Despatch to Court of Directors, February 3, 1854

Despatch, dated the 3rd February 1854, to the Court of Directors.

        We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Hon'ble Court's; patch No. 71, dated 9th November last, conveying your assent to the proposal that was made by the Government that your Hon'ble Court should adopt the Native Female School founded in Calcutta by the late Mr. Bethune.

        2. We have to convey to your Hon'ble Court our acknowledgments for your ready assent to our proposal. It affords us the utmost satisfaction to know that this Institution which we believe to be calculated to aid a great object, will by your liberality be upheld hereafter in full activity.

        3. There is one point however suggested by your Hon'ble Court which strikes us as being of doubtful expediency, and that is the levy of a school fee from the pupils generally. Fees in much cases have not been found to work badly, but where the experiment of Female Education is concerned, we would not interpose the risk of even a small fee to the successful accomplishment of the design of the benevolent founder of the institution.

        4. The Most Noble the Governor-General desires to add to the acknowledgments of this Government his personal and respectful thanks to your Honourable Court, but His Lordship begs permission to decline your liberality in wishing to relieve him at once from the charge of the institution. His Lordship has signified his desire to maintain the School so long as he remains in India, and he begs that that arrangement may be allowed to stand.

        5. We have the honour to forward the Minutes that were recorded by the most noble the Governor-General and the Members of Government on receipt of your Honourable Court's Despatch under reply together with a copy of the communication which has this day been made to the Government of Bengal on the subject of that Despatch.

We have etc.
DALHOUSIE,
DORIN,
J. LOW,
F. J. HALLIDAY.

FORT WILLIAM,
The 3rd February 1854

From: Bureau of Education. Selections from Educational Records, Part II (1840-1859). Edited by J. A. Richey. Calcutta: Superintendent Government Printing, 1922. Reprint. Delhi: National Archives of India, 1965, 62-63.