The history of the modern education system in this region would not be complete without mentioning the story of Denny's Higher Secondary School, Rawalpindi. Not that there were no educational institutions at all, there were madrassas and pathshalas, but this was one of the earliest educational institutions established in the city on modern lines. It was founded in the late nineteenth century. This historic school is located at 33°35'58.21"N, 73°3'30.01"E, in the Saddar area of Rawalpindi city, on Kashmir Road.
Rawalpindi was a small city during the rule of the Sikhs but made rapid progress under British rule. After the annexation of Punjab, they established a military cantonment, which led to rapid development in all fields and a significant increase in population. According to the census of 1891, the population of Rawalpindi city was 34,153, while the cantonment had a population of 37,870. Therefore, the combined population of the city and cantonment was 72,023.
Before going into the details of the history of this school, let us first take a tour of the building and explore its architecture and story together.
An old student of this period, Pandit Sheo Narain, R. B. (an Advocate of the Chief Court of the Punjab), contributes the following interesting account of the College and its staff on his arrival in 1876:-
I came from Jalandhar to Lahore about the beginning of January 1876, to join the Government College. It was not the Lahore of today, but an old-fashioned town with a few additions which may be called modern. I shall describe Lahore elsewhere according to my recollections of 1876. Here I am asked to reduce to writing my reminiscences of College life. I shall never forget the double-storied third class carriage by which I travelled. On alighting from the railway train I noticed only one Palki-gari at the railway porch, which used to be in those days on the east side of the station. The porters attended to European travellers only, so I had to carry my brief belongings under my arm. Passing from the Landa Bazar (a sobriquet for a bald bazar with mostly thatched stalls) I reached the house near Yaki Gate where I was to take up my abode. Within " a couple of days of my arrival I was taken to what was " then known as Dr. Rahim Khan's kothi, then used as Government College before its transfer to the present magnificent edifice. That kothi still exists near the present anatomical rooms. I was presented to the officiating Principal, Dr. Stulpnagel, whose imposing appearance made me rather nervous, which was soon got over when he addressed me a few short and encouraging words. In a few days our class was formed and instruction begun. Babu Shoshi Bhushan taught Mathematics. I confess he was too learned for me, I could scarcely follow him in his demonstrations on the board. All the boys looked upon him as a Mahadeo, his reticent and unruffled temperament inspired an awe in his pupils.
In addition to that, I found a small reference to Babu Bhushan in the famous newspaper Amrita Bazar Patrika, published from Calcutta, of August 25, 1898.
A munsif was a subordinate civil judge. I am not sure if all the references refer to the same person or not.
3. His Highness Raja Baldeo Singh of Punch. Raja Baldeo Singh was the ruler of the Punch Jagir, a semi-autonomous state, in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. He ruled from 1892 - 1918.
The current school is a complex of at least seven different buildings, constructed at various times. The layout is so haphazard that the view of the original old building is obstructed by later additions. The beauty of this magnificent structure is not only hidden but also marred.
The main building was completed in 1899. It features a beautiful and grand design, with a verandah, solid columns, and large round arches. The building is a masterpiece of late nineteenth-century architecture, and even after the passage of more than a century, its splendour has not faded.
While searching for old schools in the city, I was fortunate to meet Mr. Shahenshah Babur Sahib, the District Education Officer. It was he who suggested that I visit this school. Not only did he accompany me and give me a guided tour of the campus, but he also provided an old copy of a joint school magazine of Rawalpindi’s educational institutions, “Talib-e-Ilm” (The Student), published in April 1956. This magazine contains a brief but valuable account of the school’s history.
