( 6 ) mother tongue. The students of the college department may learn great deal about our sociology from the Vernacular books placed in their hands, I have the honor to be Sir, Your most obedient Servant BRojoNATH RAY. 9 From BABU BRAJENDRANATH SEAL M.A. Principal, Berhampur College. To THE COMMITTEE OF THE SAHITYA PARISHAD, Appointed to consider the question of the introduction of the Vernaculars in the University Examinaions. DEAR SIRS, I have much pleasure in sending the following note on the questions on which you desire to have my opinion :- I. I consider it highly desirable that the Calcutta University should recognise a vernacular like Bengali in the F. A. Examination; and I would have text-books of Bengali literature appointed for those candidates whose vernacular is Bengali. A paper of mere translation into or original composi tion in Bengali would, in my opinion, be a sorry makeshift, and I should be decidedly opposed to it, as a similar arrangement for the Entrance Examination has notoriously failed of its purpose. On the third day of the F. A. Examination I would have for candidates whose mother tongue is Bengali one paper on a classical (second) language and one paper on Bengali language and literature as studied in appointed text-books. I would adopt a similar plan for the Entrance Examination also. The Sanskrit Course would in each case be left untouched and in its integrity. The theoretical considerations in favor of the reform I advocate are too many and too important to be here mentioned in any but the most , cursory manner. The broad question of a vernacular versus bare classical education has been already fought out in other countries; and a thorough course of English education-thanks to the eforts of Drs. Hales, Morris Skeat and other veteran educationists-is now incorporated into the scheme of secondary instruction in England, even in the most renowned public schools and other historic centres of classical learning. The English settlement of the question is no doubt radically different from the continental solution, for, while the latter provides for a vernacular (or non-classical), and, a classical side, the former seeks to combine vernacular with classical studies
