Ryerson Memorial Volume: Prepared on the occasion of the unveiling of the Ryerson statute in the grounds of the Education department on the Queen's birthday, 1889Hodgins, J. George (John George)
History
Ryerson Memorial Volume: Prepared on the occasion of the unveiling of the Ryerson statute in the grounds of the Education department on the Queen's birthday, 1889
Hodgins, J. George (John George)
Education -- Ontario; Ryerson, Egerton, 1803-1882
It will simplify my statement of the case if I revert back to the
transition period between the establishment of the district Grammar
Schools in 1809 and the university charter of 1827; and from thence
take a somewhat prospective view of events in the order in which
they afterwards transpired. For convenience I would, therefore,
select two noted men of their times as representatives of the two
social forces to which I have referred, and of the opposite opinions
on education and other subjects which then prevailed.
The first was the Rev. Dr. Strachan (afterwards first Church of
England Bishop of Toronto), and the other was the Rev. Dr. Ryerson,
the representative and trusted leader of the members of the
Methodist Church in the Province.
Dr. Strachan was the undoubted representative of the English and
particularly the Scotch views on educational matters. Dr. Ryerson,
on the other hand, was the equally true and faithful exponent of the
British Colonial, or United Empire Loyalist, views and opinions on
the same subject. What these latter views and opinions were may be
gathered from a reference to the educational chapter in the colonial
history of the thirteen colonies, as given in an earlier portion of
this Retrospect.
THE EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS OF THE U. E. LOYALISTS AND THE RULING PARTY.
The first settlers of Upper Canada were "exiled tories," so called,
from the revolted colonies. In that, and in the other Provinces,
they were warmly received and welcomed as the heroic defenders of
the royal cause. They sacrificed everything but their principles and
their honor in maintaining "the unity of the Empire." Even after
the struggle was ended, they adhered to the "lost cause" with the
same devotion as they had shown in following the royal standard,
not only to victory, but even to disaster and defeat. They were
men of wonderful resolution and daring, as well as of superior
intelligence. Such were the first settlers of Upper Canada.
Soon after the arrival of the "U. E. Loyalists" in Upper Canada, a
tide of emigration set in, chiefly from the three kingdoms. These
immigrants brought with them the feelings and habits of home life
in the old world, with the opinions and prejudices of their class,
illustrating the truth of the old Latin quotation, "_Cælum, non
animum, mutant qui trans mare currunt_."
By degrees portions of the U. E. Loyalists and of these immigrants,
whose views on "Church and State" coincided, united their forces and
formed a powerful and dominant party. They ruled the Province with
a high hand for many years. From their social position and frequent
intermarriage they became a compact and exclusive party, and were
distinguished by the _sobriquet_ of the "Family Compact." Against
this powerful party was arrayed many of the U. E. Loyalists and
their descendants, and the entire liberal and progressive party.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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