The first editions of Perdeby look very different to what we know today. The first papers were text-heavy and had no colour. As technology improved and Perdeby’s printers changed, so did the papers look. On 24 May 1955 the paper printed with colour for the first time. Colour was used on the front page and in the masthead.
Perdeby’s motto has changed over the years too. The first paper said it was the “UP maandorgaan” (UP monthly) and when Die Nuwe Perdeby came out in 1944 it stated that it was the “Studentblad van die Voortrekker-Universiteit” (the student newspaper of the Voortrekker university). A few years later the motto was the “Studentblad van die Universiteit van Pretoria” (the student newspaper of the University of Pretoria) and this changed to the “Studente weekblad van die Universiteit van Pretoria” (the weekly newspaper of the University of Pretoria). In 1977 Die Perdeby was considered “Tuks se eie koerant” (Tuks’ own newspaper), which became “Tuks se eie koerant. Tuks’ own newspaper” in 1996 to include English and Afrikaans students.
This was then changed to “Tuks se amptelike student koerant/ Official Tuks student newspaper / Kuranta ya baithuti ya semmuso ya Tuks”. Since then the motto has become the “Official independent student newspaper of the University of Pretoria” as the paper only publishes in English to be inclusive of everyone on campus.
The masthead of Perdeby has also changed over the years. At the moment the masthead is in maroon and in the font Cooper Black. Over the years it has ranged in colour from blue, purple, green, and black. Each editor and layout editor adds a small personal touch to the design of Perdeby, keeping the style up do date and looking good.
