EDUCATION AND CULTURE

BEGINNING OF WESTERN EDUCATION

In 1866 was established the Education Department in Berar and education has steadily progressed from that time. For many years some schools Were maintained by government and grants were given to others on the results of examinations, but the system was unsatisfactory because it was often impossible to depend on the aided schools. Grants on examination results have, therefore, not been given since 1906. At that time the fees charged in Government schools were one anna a month for the first standard, two annas for the second, and so on. Since 1907 the fees charged were reduced to one anna a month for any class in a vernacular school. The fees for English instruction varied from eight annas a month upwards. In 1906-07 the district had 134 schools-a decrease of 23 on the previous year owing to the disappearance of small indigenous schools. Of the total, two were Anglo-vernacular schools (one each at Yeotmal and Wun), 25 were middle schools, in nine of which, however, there was an English class; and 86 were primary schools-all for boys. There were seven girls' schools. The total number on the rolls was 7,082 boys and 650 girls. Only two schools received (fixed) grants under the new system, those attached to the orphanages of the American Free Methodist Mission at Yeotmal. In the boys' school belonging to the Mission, technical instruction was given in carpentry, gardening, and bicycle-repairing. The carpentry appeared to be excellent. The course took four years. Anglo-vernacular and girls' schools were maintained out of provincial revenues. Expenditure on the boys' primary and middle schools amounted to Rs. 43,000 of which Rs. 16,000 were provided by provincial contributions, Rs. 18,000 by an education cess; and Rs. 9,000 by fees and popular contributions.

A school called the Vidyagraha was opened in Yeotmal in 1905 by Swadeshi political enthusiasts, and was conducted at the mandir or temple of Vithoba. It had classes for English and for manual training. A large number of boys attended it.

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