Egerton Ryerson

The Reverend
Egerton Ryerson
Portrait of Ryerson by Théophile Hamel, c.1850-51
Born
Adolphus Egerton Ryerson

(1803-03-24)24 March 1803
Charlotteville Township, Norfolk County, Upper Canada
Died19 February 1882(1882-02-19) (aged 78)
Toronto, Ontario
Occupations
  • Educator
  • minister
  • author
  • editor
  • administrator
Known forChampioning free schooling in Canada, influence in the design of the Canadian Indian residential school system
Spouses
  • Hannah Aikman
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1828; died 1832)​
  • Mary Armstrong
    ​
    (m. 1833)​
Children4
Parents

Adolphus Egerton Ryerson (24 March 1803 – 19 February 1882)[1] was a Canadian educator, author, editor, and Methodist minister who was a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system.[2][3] Ryerson is considered to be the founder of the Ontario public school system.

An advocate against Christian sectarianism and control of Upper Canada by the wealthy Anglican elite, Ryerson staunchly opposed Clergy Reserves and promoted a system of free public education in Canada.[3][4] Conversely, Ryerson was passionate about Christianization, favouring missionary work and protesting the removal of the Bible from Ontario schools.[3]

Following his time as a missionary to the Mississaugas of the Credit River, Ryerson became founding editor of The Christian Guardian, and the first principal of Victoria College.[5] He was appointed as Chief Superintendent of Education for Upper Canada by Governor General Sir Charles Metcalfe in 1844, where he supported reforms such as creating school boards, making textbooks more uniform, and making education free.[6] His extensive contributions to early education in Ontario led to him being memorialized with statues, and in the naming of several institutions and places in Ontario.

The controversial issue of Ryerson’s involvement in the residential school system, is discussed below in the section Egerton Ryerson § Ryerson and residential schools.

  1. ^ "Egerton Ryerson | Canadian educator | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Ryerson 1884.
  4. ^ Sissons, C. B. (1937). Egerton Ryerson: His Life and Letters. Volume II. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company.
  5. ^ "Biography – RYERSON, EGERTON – Volume XI (1881-1890) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". www.biographi.ca. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  6. ^ "The Legacy of Egerton Ryerson | Foundations of Education". foundations.ed.brocku.ca. Retrieved 23 December 2022.