Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work/Chapter 23
CHAPTER XXIII.
Bethune School.
The reader is already aware that Vidyasagar was co-adjutor and fellow-worker of Bethune in the foundation of the best female school in India, known by the name of Bethune School, and that he was its Secretary. It is needless to repeat that he was one of the greatest promoters of the education of the women of this country, and took the keenest interest in the welfare of the Bethune Female School. He encouraged the pupils of this institution in different ways. At the prize distribution meeting of the school held on 13th March, 1865, Vidyasagar gave, out of his own purse, a gold necklace as prize to a meritorious girl. Lord and Lady Lawrence (the then Governor-general of India and his wife) were among those present at this meeting. They were highly delighted, and congratulated Vidyasagar on his award of the handsome gifts.
In the latter part of 1866, Miss Mary Carpenter arrived at Calcutta, after visiting the other important cities and towns of India. It was in the house of this Miss's father, Mr. Carpenter, a clergyman of Bristol, that Raja Ram Mohan Ray had put up and died. Miss Carpenter was, at that time, a young girl. It is said that it was Ram Mohan who first instilled into the tender heart of this girl a love and good-will for this poor country. Subsequently this sentiment of hers towards a subject race of ancient civilisation was fostered greatly by the eloquence of Keshub Chunder Sen, one of the greatest orators that the country ever produced, with whom she had formed a great friendship. Shortly after her arrival in Calcutta, she expressed a desire to make acquaintance of the truly patriotic Vidyasagar. Mr. Atkinson, the then Director of Public Instruction, addressed to Vidyasagar a letter on the subject, which ran as follows:—
"My dear Pundit,
"Miss Carpenter whose name you are no doubt acquainted with, is anxious to make your acquaintance and to talk to you about her projects for furthering Female Education in India; could you come at the Bethune School to meet her on Thursday morning about half past 11 O'clock? I am going to take her there at that time for a first visit which is intended to be quite of a private character, and it would be as good opportunity to introduce you to her. On another occasion I think she will be glad to meet the gentlemen of the committee, but it will be better to defer this till Mr. Seton Karr has returned to Calcutta.
"Yours very truly
(Sd.) "W. S. Atkinson."
On the appointed day, Vidyasagar went to the Bethune School, and met Miss Carpenter. At the very first meeting each read the other's heart, and soon the acquaintance of a short time grew into sincere friendship. Miss Carpenter visited also some of the female schools of places neighbouring to Calcutta, and in these visits she would generally insist on the accompaniment of Vidyasagar. On the 16th December, 1866, she paid a visit to the Uttarapara Girl-School, founded by Bijay Krishna Mukharji, in company with Mr. Atkinson, the Director of Public Instruction, Mr. Woodrow, an Inspector of Schools, and Vidyasagar. On their return journey, as Vidyasagar was being driven in a buggy in company with another gentleman, who was driving the vehicle, to the Bally Railway Station, the buggy suddenly overturned in trying to turn to a cross way, and Vidyasagar was thrown away to some distance, where he fell heavily and lost his consciousness. A great crowd of sight-seers assembled on the road, but none ventured to advance to his help. Miss Carpenter was following at a distance in another vehicle in company with her two European friends. When she arrived at the spot where a large crowd had assembled she alighted from her carriage to enquire into the cause of the immense gathering, and to her utter dismay, she found her Indian friend lying senseless by the wayside. She at once ran to him, and with great difficulty took him up into her lap and sat there nursing him with the tenderest care. She wiped his sweating face with her own handkerchief, and began to fan him, while Mr. Woodrow brought some water and sprinkled it on his face and head. After much effort, he was brought back to consciousness. When he opened his eyes and was able to speak, Miss Carpenter's delight knew no bounds. He was then carried to his residence at Cornwallis Street, whence he was removed by his dear friend, Raj Krishna, to the latter's house. His thighs were greatly swollen. He had sustained a severe injury in his liver. Dr. Mahendra Lal Sarkar and other medical attendants of Vidyasagar suspected that his liver had been overturned and that an abscess had formed in that gland. After one month's continued treatment he recovered a little, but the fatal malady which ultimately carried him away from this world had its origin in this sad accident. Henceforth his health completely broke down. He had often to suffer from head diseases and disorders of the bowels. His digestive powers lessened in strength, and consequently he was obliged to take light food. His stomach could not assimilate milk. His food now consisted of a small quantity of boiled rice with fish-broth in the morning, and a little barley-bread in the evening. Latterly he could not digest even such light diet. He was often heard to regret, that in his early years want prevented him from taking milk, and again in later years illness restricted that delicious drink, and that his courage, energy, perseverance, exertion, mental and moral strength, everything began to lose its force since this accident. From this time he had to seek change of climate at Chandernagore, Burdwan, Cawnpore and other healthy places of the time. But still, in spite of his decayed health, he had to work hard for the good of the country, like a true patriotic hero, as he was.
