LETTERS OF A JAVANESE PRINCESS
of teaching the women and future mothers of Java economy and frugality.
Lately the Government has shown that it wishes to place a premium upon education and enlightenment in its magistrates; this has been evinced by the latest regents'[1] appointments. According to custom, regents have been appointed by the law of heredity, from father to son, and if there is no son available, then some near relative of the last regent is appointed. It has never happened before that the new regent was no connection at all; but the two newly appointed men are progressive and enlightened and have been educated in Europe.
It is evident that the Government is in earnest in its endeavour to civilize and educate the people of Java, and especially the classes from which the Government servants are recruited.
The Heer Abandanon has said that there can be no argument against the statement that the intellectual awakening of the native people cannot progress appreciably as long as the woman is left behind in the forward march. The education of woman has always been an important factor in civilization.
In the last fifteen years, the Government of Netherland-India has sent four young Javanese to Holland at its own expense, to be educated there as teachers so that they may come back later to work for the good of their fellow countrymen. The Government realized that their work would have better results if they received their educations abroad. But
- ↑ "La societé indigène est essentiellement aristocratique. Au-desses du bas peuple qui cultive le sol et n'a de plus grande ambition que celle d'enter an service du gouverment de devenir fonctionnaire, s'etage une aristicratie nombreuse dotée de privileges et d'honneurs. Cette aristocratie de naissance engourdie par sa situation privilegie n'a pas su la conserver intacte, et les Hollandais qui se sont appuyes sur elle pour gouverner, out élevé à côté d'elle une aristicratie de merite donnant a des simples parvenues plus capable et plus instruits les postes d'iniative sinon d' apparant."—"Java et ses Habitants," by A. Fabert, Annals des Science Politiques, Paris, 1900.
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