UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT
I. M’GILL UNIVERSITY
THE ROYAL INSTITUTION—JAMES M’GILL—CHARTER OBTAINED—THE “MONTREAL MEDICAL INSTITUTE” SAVES M’GILL—NEW LIFE IN 1829—THE RECTOR OF MONTREAL—THE MERCHANTS’ COMMITTEE—M’GILL IN 1852—THE HISTORY OF THE FACULTIES—BUILDINGS—DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1895—RECENT BENEFACTORS—MACDONALD COLLEGE—THE STRATHCONA ROYAL VICTORIA COLLEGE FOR WOMEN. NOTE: THE UNION THEOLOGICAL MOVEMENT—THE JOINT BOARDS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL, ANGLICAN, PRESBYTERIAN AND WESLEYAN AFFILIATED COLLEGES.
II. LAVAL UNIVERSITY (MONTREAL DISTRICT)
THE STORY OF ITS COMPONENT PARTS—EVOLUTION FROM THE “ECOLES DE LATIN”—COLLEGE DE ST. RAPHAEL—ENGLISH STUDENTS—COLLEGE DECLAMATIONS—THE PETIT SEMINAIRE ON COLLEGE STREET—THE COLLEGE DE MONTREAL—THE SCHOOLS OF THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY, CLASSICS, LAW AND MEDICINE—THE APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION “JAM DUDUM”—DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS—AFFILIATED BODIES—THE FACULTIES AND SCHOOLS. NOTE: NAMES OF EARLY “ENGLISH” STUDENTS AT THE “COLLEGE.”
I
M’GILL UNIVERSITY
As already said, the most important success of the “Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning” was the McGill University, which still carries the official title. Its founder, Mr. James McGill, who was one of the apostles of higher education in Canada, was born on October 6, 1744, at Glasgow, Scotland. He came to Montreal before the American Revolution with his brother Andrew, and became connected with the North West Company. He married Madame Desrivières, the widow of a French-Canadian. As a citizen his name stands well, having represented the west ward in the assembly and having been appointed also a member of the legislative council. At the outbreak of the War of 1812, he was a militia colonel and then, an old man, was made brigadier general. By his will of January 8, 1811, Mr. James McGill, not having any children, had bequeathed his landed estate, consisting of about forty-six acres, on Burnside and University streets, to the value then of £10,000,[1] and a like sum of money, for a university, but although the college bearing his name was incorporated by a royal charter in the year 1821, the bequest could not be used, its validity being disputed by his relatives.
The object of the gift was to found an Anglican college in a future provincial university, the erection of which had already been promised by the British government. Indeed, the citizens were led to believe that such a university was to be established by George III and endowed with Crown lands.
The four trustees appointed under the will were directed to convey the property of the bequest to the “Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning.” The conditions upon which the property was to be transferred were that the Royal Institution would, within ten years after the testator’s decease, erect and establish on his estate on Burnside and University streets, a college for the purpose of education and the advancement of learning in this province and that the college, or one of the colleges in the university, if established, should be named and perpetually be known and distinguished by the appellation of “McGill College.” Owing to persistent opposition by the leaders of one section of the people to any system of governmental education and to the refusal by the legislature to make the grants of land and money which had been promised, the proposed establishment of a provincial university by the British government was abandoned.