Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-14

British who are collecting the taxes and ad-
ninistering all matters o. importance in
Egypt today. In addition 70 these there ara
about one thousand schools supported bv
the Copts. WHO. 10y the way. are the most
intelligent II the native population
Egypt was very tlli' rate when the British
took hold OF the administration. and even
now not more than six or seven per cent
OF the natives can read and write. Tho de-
sire for learning is increasing however. and
the system of common schools which has
been inaugurated is being rapidly developed
There are now over ten thousand schools IN
the country. with something like twenty
thousand teachers and perhaps Quar.-r Of
million pupils. Thera are number II
private schools, several normal schools and
also schools devoted to special tra.u.rg. In
the last few years system of technical
education has been inaUgGrated. and tna
government now has model workshops at
Boulac and Assout, 1t has n school ~ ag-
riculture here at Cairo, a school Of engineer
Ing and schools of law ana medicine
The Village Schools.
An important movement las been III IN
PRODUCTION OF modern studies into the VII
lage schools belonging to the Mohamme-
dams These were formerly, and are 10 some
extent now under the university of El-Az-
har. They were connected with the mosques
and were taught by Mohammedan priests
They were supported by the people them
selves, and also by n Mohammedan re-
ligious organization known rs the Wakf,
which has an enormous endowment. There
are something ike ten thousand OF ulese
schools here and there over the lower part
Of the Nile valley. and they had an attend
ance OF something like two hundred thou
sand They taught little more than tho
Arabic language, the Koran, and rea ling,
writing and arithmetic. Lord Cromer want
ed to bring these schools under the ministry
Of public instruction and introduce our mod
ern studies He tried to force the teachers
to come under him. but they refused. He
then offered to give every mosque school
that would come In an appropriation OF 80
cents for every boy and * cents for every
girl and this has apparently solved the
problem. The village schools are rapidly
adopting modern methods.
Already 5000 of them are subject to tho
government and within short time they
will all be under the immediate direction
OF its educational department At present
1t is necessary to handle them carefully
and to make the religious studies among
the most important Now the half OF each
school day is set apart for the study OF the
Koran and the precepts of Islam, and I am
tod that such of the Mohammedan scholars
as do well are more likely to get appoint
ments under the government than II they
were Christians or CoptS.
Female Education.
The girls of Egypt are beginning to 60 TO
school. For long time It was hard to
persuade their parents to send them either
to the government schools or private
schools, but of late some OF the native
educated women have been given places as
teachers and many girls are now preparing
themselves for school work. Other parents
are sending their daughters to school to
give them a good general education, as the
educated boys want educated women for
wives. There are at present something
like 1000 girls schools. movement IS
prntn m n Itch
for girls. and the time will come when
there will be girls schools all over Egypt
and the Mohammedan women may become
educated.
Benevolent Egyptians.
We are apt to>tts,nk that the only char
ity is Christian charity. iins that there
is Mohammedan charity as well, and- Inc {
many OF the richer Moslems give money
toward education and other such things.
I have spoken Of the endowment OF
the El-Azhar University. which is almost
entirely Of this nature. Some Of the VII
lage schools are aided by native charity as
are also some high schools. In 1903
Mahmoud Suleiman constructed. at his
own cost, and endowed literally, at Abou-
Tig an Industrial school In which are
taught weaving. carpentry. blacKsmithins
and turning. That school has now ninety
two pupils, all of whom are receiving their
training free OF charge. The khedive mas
an Industrial school with 200 pupils on his
private estates, and there is a Mohamme-
dan benevolent society at Alexandria
J which has raised $4,000 for an industrial
school there. That school will accommo-
date over 600 pupils and 1t has now an en-.
dowment of about $4,000 per year One or
the princes of the khedives family is start
ing a similar school in the Behera prov
inces, and the towns Of Fayoum and Benz.
Suef are raising money for INDUSTRIAL
schools There Is also talk of national
university along modern lines, to be sup
ported by the government. This is favored
by many of the leading Egyptians. and
Lord Cromer has advocated 1t IN his re-
norY Of this year It is stated that this
university will be absolutely scientific and
literary, and that its doors will be wide
open to all DESTROYS of learning, irrespective
Of their origin or religion.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.