The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1917-02-20
EDUCATING INDIA IS
AN IMPORTANT TASK
WORK THAT CONFRONTS IT'S
GOVERNMENT.
Proportion to Lower Schools to
Higher Institutions Ridicu-
lOuSly Small.

lOusly Small.
Delhai, India, Feb. 15, (Corres-
pondence of the Associated Press) =
NO more important and difficult task
faces British India today than edu-
cation of it's 244,0OO,OOO people. Of
whom "a per cent are illiterate.
Many thousands are literally primi-
tive folk who not only have no desire
for learning themselves but in many
cases regard the introduction of
schools with suspicion.
Incongrous as it may seem, British
India ranks fairly well among the ma.
tions in hiSher education-so far at
least as quantity is concerned-while
in the matter of elementary training,
upon which the enlightenment of the
masses depends, 1t is exceedingly
backward.
The man who Is reputed to have a
more intimate knowledge of the In
dian educational question than any
other person in the COZ ntry is II.
Sharp, educational commissioner with
the government OF India. Mr.. Sharp
spoke, not as an official of the gov
ernment, but in his private capacity,
expressing his personal views to a
correspondent Of the Associated
Press.
Higher education is now we'll ad-
vanced-at least in quantity" he
said. "Out of n total of 100000,
100000 pupils are in colleges or
secondary schools. These million pu-
pills, however, comprise only 0.5 per
cent of the total population Of British
India.
"The education of girls is almost
non-eXistent The female population
in British India is, nearly 10000
600. But not much more than l.
100000 girls are under instruction,
or the male population 81 per cent
are under instruction.; Of the female
i per cent; of both together 81 per
cent. 1t is only in the higher edu-
cation of boys that our figures will
stand comparison with European
countries, with America, with Japan
and so forth"
The commissioner was asked what
fhe difficulties were which were hold,
3ng back mass education.
Three Great Obstacles.
"There are" he said, many parts
of the country where there is no ira
dition of education at all. Life goes
on apparently much as it did centu.
ries ago. Second, India is essentially
the people do not see the value OF
education and they prefer to put
their children early to work. Third
there is the caste system. Millions OF
the population are regarded as doom.
cd &c be hewers OF wood and draw
ers of water. Till recently, it was re.
garded almost an impious act fol
a member OF q low caste to attain
learning. Doubtless there are many
who still so regard it, though IN
many quarters opinion has recently
been liberalized. Some people say
that the caste system is breaking up
1t is still very deep rooted. Its rules
are loosening in some directions; buI
they are also Tightening in others.
There Is also the reaction on the
male population and its educational
ideals which is exercised by the fac'
that the female population is Hitter
ate-only'1 per cent OF 1t can read
and write. When half the popula
tion grows up practically illiterate
the incentive to education in the 9th.
er half must be sensibly lowered
and, when home education is a thing
almost unknown, the figures OF liter.
cy are affected and education does
not bulk as a customary adjunct OF
life.
"Of course these causes do not op'
crate to an equal degree in all parts
OF India. In Burma there is a tradi-
tion of education through the mon
astic schools, there Is no caste and
there is no purda (under the purdo
system woman can be seen unveil-
eo by no man outside the members OF
her own family. Consequently, in
that province, the percentage of lit
crates in the male population is
more than three times what IL is In
India whole In the extreme