'-'::'01'! Recu« d'histoire de l'education BOOK REVIEWS/COMPTES RENDUS 77

lin anage of less specialization. The R.D. Gidney. From Hope to Hams: The 'af\rtlson as a well-rounded scholar Reshaping of 's Schools. Toronto: ~. also. I would suggest, misses the Press, 1999. Pp. -a:'llcem with time. This shows up 362. tEdinburgh's Old and New Towns, 1Dg;. archaeology and history, his Reading From Hope to Harris, Robert • m the Darwin debates, and even Gidney's masterful account of fifty years of Ontario educational upheaval, provided ,Iinary boundaries were more fluid a journey back in time for this reviewer, a ~ent professionalism but partly journey under the skilful direction of the ~ sales. This book offers valuable most knowledgeable and most lucid guide ~ with the past, with respect to that any tour company could provide. IIIons.. patronage and publishing. Gidney argues that the title of this IDII published in seventy years, the book "is not as ironic as it might seem." lIdy welcome. After her untimely He begins his tour at mid-century, the ~by the well-qualified specialists year in which a Royal Commission on It.1 mclude University of Toronto Education chaired by Justice John Andrew Hope "offered its postwar IIIist Bruce Trigger, and Suzanne blueprint for Ontario's schools." He concludes with an account of major rlCtorian Ontario is a gem. changes introduced by the Progressive Conservative government of ~. though it is catalogued as such, Mike Harris in 1997-98 in its attempt to "fundamentally refashion the ~ a rather light editorial hand in province's educational system." In Gidney's skilled hands, this journey -.n cross-reference each other but through time is as intriguing as its final destination. ~t.. Ash, McCardle, and Trigger, The journey from Harris back to Hope returned me to my own Ian accounts of Wilson's stand on educational history: elementary school days in Port Colborne, Ontario, .!:gw made their own decisions on in the late 1940s, where the forces of progressivism and traditionalism • we are tol? parenthetically that battled for control of the curriculum; to a very traditional 1950s high school experience, with emphasis on preparation for the dreaded .~t.a ~oft IS a smallhold~ng (69), ~" Similarly one chapter IS confi­ "departmental" examinations at the end of Grade 13; to my years as a ~ West is the future Ontario high school history teacher in London, Ontario, as the Robarts Plan .information (139). rolled over us in the early 1960s; and finally to the new Faculty of Ie·~ had Marinell Ash lived. On Education, University of Western Ontario, in the late 1960s where we l&arbook~ ~ut a true scholarly bio­ young instructors watched the counter culture sweep through the uni­ ~ wnnng, As it stands Think­ versities and naively thought we were helping launch a revolution in .. a different book that will be a teacher education. lion studies. (The lists of archival Although I left uwo for Calgary in 1969, Gidney continued to IiIm iline make it valuable.) It will speak to me through later decades. Reading From Hope to Hams "uller as a standard on the place reminded me of what it was to write about Ontario educational history lCvnda It is in the end a worthy in the 1970s (when it was still relatively easy to understand), agonizing II. and Wilson. through the closing of familiar schools in my home region of Niagara

