The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-01-30
HINDU BOYS AT SCHOOL.


winter There is no weekly Sabbath
day. nor are there regular terms and
vacations. But there are holidays of
from one day to a fortnight ut time
during the twelve months OF the year.
Excepting on these days, the schools
keep open all the time.
Each school, or patshala ("lesson
ROOM has only one room for its thirty
or forty pupils. One only teacher.
called the gooroomohashoy venerable
tutor'') is the leader If the whole flock,
but two "head pupils" or best stu
dents. act as his help. The age of the
scholars run from five to twelve years.
Not many girls go to school in India,
and their schools are separate from
those of the bows. Sometimes, when
there is only enc school in the village.
or when the female school is distant.
with the boys. have even seen girl
"head" pupils in boys schools.
There are no stools. benches or tables
in the school-room. The boys sit squat
legged on small mats, OF about five feet
by four. which are spread on the floor
against the walls of the room, leaving
an open space in the center for the
teacher to pace to and fro as he gives
his instructions. The teacher has his
seat. too. at the upper end of the room.
where be reposes and keeps watch
when the BOYS are upon their exercises
of writing and ciphering.
The exercises begin every morning
by an invocat on to the Muse of Learn
ing. the goddess Saraswati. and the re-
cital of the multiplication table up to
twenty by twenty. The teacher leads
tic PRAYER, and the first senior pupil is
followed in the exc csc of the multi
plication table. Then follow the les
sons of the day. which are in rea ling,
writing and arithemetic. The boys are
seated in the order of their seniority as
scholars. Every senior boy is made to
take the recitation Of his immediate
junior in presence and under the guild
ance of the tutor and OF the head pu-
pills: the very beginners. such as are
learning their alphabet or first spell
ings. being given to the charge of the
latter. So there are three recitations
going on at the same time in the one
room. The teacher himself examines
the senior boys, and he also puts ques-
tons to every one by turns. In a
similar manner the boys. under the
eyes OF the teacher. prepare one anoth-
er on the lessons of the next day.
The subjects of study are prose, po-
etry Gncludirg NEUROLOGICAL and other
fables, history, a little grammar, very
little geography. and moral maxims,
calculation, penmanship and letter.
writing, and book keeping
There is no daily change of places
among the boys. but their seats are
fixed by the teacher the first day of ev-
cry month, according to their respective
progress.
The school hours are from six to ten
in the morning. and from three to five
in the afternoon. In the hot climate OF
India very few people work during mid
day, or even 60 out of their homes.
The afternoon session is given largely
to writing and arithmetic.
For writing, paper is used by the adj
vanced scholars, and DIR ed palm leaves
by tn. junior ones. The palm leaves
can be washed clean, aud used over
and over again. Wooden boards, made
in the form of states, and chalk are
used for arithmetical work. The teach
er has big slatc-like board against the
wall at his end of the room, which he
uses when he wants tn show anything
to all the bows, or q large number of
them. But. as rule. he instructs each
pupil on his own slate or books, and 81
the lattcr's own seat. Beginners learn
the alphabet by going over big lette
traced with chalk on the floor by one of
the junior boys.
The afternoon closes, as the morning
began. with parting prayer to the Muse
Saraswati, and fresh repetition Of the
multiplication table.
Deep and sincere reverence for the
teacher is regarded, and is instiiled by
the parents as well Is in the course Of
the lessons. IS the primary proper feel
ing in the life of the scholar, the root
Of all devotion to learning. and . very
essent al element Of success. Each pn-
pill as he comes into school bows down
ct the feet of the teacher, saying: s.Afas-
ter, grant me knowledge" and takes
his seat after having received the tuto-
rial blessing with the words: $50 shall
it be-"
The boy that comes earliest to school
has dot marked against his name for
that day on the roll-book. and each
pupil gets number according to the
order Of bis arrival. Thus the boy that
comes around earliest is marked /; the
next one, 2; and so on. If two or more
come together, they all get the same
mark. When the school is closed for
the day, the teacher calls out the names
of the pupils. and arranges them in tho
order that they came in the morning,
the earliest conner being placed nearest
the door. This fortunate lad gets tap
Of approval from tho cane of the
teacher, and is dismissed first by being
shown the door. The teacher then
strikes the palm Of each Of the rest with
gentle raps to the number Of his mark
that day in the roll -book, and dismisses
one by one in succession. Although
the raps are not hard, by any means,
yet IS the latest boy gets great many
OF them. they leave some impression on
bis mind, il not upon his hand. special
~ - he can not 90 till all his compan-
ions have been away ON the street.
where they may be rushing hither and
fhikhpr after anvpo finn Thia 1iaosu1ino