Miss Carpenter raised a movement for the establishment of a Female Normal School, in connection with the Bethune School, for training up School-mistresses and Lady Teachers for the Zenana. Sir William Grey, the then Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, and some other influential European officials of Government, and Keshub Chunder Sen, M. M. Ghose, Dvijendra Nath Tagore and some other Indians of position and education, were in favour of the movement, but Vidyasagar was against this innovation. A committee was formed to consider the propriety of the measure; Vidyasagar was in this committee. In the meantime, Keshub Chunder Sen and some of his followers convened a meeting in the Brahmo Samaj Hall and decided upon memorialising the Government for the opening of a Female Normal School. Vidyasagar was quite dissatisfied with the summary manner in which the decision was arrived at, and he withdrew his name from the committee. The letter that he addressed to Keshub Chunder Sen and others on the subject is quoted below;—
"Baboos Keshub Chunder Sen, M. M. Ghose and Dijendra Nath Tagore.
"Gentlemen,
"With reference to the proceedings of the meeting held at the Brahmo Samaj on the evening of last Saturday, resulting in the election of ourselves to form a committee for the purpose of memorialising Government on the subject of the establishment of a Normal School for the training of Female Teachers I have to observe that a question of such vital importance deserves a more serious consideration than was given to it on that occasion. Before any action was taken, it was, in my opinion, necessary to ascertain the views of such of the leading members of our community as are known to take an interest in the cause of female education. But as they were neither invited to the meeting, nor was their co-operation sought, I do not think it advisable for me to join in the proposed representation to Government. In fact, when I was asked to attend, I was given to understand that a private conference with Miss Carpenter was intended. I had not the remotest idea that the meeting would be formal or that a question of such grave importance would be decided so summarily. As I was thus taken by surprise, I did not feel myself in a position to take part in the discussion or to express my sentiments on the subject. I need hardly add that under the circumstances set forth above, I am under the painful necessity of withdrawing myself from the Committee.
"3rd December 1866,
"I have &c.
(Sd.) "Isvar Chandra Sarma."
On receipt of the petition referred to before, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal wrote on the 1st September, 1867, a long letter to Vidyasagar asking for his opinion on the proposal set on foot of converting the Bethune School to a Female Normal School. In reply to it, Vidyasagar also wrote a long letter to Sir William Grey, strongly opposing the measure and clearly setting forth his reasons. The letter ran as follows:—
"My dear Sir,
"Since we met last, I have made careful enquiries and have thought over the subject, but I regret to say that I see no reason to alter my opinion as regards the difficulty of practically carrying out Miss Carpenter's scheme of rearing a body of Native Female Teachers either in connection with the Bethune School or independently such as may be acceptable to the bulk of the Hindu community and worthy of their confidence. Indeed, the more I think about it the more am I convinced that I cannot conscientiously advise the Government to take the direct responsibility of setting in motion a project which, in the present state of the native society and native feeling, I feel satisfied, will be attended with failure. You can easily conceive whether respectable Hindus will allow their grown up female relatives to follow the profession of tuition and necessarily break through the present seclusion, when they do not permit the young girls of ten or eleven years to quit the zenana after they are married. The only persons, whose services may be available, are unprotected and helpless widows, and apart from the consideration whether morally they will be fit agents for educational purposes, I have no hesitation in saying that the very fact of their dispensing with the Zenana seclusion and offering themselves as public teachers will lay them open to suspicion and distrust and thus neutralize the beneficial action aimed at.
