The "masterful oral history" (Globe and Mail) that was praised, condemned, admired, vilified, eagerly devoured and hotly debated. This is the story of UCC - the institution that has educated the sons of the Canadian establishment for almost seven decades. In Old Boys, former students’ recollections are woven together to form a remarkably vivid portrait not merely of a private boys’ school in down town Toronto, but of the evolving society it reflects. Candid and arresting, controversial and revealing, Old Boys is an unforgettable look inside one of Canada’s most prestigious academic institutions.

Errington argues that in order to appreciate the evolution of Upper Canadian beliefs, particularly the development of political ideology, it is necessary to understand the various and changing perceptions of the United States and of Great Britain held by different groups of colonial leaders. Colonial ideology inevitably evolved in response to changing domestic circumstances and to the colonists' knowledge of altering world affairs. It is clear, however, that from the arrival of the first loyalists in 1748 to the passage of the Naturalization Bill in 1828, the attitudes and beliefs of the Upper Canadian elite reflect the fact that the colony was a British- American community. Errington reveals that Upper Canada was never as anti-American as popular lore suggests, even in the midst of the War of 1812. By the mid 1820s, largely due to their conflicting views of Great Britain and the United States, Upper Canadians were irrevocably divided. The Tory administration argued that only by decreasing the influence of the United States, enforcing a conservative British mould on colonial society, and maintaining strong ties with the Empire could Upper Canada hope to survive. The forces of reform, on the other hand, asserted that Upper Canada was not and could not become a re-creation of Great Britain and that to deny its position in North America could only lead to internal dissent and eventual amalgamation with the United States. Errington's description of these early attempts to establish a unique Upper Canadian identity reveals the historical background of a dilemma which has yet to be resolved.

We tend to think of contemporary concern for reform in education as unprecedented in its intensity and scope. But as this book about mid-nineteenth century educational ideology shows, the urge to improve society through its schools has been with us a long time. The author examines the attitudes that shaped the Ontario public school system during its formative years, when Upper Canadians first explored and the provincial government finally adopted the principle of compulsory mass schooling under the auspices and control of the state.

Anyone who attended the University or who is interested in the growth of Canada's intellectual heritage will enjoy this compelling and magisterial history.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the history of Canada is the development of trave—from the canoe-routes and woodland trails first followed by the Indians, the fur-traders and explorers, and the pioneers, to the canals, locks, and highways of a later age, and the seaways, railroads, and air routes of today. Equally interesting is the story of the development of the means of transport—canoes, bateaux, sailing-ships, steamships, stage-coaches, railway cars. This volume contains the chapters from Mr. Guillet's large volume, Early Life in Upper Canada, describing early travel and transportation. He draws on contemporary letters, diaries, newspapers, and periodicals, in order to describe vividly the conditions of travel at various periods, and the book is abundantly illustrated with authentic portraits, photographs, and drawings.