The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-19
indian PRINCESS
Gives WEALTH TO
EDUCATE WOMEN
Devotes Entire Personal
Estate Amounting to
About 100000.

London, Jan. 19-One of the great
est charitable gifts in the history of
India has just been announced at
Delhi. The Maharaja Kumar Of Tx
has executed a deed of trust devot-
ing his entire estate to founding an
institution for the education of Indian
women. The property concerned IS
valued at about ST 100000. In view
of the much greater purchasing power
of money in India, it is believed that
the gift will accomplish as much pro-
portionately as a gift of nearly ten
times the size in England or America.
Dependent members of the Maha-
RAILS family have already been provid-
ed for by separate funds, and all liza
bilities of the estate are duly secur-
ed The scheme is for a strictly "pur-
dab" 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 it's inspiration large
| ly to Maharaja's wife, who has been
one of the foremost native Indian wo-
men in the crusade for the improve
ment of the lot of Indian women. The
Maharaja himself was one of the first
native princes to fight in France, and
has spent over two years on the bat
tlefield. He was brought up by Eng
| fish tutors in India and. has been a
great traveller.
The Maharajas wife, in letter
describing the gift, says.
1.-THE education of women is a prob
lem demanding the attention of all
governments in every country of the
world. In India the issue is more vi
tai even than in other countries. A
young man leaves his home in India
to be educated; he comes, perhaps to
the English university, and at the end
of three years he returns home tic
marry an India 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 tc
clever wellsinformed-con and
companionship. What about his In
dian bride? If she has been brought
VI. in the traditional Indian way she
will be quite unedUcated according tC
Western standards, and will know lit
tie of life outside her. immediate sur
roundings. All her days she will have
been kept in seclusion, for the ulti
i~ate purpose of marriage at the age
of thirteen or fourteen.
at is because 1 feel the position O.
the Indian girls so keenly, because
realize the grave dangers which thei
general inability to be real helper
entails. that 1 am so enthusiastic ant
so anxious to do all l can to help.
my husband has executed dec
) of trust to his whole estate for tn
: founding of an institution to educat
Indian and Cingalese girls, and ha
made it an essential point that cree
, and caste shall be no bar. We hop
to introduce into the schools thor
, ough knowledge of English. A col
lege will be built, and will include res
fdential quarters where the student
will live. A girl can stay until the ag
of eighteen, and this I think yer
important for the prevailing earl
marrying age in India at present can
p not but prove detrimental to the ply
4 steal well-being of our women"
= A site for the college has been civ
e en- by Sir Ali Imam, one of the lead
r ing native lawyers.