1i;IIB Ir,ELECTRONIC VERSIONAVAILABLEJHISTORY OF ONTARIO. 679GEOKGE 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, uponsuch as is shared few. He has to do with the formativeresponsibility bywhen are established the habits and character ofperiod, the individual,and there are few men who have attained to distinction orany prominencewho do not their indebtedness for at least the stimulus foracknowledgetheir later to some educator who has had direct influenceactivity upontheir and of life. In this connectionplans purposes George Dickson,is of more than mention. He is the founder andM.A., deserving passingdirector of St. for in and toMargaret's College girls Toronto, previousthe establishment of this school in 1896 was connected with importantinstitutions of in the Dominion. A native of the oflearning townshipMarkham in York in 1846. Inhe was born theOntario,county, acquire-ment of his education he attended the Eichmond Hill Gram-successivelymar the Markham Grammar Grammar SchoolSchool, School, Whitbyand Toronto He then entered the field of educational laborUniversity.as assistant master of School in 1868. Twothe Chatham Grammarin he a on the staff of Woodstockyears later, 1870, accepted positionand the of his connection with these two institutions wasCollege, ...
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IIB Ir
,ELECTRONIC VERSION
AVAILABLEJHISTORY 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 byONTARIO.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