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Educational Intervention and Negotiation: A Case Study of Serampore Mission

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 75

EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND

NEGOTIATION: A CASE STUDY OF SERAMPORE
MISSION AND NEW EDUCATION
Amrita Mondal

ABSTRACT
The Christian missionaries became interested in spreading education in
Bengal from the mid-eighteenth century. While doing so, the missionaries'
main aim was to make the local people realise that their salvation lay in
acceptance of Christianity, while they criticised vicious practices of Bengal.
The Charter Act of 1813 had empowered missionaries to preach Christianity
in India. Besides preaching, the Act also encouraged the missionaries in other
philanthropic works. In the educational field, this philanthropy was marked
by the introduction of western science along with Biblical studies, which
ultimately marginalisation of the indigenous knowledge system. However,
interaction between indigenous education and missionary's education system
had reframed the missionaries' educational aims over time. This indicated that
these Christian missionaries did not fully reject the indigenous knowledge
system. In this context, the paper evaluates the educational activities of the
Serampore mission. It consults several missionary documents of Serampore
mission. Besides, this paper also tries to explore the Serampore Missionaries'
perception of indigenous knowledge systems. The Mission established in
1800 by William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward in Serampore.

Key words: Missionary, Education, Nineteenth century Bengal, Serampore

Mission, Indigenous Society, Indigenous education
76 Exploring History

With the colonial intervention and the establishment of British rule in

India, several changes took place in different realms of Indian society. These
changes also affected the Indian education and evolved it into a 'modern'
educational system which was mainly based on western education. Along with
the colonial government, Christian missionaries were also taking active
participation in the process. Initially, the British colonial power had tried to
condemn the activities of Christian missionaries, but with the passing of
Charter Act of 1813 all restrictions were abolished. This helped the missionaries
to penetrate into Indian educational field and established schools to enlighten
the 'native' souls. While preparing the schools' curricula they tried to
emphasise western knowledge, incorporating science within the curriculum.
Besides, they also took initiatives to educate women. Thus, M. A. Laird has
argued that Christian missionaries were the pioneer in introducing the
elementary science in curriculum, compiling them into the textbooks and
starting school for the girls.1
Milton S. Sangma while discussing the activities of the American Baptist
Mission in North East India argues that missionaries' intention of the
educational activities in India was to make the indigenous people able to read
the scripture. Sangma also depicts that these American missionaries had
found, 'without a knowledge of Three R's there would be little or no effect
of their Mission'. Sangma's observation is also valid for all other missionary
organisations. Noticeably, while preparing schools' curricula missionaries
incorporated biblical studies which reflected their religious intention of
educating people. All these circumstances hinted that these educational
interventions made by Christian missionaries and the British Government
ultimately segregated the indigenous knowledge system. However, it would
be wrong to generalise the educational approach of all Christian missionaries
as contradictory approaches existed within the activities of Christian
missionaries in India.
The article tries to seek these contradictory approaches through the case
study of Serampore Mission's educational activities, especially through their
initiatives while promoting science education. Incorporating science subjects
within the schools' and colleges' curricula were part of westernization of
education in India. This activity delegitimised indigenous knowledge. This
fact leads to the quarry whether Serampore Missionaries educational approaches
were different from the other missionaries while promoting science education.
To address these nuances the paper has been divided into three sections,
beginning with three existed educational approaches in the first half of
nineteenth century Bengal, then moved on to the educational curriculum,
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 77

especially science curriculum of Serampore Mission's schools. Further, the

paper has discussed the Serampore Mission College's science syllabus to trace
their educational approaches.
I
During the early nineteenth century, Bengal had three different education
systems which were run parallel to each other by their associated authorities.
These education systems were, indigenous educational system; education
system ran by the East India Company, and educational system introduced
by Christian missionaries. Further, the indigenous education was divided into
three categories according to their governing authority, like Pathshalas, Tols
and Madrassas. In these indigenous institutes, pupils were given the lessons
of spelling, letter writing, multiplication tables, rules of Arithmetic (called
aryas), Syakhats, grammar and moral lessons, like Gurudakishana, Data
Karna, Prahlad Charitra and Chanakya Slokas. Other subjects were the rules
of land measurement, agricultural accounts, zamindari and commercial
accounts. Besides, the indigenous curriculum also emphasis on lessons like
how to write different types of letters and maintain land revenue, along with
the rule of cubic and square measurements which are required for digging
ponds.2 Noticeably, this indigenous curriculum emphasised the practical use
of the knowledge system.
Parallel to this, the East India Company had also taken initiatives to spread
education after 1813. Initially, the East India Company had maintained a
distance from the indigenous society, not because of any enlightening attitude
towards the religion or culture of Indian society, but out of their business
and desire of not to create unrest among the 'natives'. However, the Act of
1813 had changed this notion. While discussing on the Act of 1813, Suresh
Chandra Ghosh has argued,
"the act empowered Governor General to appoint 'a sum of not less than one lakh
of rupees' in each year out of 'the surplus territorial revenues' for the revival and
improvement of the landed natives of India, and for the introduction and promotion
of knowledge of the sciences among the inhabitants of the British territories in
India".3

