The Founding

Colonel William Brown was the founder and the first principal of CBS. He served the School relentlessly for over 15 years he was at the helm.

A man of vision, he decided to devote his life to his country of adoption in the field of education.

Col. Brown was a ‘Cambridge Blue’ and had also in his tenure of service grew to love and play Hockey with equal competence. His wife supported and helped him in his endeavor and was loved by the students. Col. Brown known to be a strict disciplinarian and hard taskmaster had a gentle side when it came to children. It was not uncommon that usually one or two of them would take a lift on his shoulders from the Dining Hall after dinner to the Hostel. This event usually began between the Jack fruit tree and the Bel tree which exist even today.

Colonel Brown Cambridge School was founded in March 1926, by Col. William Brown and Mrs. Brown, for Indian boys. It is an English Medium Residential School  open to all boys irrespective of caste, creed or social status. The School ranks high amongst educational institutions in India, being one of the best ICSE boarding schools in Dehradun. It attracts students not only from across India, but also across the globe. Col. William Brown, an Irish man of repute, with an enviable record of distinguished service both in the sphere of education and the British Army, retired from the Army but did not want to leave India, the country he had adopted, served and grown to love passionately. A man of vision, he decided to devote his life to his country of adoption in the field of education. Col William Brown and Mrs. Brown were childless but loved children. During tours and postings ranging from North West Frontier Province to the South, they found time during to help children of Indian origin. It perplexed and disturbed Col. Brown to witness the attitude of the then current rulers in the disparity and discrimination practiced upon the Indian population by them. He realised it as a fact that the British gentleman and some of his colleagues promoted privileged education and related facilities for their own and fast emerging Anglo-Indian community.

Col Brown along with five students moved into Dick House bearing property number 5 Dick Road, which in the year 1926 was up for lease or sale. The area where the school is situated and all the surrounding areas of Dalanwala as well as the area across the Rispana river in those days produced tea, which was very popular in North India. This is how the best boys boarding school in Dehradun became a reality.

The motto of the School ‘MAGNA EST VERITAS’ is the symbol and guiding light for the future generations to come. The Latin phrase means ‘TRUTH IS GREAT’. The crest denotes the initials of the School: on the top right is the lion, that represents courage, the shamrock, the national symbol of Ireland and the torch, symbolic of learning.

Col. Brown realized that just educating Indian boys would not serve the purpose of education but they had to be given or helped to be prepared for employment so that they could join the main stream and partake in decision making.

Col. Brown was a ‘Cambridge Blue’ and had also in his tenure of service grew to love and play Hockey with equal competence. Col. Brown known to be a strict disciplinarian and hard taskmaster had a gentle side when it came to children. It was not uncommon that usually one or two of them would take a lift on his shoulders from the Dining Hall after dinner to the Hostel.

The School attracted attention from various sections of the Indian community Including wealthy Indians, mainly erstwhile princelings and jageerdars took advantage of this new opening and admissions grew steadily. Col. Brown was an eminent educationist & had a foresight too. Col Brown used his contacts and good will with the Indian Army and managed to persuade them to allow him to hold pre- IMA classes in the school. This gave a further fillip to the School and as the movement for Independence was steadily coming to a boil, farsighted parents wanted to encourage their children to join Army and the civil administration. Col. Brown was very successful in achieving both these goals. What is even more significant is that the School enabled and trained the boys to adapt themselves to the rapidly changing ways of life. He further consolidated their character through a high level of discipline and team work, therefore it was no surprise that the school won the All India Hockey Championship Tournament which because of its popularity added grace and fame to the school.

Col Brown died suddenly on 18th April 1942. A great educationist, a visionary, an Indophile who loved Indians and worked tirelessly for their well-being.