OF Education in Upper Canada, FROM THE PASSING OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL ACT OF 1791 TO THE CLOSE OF THE REVEREND DOCTOR RYERSON'S ADMINISTRATION VOL. XVIII., 1863-1865. FORMING AN APPENDIX TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. BY J. GEORGE HODGINS, I.S.O., M.A., LL.D. OF OSGOODE HALL, BARRISTER-AT-LAW, EX-DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION; PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY L. K. CAMERON, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 1907. PREFATORY NOTE TO THE EIGHTEENTH VOLUME. This Volume deals principally with two Questions which attracted good deal of attention, and was largely discussed, during the years 1863. 1864 and 1865. The more important one was the effort made by the University Commission to settle the University Question on the broad and comprehensive basis, which they had outlined in their Report to the Government on the subject. In addition to the popular discussion of this question in the Public Press, the subject was taken up by the various Churches and was somewhat exhaustively treated by the Presbyterian Church (of Scotland), representing Queen's College, by the Methodist Church, representing Victoria College, but not so fully, in regard to details, by the Church of England, representing Trinity College. The (Free) Presbyterian Church and the Congregational Churches took the other side of the Question, and opposed dealing with the Question as proposed by the University Commissioners. The Presbyterian Church (of Scotland) and the Methodist Church both took strong ground in favour of what was, by them, regarded in the light of "University Reform", as proposed by the University Commissioners, especially that part of their Scheme which sought to make the affiliation of the outlying Colleges with the University of Toronto a practical reality, made certain, and more satisfactory, by the proposed granting of a fixed sum by the Legislature to each affiliated College, instead of the uncertain and indefinate proposal on the subject, contained in the University Act of 1853. Both the Presbyterian Church (of Scotland) and the Methodist Church had prepared and had printed in pamphlet form, an elaborate defence of the Scheme proposed by the University Commissioners. With a spice of humour and a touch of irony, the Paper prepared on the subject by the Principal of Queen's College was headed "Defence of the Plan of University Reform, proposed by the Senate of the University of Toronto." This "Plan of University Reform" was in reality nothing more than the "Answers to Questions proposed to the Senate by the University Commissioners.' When the Report of the Commissioners was published, quite a number of Members of the Senate sought to repudiate the views which had been expressed in these Answers, and took active steps, not only by holding a Public Meeting in the City on the subject, but also, by a series of Resolutions in the Senate, to censure the proceedings of the Commissioners, and to entirely condemn the University Scheme which they had elaborated. The series of condemnatory Resolutions of the Senate would have been carried, (as additions were being made to it to accomplish that object), had not the Attorney-General forbid the Senate to proceed to deal with the Commissioners' Report, which he stated was made to the Government and not to the Senate, and which the Government alone, and not the Senate, could discuss and approve, or dissent from, at its discretion. (iii.) 166525 The Pamphlet on this Question, prepared by a Special Comm'tee of the Methodist Conference, was headed: "University Reform Defended, in reply to Editorials in The Globe and The Leader newspapers. It was written by Doctor Ryerson, and fully approved by the Special Committee. So divided however, was public opinion on this question at the time, that all efforts to have a Bill passed by the Legislature, to give effect to the Suggestions of the Commissioners failed, and so the matter rested for the time. The other public matter, which absorbed a large share of attention in the year 1865, was a renewal of an agitation on the Separate School Question. Efforts were made by individuals and a certain portion of the Press favourable to Separate Schools, to repudiate the Separate School Act of 1863, which was designed, and intended, to be a "finality" on the subject. An elaborate pamphlet, entitled "Remarks on the New Separate School Agitation" was prepared and published by Doctor Ryerson, in reply to these attacks on the Act, as passed; and a persistent effort was made to show that the Act, instead of being a "finality" was, after all, regarded as only an "instalment" towards a satisfactory settlement of the Question. The unsatisfactory state of the Grammar Schools, for some years, as shown by the successive Reports of the Grammar School Inspectors, led to the preparation and final passage through the Legislature, under special circumstances, of an "Improved Grammar School Bill in 1865. It also led to a revision of the Grammar School Regulations and to the adoption of an extended Programme of Studies for these Schools. The Municipalities and Local Boards of Trustees were fully informed of these important changes. There are several Chapters in this Volume which may be regarded as of special interest, videlicet: 1. Proceedings of the Legislature of Canada, in regard to the University Question in Upper Canada. 1797-1860. 2. The Educational Resources of Canada, 1864. A full and exhaustive statement on the subject. 3. Facilities for the Study of the Law in Upper Canada, 1864. 4. Facilities for the Study of Medicine in Upper Canada, 1864. 5. Report of the Reverend James Fraser, (afterward Bishop of Manchester,) British Educational Commissioner to America, on the School System of Upper Canada, 1863 There are other Chapters in the Volume of special local interest. The Volume also contains the usual Reports of the Universities, of the Chief Superintendent of Education, of the Grammar School Inspectors, and the Educational Proceedings of the Legislature, and also of the various Churches on University Mattters. J. GEORGE HODGINS, Historiographer to the Education Department of Ontario. TORONTO, June, 1907. CONTENTS OF THE EIGHTEENTH VOLUME. PAGE. CHAPTER I. PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF CANADA, IN REGARD TO THE UNI- VERSITY QUESTION OF UPPER CANADA, 1797-1860 CHAPTER II. HISTORY OF THE PROPOSED DISAPPROVAL OF THE REPORT OF THE VISITOR- I. Correspondence in Regard to the Proposed Disapproval by the Senate of the Commissioners' Report on the Toronto University II. Addition of New Members to the Senate of the Toronto University CHAPTER III. THE COMMISSIONERS' UNIVERSITY REFORM DEFENDED, IN REPLY TO EDITORIALS IN The Globe AND The Leader; BY A COMMITTEE OF CHAPTER IV. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHURCHES ON UNIVERSITY MATTERS, 1863 II. The Church of England, Representing Trinity University III. The (Free) Presbyterian Church, Representing Knox College IV. The Presbyterian Church (of Scotland), Representing Queen's Uni- V. Letters from the Authorities of Queen's University to Doctor Ryerson on a Draft of a University Bill CHAPTER V. DEFENCE OF THE PLAN OF UNIVERSITY REFORM, PROPOSED BY THE SENATE A Statement Drawn up by the Reverend Doctor Leitch, at the Request CHAPTER VII. FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN 1862 AND 1863 65 CHAPTER VIII. APPORTIONMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SCHOOL GRANT FOR UPPER THOMAS NELSON AND DOCTOR RYERSON IN REGARD TO SCHOOL MAPS AND BOOKS CHAPTER X. SUPPLY OF LIBRARY AND PRIZE BOOKS AND MAPS AND APPARATUS BY THE IV. Book Imports into Canada, 1850-1862 CHAPTER XI. SPECIAL MATTERS BEFORE THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN 1863 CHAPTER XII. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ITS CAPABILITIES, BY THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE WILSON AND THE RIGHT REVEREND BISHOP CRONYN 89 CHAPTER XIII. SPECIAL REPORT OF A COMMITTEE OF THE TORONTO CITY BOARD OF CHAPTER XIV. REPORT ON THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS OF UPPER CANADA, 1863, BY THE CHAPTER XV. CANADIAN EDUCATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION IN LONDON, |