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

314 AISTORY OF THE PARSIS. [CHAP. VI.

school after the age of eleven or twelve, owing to their early marriage or from the fact that the tutors in the schools are men. The latter ground of objection has, however, been entirely removed, so far as the schools of the Parsi Girls’ School Association are concerned, for they have supplied the means of female instruction by members of the same sex. For several years the Committee gave unceasing attention to this subject with the view of remedying the one great defect in the means of female education. They have, by offering various inducements and encouragements, succeeded in training a considerable number of female teachers, and all the schools in their charge have now been placed under the conduct and management of young Parsi ladies, who perform their duties most satisfactorily and creditably. Girls are consequently permitted by their parents without any apprehension to remain three or four years longer in the schools than they did before. There are altogether in the three schools seventeen lady teachers, and the inspectress of the schools is a Parsi lady.

Instruction is imparted in these schools through the medium of the Gujarati language in arithmetic, reading, and writing, useful knowledge and needlework adapted to Parsi females, the principles of morality according to the religion of Zoroaster, grammar, geography, and the histories of India and

Persia.