J. L. SHAW by J. L. Shaw

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jun 30, 1904

J. L. SHAW

By J. L. Shaw

I AM glad our people are interested in educational work in India. There is room for a great work in this line. In fact, I believe it is one of the most potential factors in the evangelization of India. The Indian takes more cleverly to education than most other Oriental nations, and large numbers attend the government schools. There are said to be more university students in India than in England. Hundreds are taking their M. A. and B. A. degrees every year in India. In fact, so many obtain an education that very ordinary occupations are often followed by those who have had a university education. With this tendency, it can readily be seen that the people of India can be more easily reached through educational means than in almost any other way. Of course, the education which they secure is one sided; they are book crammers, and are marvels at it. It is safe to say that their memories excel those of Europeans. They are not fond of working with their hands. Their religion teaches them that hand labor is menial and degrading. Here is where our methods apply, and though they meet with opposition, yet in time I am sure they will be successful. The government has catered too largely to the Indian inclination, allowing them to devote most of their time to the acquisition of facts rather than to the development of the powers of mind and body.

We have four schools at present in India; two of them are European, and two are native. One of the European schools is located in Calcutta, the other in Rangoon, Burma. They are both church-schools. The Calcutta church-school has been in operation for two or three years, and now sustains its own teacher, and pays the rent for the room which it occupies. We have not a church-school teacher in India who has taken a training in one of our schools for this purpose. Money has been raised in America to send a teacher, and we are hoping she will come soon. Anything that can be done to hurry one along will be much appreciated. Sister Hansen, who has been teaching this school, is a natural teacher, and has taught some time in public schools in America. The Rangoon school was opened this year.

One of the native schools is located at Karmatar, and the other at Simultala. The school at Karmatar is a training-school. We have just begun it this year. Our purpose is to train in it native people to carry on the work. We have leased for five years a nice property consisting of about twenty-five acres of land. Several acres of it are put out to fruit. Counting shade trees, there are about one thousand trees. We have a nice little bungalow and some other buildings on the premises. One of our buildings is used for the orphanage. Brother and Sister Burgess were in charge of the work here, but he had to return to America on account of his health. Sister Anna Knight is now in charge of this

work, and is doing well. We are very much in need of a man and his wife who are qualified to lead out in educational work among the native people.

Our purpose in the school at Karmatar is to give the pupils an all-round training of hand and head and heart. The pupils of this school are mostly from parents who are very poor, and hence unable to pay much, if anything. It costs six rupees, or two dollars a month to keep a pupil in this school. This is a small sum, and no doubt there are many who are unable to come to India themselves who would like to support a young man or woman while they are getting an education. We can not hope to connect industries with the school, and so far have introduced only the culture of the soil. Outdoor work in India is very trying, owing to the excessive heat of the sun.

The other native school which I mentioned is among the Santals. They are very poor people, but strong and hardy. Brother Barlow has a mission among them in connection with this school. He has a number of young men who spend a portion of the day working, and a portion in study. Our plan is to educate these young men, teaching them the Bible and the principles of the truth, and then send them back to work among their own people, and to start schools in different places.

This is, in brief, a statement of our educational work here. We thank God for the blessing which has attended the work thus far. We believe there are jewels to be found among these people. To find them requires patience and great forbearance, untiring effort, and a heart filled with the love of God. I think our greatest need is teachers. We are very deficient in this line of help in India, and we hope that good, earnest workers may be sent us speedily.

I am glad that the tide is turning in America, and that a spirit of unity prevails throughout our ranks. It gives us who are at the ends of the earth courage to strike a harder blow. God is in this work, and we shall triumph gloriously if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence unto the end. This is a hard field, and many difficulties confront us. We ask the prayers and the help of God's dear people for the needy nations of India. Any help in the educational work will be much appreciated.