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Vol. XXVI, 2003
IMPACT OF RELIGION IN THE GROWTH OF...
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desire for the extension of female education becomes generally known".
To cater to the need of women teachers for various girls' schools, teacher training college become a necessity. The suggestion first came from Miss Marry Carpenter - an educationalist from Bristol who visited the city of Ahmedabad in 1870. An effort was made in this direction to train women teacher for primary schools. This resulted in the establishment of Mahalaxmi Female Training college in 1871 in Ahmedabad. This institution was largely financed of by Mr. Bechardas Laskari who donated Rs. 10,000 for the building of the college 18.
Most of the Philanthropic activities conducted by Gujarati Jain Merchant were concentrated in the areas of education and medicine. Large sum of money was donated for the development of infrastructure for private schools, hospitals and educational institutions such as libraries, research centres like Vidyabhyasak Mandal founded in 1851.
The financial assistance of Jain businessmen helped in setting up large number of private schools upto the level of primary standard. One of the significant impacts of this was that girl's accessibility to schools increased. Schools were set up not only in metropolitans but, in small towns within the reach of pupils. The percentage of girls' attendance to an extent increased. This was largely evident among the girls belonging to Jaina community to whom inhibitions towards schools education gradually vanished, as the community itself was involved in the growth of female education. Existence of large number of girls' schools also helped in opening up the avenues for employment in teaching profession to women. Here too, the advantage was taken over by Baniya community of Gujarat in which Jaina women widows were primarily in large number'. Employment not only provided them economic independence but brought the attitude of assertiveness and self consciousness. It was these women who defied the community's .age old custom like widowhood and led and independent life of their likings. Simultaneously these women incurred tremendous support from social reformers and utilized available legal opportunities. Two women of this period belonged to Jaina community namely Jadaybai and Harkor Settani. A brief study on the life and time of these women will enable in understanding the overall attitude of the community towards women's education. This will also put more light on the nature of tension between the newly educated women and the community.
Jadavbai created a stir in Gujarat by marrying a man of her choice. She
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