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20. UPPER CANADA CENTRAL SCHOOL |
| Under
the Common School Act of 1816, a school was built by public
subscription on the northwest corner of Newgate (now Adelaide) and New
(now Jarvis)(1). Thomas Appleton of Yorkshire was the first schoolmaster(2). However Appleton left his post the following year when his Common School became Upper Canada Central School(3). As his first act in office, Lieutenant-Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland wanted the newly created Central School to be run as a government-funded Andrew Bell Monitorial School, similar to the National Schools of Britain(4). Bell Schools were based on and taught the tenets of the Church of England(5). His first instructor, Joseph Spragg(e) (1775-1848), incorporated the Bell method with the Lancastrian, which was to have older children teach the younger(6). The principle was economical, many students to few teachers, and put forth the views of the Church. Maitland was criticized for his tactics by many people, including Jesse Ketchum [site 7, 8](7). His critics felt he was sacrificing non-denominational education by replacing it with a church school. The Anglican orientation was too obvious, and Spragg(e) was criticized for his methods. During the Upper Canada Central School’s 24 years in operation 5 514 pupils, male and female, were taught free of charge in the government sponsored school(8). However the school never recovered from the prejudices against it. Both Spragg(e) and the school retired in 1844, making funding available for those private non-denominational schools which had sprung up as a result(9). |
Notes
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| © Town of York Historical Society, 2006- All rights reserved. |