Simcoe Hall Lobby Stair Case - 2011-10-11 12:58:40 - Kent Kuran

Rainmaker

- a person who is highly successful, especially in business

- a person who has influential economical or political connections

(Oxford English Dictionary)

Series

On the success of The Globe and Mail’s The Report on Business (Magazine) Rainmaker articles, The Blue and White presents the University of Toronto’s own rising and shining stars. [1]

The University of Toronto (U of T) has been home to some of the most colorful and lively characters through Canada’s short history, acting as a center of the Ontarian establishment. Many have gone on to illustrious careers forming the pillars of the political and economical basis of the province and federate, while others have down in flames.

Instead of including just today’s greats as others have done, the analysis here goes all the back to the establishment of the University of Toronto - even predating Canada’s own federation.

History always has a tale to tell, in this case, from the evolution of dignitaries, honors, degrees, awards, and even patronage positions. Most striking in the history of the university’s governance and administration, is the rise of equal opportunity for the middle class and the decline of an entrenched noble and later patrician class.

More to come.

Office of the Chancellor - 2011-10-11 12:53:34 - Kent Kuran

Chancellors of the University of Toronto

PEREGRINE MAITLAND (1778 - 1867)

(Sir) Peregrine Maitland

KCB, GCB

Chancellor (1827-1828)

Office of the President - 2011-10-11 12:55:57 - Kent Kuran

Presidents of the University of Toronto

JOHN STRACHAN (1778 - 1867)

(The Honourable and Right Reverend) John Strachan

BA, MA, LLD(hc), DD(hc)

President (1827-1848)

Background

Born to respectable but not wealthy Scottish parents, Strachan was lucky to be the favorite child and hence sent to grammar school to become a gentleman and later a clergyman. However, once his father died, he could no longer afford his studies at university and falling upon a teaching job offer in Upper Canada left Scotland.

Ready to climb the social ladder, Strachan would become a tool for the Family Compact (right Conservative high Tories), establishing first, the Cornwall Grammar School and much later, the University of King's College at York (later the University of Toronto). He would marry Ann Wood McGill (born just Wood) who was the widow of Andrew McGill. James McGill, Andrew's brother, after whom McGill University is named, was persuaded by Strachan to leave part of his estate to establish a Scottish tradition university based on Strachan's dream to educate the ruling colonial class.

Achievements

Strachan was known for his teaching methods which included less corporal punishment than was usual at the time. Further the contemporarily modern incorporation of natural science in his curriculum instead of just the classics was deemed unorthodox by his peers. He was not a believer of education as an end to itself as was common amongst the English elite. He initially tried to set up a common system for free elementary education, which would unfortunately fail to become universal across the province.

As Bishop of York, he would be an honorary member of the Executive Council of the province, acting as a vocal Church supporter, as well as, the fledgling province's protector during the multiple battles with the Americans. He would skillfully marry politics, religion, and education, wishing to indoctrinate the elite's youth with English loyalty to God, King, and Country, which would later be carefully separated over centuries.

Strachan would try to strengthen the position of the Church, which he almost lost when a resolution to cancel the clergy reserves was deflected when the parliament was abruptly prorogued. However, eventually the lands fell into the control of the government, which would then be run by the Grits (beginning of the Liberals).

In 1826, he spend a year in England to seek a royal charter for a university. In 1827, he came back to Upper Canada invigorated by success. But, he would run into problems as Peregrine Maitland, a close friend, would be replaced by John Colborne, a neutral Anglican. Nonetheless the university would open in 1843 due Strachan's drive, with its founder getting tossed out in 1849 after the Grits took power. Soon after he would become a minor player with his flavor of high toryism dying out.

Connections

James McGill, eponymous donator to McGill University

Peregrine Maitland, Lieutenant Governor

John Stuart, clergyman

In general the Family Compact of Upper Canada

Jobs

After leaving the University of King's College at York (later the University of Toronto), Strachan established his own University of Trinity College (later Trinity College of the University of Toronto) by royal charter in 1850, opening in 1852 to further the goals of the Church of England. By using his connections to the Church and the Crown, Strachan was adept at attaining both charters and funding for his projects.

Boards

Honorary Member, Executive Council of Upper Canada

Board, Upper Canada Clergy Corporation

Perks

The Palace, his magnificent house in York largely funded by his government salary

Good food, wine, servants, carriages and the like were ubiquitous in his house

Hillside Estate (93 Highland Avenue), the aging university presidential mansion

Coup

Unfortunately for Strachan most of the coups worked the other way around with the ascent of the Grits and the descent of Tories. This included his ousting from the University of King's College at York, the loss of the Clergy Reserves, and the Conservatives loss of the lower house of parliament. However, Strachan did manage to end up at the top of the social ladder coming from humble beginnings, in such an era.

Rating

5