"I think the Government cannot pursue a better course on this subject than what has been indicated in the India Government's letter lately published in the papers. The best test of popular feeling will be the application of the grant-in-aid principle. If the people are willing to carry out Miss Carpenter's idea, they should be assisted with liberal grants by Government. Although the great bulk of the Hindu community, so far as I can perceive, will not avail themselves of such assistance, still there are particular individuals who seem to be very sanguine on this subject and if they are sincere and earnest they will at any rate, it may be hoped, come forward and with Government aid, begin the experiment.
"I am free to confess that I do not place much reliance in them; but they will have no right to complain under the rules announced by the Government of India.
"I need hardly assure you that I fully appreciate the importance and desirableness of having female teachers for female learners; but if the social prejudice of my countrymen did not offer an insuperable bar, I would have been the first to second the proposition and lend my hearty co-operation towards its furtherance. But when I see that success is by no means certain and that the Government is likely to place itself in a false and disagreeable position, I cannot persuade myself to support the experiment.
"As regards the Bethune School I entirely go with you that the results are not proportionate to the amount expended upon it, but at the same time I cannot recommend its abolition altogether. As a memento of the services to the cause of female enlightenment in India of the great philanthropist whose name the Institution bears, it has, I submit, a claim to the support of Government. In the next place, it is very desirable that there should be a well organized female school in the heart of the metropolis to serve as a model to sister institutions in the interior. The moral influence of the present institution in native society has been undoubtedly great. It has, in fact, paved the way to female education in surrounding districts and this, in my humble opinion, is no mean return for the large sums which have been annually expended upon it. But I must say that there is great room for economy and improvement. The expenses, I think, can be reduced to nearly half the present amount without detriment to the efficiency of the Institution.
"I intend to go to the North Western Provinces shortly for prolonged change for the benefit of my health and if you wish to know my views on the re-organization of the Bethune School, I shall be happy to await your return to Calcutta and confer with you on the subject.
"I remain, My Dear Sir,
"Yours Sincerely
"To the Hon'ble William Grey."
The Lieutenant Governor was very pleased with Vidyasagar's letter, and wrote in reply;—
"Octr. 14, 1867
"My Dear Sir,
"I am greatly obliged to you for your letter of 
Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay, Vidyasagar's father.
the 1st. Inst; it is both useful and interesting. I hope you will not, on any account, postpone your visit to the N. W. Provinces, and I trust that you will obtain a revival of health from the change.
"Should I find you in Calcutta however a few days hence, I shall be most happy to see you and to hear your views as to the reorganization of the Bethune School. Otherwise you can perhaps find leisure to write to me on the subject from the N. West.
"If you should desire to have letters of introduction to any of the Govt. officers in the N. W. Provs. I shall be glad to assist you in that way. I shall be at Belvedere from the 18th inclusive.
"I am yours sincerely,
(Sd) "W. Grey"
Vidyasagar's idea was, that if too much forwardness were shown in this direction at a time, when female education had only begun to be appreciated by the country, the very ground-work of the cause might receive a sudden shock and might be wholly undermined. Besides, he firmly believed that Hindu women of the higher classes would never consent to be trained up, and to work, as Female Teachers. Kristo Das Pal, the renowned editor of the Hindoo Patriot, and some other gentlemen of station and influence, were of the same opinion with him. In order to make a formal opposition to the innovation, a committee was formed with the Hon'ble Seton Karr as its President, and the Hon'ble Sambhu Nath Pandit, Mr. W. S. Atkinson, Raja Kali Kristo, Hara Chandra Ghose, Kasi Prasad Ghosh, Rajendra Nath Datta, Nursing Chander Dutt, Hara Nath Ray, Kumar Harendra Krishna and Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar as its members.