With this Act, the East India Government had become interested in
educating indigenous people and the process started with the establishment
of 'Calcutta School Book Society' (1817), 'School Book Society' (1818), and
'Hindu College' (1817). Meanwhile, controversy started on the issue of
spending of one lakh rupees while educating the 'natives'. To solve the
problem, the Company Government had decided to prepare a secular and
78 Exploring History

useful curriculum. Within this secular curriculum they incorporated subjects,

like classical languages of Europe and India, Geography, Astronomy for the
schools4 and for the colleges they decided to introduce subjects, like classical
and vernacular Indian languages along with English literature and English
science. They opened the educational field for all without any discrimination.5
Though, the Company Government prepared the curriculum from a secular
approach, but gradually they tried to spend their money in western education
and marginalised the indigenous one.
The third educational effort had been taken by Christian missionaries
on the basis of missionary zeal. Though, before 1813 few missionaries took
individual initiatives to spread education, however, in 1813 after obtaining
the official permission to preach Christianity in India, Christian missionaries
made a parallel education system with evangelical ideology. They established
normal schools and orphanages to educate indigenous people as well as the
orphan children of soldiers.6 Further, expansion of educational network by
missionaries helped in establishment of five types of missionary schools in
Bengal.7 They were,
1. Boarding schools, founded for European boys and girls.
2. Schools "for the education of the children of such who lost cast (sic)
for Gospel"8 .
3. The third type of boarding schools was founded for the Indian Christian
boys and girls.
4. The fourth type of schools was established mainly for the 'Roman
Catholic' boys and girls.
5. Last kind of schools was founded with the intention of converting the
'native' pupils.
While formulating curricula of these missionary schools, some of these
missionaries had included both eastern as well as western subjects, along with
the study of the Bible. As it has been discussed that the missionaries main
intention of educational approaches was to make the 'heathens' realised that
that their salvation lay in the acceptance of Christianity, so they prepared their
curricula in such way where they criticized indigenous society, introduced
biblical studies with few new western subjects like, 'geography'. Serampore
mission's perception almost same while educating 'heathens' except few areas
which are needed to be highlighted.
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 79

II
Soon after it foundation, Serampore Mission started its journey in
educational field while opening two boarding schools on 1st May 1800 and
one native school in the month of June with forty pupils.9 Mr. and Mrs.
Marshman was the pioneer in that work. Considering the Charter Act of 1813,
Educational approaches of Serampore Mission can be divided into two
phases.
During, pre 1813 period, educational curriculum of Serampore Mission
was almost same like the other missionaries in India. Their aim behind the
establishment of schools was to bring changes in the hearts of the heathens
by providing them education, converting them to Christianity and train them
as future missionaries. Keeping these aims in mind Serampore Missionaries
tried to introduce such curriculum in their schools where students were given
lessons of arithmetic, 'Scripture'10 along with English language. However,
missionaries had also given emphasis on learning of vernacular languages,
like Sanskrit and Bengali. At the beginning these Missionaries did not give
importance to the science subjects. First and foremost, they introduced
subjects like orthography, grammar and vocabulary in vernacular language,
mathematics along with the lessons of ethics and morality.11 Even when they
established 'Benevolent Institution' during 1809-10, for the Eurasian poor of
Kolkata, there also they limited their curriculum within "reading, writing, and
Arithmetic, in different degrees and capable of preaching the scriptures in
the Bengalee or the English languages".12
After 1813, changes occurred in the educational curriculum of Serampore
Mission's schools. Marshman planned to extend the curriculum as well as
the schooling network in different parts of Bengal and outside of it. These
plans were properly drafted in 'Hints Relative to Native School', published
in 1816. Several reports of the Institution for the Encouragement of Native
Schools in India have depicted the implementation of these plans and
expansion of schooling network in different parts of Bengal. In Hints Relative
to Native School, Marshman discussed about the introduction of new
subjects, like Geography and use of compendiums in the Native Schools.
Compendiums were used to describe matters like grammar, arithmetic,
including a view of the solar system, ethics and morals etc.13
At the school level they did not introduce any science subject except
Geography and 'Jotish'. Only after the establishment of Serampore College;
the Mission authority introduced different science subjects like Chemistry,
Botany and Zoology in the College syllabus. They also introduced the
80 Exploring History

