Dr. Egerton Ryerson
The Father of Education in Ontario and
Norfolk's Most Outstanding Son"Dr. Ryerson was
born March 24th, 1803, in the Township of Charlotteville, near Vittoria, in the then
London District, now the County of Norfolk
His father, Colonel Joseph Ryerson, who had distinguished himself on the
Loyalist side during the Revolutionary War, came to New Brunswick after the war, and in
1799 brought his family to Upper Canada to settle in Long Point District.
Egerton was one of six sons, five of who became ministers of the
gospel. All the boys were bred to farming pursuits, but Egerton was always given to study
and found time to acquire much useful knowledge.
He attended the District Grammar School. At the age of 18 he joined the
Methodist Church, much against the wishes of his [Anglican] father, who turned him from
his home. He was assistant teacher in London District Grammar School for two years, when
at his father's request, he returned home.
At the age of 22 he was received as a minister of the Methodist Church
an assigned to the Niagara District. Later he was transferred to the Yonge Street
circuit. It is estimated that during his long and active ministerial career he preached at least
10,000 sermons.
Dr. Ryerson came into prominence as an author, when he published a
series of letters in with Archdeacon Strachan's famous chart of the religious bodies of
Upper Canada was keenly criticized. When the Christian Guardian was founded at
York in 1829, Mr. Ryerson was installed as joint editor with Rev. F.
Metcalfe. This
journal at once became a potent factor in the agitation for political reforms and the
discussion of the Clergy Reserve question.
In 1833 Mr. Ryerson was appointed delegate to the British Conference on
the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and was successful in effecting a union with that
conference, of the Methodist body in Canada.
In 1835 he obtained a charter for the Upper Canada Academy, that later
became Vittoria College. He was chosen its first President. In 1841 the degree of Doctor
of Divinity was conferred upon him. Following the rebellion of 1837 in Upper Canada, Mr.
Ryerson furnished numerous data for the celebrated report of the English nobleman, Lord
Durham.
In 1844 Dr. Ryerson was appointed Superintendent of Public Schools in
Upper Canada. In 1846 he had a new School Act passed, the essential features of which were
retained in the Act of 1850, which forms the basis of our present educational system.
For 32 years he continued to administer the school affairs of Upper
Canada with zeal, energy and efficiency. In 1874 he was elected President of the First
General Conference of the Methodist Church, an office which he held for four
years. In
1876, he retired from office and set about preparing a History of the United Empire
Loyalists. He died at Toronto, Feb. 19, 1882, in his 80th year."
Also see:
Union School,
another Egerton Ryerson profile |
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