Ryerson School - 1890

On Thursday July 11, 1889, a cornerstone laying ceremony was held to mark the official construction beginnings of a large public school building to be situated on a block of vacant property, bounded by Queen, Robinson, Duke and Hess streets.

          The proceedings of the ceremony were opened by a group of school children, who, under the direction of Professor James Johnston, sang two songs; “With a Bright Cheerful Song We Greet You” and “Canada Our Home.”

          After the songs were finished, a tin box was removed from one of the hacks which had transported member of the Hamilton Board of Education to the site. In the box the following items had been deposited : copies of the current edition of Hamilton’s three daily newspapers, silver and copper coins, minutes of the Hamilton Board of Education for 1888, a copy of the latest Hamilton voters’ list, an 1889 Hamilton city directory and a framed picture of Hamilton’s Queen Victoria School.

          When the box was about to be placed in the corner stone, Thomas Morris, chairman of the finance committee stepped forward and presented an inscribed silver trowel to the current chairman of the Hamilton Board of Education, Mr. S. F. Lazier.

          The following prepared address was then delivered by Chairman Morris :

          “It affords me much pleasure to be present today and take part in the ceremony of laying the corner stone of this handsome addition to our ward schools. There are various reasons why I express pleasure in being an actor in the ceremony, one of which is that the memory of the late Dr. Ryerson is honored by the board of education in the selection of his name as the one by which this school will be hereafter known. About fifty-five years ago, he was the founder of an educational system for this country, which, I believe, is not surpassed in the world. His name will be cut in the stone to be placed above the main entrance to this school so that the scholars and their parents will always be reminded of his great work on behalf of education when they look upon it. When I come to consider the gentlemen who individually compose the board of education, the chairman of the board and the chairmen of the various committees, I feel proud to belong to such a noble band – especially when I contrast the pleasure of association and the harmony which characterize their proceedings with the inharmonious action of other bodies. WE have every reason to feel proud of our schools and teachers, from the primary department up to the collegiate institute. I hope the stone which is now about to be laid will last as long as – eternity, I was going to say – as long as time, at any rate.”

          The school children were then called on to sing three bars of “God Save the Queen” as the heavy stone was lowered with three successive jerks into place :

          “Chairman Lazier scraped it with the trowel, applied the spirit level, and after looking around to make that none of his fellow members had got under it, he declared it well and truly laid.”

          (SPECTATOR JULY 12, 1890)

          Stepping back on the speakers’ platform, Chairman Lazier then went on to resumed his address :

          “It is needless, indeed, for me to express the pleasure which I feel in having the privilege of laying the corner stone of this addition to our educational institutions. As you are all well aware, the new schools which are from time to time being built are really needed. In this land education is compulsory and provision is made for the education of the poor as of the rich. The school accommodation of this ward has been hitherto inadequate and it was deemed imperatively necessary to increase it. I think the residents of the ward should be particularly grateful for what has been done in the interests of their children. When the building is completed, they will have two of the largest schools in the city within their boundaries. I will go further than Mr. Morris and say that, in my opinion, we have the best school system in the world. Dr. Ryerson, in commemoration of whom this school has been named, was a native born Canadian, of U. E. Loyalist stock, and a man who worked his way up from the humblest walks of life. In 1842, he was elected the first president of Victoria college, and in 1845, he was appointed minister of education. His work while at the head of that department is too well known to require recapitulation. I can also bear testimony to the amicable relations which exist between the members of the board of education and the pleasure enjoyed by presiding over such a body.”

          Chairman Lazier concluded his remarks by proposing three cheers for Mr.     Turner, chairman of the building committee, which was heartily given and joined in by all the children who, afterwards sang a song titled, “Gliding Through the Meadow.”

          After speeches by Mr. Turner, Mr.     Brennan, chairman of the internal management committee and Aldermen     Sutherland and     Moore, Chairman Lazier thanked the school children and their instructor for their singing. In return the chirman received enthusiastic cheers from the children when he announced that a plentiful supply of cake and lemonade had been provided for their refreshment.