© Historical Studies in Education/Revue d'bistoire de l'education 13, 1 (2001): 77-80. BOOK RE\1ETS, COMPTE'" ~ 78 Historical Studies in Education/Revue d'bistoire de l'education insights with his readers, South, suffering with my school-teacher brother-in-law through finan­ M-iiI sions as "the readerll:Uy ~T" cial cutbacks and teacher bashing, and finally watching that dis-spirited all, "how does one accooat n.Il brother-in-law take early retirement from the Ontario school system at the youngest possible age in the 1990s. up the study with him, ". Gidney invites us to ~ Even for readers not present on the original journey, Gidney proves half century from Hope to rbII himself the ideal tour guide. Who could better explain the complicated and the unhinging or tno~ nuances of the Ontario educational experience that are non-issues in ~~ most other provinces and draw blank stares from overseas visitors­ funding of Roman Harris government's ... . separate schools, Grade 13, normal schools and teachers' colleges, frag­ ing of teachers) in the 199:'5. .-: mented teachers' federations? Gidney even makes the complicated and Two interpretive ~ til intertwined stories of school financing and governance understandable ment of the validiry of ~ (and almost interesting) to the most casual of tourists. 1:" second, a brilliant c~4 What makes Gidney such a superior guide in this journey From Hope long perspective of OntL"'1IO alii to Harris? Consider first his knowledge base. From "Elementary mitment of Ontario's~ .. Education in Upper Canada: A Reassessment," his 1973 innovative Minor quibbles? The ~ article in Ontario History, to his brilliant 1996 monograph, Inventing and the Protesr-....:::mt .. Secondary Education: TheRiseoftheHigh School in Nineteenth-Century separate schoollegisbtion. ~ Ontario (co-authored with W.P.]. Millar), Gidney has spent his career rive school movement oi mastering the source material, analyzing the evidence, considering the ::i.e, relationship between s.:h....""'-~.. implications, and in the process consolidating his reputation as a brilliant education. scholar of Ontario's educational history. The major problem. nc.~ Gidney's account of the earlier postwar years goes far beyond my narcissistic nature of 00::&..."'10" own work, The Schools ofOntario, 1876-1976 (University of Toronto ing its schools, Ontario b5 • Press, 1982). He teases out the influence of Jack McCarthy on 1960s than admitting it might b.a-ve_ reforms, expands our understanding of high-school student radicalism at This pattern began at ie.asr ZSCII the end of that decade, and de-mystifies school finance. Everything after the Philadelphia Centenn;u.;: Ell 1976 is new territory, with Gidney adroitly assessing the influence of of medals, and sent Ontse...4 successive premiers and cabinet ministers and such behind-the-scenes satisfaction that proved • .:ietaI figures as Bernard Shapiro and George Radwanski, while explaining the nineteenth century that h.:.i aI intricacies of inclusive education, school violence, teacher stress, Consider Ontario edJli....OIIIi computer technology, anti-racism and gender-equity policies, financial half-eentury, the period .:i..~ restructuring, and school governance. As a bonus, the author knows the are cautioned, however. DL.-..r: • broader context of Ontario history and is able to link education with index!) Why did Ontario ~I economics, demographics, and politics and to analyze educational change in teacher education in rbe : 941 in historical context. pedagogy in the 19&:s. &iIiI Additional strengths of this book? Gidney is an equally skilful Alberta again for clung~ .: interpreter of the archival sources that reveal the earlier years of his 1990s?Where is the Coun.::ila study and the newspaper sources that inform the later years. (How nice \\'e could use more 6e~ a to see his newspaper sources extending far beyond The Globeand Mail Quebec's language polioe5:D111 to his own London Free Press and my Welland-Port Colborne Tribune.) Ontario, more on the im?~ And Gidney writes in a pleasant style, scholarly yet inclusive, sharing t I, ~Revue d'histoirede l'education BOOK REVIEWS/COMPTES RENDUS 79

