combination of lack of interest, poverty or
poorly educated parents who have developed
unfortunately an "inferiority complex" about
expensive Anglo-Indian schools. There are
eight excellent Anglo-Indian schools in
Bombay, but Anglo-Indians do not approach
these schools to get educated. Perhaps, it
could be financial restrictions. I am unable
to understand why they do not come. Perhaps
Wirth was right when he said that we live for
different and unequal treatment and therefore
we regard ourselves as objects of collective
discrimination. I really do not know the
answer. I think we should all try and stop
quarrelling with one another and find safety
in numbers. You know we are split from the
top to the bottom, or if you like sideways,
in any case, we are fragmented as a community
in India. Do you know what we could do about
it? You'll meet enough of us to find out
some answers .
103______Goan woman 50-60 Christian Bombay 22 July
She was multilingual and spoke English, Hindi, Marathi,
Gujerati and French. She was the Superior of a Convent in
Gujerat belonging to the Religious Order, Daughters of
the Heart of Mary. She had attended an Anglo-Indian
school from kindergarten to Class X, and had experienced
the intense Language Debate in Anglo-Indian education
during the Fifties. She said,
English is a drawback, and Christians are
viewed as foreigners. There is a distinction
between the Anglo-Indian and the Indian
Christian. The Anglo-Indians are a closed
community and have little contact with other
Christians. They are an isolated, urban
Christian community.
CITY: CALCUTTA
STATE: WEST BENGAL
DATES: 9-10 August and 13-14 August
TOTAL: б 6
104 Anglo-Indian girl Christian 16 Calcutta 9 August
She was studying shorthand-typing. She did not possess
any Secondary School Leaving Certificate. She belonged
388