Education In Travancore

With regard to the Travancore Educational Code  an experienced Educationist writes to us as follows. We quote his very words,  which practically coincide  with our views which we had expressed in these columns sometime back:-

Dr. Mitchell has wholly misunderstood the policy of Education and Government in concurring with his views , have grievously erred. He thinks there are always two classes of people- the  rich  and the poor . He intends his elementary education (in Malayalam) for the poor and his secondary Education ( in English) for the rich. Consequently  he makes the Elementary Education almost free while the Secondary Education is being made self -supporting. This policy is quite wrong and will bring about mischievous results. In directing the educational policy of a State , Dr. Mitchell ought to have looked  at Education from a different point of view. There are always two classes of people, the more intelligent and the less intelligent. The higher education is for the more intelligent and the Elementary Education for the less intelligent. The Elementary Education ought to be a preparation for the Higher Education as well as for the acquisition of knowledge sufficient for the masses to enable them to earn their simple livelihood in an honest way. The Elementary  Education ought further be so directed as to enable the Department to select the more intelligent of the  children of the State presented for elementary education, and to befit them for higher education. The code ought to have further included measures to accord to the more intelligent but poor, sufficient support in their endeavour to get higher education. An examination of the world of politics or science or philosophy will enable us to see the greatest of men, have sprung from among the poor and not from among the rich. We would have had no Thanoo Pillai, no Keshavan Pillai, no Parameswaran Pillai , and a host of others if the policy inaugurated by Dr. Mitchell were the policy of the State from the very beginning. Intelligence and Talents are not reserved by nature for the rich. They are on the other hand , more commonly found among the poor and a State like Travancore ought to see that its best children irrespective of their being rich or poor, are offered all the opportunities for the growth and development of their intelligence. The moral side of education, which Dr. Mitchell has wholly ignored should have been the prime factor of any Education scheme Elementary or Secondary. It could not be secured any how by Dr. Mitchell's  means - say by wearing a head dress or cropping of hair which it necessitates. A dress in , Dr. Mitchell's view, is not decent unless it consist of a coat and a cap. He is unable to see what dirt is accumulated underneath the cap and the coat, which under his regulation the children are compelled to wear. It should be pointed out that these  are most uncongenial to children of hot climes, brought up almost naked from early infancy . It remains to be seen  how far his scheme is practicable in a state like Travancore. We want as the result of Education men of sound character, of sound views and of sound actions and the Code unhappily omits this vital portion.