Karaka, Dosabhai Framji: History of the Parsis: including their manners, customs, religion and present position ; in two volumes (Band 1) (London, 1884)

chap, vi.] PARSI GIRLS' ASSOCIATION.

313

for their better maintenance. If so much was accom-
plished by a society of young students and ex-
students, the reader can imagine how much more
would be expected to result from the new impetus
that was given to the cause by the action of the
leaders of the Parsi community. Those expectations
have been fully realised, and the Managing Committee
of the Parsi Girls' School Association have done what
they could to promote the best interests of the schools
entrusted to their care. Originally all the girls
were educated free of charge, but from the year 1862
the parents of well-to-do Parsis were required to pay
a monthly fee of one rupee for each pupil, while the
daughters of the poorer classes were admitted free.
Subsequently in the year 1873 the Managing Com-
mittee abolished all free admissions. A fee of eight
annas was levied per month from every girl whose
parents' means would not allow a higher payment.
Thus eleemosynary instruction has been totally dis-
continued in the female schools belonging to the Parsi
Girls' School Association, although the schools of
the Sir Jamshedji Jijibhai Parsi Benevolent Institu-
tion, some of which are in the neighbourhood of those
belonging to the Association, continue to impart in-
struction to most of the pupils free of charge.

One great drawback to the spread of female educa-
tion among the Parsis almost to the present day is
that the girls do not continue their attendance at