However, you will get the evidence in F.E. Keay, Ancient
Indian Education, Oxford University Press 1918—esp. pp.51, 57,
107 and passim.
Dr Leitner, History of Indigenous Education in the Punjab,
pp.14, 21 passim.
A Report for the Punjab Government issued in 1882.
A.P. Howell, Education in British India Prior to 1854. And
Ludlow, British India.
The Madras Presidency made an enquiry, 1822-6, and
calculated that rather less than one-sixth of the boys of school-
going age received education of some sort. Bombay Presidency,
1823-8, estimated it as one in eight, Bengal, 13.2 percent
(Adam’s enquiry 1835). William Ward supposed that about one-
fifth of the male population of Bengal could read.
I know the difficulties. But I feel more and more that in this
matter, of general education, we did precious little to congratu-
late ourselves on—until the last dozen years. Don’t you agree?
Calcutta University was damned bad. And the Middle Vernacular
schools—
Yours sincerely,
Sd/- Edward ThompsonP.S. I do not believe we destroyed indigenous schools and indige-
nous industries out of malice (which is what is stated, in Ameri-
ca as well as India). It was inevitable.