A history of Ontario : its resources and development

1i ; IIB Ir ,ELECTRONIC VERSION AVAILABLEJHISTORY OF ONTARIO. 679 GEOKGE M.A.DICKSON, In an estimate of the relative value of the andprofessions differert^_ business interests to which man his _educationmay give attention, ^is, by c/ accorded the foremost and the educator devolves amany, place, upon such as is shared few. He has to do with the formativeresponsibility by when are established the habits and character ofperiod, the individual, and there are few men who have attained to distinction orany prominence who do not their indebtedness for at least the stimulus foracknowledge their later to some educator who has had direct influenceactivity upon their and of life. In this connectionplans purposes George Dickson, is of more than mention. He is the founder andM.A., deserving passing director of St. for in and toMargaret's College girls Toronto, previous the establishment of this school in 1896 was connected with important institutions of in the Dominion. A native of the oflearning township Markham in York in 1846. Inhe was born theOntario,county, acquire- ment of his education he attended the Eichmond Hill Gram- successively mar the Markham Grammar Grammar SchoolSchool, School, Whitby and Toronto He then entered the field of educational laborUniversity. as assistant master of School in 1868. Twothe Chatham Grammar in he a on the staff of Woodstockyears later, 1870, accepted position and the of his connection with these two institutions wasCollege, period sufficient to demonstrate to the world his as an educator.thinking ability In and master of1872 he was tendered the of assistantaccepted position Hamilton and was of that school fromInstitute, PrincipalCollegiate 1873 until 1885. Authorities on educational matters noted the remark- able success obtained his at the universities. The Hamiltonby pupils was the first school selected as a institute forInstituteCollegiate training but the Vice-Chancellor of the whowas chair-ex-offlcioteachers, University, man of the Canada Board at the recommended theUpper College time, Mr. when thatto offer the of U.C.C. togovernment Principalship Dickson, the death of Buchan. Inbecame vacant Principalposition through to him the as Prin-1885 there came therefore, unsolicited, appointment of Canada the Minister of Education. When he cipal Upper College byONTARIO.680 HISTORY OF of the schoolentered the duties of the new the enrollmentupon position hiswas 296. He infused into the new life andCollege energy through 1886 the enrollmentzeal and the of andadoption improved methods, by 1888 it was in 1889had increased to 344. In 1887 it was in 415,369, 1891 in when the wasit was in 18.90 in 1892,409, 369, 325, College removed to Deer and in 304. In the thePark, 1893, following year326, under the control of a new and an entire inpassed board, changeCollege the of the school Mr. Dickson's connection with itmanagement board, in that That the was is attestedceasing year. College efficiently managed and the attend-the annual of the Schoolby reports High inspectors large of has had the uniform success of itsance the that it ever ;pupils, largest at all and the financial statements of theexaminations,pupils competitive which were order of thebursar, printed annually by legislative assembly. Mr. Dickson's ideals of education found embodiment in 1896 in the establishment of St. for in Toronto. He hasMargaret's College girls continued this and has for it asince at the head of madeinstitution, repu- tation which extends the but to coun-not over alsoonly Dominion, foreign tries as its from various sections of the world. Thewell, drawing support secret of this lies in the standard which has ever been maintained inhigh the school work and in the methods which have been followed inpractical in Mr.and the excellent results which have been attained.instruction, Dickson is his as has immediateassisted who,by wife, lady principal, of the in residence. In 1882 Mr. Dickson had wedded Marycharge girls of the late Thomas ofH., daughter Captain Flett, Hamilton, Ontario, and since the of St. she has stood himorganization Margaret's College by inin his work of an institution that maintains standardsbuilding up high ladies for featuremore advanced work. The distinctivepreparing young of school is that it teachers of the andthe same academicemploys pro- fessional as the institutions of the Province.largestanding Collegiate The staff consists of there fifteen teachers inforty-four instructors, being in thethe Academic nineteen in the Musical sixDepartment, Department, in and one inArt three the of Culture,Department, Department Physical the of Domestic Science. The school is taxed to its utmostDepartment 150 students in the Academic all of the time,capacity Department