Scientific Copy Book to help students to make their concepts clear.14 While
preparing that copy book they followed a method. At first they chose a topic
and then explained that in one, two or three sentences of convenient length.15
The 'Scientific Copy Book' contained the ideas of solar system or 'Jotish',
Geography, Chronology, General History, True nature of virtue, Morality and
Religion.16 This copy book was a hand book for students, which provided
essential knowledge for their future. After intensive study of sample questions
of this book, it can be said, though these Serampore Missionaries tried to
introduce science education, but while doing so, they were propagating
Christianity, as they incorporated questions related to Christian theology and
ethics within this copy book.
When Serampore Mission established 'Institute for the encouragement of
Native School' in 1816, several schools established in towns and villages
within thirty miles of Kolkata came under its supervision. In fact, several other
schools in different parts of Bengal also came under the Institution. For
example, at Catwa17 and its neighbourhood area few schools had established
under the supervision of William Carey Junior.18 The first school report
depicts that in these areas the demand of schools was indeed high. In Dacca,
several new schools were opened by Mr. O. Leonard at the beginning of the
year 1817 but the Serampore Mission restricted the number in five. Reports
related to 'Institute for the encouragement of Native School', like, The First
Report of the Institution for the Encouragement of Native Schools in India
(July, 1816 to October 1817), depict the number of newly established schools
as well as number of enrolled students. The report also depicts that the
Serampore Missionaries introduced different subjects like, Dig-Durshuna,
Letters, Astronomical Compendium, Spelling Lessons, Tables and Inferior
lessons with Elementary Tables and most of the students were enrolled
themselves in spelling lessons and in 'Dig-Durshuna.
In the following years these Missionaries had published subsequent
reports of this Institution. The Second Report of the Institution for the
Encouragement of Native Schools in India, published in 1818, shows that
the number of students in Native schools gradually increased. By October
1818, the number of the students had reached seven thousand one hundred
and eighty eight.19 Besides, almost twelve new schools were founded after
October 1817. The second report of the Institution also shows that after 1817,
with the help of Serampore Missionaries, the Institution introduced few new
subject in the Native Schools, like Dig-Durshuna,20 Jotish, the Shastra
Puddhuti and Letters, Nittee Bakya and Spelling lessons and made certain
subjects combinations. Further, other than oriental languages, they incorporated
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 81

few indigenous subjects in the school's curriculum. However, the missionaries

could not introduce these indigenous subjects in every school due to lack of
required number of teachers. Besides, all students were not keen to choose
new subjects introduced by the missionaries in some schools.
In 1818, Serampore Mission published Dig-Durshuna, a magazine for
youths, to circulate some scientific and geographical knowledge among the
youths. The main aim of this magazine was to secure the improvement of
the youth's mind and to prevent youths' minds from getting filled with idle
or injurious. The Third Report of the Institution for the Encouragement of
Native Schools in India notified that 1818 onwards, Samachar-Darpana and
Dig-Durshuna were sent to every school.21 These Serampore Missionaries
used this Bengali newspaper and journal, namely, Samachar-Darpana and
Dig-Durshuna as a textbook in their schools. With the expansion of schooling
network outside of Bengal they translated the first two volumes of Dig-
Durshuna in Hindi and published them in 'Dev-Nagree' character with the
same view.22
To illustrate different lessons properly to students, Serampore Missionaries
planned to use compendiums. As a result, they prepared various compendiums
on different subjects for illustration. These compendiums were the Elementary
Tables, the Grammatical Tables, the Orthographical Tables,23 the Arithmetical
Tables, Tables of Vocabularies, the Astronomical Compendium, the
Geographical Compendium, the Philosophical Compendium, the Historical
and Chronological Compendium and the Compendium of Ethics and Morals.
These compendiums were also given numbers, like 'the 1st elementary table,
the 3rd orthographical tables'23 etc. and 'in the various compendiums, the
lessons were numbered in the same manner'.24 Along with these compendiums,
the Serampore Missionaries also prepared a set of Arithmetical Tables and
translated them into Bengali. This compendium consisted of 'all fundamental
rules of Arithmetic, with directions for solving them, as well as the weights
and measures, used by natives'.25 In this way they prepared and printed twenty
four tables.26
Curriculum of each school under Serampore Mission was not always the
same. Several educational reports published by the Serampore mission press
have given a vivid picture of this variation. These reports have shown that
most of the schools were given due attention to spelling lesson. Moreover,
only after 1818 writing and reading of Dig-Durshuna, letters and elementary
tables were included within schools' curricula in a large scale. Another
variation in curricula has been noticed after the expansion of Serampore
Mission's schooling network in north-east India. For example, in 1829 David
82 Exploring History