          Six months after the laying of the corner stone, the voices school children echoed through the corridors of the new Ryerson school. On Monday, January 20, 1890, 864 students attended classes at Ryerson school, occupying all sixteen class rooms in the immense and imposing building:

          “It is one of the best and most convenient schools in Hamilton, everything possible being done for the comfort of the scholars. The building is a type of collegiate gothic architecture, and is constructed of red brick, with stone facings. It is two stories in height, with a high basement under the entire building. A handsome tower projects out upon the Queen street front. The tower is surmounted with a double spire, covered with black and green slate, and finished on top with an elaborate iron flutal (?) in black and gold. The general plan of the building is that of a quadrangle, having at the rear an open court yard.”

          “A Handsome School : the New Ryerson School Opened Yesterday Morning”

                             Spectator. January 21, 1890.

          The floors of the 16 lass rooms and of the corridors were of hard maple, wainscoted with black ash, polished and varnished. The doors and trimmings were of natural white pine, cherry-stained and varnished.

          Each room has its own gong bell, everyone one of which could be sounded simultaneously by a push button located in the headmaster’s office.

          The Total cost of the Ryerson School building was approximately $36,000 and upon completion its architect was widely congratulated for his excellent plans and the thorough manner in which he superintendent the construction process .

          Nine days after students began attending classes at Ryerson School, the Honorable G. W. Ross, Minister of Education for Ontario, came to Hamilton to preside over the official opening ceremonies of the building.

          Arriving in Hamilton on the 1:55 train from Toronto, the education minister was first taken to the Board of Education room in the newly-opened city hall on James Street North :

          “The finishing of the chamber had just been completed. The twenty desks are built and finished in antique oak, trimmed with dark, green leather tops. The floor is covered by a Wilson carpet, with dark crimson ground and gold flowers.”

          “Hon. G. W. Ross’ Visit : The Formal Opening of the Handsome Ryerson School”

          Spectator. January 29, 1890.

          After being introduced to the members of the board of education, the party was driven to the Ryerson School for the opening ceremony. When the official party arrived at the school grounds, they were met by the parents and friends of the school children. Everyone was given a conducted tour of the new school building :

          “Every room downstairs was visited, after which the party went through the rooms on the second story. Miss Dora Bearman presented Hon. Mr. Ross with the register and had him sign his name at the top of the page. The minister of education is not a very good penman, and some of the small boys have a hard time deciphering his signature.”

          In every room the minister visited, he had a kind word for both teachers and students who all stood up when he entered. The children seemed to enjoy proceedings and all looked happy and contented.

          In the second floor corridor, the official opening ceremony was held.

          In his remarks, Chairman Lazier, noted that while Central School was all right at one time, it had to be altered and made more comfortable.

          On being introduced, the Hon. G. W. Ross was roundly applauded as he stepped up on a dust box so that those present could see and hear him better :

          “He said that it had given him pleasure to accept the invitation to attend the opening of the school. The chairman had been so kind as to show him through the building from the basement to the garret. It was hard to say which was the most interesting – the school, the scholars or the lady teachers. The committee had built a magnificent monument to the memory of Dr. Ryerson. When he first took hold of school matters, Hamilton was looked upon as a pioneer city in education. He felt honoured to take part in the opening because of Hamilton’ reputation as an educational city, and the standing of the board.”

          In officially opening the Ryerson School, the minister of education said :

          “I dedicate this school to the general work of culture; to the formation of character and that citizenship which education should promote. Canada wants, above everything else, good citizens.”

          After the ceremony at Ryerson school was over, the minister was taken on a tour of inspection of other city schools including the Queen Victoria School, the Wentworth Street School and the Picton Street School.

          In the evening, a banquet in honour of the Ontario Minister of Education was given at the Royal Hotel. According to the Spectator reporter who attended the banquet, the Royal Hotel had been handsomely decorated with flags draped around the walls, and with smaller flags in the chandeliers :

          “Everything was ‘nifty.’ The neat little boutonnières in each napkin, the menu, the decorations, the dishes, the wine, the cigars, the music by the orchestra – everything was of the best, and the fifty or more gentlemen who stretched their legs under the Royal’s mahogany enjoyed it to the full.”

