Centenary of Edwardes College, Peshawar. (2000-4)

AD MAJOREM DE GLORIAM is the motto of Edwardes College, Peshawar, which means \"To the greater Glory of God\". Edwardes college began as a missionary foundation at the high watermark of British Rule in the sub-continent. Edwardes College was established in 1900 with the efforts of Sir Herbert Edwardes KCB GSCI, Commissioner of Peshawar in 1853. According to the annals of our college, the first classes were started on 1st May, 1900 and the founding principal was Rev. H.J. Hoare. During these years there were about 30 students in the college. In 1903 the Principal reported:
“...The college continues to do good work in a quiet way ... and will in the near future prove a very real force in the moral and social culture.”
Even in 1913 after the start of BA classes the total enrollment was mere 42. Hoare, however was a man of considerable determination. He had come to the frontier in 1890 and is remembered as a man completely dedicated to his work. It is said that he personally inspected every brick from the kiln and selected those which fully passed his inspection. On Friday, 7th January, 1910 the new College Building (the present famous Arts Block) was opened by the Rt. Reverend, the Bishop of Lahore. A plaque in the Shalimar Quad tells us that the hostel building was constructed with a \"generous gift from a member of the University of Oxford - Fellowship in Furtherance of the Gospel\'. The college was known at this stage as Edwardes Church Mission College and it was affiliated with the University of the Punjab. It was the only college in the frontier.
The college has the honour of being visited thrice by the founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Rev. Dalaya was the Principal at the time. During the same period, distinguished visitor to the college include Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Ghandi, Khawaja Nazimuddin, Dr. khan Sahib, Liaquat Ali Khan and Sheikh Abdul Hamid, After the short - span principalship of Canon Hawkes and Rev K.W.S. Jardine, there came legendary Dr. Phil Edmonds as a principal in March 1955. During his 23 year tenure, Edwardes Students came to occupy high positions in government, civil service and other professions. After Dr. Edmonds, there came Dr. J.D. Murray, Rev. N. Green, Dr. T. Woolmer, Dr. RH. Pont and now Mr. P. Brooke Smith (since 1995). Mr. Brooke-Smith felt intensely the need to bring changes in the college to enable it to meet the challenges of 21st Century. He gave a comprehensive \'system and procedure\' to the entire administration, started construction (now complete) of the Centenary Building for Computer Science and Electronics Department, Seminar Rooms and Learning Resources Centre. Many other development projects are going on. Mr. Brooke Smith has an obsession to see Edwardes College an Educational Institution of international standards in near future and he is endeavouring for it.
The college has maintained such a unique character fort he last one hundred years that to be an \'Edwardian\" means an enviable status and a high quality and character. For the last one hundred years the college is proud to produce men of great integrity, intellect, loyalty and honour.
Contributed by: Principal Edwardes College, Peshawar.
Pakistan Post Office is also participating in the centenary celebrations by issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Ps. 2/- denomination on April 24, 2000.