Scott, a missionary of Serampore Mission, opened a school for Garo boys

at Singimari under the supervision of Serampore Mission. There Scott
"envisaged, in association with the school where instruction would be
imparted to the Garo boys through their own language rendered in Bengali
script, an extensive agricultural and animal husbandry project."27
It can be said that, missionaries had changed their methods according to
need of the situation. In the case of Scott, he thought that his policy would
help to stabilize the Garos and bring them within the folds of Christianity.28
After the Serampore Mission, the American Baptist mission started their
missionary school in north-east India. They also tried to follow the Serampore
mission's methods of teaching. Incidentally, they emphasised on English
education as well as on the gospel.29 After re-evaluating the Serampore
mission's schools' curricula, it can be said that the Serampore Mission
prepared a balanced curriculum for the adolescence while incorporating
indigenous knowledge along with western science in it. However, they did
not marginalise or delegitimise the indigenous one. Later, these missionaries
continued with this approach while preparing college curriculum.

III
While preparing a new educational curriculum for Mission's schools,
Serampore Missionaries also became interested in higher education. In 1818,
they founded Serampore College within the premises of Serampore Mission.
Later on it became the vertex point of 'eastern literature and western science'
as a result; the teaching was backed up by a well-stocked library, laboratory,
museum, medical unit and observatory. Clearly, in that Institution science was
given due attention. In the first prospectus of Serampore Collage, named,
College for the Instruction of Asiatic Christian and Other Youth in Eastern
Literature and European Science at Serampore, Bengal describes the aims
of the Institution. In the prospectus, it was said that, eastern languages like
Sanskrit, Arabic, and Chinese as well as major western languages like Greek,
Latin, and English were taught there.
The fifth point of this instruction's prospectus depicted that along with
various eastern and western languages and literatures, pupils had also
provided the lessons of European Science to expand their knowledge.
Besides, it also argued that science education should start with elementary
ideas, based on Geography, like, solar system, the laws of motion, nature of
the mechanical powers etc., and then 'gradually advance as the mind of youth
expand'.30 In this prospectus, it had also been told that lectures would deliver
on various branches of science and any Hindu or Muslim could attend them.
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 83

