Transcriber's note:
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals.
Page 3: "+JOHN JOSEPH LYNCH"--the + denotes a cross symbol.
* * * * *
[Illustration: cover]
[Illustration: Ryerson statue]
RYERSON MEMORIAL VOLUME:
PREPARED ON THE OCCASION
OF THE
UNVEILING OF THE RYERSON STATUE
IN THE GROUNDS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
ON THE
QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY, 1889.
BY J. GEORGE HODGINS, M.A., LL.D.,
BARRISTER-AT-LAW, AND DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION.
_TORONTO_:
PRINTED BY WARWICK & SONS 68 AND 70 FRONT STREET WEST.
1889.
PREFATORY NOTE.
I have two reasons to give for the part which I have taken in the
preparation of the latter part of this Memorial Volume. The first is
mentioned in the following paragraph from the brief _resumé_ of the
historical and personal facts given in the volume, and which I read
on the day of the unveiling of the statue, as follows:--
"It devolves upon me, as Chairman of the (Ryerson Memorial
Statue) Committee, and at the kind request of my colleagues--no
less than as the life-long friend and fellow-labourer of him
whose deeds and memory we honour to-day--to trace back to their
source the origin and underlying principles of our system of
education, and to show that these underlying principles and
other vital forces were so combined by a master-hand as to form
the groundwork, as they have, in their combination, become the
charter of our educational system of to-day."
The second reason is contained in the following
paragraphs--containing a brief record of Dr. Ryerson's thirty-two
years in the Public Service, taken from _The Story of My Life_, page
351.
"During my connection with the Education Department--from
1844 to 1876--I made five educational tours of inspection
and enquiry to educating countries in Europe and the United
States. I made an official tour through each county in Upper
Canada, once in every five years, to hold a County Convention
of municipal councillors, clergy, school trustees, teachers and
local superintendents, and thus developed the School system as
the result of repeated inquiries in foreign countries, and the
freest consultation with my fellow-citizens of all classes,
in the several County Conventions, as well as on many other
occasions.
"During the nearly thirty-two years of my administration of the
Education Department, I met with strong opposition at first from
individuals--some on personal, others on religious and political
grounds; but that opposition was, for most part, partial and
evanescent. During these years I had the support of each
successive administration of Government, whether of one party
or the other, and, at length, the co-operation of all religious
persuasions; so that in 1876 I was allowed to retire, with the
good-will of all political parties and religious denominations,
and without diminution of my public means of subsistence.
"I leave to Dr. J. George Hodgins, my devoted friend of over
forty years, and my able colleague for over thirty of these
years, the duty of filling up the details of our united labours
in founding a system of education for my native Province which
is spoken of in terms of strong commendation, not only within,
but by people outside of the Dominion."[1]
[1] It is the purpose of the writer of this Retrospect (in
accordance with Dr. Ryerson's oft expressed wish) to prepare another
volume, giving, from private letters, memoranda, and various
documents, a personal history of the founding and vicissitudes of
our educational system from 1844 to 1876 inclusive.
My own estimate of Dr. Ryerson's educational life and labours is
contained in the following paragraphs, which were written by me in
1883:--
Dr. Ryerson's fame in the future will mainly rest upon the fact
that he was a distinguished Canadian Educationist, and the Founder
of a great system of Public Education for Upper Canada. What makes
this distinguishing excellence in his case the more marked, was the
fact that the soil on which he had to labour was unprepared, and
the social condition of the country was unpropitious. English ideas
of schools for the poor, supported by subscriptions and voluntary
offerings, prevailed in Upper Canada; free schools were unknown;
the very principle on which they rest--that is, that the ratable
property of the country is responsible for the education of the
youth of the land--was denounced as communistic and an invasion of
the rights of property; while "compulsory education"--the proper
and necessary complement of free schools--was equally denounced
as of the essence of "Prussian despotism," and an impertinent and
unjustifiable interference with "the rights of British subjects."
