History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. VI.] CREDITABLE EFFICIENCY. 291

previous occasions, “ that their school might certainly rank in teaching, discipline, and general efficiency with any schools of their class in the Presidency.” This high opinion is endorsed by Mr. H. P. Jacob, late Principal of the Elphinstone High School, who bore testimony to the success of the schools in the following terms :—

“My general impression of the boys’ schools is that they are all in a sound and efficient state.

“The performances of the Central High and Anglo-Vernacular Schools were, as they ought to be, the best; but in all of the schools I observed a scholarly spirit and zeal for work which is unsurpassed in any other institution in Bombay, and which, after perusing the reports of my predecessors, I must regard as a ‘tradition’ of the institution. I also thought that the moral tone of all the schools, boys’ and girls’, was most praiseworthy, the respectful and orderly demeanour of the pupils and their

conscientious abstention from any attempt to deceive the examiner being especially noticeable.”

The schools were recently examined by the present able and zealous Educational Inspector, Mr. T. B. Kirkham, and in his report to the Panchayet or Managing Committee he speaks of the efficiency of the school in terms of high praise, and compliments the zealous Parsi Principal on the beneficial results of his valuable labours. We quote Mr. Kirkham’s own words :—

“The inspection of this year had two points of special interest.

In the first place, I had not seen the institution for nearly four years, and was thus in a favourable position for judging of the