While preparing the College's curriculum, the Serampore Missionaries

prepared two separate courses, one for European and East-Indian students
and another for Christian and non-Christian natives. On one hand, the
European and East-Indian students were taught Hebrew, Greek, Latin,
Bengalee and Mathematics and attended lectures on mental Philosophy,
Chemistry and ancient and ecclesiastical History, on the other hand 'native'
Christian and non-Christian students were given lessons of Sanskrit, Bengali,
English as language along with the lessons of Chemical Studies, Logical
Courses, including a summary of Baconian System and analysis of the ancient
Aristotelian Methods, explanation of nature, the varieties, the Law of
Evidence etc.31
From the time of its establishment, Serampore College gave due attention
to the learning of English. While explaining their plans, the Mission authority
said that if pupils acquired a good knowledge over the English language, then
through the knowledge of English language they would easily access the
treasure of western science along with western literature and this ultimately
would also enable them to enlighten their own people. However, it did not
mean that Serampore missionaries totally neglect oriental knowledge in their
College. Oriental languages had given due attention, even indigenous scientific
knowledge too. Most of the faculty members of the Serampore College were
enthusiastic in promoting science education. They strictly followed the outline
mentioned in the College prospectus for the promotion of science. In the
process of promoting science education in College, two people took a lead
role, one was William Carey's son Felix Carey and another one was John
Mack. While doing this they did not neglect the 'Eastern' or 'Vernacular'
knowledge. For example, on the occasion of the establishment of Serampore
College, in 1818 Samachar-Durpan published news of that event along with
the description of different subjects which were taught there. The news had
conveyed information that if anyone wanted to study Indian Astronomy, along
with Suryasidhanta32, Lilabati33, then they must contact the Serampore
College. They appointed Kalidas Bhattachariya, a famous scholar for that.34
On another day, while discussing the solar eclipse, Samachar-Darpan quoted
a verse from Surya Siddhanta. These two news highlights one thing that
Serampore Mission did not delegitimise the eastern knowledge system while
promoting science education, rather they tried to make people rational by
providing both eastern and western knowledge to pupils.
Several Serampore Missionaries, like William Carey, Mr. Albrech, and
John Mack had delivered lectures at the college. All of them selected their
area of interest to teach. For instance, after the establishment of Serampore
84 Exploring History

College, Carey used to give lectures on Zoology and Botany.35 Mr. Albrech,
another Serampore Missionary and professor of Serampore College, had
taken the responsibility of the Geographical Department. He took good care
of maps of the world.36 Another respected professor of the Serampore
College of that period, Sir John Mack joined the Serampore Mission and as
Chemistry Professor at the College in 1821. While joining Serampore
Mission, he brought many scientific books along with scientific apparatuses
with him and later it enriched the College library as well as the College
laboratory. Along with chemistry, Mack also taught Geography in a scientific
way while using maps. Moreover, he translated the English map of India into
Bengali for the benefit of students. Serampore Missionaries always encouraged
the learning of natural science like Geography. The Mission's keenness
towards that subject made it a compulsory subject in school from the
beginning.37
In 1823, John Mack first delivered a lecture on Chemistry at Serampore
Mission. As the College notified, this lecture was open to all. The Fourth
report of Serampore College for the year 1823 had depicted that,
'The most respectable natives in Serampore and its neighbourhood have
been invited to attend the course free of cost, as well as the students and
Pundits of the College and those connected with the establishment. The
course has also been favoured with (attended by) the Company's Gentlemen
from Barackpore, and Calcutta'
Moreover, this lecture had left a great impact on the audience. The Fourth
report also said that after the succeeding lecture of that day, people who
attended the lecture, discussed about all things, whatever they had seen.
Though, some problems occurred as that lecture was delivered in English.
Mack also faced the same problem when he delivered lecture at Asiatic
society. To overcome the problem, he tried to learn the native language. He
tried to deliver lectures in Bengali and translated many scientific terms with
the help of scientific Sanskrit terms.
Parallel to all these scientific lectures, the Serampore Missionaries also
published several scientific books in vernacular language. In this process of
publishing scientific book, Carey's son Felix Carey took an important role.
A number of valuable scientific works in Bengali were written and translated
by Felix Carey.38 For example, he wrote an encyclopaedia and translated
an anatomy book, named Vidya-Harabali. It was the first anatomy book in
Bengali, published in two volumes. First volume described different internal
parts and anatomy of human body as well as the anatomy of some animals
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 85

