Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-01-24
SEVEN MILLIONS ARE
GIVEN To EDUCATION
GIRLS Of EAST INDIA


LONDON, Jan. 24.-One of the great
est charitable gifts In the history OF
india has just been announced at
Delhi The Maharaj Kumar of I'll
kari, one of the wealthy native princes,
has executed deed of trust devoting
his entire personal estate to found
ing an institution for the education
Of Indian women The property con-
/ cerned is valued at about seven mil
million dollars. In view Of the much
greater purchasing power of money
in India, 1t is believed that the gift
will accomplish as much proportion
ately as gift OF nearly ten times the
size in England or America.
Dependent members of the Ma
haraj's family have already been pro-
vided for by separate funds, and all
liabilities of the estate are duly Sc
cured. The scheme Is for strictly
"Durdah" residential Institution,
where the girls will be trained and
educated on the best modern principles
from the age Of FIVE to eighteen
There will be no question OF caste
or creed
The gift owed Its inspiration largely
to the Maharajs wife. who has been
one of the foremost native Indian
women In the crusade for the improve
ment of the lot of Indian women. The
Maharaj himself was one of the first
native princes to fight In France, and
has spent over two years on the bat
tlefeld. He was brought up by Eng
lish tutors In India and has been g
great traveller.
The Maharj's wife, IN q letter de-
scribing the gift, says.
THE education of women is prob
lem demanding the attention Of all
governments Ia every country IN the
world. In India the, issue 10 more
vital. oven than In other countries. A
young man leaves his home In India
to DO educated; he come. perhaps 20
the English university, and at the sn6
Of three years he returns homo to mar
~ an Indian girl Of his own social
position. During his college days the
young man has associated with cult
waited Europeans, has learned many
Of their ways. has become used to
cisTsrswell-iaformsd conversation and
eompanionship. What about his
Indian bride. II she has been brought
up ia the traditional Indian way che
will DO quite Hneducate6 according to
western standards. and will know 1T
tie Of life outside Of her immediate
surroundings Ali Der days che will
have been kept iu seclusion. for the
ultimate purpose Of marriage ct the
age Of thirteen or fourteen.
"It IL because I feel the position Of
the Indian girls so kesnly. because I
realize the grave dangers which their i
general Inability to be real helpers
entails, that am so enthusiastic and
so anxious to DO ell I can 70 help.
my husband has executed . deed
of trust OF his whole estate for the
founding OF an institution to educate
Indian and Gin gslese girls. ana has
made 1t an essential point that creed |
ana caste shall be no bar. We hope
tu introduce into the school . thor
ough knowledge OF English. A college
will be built, and Will include resi-
Dental quarters where the students
will live. A girl can stay until the
axe OF eighteen, and this think very
important. for the prevailing early
marrying age In India at present can
not but prove detrimental to the physi-
cal well-being OF cur women"
A site for the college has been
given by Sir All Imam, one OF the lead.
Il