~ brother-in-law through finan­ insights with his readers. By using such seemingly throw-away expres­ ..finally watching that dis-spirited sions as "the reader may ask" (70), "the reader will note" (74), and best of afrom the Ontario school system at all, "how does one account for?"(116), he invites those readers to take 1Jes. up the study with him. IIae original journey, Gidney proves Gidney invites us to speculate on the significance of change in the -..id better explain the complicated half century from Hope to Harris-to reassess the Hall-Dennis Report • experience that are non-issues in and the unhinging of tradition in the 1960s, the Davis government's .It stares from overseas visitors­ funding of Roman Catholic separate schools in the mid-1980s, the schools and teachers' colleges, frag­ Harris government's restructuring of governance and funding (and bash­ I£f even makes the complicated and ing of teachers) in the 1990s. iIg and governance understandable Two interpretive sections show Gidney at his best: first, his assess­ • casual of tourists. ment of the validity of late 1970s criticism of 1960s reforms (102-09); ...guide in this journeyFrom Hope second, a brilliant conclusion which locates the Harris reforms in the --Jedge base. From "Elementary long perspective of Ontario educational history and reaffirms the "com­ lassessment," his 1973 innovative mitment of Ontario's people to do it better and get it right." (276-86) Dlliant 1996 monograph, Inventing Minor quibbles? The author downplays the impact ofAlexander Galt ~H~ Schoolin Nineteenth-Century and the Quebec Protestant minority in shaping nineteenth-century 1IiIu), Gidney has spent his career separate school legislation. He neglects SEED and ALPHAand the alterna­ ping the evidence, considering the tive school movement of the 1970s. We don't learn much about the llllichting his reputation as a brilliant relationship between schools and the post-secondary sector of Ontario ~-. education. postvtar years goes far beyond my The major problem, however, lies not with the author, but with the .76-1976 (University of Toronto narcissistic nature of Ontario and its educational system. When examin­ I.mce of Jack McCarthy on 1960s ing its schools, Ontario has always looked at itself in the mirror, rather :-thigh-school student radicalism at than admitting it might have something to learn from other jurisdictions. IRs school finance. Everything after This pattern began at least as early as 1876, when the Ontario exhibit at raJroitly assessing the influence of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition drew rave reviews and a harvest .&ters and such behind-the-scenes of medals, and sent Ontario educators home with a feeling of self­ • Radwanski, while explaining the satisfaction that proved a deterrent to educational innovation in the late , school violence, teacher stress, nineteenth century that has continued through the twentieth. ..gender-equity policies, financial Consider Ontario education's links with other provinces over the past &As a bonus, the author knows the half-century, the period documented in From Hope to Hams. (Readers ,and is able to link education with are cautioned, however, not to look for other provinces in the book's isand to analyze educational change index!) Why did Ontario pay so little attention to Alberta's innovations in teacher education in the 1940s,Quebec's excursions into revolutionary IDk: Gidney is an equally skilful pedagogy in the 1960s, British Columbia's College of Teachers, and 111m reveal the earlier years of his Alberta again for changes in school financing and governance in the .~orm the later years. (How nice 1990s? Where is the Council of Ministers of Education? ..UT beyond The Globe and Mail We could use more detail on the relationship between Ottawa's and ,1relland-Porr Colborne Tribune.) Quebec's language policies and the expansion of francophone schools in fir- scholarly yet inclusive, sharing Ontario, more on the impact of the Charter of Rights, federal immi­ 'II

80 Historical Studies in Education/Revue d'bistoirede l'education BOOK REVIEWS/COMPTES RB-::':"''S gration policies, international test scores. But I forget: this is Ontario, Thomas A. O'Donoghue. Toe GIl and Ontario has no need to learn from others! Curriculum in Ireland,1921-191ia What next, then, for the author and for Ontario? Gidney long ago proved his mastery of Ontario educational history, elementary and When asked to read a book ..... secondary, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Let's urge him to paint usually balk. Is there anything_ on a larger canvas, to go beyond his own province and turn his attention absurd jargon and tortured prall to a comprehensive history of Canadian education. Wilson, Stamp and movement? This movement ~ Audet's Canadian Education: A History (1970) is a generation old and research in the academy than ­ looking quite dated. Ronald Manzer's Public Schools and Political Ideas was a great relief, theref~re. to ­ (1994) is too policy-oriented, and lacks the drama and emotion (the Secondary School Curri~ ill blood, sweat and tears) of on-the-street, in-your-neighbourhood school contagion. Indeed, Thomas 0"8 change. pleasure to read. Based on ~ Who better than Robert Gidney to place Ontario educational history its judgement on a potenn;; :,:~ til in a national (or even international) context? O'Donoghue is concet'Ddl. academic secondary schoos m. Robert M. Stamp staffed by functionaries oi theQ University ofCalgary Irish independence. He enw'" how it was shaped by Churca ill vivid portraits. We see a c:r...I sedulously propping up III j~ monopoly of educational pn:JIIilI mony in the independent L~ whose curricula never ~~ socialization of a select ~4 and constrained codes of COIIIIIIII One of the strengths or::msl the atmosphere of the ~ through the skilful deplo~ the reminiscences of wrrters (~ The picture that emerges J:i ... were mechanical and autbL~ and other low-order skills..... ing all. Little was done in t:be ell Intermediate and Leavinz Ccril for creativity or discussion.. AI applications of corporal F""-­ great surprise since the br~. me religious order that nn ~ , around the world.

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