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

CHAP. VI.] COURSE OF INSTRUCTION. ~ 315

Instruction in the principles of morality and religion forms an important feature in the system of education imparted in these schools. In addition to this important subject the Committee have introduced songs and ballads composed expressly for their schools, inculeating social duties and moral precepts. Four of the class-books used in these schools have been expressly compiled for the use of the pupils. In addition to these, Hope’s excellent series of Gujarati class-books* have been introduced in them. These books were prepared while he held the appointment of Educational Inspector in the northern division of the Presidency, by that distinguished member of the Bombay Civil Service, the Honourable T. C. Hope, now a member of the Council of the Viceroy of India. This excellent series of schoolbooks has been invaluable in all Gujarati schools in Western India.

Thus, during the interval of a quarter of a century which has elapsed since the establishment of these 1 The following is the course of studies in the highest class :—

Reading, with explanation, Hope’s 7th Gujarati book, poetry with explanation and paraphrase, recitation of select passages from the best Gujarati poets; grammar, parsing, original composition and writing from dictation ; moral and religious lessons from the most approved Zoroastrian hooks ; geography—particularly geography of India, Asia, and Europe ; history—rudiments of the ancient history of Persia, and modern history of India ; popular general knowledge on various subjects and on natural objects; arithmetic—rule of three, compound

proportion, interest, and vulgar and decimal fractions ; needleworkBerlin wool and net-work, embroidery and plain sewing, and knitting.