Both of them seem to have been convinced that the most important contribution to the foundation of the university was their own. Both highlight the phase in which they themselves had played a prominent role, and both allude only in passing or not at all to the period shaped by their respective rival. Hekmat dedicates three chapters of his memoirs to the foundation of the university. After a short description of the Bagh-e Jalaliyeh where the University of Tehran was to be built he sets out with the night in February 1934 “in which the university was born.” The Teachers College is mentioned only once in his memoirs when he writes that its nice building has been constructed under the superintendence of the Russian engineer Markov.
Sadiq, on the other hand, dedicates a whole chapter of 70 pages to it, under the heading “The Teachers College as nucleus of the university”; 19 while the actual foundation of the university is summarized with roughly 14 pages in a chapter under the title “miscellaneous records.” This chapter begins with his stay in the United States and half way through he arrives at the presentation of Forughi’s cabinet where Hekmat was appointed minister of education.
He reports that Hekmat was in Europe in those days, but after returning to Iran towards the end of October 1933 had read Sadiq’s dissertation and approved of his considerations and suggestions. Allegedly, they agreed upon a collaboration which is, however, not mentioned any more later on. Sadiq’s account gives the general impression that he had in fact taken over the responsibility of this issue.
Hekmat Becomes Minister of Education
