Living In Hostel

MY conception of living in a hostel is that it should be like living with one's own family, the superintendent and the students should live together like members of a family with the former occupying the place of parents in it. If the superintendent has a wife, both the husband and the wife should act as father and mother of this family of students.

I personally give more importance to the hostels than to the schools. Much of the necessary knowledge which cannot be had in the latter can be had in the former. They get some intellectual training in the schools but not much. What happens is that some part of what they hear and are made to rehearse sticks to their mind—even though only unconsciously. I am presenting only the dark side of the picture. The schools by themselves cannot strengthen and develop the boys'' minds to the extent that the hostels may. My idea is that, ultimately, the hostel must combine in itself the functions of both school and hostel.

Role of the Superintendent

What cannot be achieved in the schools can be done in the hostels. The Superintendent should not merely be an accountant ; he must also see what the student does at school. He should regard the student as his son or pupil, and strive to further his studies and well-being. If the boys living in hostels lose their strength of character, if their thoughts are disorganized and their intellect paralyzed so that they turn into a useless rabble, the blame has to be placed on the Superintendent. It shows his incompetence.

Duty of Students

So much about Superintendents. Let me now say a few words to the students. It will be a grave mistake on their part if, in their overweening pride, they think of the Superintendent as though he were servant to look after all their needs. It is wrong if they think that they should do nothing for themselves and expect the servants to do all that is required.¹ They should know that a hostel is not the place to pass their days in ease and comfort. They should give up thinking that they pay for what they get at the hostel. The money received from them does not suffice to meet all the expenditure that is incurred on them. The seths who founded these hostels believe, through ignorance, that pampering the students make for their improvement, and that there is religious merit in keeping them in ease and comfort. Because of this erroneous belief they provide many facilities to the students, but instead of righteousness, it leads to unrighteousness. Instead of becoming better, the students become worse, and also contract the habit of dependence. The boys should understand that if they do not return what they receive, they are living on stolen wealth. In my childhood, I read a poem of Akha Bhagat ; one of the lines said :

"Living on stolen wealth is like eating unprocessed quick-silver."

By living on unlawful gains, students fail to develop heroic qualities. They become tame and submissive.

— Navajivan : Feb. 23. 1930

1. " I have no doubt that in every boarding house for students, all labour, including scavenging, should be performed by the boarders. Such a plan does not interfere with the boarders' studies. Indeed, it adds reality to them and promotes the health of the students and saves money into the bargain."

— Harijan : Sept. 30, 1933