like cow and dog. Second part discussed on Chemistry, medicine and
surgery.39 These two books had a big demand for a long time, even many
years after Felix's death.40 In that book Felix Carey translated the medical
terms into Bengali and while doing so he took help from Sanskrit words.
Some of these terms are,
Hand: Hastha, Helicis major, m.: Karnagra baloyastha brihathasma,
Helix: karnagra baloy, Intestinal canal: Khudra-Pranaly, Inspissated coagulable
lymph: Medh, Integument: Charma (skin), Internal Jugular: Kanthnanthastha
raktabhak nari, Internuntii: Raganta dibash, Intestinum Rectum: Saralyantra
etc.41
Besides translating different medical terminology in Bengali with the help
of Sanskrit words, Felix Carey also translated John Mack's book Principles
of Chemistry in Bengali.
After discussing Serampore Mission's schools' and College's curriculums
of science and other subjects, it can be said that when they were preparing
the curriculum for schools and College, they gave equal importance towards
the secular curriculum of East India Company Government, moral educational
system of Christian missionaries' and indigenous educational system. This
kind of approaches of the Serampore Missionaries towards education was
mostly influenced by orientalist approach. However, later the attitudes of
different Christian missionaries while educating Indians changed. For example,
when Alexander Duff founded his school as well as college in 1830 onwards,
he was strongly critical of the secular educational curriculum of Company
Government.42 While preparing school's as well as college's curriculum, Duff
covered a large number of 'literary instructions, beginning with the alphabet
and extending to the most advanced course of literature'.43 He mainly
emphasised to make pupils rational with close questioning on various
issues.44 Moreover, through this process, he marginalised the indigenous
knowledge system.
On the contrary, Serampore Mission, while promoting science education
and rational knowledge, had not only raised questions on various superstitious
and vicious practices of indigenous society, but also gave legitimacy to
indigenous scientific knowledge by incorporating them within their schools
and college curricula. Besides, they appointed native pundits for delivering
lectures on 'Jotish'.

Conclusion:
It can be said that Serampore Mission's schools' and college's curricula
86 Exploring History

had gone through several changes. Initially their aims were to bring changes
in the hearts of the heathens by providing them education, converting them
into Christianity and train them as future missionaries. Keeping these aims
in mind Serampore Missionaries tried to introduce such subjects, which
would help to achieve their aims. When in 1813, Charter Act of 1813 was
passed and all political obligations had been withdrawn from missionaries'
activities, some changes occurred in Serampore Mission's educational activities.
Missionaries brought changes in their schools' curriculum by incorporating
new subjects, especially different indigenous subjects along with 'modern
western' subjects. Besides, they choose vernacular languages as medium of
instructions in schools. It might be possible that the reason behind choosing
of vernacular language as medium of instruction and introducing indigenous
subjects along with western subjects was, to attract large number of people
in their school. Even when the parents of the pupils opposed to their plan
of introducing the Bible in their school, the Serampore Missionaries postponed
their plan. However, they did not give up their missionary zeal while making
such negotiation with the indigenous people. For Example, while preparing
'Scientific Copy Book' they incorporated questions related to Christian
theology and ethics.
Besides, while preparing Serampore Mission College's curriculum, the
missionaries incorporated western science along with eastern literature. This
curriculum made Serampore College the vertex point of 'eastern literature and
western science'. They incorporated indigenous knowledge, like 'Jotish' in the
college's curriculum and also legitimised the Indian's notion of eclipse which
was depicted in Surya Siddhanta. When Serampore Missionary like Felix
Carey translated several scientific books into Bengali, they took help from
different Sanskrit words. Appointing native pundits for delivering lectures in
schools and college also indicated the orientalist nature of Serampore
Mission.
Moreover, all these approaches of the Serampore Mission indicated that
unlike the other Christian Mission and missionaries, the Serampore Mission
and its Missionaries maintained a negotiable attitude towards indigenous
knowledge by legitimising indigenous rational knowledge as well as indigenous
scientific knowledge by incorporating them within their schools' and college's
new curricula, especially while promoting science education.

Notes:
1. Laird, M. A., Missionary and Education in Bengal, 1793-1837, Oxford, 1972,
p. xi.
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 87

