प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

84 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
krit schools of Bengal and Bihar. We must remember
in this connection that Brahman teachers were busy in the
morning in performing their own religious duties or offici-
ating at religious functions and ceremonies to which they
were often invited. The noon session therefore must
have been usually devoted to teach new lessons. It is
however quite possible that there may have been no hard
and fast rules in this connection. If the teachers were
free, the morning session also may have been devoted
to new lessons. In organised colleges which engaged full
time teachers, this may have been generally the case.
No One Time School : It must have been noticed that
there was no one time school in ancient India. One time
school, either in the morning or in the afternoon, would
not have suited the religious habits of the age, which
necessitated the performance of religious duties both in
the morning and the noon. It has to be noted that most of
the teachers of higher education belonged to the priestly
class. Students usually lived with their teachers or very
near their houses or in small villages; so attendance at
the school two times a day did not cause any physical
inconvenience similar to what is felt by the children
living in big cities and attending schools situated far off.
Nor was it necessary to keep either morning or noon free
to students for their home work; for no home work was
possible. Even the richest student in ancient times could
not afford to have about half the number of books
and exercises, which the poorest student is compelled to
procure in the modern age.
Night Classes : Poor students who could not pay
any honorarium to the teacher had to do a good deal of
the household work for him. They naturally could not
be present throughout school hours during the day.
Teachers used to hold night classes for their convenience.