EGERTON RYERSON

AND

Education in Upper Canada

BY

J. HAROLD PUTMAN, B.A., D.Paed.,

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PREFACE

The object of this volume is to give a succinctidea of the nature and history of ourOntario School Legislation. This legislation isso bound up with the name of Egerton Ryersonthat to give its history is to relate the work ofhis life.

It would be useless to attempt to show howour school legislation developed under ResponsibleGovernment without some understandingof its history previous to the time of Ryerson.I have, therefore, devoted three chapters to abrief account of education in Upper Canadaprevious to 1844.

No attempt has been made to give the historyof our schools since Ryerson's retirement,partly because no radical changes have beenmade, and partly because it would involvecriticism of statesmen and teachers who arestill actively engaged in work. Nor has anyattempt been made to trace the history of Universityeducation after 1845. To do so would[4]require a complete volume. But, as Universityeducation prior to 1844 was so closely connectedwith Common and Grammar Schools, itseemed necessary, up to a certain point, to tracethe course of all three together.

The introductory chapter on the biographyof Ryerson is only indirectly connected withthe other chapters, and may be omitted by thereader who has no interest in the man himself.

It is hoped that this volume may encourageteachers in service and teachers in training toacquire a fuller knowledge of their own educationalinstitutions.

Ottawa, July 1st, 1912.

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CONTENTS