Harijan Education

THE question of primary education is in many respects much more difficult than secondary and college education. And Harijan education is the most difficult of all. Be it in the crudest manner possible, a non-Harijan child receives some home culture. A Harijan child, being shunned by society, has none. Even when, therefore, all primary schools are open to Harijan children, as they must be soon or late, and, in my opinion, sooner rather than later, preliminary schools will be needed for Harijan children, if they are not to labor under a perpetual handicap. This preliminary training can be discovered and tried in all the numerous Harijan schools conducted under the aegis of Harijan Sevak Sanghs scattered throughout India. That preliminary training should consist in teaching Harijan children manners, good speech and good conduct.

A Harijan child sits anyhow, dresses anyhow ; his eyes, ears, teeth, hair, nails, nose are often full of dirt ; many never know what it is to have a wash. I remember what I did when in 1915 I picked up a Harijan boy at Tranquebar, and took him with me to Kochrab where the Ashram was then situated. I had him shaved. He was then thoroughly washed and given a simple dhoti, vest and a cap. In a few minutes, in appearance he become indistinguishable from any child from a cultured home. His head, eyes, ears, nose were thoroughly cleaned. His nails, which had become repositories of dirt, were pared and cleaned. His feet, which were laden with dust, were rubbed and cleaned out. Such a process has to be gone through every day, if need be, with Harijan children attending schools. Their lesson should begin for the first three months with teaching them cleanliness.

— Harijan : May 18, 1935

The First Daily Lesson

On first admission, their bodies have to be minutely examined and thoroughly cleaned. Their clothes might have to be cleaned and patched. The first daily lesson, therefore, will, for some time, consist of applied hygiene and sanitation and simple needle-work. I should use no books probably for the whole of the first year. I should talk to them about things with which they are familiar and, doing so, correct their pronunciation and grammar and teach them new words. I should note all the new words they may learn from day to day, so as to enable me to use them frequently till they have them fixed in their minds regularly. The teacher will not give discourses, but adopt the conversational method. Through conversations, he will give his pupils progressive instruction in History, Geography and Arithmetic. History will begin with that of our own times, and then, too, of events and of persons nearest us, and Geography will begin with that of the neighborhood of the school. Arithmetic will begin with the sums applicable to the pupils' homes. Having tried the method myself, I know that infinitely more knowledge can be given to the pupils through it, and without strain on them, than can be given through the orthodox method, within a given time.

— Harijan : Nov. 19, 1933