Mart'li. 1921. 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



101 



Dr. Crenlinan was a comparatively young man, 

 enthusiastic, energetic, hospitable and a fluent and 



History and Development of the Ontario 



Agricultural College 



C. A. ZAVITZ, B.S.A., D.Sc. 

 Professor of Field Husbandry and Director of Field Experiments, Guclpli, Ont. 



Sir .Jolni Carling, Ontario's first Commissioner of successor. President Creelman spent his ijoyhood 

 Agriculture, in his report for 1870, definitely pro- days on his father's farm in Simcoe County, Oiitario, 

 posed the establishment of two schools, one for ■ and was later a member of the first graduating 

 Agriculture and the other for Mechanic Arts. The class of the Ontario Agricultural College in 1888. 

 outcome of this recommendation was the foundation After securing his B.S.A. degree he si)ent nine 

 of the School of Practical Science in Toronto and years as Professor of Biology at the Agricultural 

 flic jnirchase of five hundred and fifty acres of College of Mississippi, and just previous to his np- 

 land for a School of Agriculture at Guelph. The pointment here was superintendent of Farmers' In- 

 farm a*t Guelph was purchased and came into the stitutes for Ontario. The President, therefore, 

 |)()Ssession of the Province in December, 1873. The brought with him to this institution practical ex- 

 name decided upon for the institution was the perience, scientific knowledge, teaching ability and 

 Ontario School of Agriculture and Experimental administrative ((ualifications which proved of great 

 Farm. service to him in his official capacity. 



On the 29th of July, 1873, Mr. Henry McCandless, 

 from Cornell University, was appointed the first 

 Principal. On the first day of May, 1874, the school 

 was opened. Owing to the resignation of Principal 

 IMcCandless on the 18th of July of the same year, 

 however, the work was taken over temporarily by 

 Mr. Wm. Johnston, B.A., of Toronto, who had pre- 

 viously been appointed rector. In April, 1875, Mr 

 Chas. Roberts, of Surrey, England, a prominent 

 graduate of Cirencester Agricultiiral College, was 

 apj)ointed as Principal, but owing to sudden illness 

 resigned after one day's active service. Wm. John- 

 ston was then appointed as permanent Principal, 

 which position he held until the end of September. 

 1S79. Principal Johnston, although somewhat han- 

 dicapped by ids lack of practical experience, proved 

 to be an excellent oi-ganizer. an efficient executive 

 and a jjrolitic writer. He classified the work in the 

 different departments and did much to give charac- 

 ter and stability to the school. At the close of his 

 five years' term of office he wrote as follows:" I 

 have resigned at the commencement of what might 

 properly he termed the beginning of the institutioii 

 at the close of the prejiaratory stage. My work has 

 been to assist in laying the foundation — others must 

 rear the superstructure." 



In the autumn of 1879, the name of the institu- 

 tion was changed from the Ontario School of Agri- 

 cidture and Experimental Farm to tiie Ontario Agri- 

 cidtural College and Experimental Farm. Dr. Jame> 

 Mills was appointed Pi'esident of the College, taking 

 office on the first of October. 1879, which position 

 he retained until twenty-five years later. Dr. Mills 

 graduated as a Medallist at Victoria College. Co- 

 l)ourg, Ontario, after which he filled the position of 

 Principal of Braiitford Collegiate Institute with 

 marked distinction. During the two and one-half 

 decades in which Dr. Mills was President of the 

 College the institution made substantial and per- 

 iiianeut progress. While it is true that in the 

 earlier stages of the President's regime the institu- 

 tion was used largely as a jiolitical football, never- 

 theless, through his wise leadei'ship, perseverance, 

 devotion to duty and exactness and ca[)aeity for 

 detail, the College later received the enthusiastic 

 support and encouragement of all political parties. 



On the resignation of President Mills in 1904, Dr. 



C. A. Zavitz, B.S.A., D.Sc. Professor of Field HiisUandry, 

 O.A.C. 



popular public . speaker. During his sixteen years" 

 Presidency, the farm was enlarged, the College 

 courses extended, the number of students gi-eatly 

 increased, aiul student government established in 

 the College. 



With the resignation of Dr. Creelman in 1920, 

 G. C. Creelman was immediately appointed as his President J. B. Reynolds was appointed and as- 