After much debate and controversy, the Government resolved upon contributing a large Grant-in-aid towards the opening of a Female Normal School in connection with the Bethune School. But for two succeeding years, no action was taken. At last Babu Dwarka Nath Ganguli, under the instructions of Babu Radhika Prasanna Mukharji, who was, at that time, a Deputy Inspector of Schools, set to work in right earnest. Through his strenuous exertions, a class was opened with only 5 or 6 pupils. It had worked only a year and a half, when Sir George Campbell, the next Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, abolished the training department altogether.
Difference of opinion in this respect and on several other matters compelled Vidyasagar to cut off his connection with the Bethune School, and he resigned his honorary office of its Secretary in 1869. Before his resignation he had to engage himself in 1868 in the settlement of a serious question in connection with this school. There were several complaints against Miss Pigott, the Lady Superintendent of the School, that the institution was deteriorating on account of her carelessness and that she made the pupils sing songs on Christianity. A committee was formed to enquire into the complaints. Vidyasagar and Prasanna Kumar Sarvvadhikari were in the Sub-Committee, which was formed under the general committee. They found Miss Pigott guilty, and she was dismissed.
In the latter part of 1865, Vidyasagar's father, Thakurdas, retired from the world, and settled down in Benares. When Vidyasagar heard of his father's project, he went down to Birsingha, and tried his best to dissuade his father. But when he saw that his dear parent was firmly determined on the step, he was fain to let him go. Before Thakurdas's departure, Vidyasagar had his portrait painted. At the same time, he had his mother's portrait painted as well. A story is told of an incident in connection with this portrait-painting. For the edification of the reader, we will briefly narrate the story here.
Sometime before this, Mr. Hudson, a European portrait-painter, had been engaged in painting the portraits of the members of the Paikpara Raj family. Vidyasagar had a great familiarity with the Rajas, and he often called at their house. The painter was attracted by the amiable appearance of Vidyasagar, and he drew up a likeness of the latter gratuitously. Vidyasagar was looking out for opportunities of recompensing the painter, when he heard the news of his father's intended departure to Benares. He fetched his parents to Calcutta, and determined on having their portraits painted by Hudson. Vidyasagar devised a means of inducing his mother to sit before a European, and the following dialogue passed between the parent and her son:—
Son.—'Mother, a very good portrait-painter has been engaged in the Paikpara Raj house; I wish to have your likeness painted by him.'
Mother.—'O! no, what shall I do with my portrait? Shame! Fie!'
Son.—'The portrait is not for you, mother. It is for me. If I have a likeness of yours with me, I can have a look at it, whenever my thoughts run after you.'
The mother had nothing to say against it, and she said, though reluctantly:—
'Then do as you like.'
Son.—'Shall I bring the European here, or you will go there with me?'
Mother.—'The painter, a European! No, my dear child, I can not sit before a European to have my likeness drawn.'
Son.—'He is a very good man; he has drawn a likeness of mine, but received no remuneration. He loves me very dearly; there is no harm in your sitting before him.'
Mother.—'Do as you think best; but mind, I cannot go anywhere else. Better bring him here.' Son.—'Everything is ready there, and if I break up the arrangements and bring him here, most probably the picture won't be nice.'
Mother.—'When you hold to a thing, it is always very difficult to put you back. Do as you like. Only, if I go at all I must go with you. Should there be any blame in it, people would not come forward to censure me; they will then blame you. They will say that a great man like Vidyasagar took his mother to the Paikpara Raj house to have her likeness drawn. Never mind, I will go with you.'
Vidyasagar had the two portraits of his dear parents hung on his walls, and saluted them every morning. It is said, that after the death of his parents, he saw the pictures twice daily, and tears trickled down his breast in incessant torrents as he looked at them.