یہ سکول انیسویں صدی کے خاتمہ پر بنگالیوں نے احاطہ مٹھوخان صدر میں جاری کیا اور کنٹنونمنٹ راولپنڈی کے مجسٹریٹ کرنل ڈٰنیز کے نام سے معنون ہوا۔ منتظمین اور خصوصا سیٹھ آدم جی کی بے لوث خدمتوں نے اُسے بام عروج پر پہنچایا کہ اسکول کی ایک ذاتی عمارت آدم جی بلاک کے نام سے تعمیر ہونا شروع ہوگئ۔ کرنل صاحب کے تبادلہ کے بعد چیف خالصہ دیوان نے سکول کی باگ ڈور سنبھالی اور سکول کو خالصہ ڈینیز ہائی سکول کے نام سے موسوم کردیا۔ کچھ عرصہ بعد منتظمین نے نے چیف خالصہ سے ا س کا انتظام واپس لے لیا اور لالہ بیج ناتھ کو ہیڈ ماسٹر مقرر کرکے کل اور جزو کا مالک انہی کو بنا دیا۔ لالہ صاحب ایک تعلیم یافتہ اور مخلص کارکن تھے۔ وہی اس اسکول کو معراج ترقی پر لے گئے کہ شاید و باید نتائج سو فیصدی رہے، عمارت میں اضافہ ہوا۔ نظم و ضبط بے مثال۔ غرض سب کچھ وہ کیا جو ایک ادارہ کے شایانِ شان ہوتا ہے۔ ان کے انتقال کے بعد لالہ دیوان چند کھلر نے عنان انتظام سنبھالی۔ براؤننگ بلاک - بی بلاک بنوایا اور اپنے پیشرو کی طرح بے مثل سربراہ ثابت ہوئے۔ ان کے بعد ماسٹر نثار ہیڈ ماسٹر مقرر ہوئے۔ انہوں نے اپنے پیشرووں کی طرح سکول کو چار چاند لگائے۔ موجودہ دفتر بنوایا ، نیو بلاک بنوایا۔ سکول میں ایک باغیچہ لگوایا۔ ان کے بعد باوا موتی سنگھ مدرس اعلی بنے اور سکول کی شاندار روایات کو برقرار رکھا۔ باوا موتی سنگھ کے بعد انوب چند کی باری آئی اور انہوں نے بھی اپنے پیشرووں جیسی چابکدستی دکھلائی۔ لیکن تقسیم ملک نے ان کے ارمان نہ نکلنے دیئے اور اب قرعہ فال مولوی ریاض الدین صاحب کے نام نکلا۔ موصوف نے اپنی ان تھک محنتوں سے سکول کی آن بان باقی رکھی۔ مگر وہ بھی حج بیت اللہ کے لیے تشریف لے گئے اور منتظمین نے شیخ محمد ممتاز صاحب اسسٹنٹ ڈسٹرکٹ انسپکٹر مدارس کی خدمات محکمہ تعلیم سے حاصل کیں۔ اب موصوف اپنی تنظیمی مہارت اور ذاتی تدبر سے سکول کاکام باقاعدہ چلا رہے ہیں اور سکول کی سابقہ روایات برقرار رکھنے میں ہمہ تن مصروف ہیں۔ سکول کی مرمت اور صفائی، بچوں کے کھیلوں کا خاص انتظام، اسکول کے لیے نئے فرنیچرکی تیاری ان کا خاص مطمع نظر ہے۔ ساتھ ہی بچوں کی تعلیم کے لیے ٹرینڈ اساتذہ کا تقرر۔ نتائج کی بہتری ان ک اور مجلس انتظامیہ کا مخصوص مقصد ہے۔ موجودہ مجلس انتظامیہ جس کے صدر جناب جسٹس جان محمد صاحب اور نائب صدر شیخ نصیر صاحب اور سیکریٹری جناب سیٹھ یحیٰ صاحب جیسی مخلص ہستیاں ہیں۔ سکول کی بہبودی اور ترقی کے لیے ہر وقت مستعد اور تیار ہے۔ سکول کا نتیجہ امتحان ورنیکل فائنل 80 فیصد اور میٹرک کا نیتجہ جس میں 195 طلباء شریک ہوئے68 فیصد رہا۔ خدا کرے یہ سکول اسی طرح ترقی کرے۔ (1956)
A Brief History of Denny’s High School, Rawalpindi
(Head Master)
This school was established by the Bengalis at the end of the nineteenth century in the compound of Mithu Khan, Saddar, and was named after Colonel Denny, who at that time was the Magistrate of Rawalpindi Cantonment. Due to the selfless services of the administrators, particularly Seth Adamjee, the school flourished and reached great heights. A personal building of the school, named Adamjee Block, was also begun during this period.
After the transfer of Colonel Denny, the Chief Khalsa Diwan took over the administration of the school and renamed it Khalsa Denny’s High School. Some time later, the administrators took back the management from the Chief Khalsa Diwan and appointed Lala Beej Nath as the Head Master, entrusting him with full control of the institution. Lala Sahib was an educated and devoted worker. He elevated the school to the peak of success, the results were consistently excellent, discipline was exemplary, and the building was expanded. In short, he did everything that befits a great institution.
