Scottish Radicalism and A.O. Hume's Educational Activities in India

Scottish Radicalism and A.O. Hume s Educational Activities in India, 1854-1867

Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912) son of Joseph Hume (1777-1855) Radical Scottish MP (1812-1855) Joseph Hume-Freedom of Press in India in 1820s Joseph Hume - Direct representations to Indians in British Parliament in 1831 A.O. Hume Freedom of Press, Agrarian reforms, administrative reforms Born and raised in London but identified with Scottish radicalism/ Scottish school system I still clings to the political creed of my father. Like my father before me, I am a radical

Allen Octavian Hume He talked of Muir and Palmer, our Scottish Martyrs, and their ideas of rights of subjects and the duties of rulers, and the supremacy of the claims of the masses over the privileges of the classes. In India he started a Hindi journal called Prijahit citizen s welfare Scottish School System - I will put within the reach of every talented lad, however poor, the attainment of a first rate education. Hume came to India in 1849 stayed till 1894 Civil Servant 1849-1880, Political Activist 1880-1894 One of the founders of the Indian National Congress in 1885

Etawah District 1854-67 Henry Stuart Reid 1852 people are uncivilised and superstitious Schools cannot be established in Etawah as people thought that the children in schools would be offered up as a propitiatory sacrifice, after the completion of Ganga canal Hume 1854- unprecedented enthusiasm for education People paid voluntary contribution 32 schools in 2 months 181 schools within a year/7000 boys Central English School at Etawah, which also acted teacher training school

All Indian School Committees Boys from almost all castes attended the schools. Hume personally visited every school once a year and evaluated the performance of the students. During Revolt of 1857, when there was no British administration for over a year, people maintained schools by paying salaries to teachers. During 1854-61, people contributed 72,000 rupees in cash and more than 50,000 rupees in labour for schools. 1854-61, Etawah district had highest no of boys of school going age in schools in the entire province

1861 Hume left for England on sick leave H.S Reid ordered an enquiry, conducted it in the first week of January, extreme cold foggy weather, found 50% attendance Children were examined in History, Geography, and Cube- Root in Decimals declared the schools as failure. The school curriculum consisted of Reading, Writing, Arithmetic up to Compound Interest and Double Rules of Three. Schools were closed down, Hume was transferred out of the district/ Hume gave all his savings 7,000 rupees to Central English School Hume was never appointed again to a position that had direct contact with people

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