Part 1 (1/2)
Education as Service
by J Krishna past lives the author of this little book had ht over with hi his short visits to Benares, he paid an alert attention to many of the details of the work carried on in the Central Hindu College, observing and asking questions, noting the good feeling between teachers and students, so different from his own school experiences in Southern India He appears to have been brooding over the question, and has, in this booklet, held up the educational ideals which appear to him to be necessary for the improvement of the present system
The position of the teacher must be raised to that which it used to occupy in India, so that to sit in the teacher's chair will be a badge of social honour His workDepartment in the Government of our world, and his relation with his pupils must be a copy of the relation between a Master and His disciples Love, protective and elevating on the one side,and trustful on the other This is, in truth, the old Hindu ideal, exaggerated as it may seem to be to-day and if it be possible, in any country to rebuild this ideal, it should be by an Indian for Indians Hence there is, at the back of the author's e and School, wherein this ideal e and School, because the ancient Indian ideals no their life from Theosophy which alone can shape the new vessels for the ancient elixir of life Punishment must disappear--not only the old brutality of the cane, but all the forms of coercion that make hypocrites instead of honourable and manly youths
The teacher must embody the ideal, and the boy be drawn, by admiration and love, to copy it Those who knoiftly the unspoiled child responds to a noble ideal will realise how potent h example and rules by the sceptre of love instead of by the rod of fear Besides, the One Life is in teacher and taught, as Alcyone res are possible
Education must be shaped to meet the individual needs of the child, and not by a Governh asunder and others are chopped down The capacities of the child, the line they fit hiuide his education
In all, the child's interest must be paramount; the true teacher exists to serve
The schoolfroa of character, to the ood citizen, the lover of his country
Thus dreams the boy, who is to become a teacher, of the possibilities the future th of a noble Manhood, the pure visions of his youth, and embody a Pohich shall make earth's deserts rejoice and blossom as the rose
ANNIE BESANT
TO THE SUPREME TEACHER
AND TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM
FOREWORD
Many of the suggestions made in this little book come from my own memories of early school life; andhas shown ht be made than they usually are I haveand the wrong way, and therefore I want to help others towards the right way I write upon the subject because it is one which is very near to the heart of my Master, and much of what I say is but an iain, during the last two years, I have seen e at Benares by Mr GS Arundale and his devoted band of helpers I have seen teachers glad to spend their tiard as their younger brothers I have also watched the boys, in their turn, showing a reverence and an affectionate gratitude to their teachers that I had never thought possible
Though many people may think the ideals put forward are entirely beyond the average teacher, and cannot be put into practice in ordinary schools, I can thus point at least to one institution in which I have seen estions made in this book actually carried out It may be that some of them _are_, at present, beyond nised and practised as soon as teachers realise the of the importance of their office
Most of the recoions, and are intended to sound the note of our coion or caste, race or colour If the unity of life and the oneness of its purpose could be clearly taught to the young in schools, how hter would be our hopes for the future! The mutual distrust of races and nations would disappear, if the children were trained in reat faht to glory only in their own traditions and to despise those of others True patriotism is a beautiful quality in children, for it reat ideals; but that is false patriotism which shows itself in conteanisations within the various nations of the world, intended to inspire the children with a love for their country and a desire to serve her, and that is surely good; but I wonder when there will be an international organisation to give the children of all nations coe of the real foundation of right action, the Brotherhood of Man
I desire to thank iventhis little book, and also my dear friend, Mr GS Arundale--hoestions
J KRISHNAMURTI
THE TEACHER
In _At the Feet of the Master_ I have written down the instructions given tome to learn how best to be useful to those aroundthe Master's words are, and how theyto train himself for the service of others I knowcare of those to whoer to pass on to others the help I have obtained from them