It was a reasonable boast at the time that only systems of popular
education, based upon the principle of free schools, were possible
in the republican American States, where the wide diffusion of
education was regarded as a prime necessity for the stability and
success of republican institutions, and, therefore, was fostered
with unceasing care. It was the theme on which the popular orator
loved to dilate to a people on whose sympathies with the subject he
could always confidently reckon. The practical mind of Dr. Ryerson,
however, at once saw that the American idea of free schools was
the true one. He moreover perceived that by giving his countrymen
facilities for freely discussing the question among the ratepayers
once a year, they would educate themselves into the idea, without
any interference from the State. These facilities were provided
in 1850; and for twenty-one years the question of free schools
_versus_ rate-bill schools (fees, etc.) was discussed every January
in from 3,000 to 5,000 school sections, until free schools became
voluntarily the rule, and rate-bill schools the exception. In 1871,
by common consent, the free school principle was incorporated into
our school system by the Legislature, and has ever since been the
universal practice. In the adoption of this principle, and in the
successful administration of the Education Department, Dr. Ryerson
at length demonstrated that a popular (or, as it had been held in
the United States, the democratic) system of public schools was
admirably adapted to our monarchical institutions. In point of
fact, leading American educationists have often pointed out that
the Canadian system of public education was more efficient in all
of its details, most practically successful in its results, than
was the ordinary American school system in any one of the States of
the Union. Thus it is that the fame of Dr. Ryerson as a successful
founder of our educational system, rests upon a solid basis. What
has been done by him will not be undone; and the ground gone over
by him will not require to be traversed again. But I forbear, as I
hope to devote a volume to the private and personal history of our
educational system.
* * * * *
The first part of this volume contains an interesting account from
the leading daily papers of Toronto of the ceremony of unveiling
the great statue to a distinguished native of Ontario and a truly
representative man--representative of her enterprize, energy and
progress. As such, many of the leading men of the Province assembled
on the Queen's Birthday to do honour to his memory. It also contains
the addresses in full of those gentlemen who were appointed by
their respective institutions, etc., to that duty, and who kindly
consented to take part in the ceremonies and proceedings of the day.
The second part of the volume contains a statement of the origin,
with illustrations, of the underlying principles of our system of
education--primary, secondary and university.
There has also been added at the end some historical and personal
sketches--some of them of a humorous cast--but all illustrative of
the early days of education in this Province, and its vicissitudes
of light and shade. They admirably serve to bring out in strong
relief the present state of efficiency of our system of public
instruction, as well as the substantial progress which has been
made by it in its various departments since the early educational
pioneers of Upper Canada first attempted to give it form and
substance, over fifty years ago.
The photograph from which the frontispiece is printed was by Mr. J.
Bruce, of 118 King street west, Toronto.
J. G. H.
TORONTO, 24th May, 1889.
PERSONAL NOTE.
A few days after the ceremony of unveiling the Statue, I received
the following very kind note from Rev. Dr. Ryerson's only son:--
27 CECIL ST., TORONTO,
May 28th, 1889.
MY DEAR DR. HODGINS,--The 24th of May was indeed a red-letter day to
me and to my family; and one I shall never forget.
The Statue and Pedestal are beyond anything I expected; and the
likeness is excellent.
Allow me to thank you very heartily for your eloquent Historical
Paper, and the touching references to my dear Father.
I know that all you did was a labour of love. But I cannot allow
this event to pass without expressing to you our deep gratitude for
the time and pains you have taken in successfully carrying out this
splendid memorial to my revered Father. Mrs. Ryerson joins me in
very kind regards.
Believe me,
Yours very faithfully,
C. EGERTON RYERSON.
J. GEORGE HODGINS, Esq., LL.D.,
Toronto.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Title and Prefatory Note iii.
CHAPTER I.
Preliminary Remarks 1
Appeal for Funds for the Erection of the Statue 3
The Financial Results of the Appeal Made--Particulars of the
Statue 5
Programme of Arrangements for Unveiling the Statue 5
Inscription on the Statue Pedestal 6
Record of Rev. Dr. Ryerson's Services 7