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

CHAP. vL] PARST GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION. 313

for their better maintenance. If so much was accomplished by a society of young students and exstudents, the reader can imagine how much more would be expected to result from the new impetus that was given to the cause by the action of the leaders of the Parsi community. Those expectations have been fully realised, and the Managing Committee of the Parsi Girls’ School Association have done what they could to promote the best interests of the schools entrusted to their care. Originally all the girls were educated free of charge, but from the year 1862 the parents of well-to-do Parsis were required to pay a monthly fee of one rupee for each pupil, while the daughters of the poorer. classes were admitted free. Subsequently in the year 1873 the Managing Committee abolished all free admissions. A fee of eight annas was levied per month from every girl whose parents means would not allow a higher payment. Thus eleemosynary instruction has been totally discontinued in the female schools belonging to the Parsi Girls’ School Association, although the schools of the Sir Jamshedji Jijibhai Parsi Benevolent Institution, some of which are in the neighbourhood of those belonging to the Association, continue to impart instruction to most of the pupils free of charge.

One great drawback to the spread of female education among the Parsis almost to the present day is

that the girls do not continue their attendance at