Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

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student, read an address to Mrs. Kirkpatrick. In 1894 the first and second year university courses were introduced at OLC. One student who had taken her first year at the University of Toronto arrived to take the second year at the college. By 1895 three out of four college students had passed University of Toronto exams, one of whom had never had a high school education. The musical department, now under J. W. F. Harrison, was strengthened by the addition of Miss Haanel, a bachelor of music, who offered free Harmony lessons to the young people of Whitby. Classes from Miss Haanel in piano cost $2 a term and $6 a term for violin for one lesson a week. Mr. Harrison received the honor of having one of his pupils win the gold medal in connection with the graduating course of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, thus proving the worth of his de- partment. A social function known as an At Home became popular at the college in the 1890s. Exchanges began between OLC and Victoria College in Toronto with students from each institution attending events at the other. A special train from Toronto brought the uni- versity students to OLC for the At Home and took them back the same night. As part of the university extension scheme, starting in 1890, OLC graduates were given third year standing with honors in modern languages at Victoria College, and were able to graduate from Victoria within two years. A normal day in the life of an Ontario Ladies ' College student in 1895 began at 6:30 a. m. with the ringing of the tower bell and the clanging of a hand bell through the various halls. Some of the more diligent students, however, were busy practising at the piano an hour before. At 7 a.m. every girl was prac- tising the piano or at her books, and con- tinued to work until breakfast and prayers at eight. A short walk was taken before nine, when classes began again and continued until 1 p.m. , with a half-hour ' s intermission for physical culture drill. After the mid -day meal, the students were at liberty until 5 p. m. How- ever, during this time they were required to take a walk around the grounds, and on Fri- days, answer their letters. Tea was served in the late afternoon when the students ga- thered in the reading room or chapel to sing college songs and socialize. Study hour fol- lowed from 5 p. m. to 6 p. m. Then there was dinner, and a free half hour at 8:30 p.m. At half past nine the tower bell rang for lights out, but the seniors and university girls were allowed to keep their lights burning until 10 po m. Friday nights were free and usually devoted to plays, concerts, lectures, suppers, or general calling. Saturdays were free with ' the exception of two hours ' study in the morning. Saturday afternoons were usually devoted to excursions into the country or visits to neigh- boring towns. The school societies met in the evening, and on the first of each month a num- ber of lucky students were invited out to tea in Whitby. The Christian Endeavor Society and the Literary Society were the two largest groups in the school, with each student belong- ing to at least one of them. Life was generally busy for the college students in the Gay Nineties but there was plenty of time for recreation as well, v ith tennis courts and a baseball field on the col- lege grounds. Editorial staff of The Sunbeam, 1893. An afternoon riding class, 1893,

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Chapter Ten 1890 - 1895 -- The University Extension Scheme The Ontario Ladies ' College, always keep- ing up to date with modern improvements, be- came the first building to be lit by electric lights in Whitby, during 1890. Three hundred incandescent lights were installed and one ball light was placed in the main hall and one on a post on the grounds. Ryerson Hall was illuminated electrically for the first time June 27, 1890, for the opening concert of the com- mencement exercises. The electric light was then only 11 years old and one can imagine the attraction it was to visitors, who had not even had the opportunity to install it in their own homes. Dr. Hare at one of the concerts in 1890, expressed pleasure at the number of students attending the Ontario Ladies ' College from the United States. The college ' s fame had already spread to that country, and to Europe the year before when Dr. Hare toured the con- tinent. John Dryden, MPP for South Ontario, was a special guest at the 1890 commence- ment, at which Dr. Hare announced that special trains from Toronto would bring visi- tors to all special music and art festivals at the college as well as the annual commence- ment exercises. For the first time the principal announced his intention to make the Ontario Ladies ' College into a Women ' s University federated with the University of Toronto. This had long been a dream of Dr. Hare ' s and he would con- tinue to pursue it throughout the 1890s. The first step was taken in March 1891 when the directors met at the Methodist Book Room in Toronto to appoint a committee to look into university affiliation. In December the same year they decided to extend the course of study to a full university course covering freshman sophomore and junior years. In November 1891, the college received a bell, which was hung in the flagstaff tower and rung for many years afterwards to an- nounce meals and change of classes. The bell, cast in 1854, was the first in Whitby and hung in the Congregational Church on Byron Street. The church had recently disbanded and had be- come a barracks for the Salvation Army. Although silent many years, the bell still hangs in the tower of the college, an historic link with Whitby ' s past. In 1892 the college had a hygienic and gym- nastic club which presented entertainments in Ryerson Hall. Other clubs of the 1890s in- cluded the Victorian Society, under Mrs. Hare, which undertook musical and literary composition and the guardianship and exten- sion of the Victorian Jubilee Library. The Victorian library was begun in 1892 to cele- brate Queen Victoria ' s Diamond Jubilee. Separate from the general library it consisted of works of authors of the Victorian era and some foreign authors of the past 50 years selected by a committee. A printed catalogue of names of contributors was preserved at one time in the college archives, but is lost to the present generation. The literary and musical society presented recitations, read- ings, essays and concerts in the college chapel, and the Missionary Society and Chris- tian Endeavor Society held monthly religious meetings. A Volunteer Band consisted of members of the Missionary Society who in- tended to become foreign missionaries. The Alumnae Society held supper meetings and lectures and attended the entire commence- ment exercises each year. The following note appeared in the Whitby Chronicle of 1892, regarding problems faced by the college students: There are still many complaints from the College regarding annoyances caused to the ladies on the streets by urchins, and some large boys who have no more sense than ur- chins. This harrassing of college divisions will no doubt go on until the youths have a big fine and costs to pay and then there will be a tune out of the other sides of their mouths. The university affiliation preparations pro- ceeded well through 1892 as plans were made to have first and second year university courses added to the curriculum, which would enable graduates to become specialists in high schools and collegiate institutes. New and better qualified teachers were hired for 1893 as a preparation for this work. The following are some rules and regula- tions extracted from the college calendar of 1894-95: Boxes from home containing eatables will not be admitted unless the parents write a note to the governor stating that they contain nothing but fruit and biscuits. Once a month on the first Saturday after- noon pupils may visit such friends as parents may name to the Governor of the College. Pupils are not allowed to meet friends at the railroad depot unless under exceptional circumstances and then only when a proper escort can be obtained. Friends will not be allowed to visit pupils unless suitably introduced by a note from the pupil ' s parents. The time for receiving visi- tors is from three to five p.m. on Saturday. No visiting allowed on public holidays. Parents only, when staying in the town, may take their daughters to a hotel for meals. Correspondence is limited to such correspon- dence as parents or guardians authorize by writing. The shorter the list the better. A large correspondence seriously interferes with school work. Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Kirkpatrick were among the guests at the commencement exercises of 1894. A train of seven cars brought several hundred guests from Toronto who witnessed the college students form a guard of honor along the aisle as the Lieutenant-Governor and his wife entered the gymnasium. Rev. Dr. Dewart read an address of welcome on behalf of the Board of Directors and Miss E. Eraser, a

