Section II, 1922 [77] Trans. R.S.C. 



University Development in Canada 



By Walter C. Murray, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S.C. 



(Read May Meeting, 1922) 



Introduction 



Twenty-two universities, including Trinity and Victoria, which 

 are federated with Toronto, are reported in the last Year Book of 

 Canada.'- Eleven are east of the Ottawa, and four west of the Lakes. 

 All the Western universities are controlled and supported by the 

 State; only one of the Eastern is a State university. Eight others 

 owe their origin and support to the Churches. Two, and two alone, 

 are independent of both Church and State. In Ontario, the middle 

 ground, all owe their origin to the Churches; two are still dependent 

 upon them; two are uncontrolled by Church or State, but hopeful 

 of sympathy and support from both; while Toronto combines State 

 control and support with the co-operation of the Churches. 



As one passes from East to West one may see in existing institu- 

 tions, survivals of the different stages of University Development in 

 Canada, from the opening of the Seminary in Quebec in 1663 to the 

 present time. It is a story of the struggle between Church and State 

 for control; a struggle forced upon the State by sectarian strife. 



In the beginning, the Churches established the Colleges, the 

 State granting aid. Then when one Church claimed exclusive 

 privileges, sectarian strife led to a division of State aid. The bitter- 

 ness of the strife, and the wastefulness of the system of denominational 

 grants, forced the State either to assume control of one college and 

 deny aid to others controlled by the churches or to repudiate all 

 responsibility for university education. Before the State reached 

 this decision attempts were made to unite the competing colleges 

 under State leadership and with State support. 



In Laval, in Quebec, survives the first experiment in higher 

 education — ^Church leadership with State aid. In the division of 

 grants among the four universities of Quebec persists the first com- 

 promise to preserve peace. In New Brunswick there is State control 

 with meagre support of one college, but without the co-operation of 

 the churches. In Toronto and Manitoba there is denominational 

 co-operation with support and control by the State. In Nova Scotia 



^Year Book of Canada, 1920, p. 156. 



