A Gold Medal of Education for Captain İsmet
On September 26, 1906, İsmet Bey graduated valedictorian from the War College he was admitted to with the rank of lieutenant and was thus awarded a “Gold Medal of Education.” He was merely 22 years old when he received the title staff captain. İsmet İnönü would later convey this achievement as follows in his memoirs:
During summer holidays, I would study the most difficult courses on my own and prepare for the upcoming year… Summer months were enough for me to prepare myself for the most challenging course or courses. Thus, by the time I was back in school, I would have already overcome the difficult part of the new course. I could easily follow classes and still dedicate my time to a foreign language.
“The Golden Medal of Education” was given at institutions of higher learning opened during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II. It was first granted in 1901 to honor the achievements of students and was no longer issued after 1909. Students graduating valedictorian from Military Colleges, Law School, and Teacher’s Training College were given gold medals, whereas students graduating second in their class were given the silver Medal of Education. Hence, the most valuable students would be acknowledged and encouraged by the state.
The medal is 55 x 85 mm in size, in the form of an oval wreath. The wreath features a ribbon tied in a bow at the bottom and with a crescent moon-and-star at the top.
