Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-22
sALARY-HUNT1NG PHILANTHROPY.

SALARY HUNTING PHILANTHROPY.
IF the adherents of the Ramabai deem
our advice as worthy of consideration they
will muzzle the correspondents who write
from Bombay concerning the widow
school. Shortly after the school was
started an American gentleman and lady
visited it, and, upon their return to San
Francisco, stated that the school estab-
of child widows in India had one of the
class it was designed to educate. The
RECORD UNION took the liberty of pub
fishing the fact, believing the information
to be reliable, and it has seen nothing
since to change its opinion. We believed
that the statement was true at the time
it was made, and we are still further con-
firmed in the matter, since it was from a
particularly disinterested source. Shortly
after the publication of the statement we
received letter from party signing her
self Secretary of the Ramabai Association,
in which we were warned to repent, recant
or flee from the wrath to come, as she the
Mrs. Jelliby of Boston, would report US to
the Ramabai Association of that city of
baked beans and sentimental fads.
Being disposed to treat the matter
fairly, we have since endeavored to ascer-
tain the exact status of the school; with
varying success, however, since each state
ment of the number of pupils differs from
its predecessor. A Bombay correspondent
Of Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, at San Francisco
gave us a number, which, being upon the
authority OF one who was absolutely
an occupant OF the building in which the
school was conducted. is deemed reliable.
But the-very next statement contradicted
Sarah D. Hamlin, however, has been the
chief source of information, and from
some letters written by her, recently pub
hshed, we are able to state that on Sep
TENDER 10, 1889, the school contained
twenty-five pupils. Miss Hamlin says
but we are all surprised at Ramabai's
courage and success. The school which
opened with tco or three pupils has reached
in numbers twenty-five" On November
18th Miss Hamlin again writes: ''Why, in
eight months twenty-five pupils have gath
cred around her, all except the twelve
widows paving a slight fee. And these
are bright, intelligent girls, from whom
something good may come in the future
for India. Two Brahmins came here this
morning with little crushed widow, and
said there were FIVE or six whom they
would like to see enter"
Thus we have twenty-five pupils, of
whom twelve are widows, and after the
visit Of the two Brahmins, who came with
a little crushed widow, we suppose there
were twenty-six. The school, at this date
November s, 1880, numbered, say, thirty,
classified as follows: Pupils, 10; widows,
II; little crushed widow, parties whom
the two Brahmins said they would like to
see enter, or g. Total, 81 or 30.
On March ), 1890, the school being one
year old, Miss Hamlin writes: "Ramabai
is at the end of her first year, and l am
sure no one can say it has been otherwise
than successful. She has thirteen widows,
though there have been more, but for va
rious causes they have been taken away.
Two have died-were i'll when they en-
tered. They are all afraid Of the Christian
influence of the school, yet no religion is
permitted to be taught. One Brahmin told
me that he did not wish his daughter to
become a Christian, as it would destroy
her influence among women, and he
wanted her to help other women" At
this date, then, there were thirteen widows
perhaps, including the little crushed
widow, though there had been more, but
for various causes they had been taken
away One of these causes is limited at
"They are all afraid of the Christian infiu-
ence of the school, yet no religion is per-
mitted to be taught" says Miss Hamlin.
Thus in a school where there is absolutely
no religion whatever the Brahmins are
afraid of the Christian influence. 1t ap-
pears, then, that the public school has
achieved all the success it has up to the
present time by absolutely repudiating the
religion of the country which furnishes
the money to carry it on. The projectors
of this school pretend there is Christian
influence in education alone, and yet we
were told that Ramabai herself was one of
the most scholarly of women. She is far,
however, from being a Christian, she is
far more thoroughly welded 20 her Brah-
minism than the members of the Ramabai
Association are to Christianity. She has