Documentary History of Education in Upper Canada

improvements in the Schools of sixty years ago are not as clearly or as concisely expressed as they would be by the Educationists of our own day. But, considering the limited range of experience possessed by the Legislators of these early times, it is surprising how correct were their views on most of those things which were designed to promote the well-being of the Schools.

The subject of University Education did not, in this early period of its history, receive that patient, practical attention which the subject deserved. Discussion at the outset was embittered. And this arose from the fact that the proposed Institution was not intended to be a Provincial one, in the true sense of the term, but was originally projected as denominational in its very constitution. Yet, in most of the discussions on the subject, apart from the vexatious element imported into it, the ground taken by an influential minority was that, while a University was most desirable, yet Common Schools and preparatory Grammar Schools were more necessary, nay, absolutely essential, and should precede the establishment of such an Institution. Sir John Colborne solved this disputed question by way of compromise, (as was understood at the time,) and established what, in this spirit, was designated as a "Minor College." This College embraced a a preparatory, or Grammar School, course of study, to fit boys for mercantile pursuits, and also a classical and mathematical one, designed to prepare students to enter a University, when one should be established.

In addition to educational matters, these practical men gave attention to other interests connected with the well-being and prosperity of this Province. The establishment of an Observatory was strongly recommended. Exploration, for the purposes of settlement, was undertaken; aid to libraries, and for the promotion of elementary science, was among the matters which were considered during the years extending from 1831 to 1836. Nor did the necessity of restraining evil-doers escape regard; and the memory of one of the most active Members of the House of Assembly, and his personal aid in the establishment of a Penitentiary, were gratefully recalled in a Resolution of the House when his death was announced to it.

Other matters, which fall quite outside the scope and purpose of this

Volume, occupied the earnest attention of both Houses of the Legislature of Upper Canada during the period mentioned in it. Thus, in a Report from the Select Committee of the House of Assembly on Education, presented to that House in 1833, a desire was expressed to know something of the "regions beyond" what were then popularly known, and believed to be, the boundaries of the Province. It was, therefore, agreed by the House of Assembly to ask the LieutenantGovernor for a copy of the Charter of the Hudson Bay Company for this purpose. This was obtained; and a geological exploration, north of Lake Huron, was afterwards made. The Members of the House evidently felt that, in the Bliss Report, mentioned below, the Province had been incorrectly represented in England as only containing five millions and a half, (5,500,000,) of acres of vacant land, fit for settlement, and at the disposal of the Crown, instead of at least forty million of acres, (40,000,000,) of such available land.

The Report then proceeds:

"While thus deliberating incidently on the [matter before them]

your Committee were forcibly struck with the vast importance it would be to the interests of the Province if your Honourable House were in possession of such documents as would clearly point out the boundaries of the extensive unexplored territory within its limits.

"Your Committee observe by the 14th George the Third, Chapter 83, that the late Province of Quebec, (now one of the Canadas), was bounded on the north by the territory granted to the Hudson's Bay Company, Your Committee deem this information [i. e., a copy of the Charter] necessary for the purposes of Legislation, when considering the importance of Education, of Canals, Railways, or any general subject in which the great interests of the Province are concerned; and, in support of this argument, your Committee beg to observe, that, on reference to a work on the Statistics of Canada, published in England by Henry Bliss, Esquire, in 1833, which (notwithstanding the very palpable mistake undermentioned), contains a mass of most valuable tabular and other information, the Province is stated to contain only 5,500,000 acres of land which are vacant and at the disposition of the Crown. The author states that the information he has given was "taken from the Official Inquiries and Report of Mr. Richards," a gentleman who was sent out to report upon this country

during the period Sir George Murray was at the head of the Colonial Department, and your Committee cannot refrain from expressing their sincere sorrow and regret that such a statement should go forth to the world calculated to deteriorate, in the Mother Country, the high opinion which, from existing facts, ought to be entertained of the extent, the capabilities and resources of this Province; for, admitting that which is generally understood to be the case, that the the highlands dividing the waters which flow into Lakes Huron and Superior from those which discharge themselves into Hudson's Bay, form the boundary, there will be found to be upwards of 40,000,000 of acres of unexplored lands in this Province, not noticed in the Report of Mr. Richards, in western longitudes; and although considerably to the northward may be territory, in climates genial to cultivation and improvement, and, in point of soil, the greater part of it, for aught we know, equal to any that is now settled."

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