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Lillian Frances Massey Chapter Eleven Frances Hall As early as 1886 the college directors be- gan to consider a second addition to the school ' s facilities. In December 1891 they took the first step by deciding to erect a hall to cost not less than $25,000. Initial plans called for a grand conservatory of music with a large pipe organ. The urgent need for new buildings became apparent the following year when the college was unable to ask for students from the United States for want of room. By commencement day 1893 Dr. Hare was able to tell the students the Board had raised $28,000 of the estimated $50, 000 for the new addition. At the Board meeting of 1894 the directors decided to appeal for subscription of $50, 000 new stock to pay off the balance of the debt on the college property and for the erection of the new wing. By October, Rev. D. C. McDowell had obtained subscriptions for $36, 000, and a concerted effort was made especially in Toronto to raise the remaining $14,000 in a few weeks. In March 1895, the building fund got an un- expected boost. Hart A. Massey, who built the Massey Music Hall in Toronto the year be- fore, made an offer of $10, 000 toward the erection of the new addition once the fund had reached $40, 000. With this new-found money the construction of the long-awaited addition was assured. For his generous donation, Mr. Massey was unanimously elected to the Board of Directors and by special resolution the di- rectors decided to name the hall after his daughter. Miss Lillian Frances Massey. The original motion called for the name to be The Lillian Massey Hall, but it was soon shorten- ed to Frances Hall. The construction of the new hall and the completion of the university extension program were now assured. The directors forecast that the school ' s enrolment would double and it would soon be granting university degrees. Not long after the Massey donation was an- nounced the college proceeded to demolish the old wing to the south of the main building that had once been the servants ' quarters of Tra- falgar Castle. Frances Hall, 130 by 52 feet and three storeys high, was designed to join the main building with the Cottage. The earth excavated for the basement was placed north of the gymnasium to provide the base for a new skating rink. On a bright June afternoon in 1895 the cornerstone for Frances Hall was laid amid great rejoicing. The program opened with a half-hour ' s exhibition of physical culture by 48 students, followed by the cornerstone cere- mony itself. President of the Board, George A. Cox, of Toronto, presented Miss Massey with a silver trowel as he expressed the thanks of the directors for her father ' s generous gift. The Massey family had a special interest in education for they also made gifts to Vic- toria University, Toronto; Albert College, Belleville; Alma College, St. Thomas; and Methodist Colleges in Winnipeg and British Columbia. Miss Massey assisted in spread- ing the mortar, as copies of all Toronto daily newspapers and literary journals, all Metho- dist publications of the day, local papers and current coins were deposited in the cavity. H. B. Taylor, secretary of the Board, de- clared the stone well and truly laid and the company adjourned to the gymnasium for the speeches. Mr. Massey himself, although aged and feeble, delivered the first address. What a magnificent home these young lady students have, he declared as he contrasted the state of female education of 50 years before with that of 1895. Rev. Dr. Potts congratulated Dr. Hare and the directors on the day ' s work and the grand prospect it opened up for them. Following the suggestion of Dr. Massey he hoped to see OLC devote some special effort toward training of women for the missionary field. The remarks by several other speak- ers brought high praise to both Dr. Massey and Dr. Hare for their efforts in the field of female education. The cornerstone ceremony was followed by the college ' s 21st annual com- mencement exercises. By September 1895, the roof was already completed on Frances Hall. An Edison dynamo to operate the electric light system was install- ed, along with two 50 horsepower boilers for heating the enlarged premises by steam. The new hall, constructed of white brick and Cleve- land freestone, was built in the style of the original castle, providing a concert hall, dining room and kitchen on the ground floor and dormitories and baths on the upper floors. Frances Hall was finally dedicated in De- cember 1895, six months after the corner- stone ceremony, before a large crowd of rela-