After his death, Lala Diwan Chand Khullar assumed charge of the school’s administration. He built Browning Block (Block B) and, like his predecessor, proved to be an exceptional head. Following him, Master Nisar became Head Master. He, too, continued the legacy of excellence set by those before him. He built the present office, constructed the New Block, and planted a garden within the school premises. After him, Bawa Moti Singh became the Head Master and maintained the school’s proud traditions. He was succeeded by Anub Chand, who also displayed the same efficiency and dedication as his predecessors. However, the Partition of India prevented him from fulfilling all his aspirations for the school.
After Partition, the responsibility fell upon Maulvi Riazuddin Sahib, who, through tireless effort, preserved the dignity and reputation of the school. Later, he left for the pilgrimage to the Holy Kaaba, and the administration appointed Sheikh Muhammad Mumtaz Sahib, Assistant District Inspector of Schools, whose services were obtained from the Education Department.
At present, he is managing the school’s affairs with great organizational skill and personal wisdom. He is devoted to maintaining the school’s traditions, paying special attention to repairs and cleanliness, arranging games for the students, preparing new furniture for classrooms, appointing trained teachers, and improving academic results.
The current Managing Committee, whose President is Justice Jan Muhammad Sahib, Vice President Sheikh Naseer Sahib, and Secretary Seth Yahya Sahib, consists of devoted personalities who are always ready and active for the school’s welfare and progress. In the recent examinations, the result for the Vernacular Final was 80%, and for the Matriculation Examination, out of 195 students who appeared, the success rate was 68%. May God grant that this school continues to progress in the same way.
(1956)
The school was established in 1881 by Controller of Military Accounts Col Denny with the help of well-off Hindu and Muslim families on Dalhousie Road (Kashmir Road). The land was leased for eight annas a month, and the school was managed by the Cantonment Committee.The institution began as a primary school operating out of a few rooms, with the children of Military Accounts officials as students. The people of Saddar and the city areas began turning to the school later.
Now let us complete our tour of the school complex, which as we noted above is a combnation of several buildings, built over a time period of more than a century. For your convenience I shall embed a google map at the end of the artcile, so you can identify different blocks. We shall call the original building as Block A. Similarly we shall call the subsequent blocks as B, C, etc.
We, the teachers and students of Government Denny’s High School, Rawalpindi, express our heartfelt gratitude to XEN Buildings, Mr. Khalid Javed, SDO Mr. Mirza Naeem Baig, and Overseer Mr. Ghulam Hussain for their outstanding, enthusiastic services and cooperation. Through their sincere efforts, they made possible a construction project that had seemed impossible within such limited funds.
Above all, we are deeply thankful to Mr. Muhammad Shafi, Contractor and Owner of Sledge Construction Company, Gujrat, for his honesty and excellent performance. We pray that Almighty Allah rewards all of them abundantly for their remarkable work.
Sheikh Muhammad IshaqHeadmaster, Teachers and StudentsGovernment Denny’s High School, Rawalpindi7th Ramadan, 1406 A.H. (Corresponding to approximately April 1986)
We are grateful to Mr. Ashfaq Hussain Qureshi, S.E. Buildings, Rawalpindi, whose personal efforts made possible the completion of this block. The foundation stone of this block was laid by Mr. Faqir Ahmad Chaudhry, District Education Officer, Rawalpindi, on 16 April 1987, with his own blessed hands.
Headmaster: Sheikh Muhammad IshaqTeachers and StudentsGovernment Denny’s High School, Rawalpindi
گورنمنٹ ڈینیز ہائی سکول راولپنڈی
The foundation stone of this block
was laid by
Mr. Ikram-ul-Haq Rana,
Director of Education, Rawalpindi Division, Rawalpindi,
on 1st January 1986, corresponding to 19 Rabi‘ al-Thani 1406 AH.
Block G. (26.10.025.)
This historic school, which has educated countless students from this city and region, stands as an important and integral part of the educational and cultural heritage of Rawalpindi. I sincerely hope it continues its journey on the path of knowledge and achieves even greater heights in the years to come.
In conclusion, I would like to clarify that the various buildings referred to as Block A, B, etc., are not the official names of these sections. I have used them only to help readers understand the map provided below and to identify their locations within the school complex.
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