bringing to your notice the very little attention apparently paid by the students of the Mudrissa to Bengali, now all important as the language of the Courts. When Moohuminud Hossein called on me, I had just received two roobacarries by dâk, which I put into his hands and asked him to read. The first, written in an indistinct running hand, he could not read at all, and the second, written as plainly as print, he could only spell through one word at a time. Were he appointed darogah to-morrow, he would not be able to read one half of the numerous perwannahs he would receive daily from the magistrate, many of them containing orders of the greatest impor tance. I have told Moohummud Hossein that he must study Bengali for some months before he will be qualified for Government employ. "You will excuse my troubling you with these remarks, when I mention that I take a great interest in educated natives, and am anxious to have them as my subordinates. There are now three darogahs in this district ex-students of the Dacca College, well educated and very superior men, but they are all Hindus, and I shall be glad to give the next vacancy to an equally well-qualified Moohummudan. "Perhaps, therefore, you will kindly recommend me some young man educated at the Mudrissa, who has no relations or estates in this district, and who can read and write Bengali with facility, and if he behaves well, when in acting appointments, I will promise to provide for him when a vacancy occurs. "In conclusion, I would beg you to remind the young men at your College, that if they wish to obtain Government employ they must practise reading and writing Bengali, the language of our Courts.' 3. "Master Deen Moohummud's class contains 24 pupils, average age about 11 years, most of them intelligent and willing to learn. Many of them know the elements of Persian, and all of them are anxious to learn it along with English. Six of these boys had began Reader No. I, the others were still engaged with the Spelling book; their pronunciation is good. I take this opportunity to recommend that instead of the Spelling book which is now in use the one compiled by Dr. Ballantyne be substituted. The Spelling book in use contains a number of words which the pupil is not likely to hear again. I beg leave to enclose Dr. Ballantyne's Primer for your inspection. "The Anglo-Arabic Department contains in all 90 pupils, most of them young and intelligent. The most advanced pupils were examined by Mr. Woodrow. The others are all newly-admitted boys. This class is therefore still in a state of chaos, and waiting for the orders of the Council to be organized." The following students are recommended by Dr. Sprenger for prizes: In Chooneelal's class: Ameeroollah. In Deen Moohummud's class: Ataoor Ruhman, Moohummud C In the Anglo-Arabic Department. 4th Division: Imdad Ali. 5th Division: Abdool Moogeed. Good conduct prize to Bahahoodeen. Pundit Dwarkanath Sarma, of the Sanscrit College, examinBengali De- ed the Bengali department. The following is his report on the occasion: partment. "The Bengali department consists of four classes. There are 8 students in the first class, 7 in the second, 4 in the third, and 8 in the last. "The pupils of the first class study Betal Punchabinshati; those of the second Bengali Ithihash, those of the third Monorunjun Ithihash, and those of the fourth, Shishooshikha, part 2nd. "The undermentioned are the names of the students I recommend for prizes: "In conclusion, I beg leave to observe that the result is, upon the whole, satisfactory." |