Some excerpts from an excellent book on Presidency College.
Presidency College-r Itibrittwa (Biswanath Das, Thema, 2011).
Translation: Sreemati Mukherjee
Peary
Charan Sarkar (49)
This
idealist and exemplary student of Hindu College could have easily obtained a
high governmental posting had he wished. However, he chose to become a teacher
and consequently embraced a life of constrained means. From the position of
Head Master at Kolutollah Branch School (later named Hare School), he joined
Presidency College as Assistant Professor in 1864. Later in 1874, he was appointed
as Assistant Professor (Lecturer?) in
the Department of English. During those days, a teacher could teach anything. There
was no steadfast rule that a particular teacher had to teach a particular
subject, only. It all depended on whether the teacher had the required
competence to teach a specific subject. Peary Charan’s general sweetness of
temper, gentleness of conduct and deep commitment to students, succeeded in
winning them over completely. His early demise in 1875 caused his students to
be deeply grief stricken.
Peary
Charan’s First, Second, Third and Fourth Book of Reading were considered
fundamental to the teaching of English at schools all over India.
It
is not widely known that Peary Charan donated 70,000 rupees, which constituted
his entire life earnings, to his dear friend Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, to help
build a school for upper caste Hindu widows. He also set up a girls’ school at
his own residence in Chorbagan.
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