Untitled [Hannah Gay on the University of Toronto: a History]

Martin L. Friedland. The University of Toronto: A History. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002. xiii + 764 pp. $60.00 (Canadian), cloth, ISBN 978-0-8020-4429-7. Reviewed by Hannah Gay Published on H-Canada (February, 2003) This history of the University of Toronto was with scholarly interests in higher education, the commissioned to mark the university's one hun‐ University of Toronto, or the city of Toronto. dred and seventy-fifth anniversary.[1] It is the Already in the late eighteenth century, when first major treatment since that by William S. Wal‐ the European population of Upper Canada was lace, published for the one-hundredth anniver‐ only about 25,000 there were demands that a uni‐ sary in 1927. A single volume work was request‐ versity be established at York, the site of present- ed, presumably with a view to sales to alumni and day Toronto. By the 1820s plans were afoot for an others with close attachments to the university. Anglican university college along the lines of ones But, writing a comprehensive history of a major already founded in other British colonies. McGill institution with so many different schools, centers University (with no religious tests) received a roy‐ and departments is no easy task and, from a al charter in 1821 and the British government scholarly point of view, a two-volume work would thought it might serve the needs of both Upper have been justified. The major inconvenience of and Lower Canada. But there was concern that having all the notes and scholarly apparatus for too many young men were leaving Upper Canada the book available only on the press website could for study in the United States where, according to then have been avoided. Even with a volume this the chief booster for the new university, Bishop weighty, Friedland must have found it difficult to John Strachan, the books "breathe hatred to ev‐ balance the demands of scholarship, comprehen‐ erything English" (p. 6). Concern over American‐ siveness, and accessibility. Despite the odds, he ization, and the possible loss of young men to the has succeeded in writing a lucid, balanced and United States, led the authorities in London to representative volume which should appeal to support the founding of a university in the colony. both constituencies that the Press may have in King's College, chartered in 1827, was to be run by mind, the larger university community and those Anglican clergymen, a major, albeit indirect, rea‐ son for its subsequent failure. The elite families of H-Net Reviews the colony may have been largely Anglican but, British Association, may have let his materialist overall, Anglicans were in a minority. Methodists, bias show--though his being Irish might have who formed the largest minority, understandably counted against him. The early hiring ethos, in objected to the terms of the new college and, in which the English and Scots were favoured, and 1837, were successful in getting a bill passed in in which nepotism and anti-semitism were prac‐ London removing Anglican religious tests from tised, faded away only slowly. Friedland appears the original charter. But entrants still had to de‐ to have some sympathy for the claim, made by A. clare their belief in the "authenticity and divine B. Macallum the professor of physiology in the inspiration" of the Old and New Testaments (p. late nineteenth century, that had these scientists 19). The university was, in essence, to be both a been hired the university would have early been place where clergymen could be trained and a fn‐ able to rival some leading US institutions. But this ishing school for Christian gentlemen. Most of the is surely false. Huxley and Tyndall needed the early entrants were graduates of Upper Canada London environment with its new openings free College, an elite school where Latin and other of Oxbridge tradition and religious restrictions, in subjects needed for matriculation were taught. which to operate. Toronto would not have given But the 1837 Rebellion, and a number of fnancial them the same opportunities; though, had they problems, delayed construction. By the time the gone, they would have made the best of it--as did cornerstone was laid in 1842, the Methodists had other scientists, such as Henry Croft the frst pro‐ founded Victoria College in Cobourg and the Pres‐ fessor of chemistry, hired on the recommendation byterians, Queen's College in Kingston (both in of Michael Faraday. 1841). The Roman Catholic St Michael's College Strachan was unhappy that Charles Bagot, the was founded in Toronto in 1852 by French Basil‐ Governor General, hired an Irishman, John Mc‐ ians. Later, in the 1920s, Etienne Gilson and Caul, principal of Upper Canada College and a Jacques Maritain came to St. Michael's and built graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, as his vice- up the Institute of Medieval Studies (renamed principal and professor of classics. Far worse, in Pontifical Institute in 1939), a major center in its 1849 an act was introduced in the parliament of field. Canada to convert King's College into the Univer‐ Bishop Strachan tried to hold out for only sity of Toronto which was to become a secular in‐ English staff at the new King's College. But recruit‐ stitution. There was to be no public funding for ing from England was not easy; few talented the chair of divinity, and no religious test for stu‐ young men wished to work in the colonies. dents or professors. The idea was that the Victoria Among those who did apply for positions in the and Queen's colleges should affiliate with the uni‐ early years, the scientists John Tyndall and versity while retaining powers to grant degrees in Thomas Henry Huxley, and the mathematician J. J. certain subjects. Strachan and his followers la‐ Sylvester stand out. They were all rejected; Hux‐ belled this act "entirely infidel" (p. 28). It prompt‐ ley, because the Rev. William Hincks, brother of ed them to found yet another college, the strictly the then premier of Canada, was given the chair Anglican Trinity College which opened its doors to of natural history; Sylvester because he was a Jew, students in 1852, two years after the act inaugu‐ though it is only fair to point out that he had just rating the new university. Those King's College been thrown out of University College in London professors who did not move to Trinity became (Gower Street's 'godless institution') and was to professors at the University of Toronto. John Mc‐ have a rather odd career trajectory before becom‐ Caul became the frst president and professor of ing Savilian professor in Oxford. Tyndall, later in‐ classics. The Rev. James Beaven ceased being a famous for his materialist Belfast address to the professor of divinity and became professor of 2 H-Net Reviews metaphysics and ethics. Victoria and Queen's did goode Hall Law School in 1889 and the University not wish to affiliate at this time. A little later St. only won the right to fully train lawyers in 1957. Michael's bid to affiliate was turned down. A School of Practical Science was opened in 1878. Perhaps appropriately, the old King's College These professional schools came into being after site became the University Lunatic Asylum. Clear‐ Confederation when responsibility for education ly sectarian tensions had clouded people's minds passed to the new provincial governments. I in the planning of tertiary education for the would like to have read a little more about engi‐ colony, and the university has had to live with the neering education than Friedland provides. On‐ consequences of its early history. By the 1850s the tario saw itself as a province with great potential, new university took about ffty students a year, but one in need of development--roads and rail‐ but the denominational colleges were holding ways to be built, mineral deposits to be exploited, their own so that the government had to rethink timber to be harvested, land to be farmed, manu‐ yet again. In 1853 royal assent was given to a bill facturing to be promoted and, later in the century, redefining the university. It was renamed Univer‐ electricity to be generated and distributed. Well- sity College and a new University of Toronto, in‐ trained technical people were needed. The frst tended to be an examining body for all the col‐ professor of engineering, John Galbraith, was a leges, was founded. This arrangement bore some railway engineer. Like Galbraith, most of the sci‐ resemblance to the one at the University of Lon‐ ence and engineering professors of the 1870s ap‐ don, though not to the extent that Friedland, or pear to have had Scottish training. The School of some of the contemporary observers that he Practical science did train some mining and civil quotes, imply. Under the new legislation the fedg‐ engineers; but we are not told how far this new ling faculties of law and medicine were aban‐ school went in providing the talent used in devel‐ doned. This is understandable given the existing oping the infrastructure of the province. climate of opinion on professional education, not Friedland details the history of the universi‐ just in British North America but also in Britain. ty's buildings well. University College was housed The question of whether future lawyers, doctors, in an impressive new building by the 1860s and surgeons and engineers should be educated in other buildings followed. But the new university colleges or universities, or on the job by tutelage, still had to survive the attacks of sectarian inter‐ articling, working in hospital settings, or as ap‐ ests.

Load more