          One of the guests at the head table was W. E. Sanford, who had been newly appointed to the Senate and was seen wearing his Senate coat for the first time in public:

          “Among the good many who noted the coat’s construction and were ignorant of what it really was, the impression prevailed that the Senator had on a swallow-tailed coat of the ordinary build, with the collar turned up for fear of catching cold, but this illusion was dispelled when the Senator rose to speak, beaming at the assemblage over a red, red rose in his buttonhole”

                                “A Gorgeous Banquet : The Board of Education to Hon. G. W. Ross”

                                                                                                 Herald. January 29, 1890

          Chairman Lazier, in toasting the honoured guest, mentioned that the gentleman’s name was not George Washington Ross, but George William Ross! The toast to the minister was followed by an outbreak of an enthusiastic musical tribute to him:

          “Way down around Vice-Chairman Smith’s end of the table sat C. W. Mulligan, A. D. Stewart and John Hoodless, good fellows and good singers, and there was a piano there at which Mr. W. Brown officiated. Nelligan’s Grand Opera House orchestra was ready for the occasion, and perhaps there never was a time in the history of banquets in the historic Royal when ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ rolled out with such gorgeous effect. But the enthusiasm did not stop there. The three good fellows and good singers led in another chorus which everyone recognized and sang with vigor:

                             ‘He’s a snowflake.      

                               He’s a snowflake,

                               He’s a snowflake,

                                      Just now

                                      Just now

                             He’s a snowflake,

                             He’s a snowflake just now.

          “The company also described him as a dandy, a daisy, a darling and the three good fellows and good singers wound the enthusiasm up by shouting in small capitals:

          ‘WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH G.W. Ross?’

          “To which query the assemblage responded in big capitals:

          ‘ HE’S ALL RIGHT, YOU BET!”

        (Herald)

        In the course of his address, the minister of education made the following remarks:

          “Hamilton has contributed to Canada some of the best educators we have ever seen. When a principal was wanted for the Normal School, we came to Hamilton for the late Dr. Sangster. (Applause) Hamilton trained him and Ontario got the benefit of that training. When a High School instructor was desired was desired, Principal Buchan was selected, and at his decease, the former principal of your Collegiate Institute was chosen to fill the vacancy. The other day we wanted a Model School teacher, and we came to Hamilton and took one of Hamilton’s daughters for the position. So you see, looking at all these things, you must have a good educational atmosphere here and a good Board. Your school system must be a progressive one, and I can but say to you, keep on progressing. I don’t know how many more teachers Ontarion may want from you, but keep them in training!”

          (Herald)

          The speaker claimed that Ontario’s system of education was far superior to that of the United States as regards the training of teachers. The high schools in Ontario were exceptionally progressive, doing work that the universities did twenty years previously:

          “It is only within the past five years that the doors of Toronto’s university have been open to women. That was brought about mainly through the influence of the Hon. John M. Gibson of Hamilton. Here is another evidence of Canada’s progressive system.”

          The minister of education said that he did not claim that Ontario’s school system was without defects. The primary defect was irregularity of attendance, but he noted that Hamilton children attended school more regularly than the children elsewhere in Canada.

          The Minister of Education concluded by noting that the sentiment of the people was supportive of the Ontario educational system:

          “It was our boast that the schools were open to every child, irrespective of color and sect, and without price or pay. The kindergarten boy who started at the bottom of the ladder may climb to the top. “

          (SPECTATOR)

          After a prolonged series of toasts, the banquet was over about 2:30 a.m., and the unanimous opinion was that the evening had been a decided success.

          With the visit by the province education minister to Ryerson School and the following banquet in his honour, the events to mark the opening of Ryerson Public School came to a conclusion.

          The first Ryerson School building would remain an imposing fixture on Queen Street South until 1978 when it was demolished not after it was closed and the second Ryerson School was opened across the street to the west.