2. Acharya, Poromesh, 'Indigenous Education and Brahmanical Hegemony in

Bengal' in Nigel Crook ed., The Transmission of Knowledge in South Asia,
New Delhi, 1996, pp. 108-109.
3. Ghosh, Suresh Chandra, The History of Education in Modern India, 1757-
2007, New Delhi, 2009, p. 18.
4. These subjects were incorporated within the curriculum of Calcutta Grammar
school. (Source: Friend of India, Quarterly Series, 10th June, 1824.)
5. Viswanathan, Gauri, Masks of Conquest: Literary Study and British Rule in
India, New Delhi, p. 34.
6. Frykenberg, Robert Eric, Christianity in India, New York, 2008, p. 149.
7. Sen Gupta, Kanti Prasanna, The Christian Missionaries in Bengal, 1793-1833,
Calcutta, 1971, p. 100.
8. Ibid.
9. Marshman, John Clark, The Life and Time of Carey Marshman and Ward,
Vol.1, London, 1859, p. 131.
10. Potts, E. Daniel, British Baptist Missionaries in India, 1793-1837, Cambridge,
1969, p. 116.
11. Ibid., p. 119.
12. Friend of India, Vol. 1, September, 1818, pp. 133-134.
13. Hints Relative to Native Schools, Together with the Outline of an Institution
for Their Extension and Management, p. 26.
14. Scientific Copy Book: The 'Scientific Copy Book' contained the ideas of
solar system or 'Jotish', Geography, Chronology, General History, True nature
of virtue, Morality and Religion. It could be said this copy book was a kind
of hand book for students which provided essential knowledge for their
future.
15. Manual of direction of Superintendants attached to the institution for the
Encouragement of Native Schools, p. 36.
16. Second Report of The Support and Encouragement of Native Schools, p. 37.
17. Catwa is a small town, situated in Nadia district, West Bengal.
18. William Carey Junior was the second son of William Carey.
19. The Second Report of the Support and Encouragement of Native Schools,
p. 9.
20. Though 'Dig-Durshuna' was a magazine for the youth but Serampore
Missionaries introduced this magazine as a subject in their schools.
21. The Third Report of the Institution for the Support and Encouragement of
Native Schools, p. 15.
22. The Second Report of the Support and Encouragement of Native Schools,
p. 26.
88 Exploring History

23. Hints Relative to Native Schools, Together with the Outline of an Institution
for Their Extension and Management, p. 26.
24. Ibid., p. 27.
25. Ibid., p. 37.
26. Ibid.
27. Downs, Federick S., Christianity in North East India, Delhi, 1983 p. 54.
28. Ibid.
29. Sangma, Milton, A History of American Baptist Mission in East-India, Vol.
II, New Delhi, 1992, p. 2.
30. College for the Instruction of Asiatic Christian and Other Youth in Eastern
Literature and European Science at Serampore, 1819, p. 7.
31. Adam, William, On the State of Education in Bengal, Calcutta, 1835, pp. 70-71.
32. Suryasidhanta was an old Sanskrit book on astronomy.
33. Lilabati was an old Sanskrit book on Astronomy and mathematical calculation.
34. Samachar-Darpan, 20th March, 1819.
35. 'Brief Memoir Relative to the Operation of Serampore Missionaries, p. 27.
36. Ibid.
37. Calcutta Gazette, Thursday, 27th May, 1824.
38. Palit, Chittabrata, Scientific Bengal, New Delhi, 2006, p.49.
39. Carey, Felix, Vidya - Harravalee, Bengalee Encyclopedia, Vol.1, Serampore, 1820,
p. 3, (Actually the proposal of that second volume discussed in the end of first
volume and it was also said that after completing so respected mission press
notified that on Samachar-Darpan and on Friend of India.)
40. Friend of India, 1835-1839, during those years Felix Carey's book on anatomy
appeared in the advertizing page which display the mane of those books which
were on sale.
41. Carey, Felix, Vidya - Harravalee, op.cit., p. 5.
42. Viswanathan, Gauri, Masks of Conquests, op.cit., p. 48.
43. Ibid., p. 53.
44. Ibid., p. 54.

Reference:
Primary Documents:
Newspapers:
Carey Library and Research Centre, Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly
1. Friend of India, (Quarterly Series), 1818.
2. Friend of India, 1835-1840(weekly).
 EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION AND NEGOTIATION:... 89

3. Samachar-Durpan, 1819.
4. Calcutta Gazette, 1824.

Institutional Papers:
Carey Library and Research Centre, Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly
1. College for the Instruction of Asiatic Christian and Other Youth in Eastern
Literature and European Science, Serampore, Bengal. London, 1819.
2. Hints relative to native schools together with the outline of an instruction for
the extension and argument, Serampore, Mission Press, 1816.
3. The First report on the institution for the encouragement of native schools
in India with list of subscribers and benefactors, Serampore, Mission Press,
1817.
4. The second report of the institution for the support and encouragement of
native schools begun at Serampore, Nov.1816, with a list of subscribes and
benefactors, Serampore, Mission Press, 1818.
5. The Third report of the institution for the support and encouragement of native
schools begun at Serampore, Nov.1816, with a list of subscribes and benefactors,
Serampore, Mission Press, 1820.
6. Manual of direction of Superintendents attached to the Institution for the
Encouragement of Native Schools, Mission House, Serampore, 1818.
7. Brief memoir relative to the operation of Serampore Missionaries in Bengal,
London, 1827.

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