''Manners or Morals'' Or ''Men in Petticoats''

The belief in the importance of higher education was a distinguishing characteristic of the academy's seminary movement which, throughout North America, attempted to imbue female educati

* Copyright held by Canadian Scholars’ Press Inc.

* Unauthorized reprinting of this article is forbidden

"Manners and Morals"? Or "Men in Petticoats"?

Education at Alma College, 1871-18981

Johanna Selles-Roney

An advertisement for Alma College in St Thomas, Ontario, claimed that "Students need bring nothing with them for their comfort other than would be required going to a first-class hotel."2 Furthermore, the circular stated that "A student in residence in the Institution has complete control of her time for the purpose for which she is sent to school In residence at Alma she win be constantly under the eye of competent teachers and governesses, ever watchful of her health, habit and morals " The comparison of a ladies' college to a first-class hotel confirms the general impression left by these schools, namely, that they were finishing schools for daughters of the affluent.3 Until recently, the absence of ladies' colleges from Ontario's

educational history has done little to correct this misconception.4 As R.D Gidney and W.P.J Millar argue in Inventing Secondary Education, the history of private schools is a necessary ingredient for a complete understanding of Ontario education Developments in the private sector were played against an increasing state control which served to undermine the autonomy of private schools Despite this eventual loss of autonomy, the primacy of denominational innovation in schooling in the 1800s must be kept in perspective.5

The preoccupation of ladies' colleges themselves with form and appearance has also contributed to their association with accomplishments rather than academic rigour.6 Yet their curriculum often marked the beginnings of a serious attempt at higher education and the acquisition of mental discipline The fact that this type of curriculum constituted, in many cases, a radical departure from contemporary stereotyped expectations about a woman's ability meant that the colleges had to cultivate an image which did not appear

to challenge accepted notions of female behaviour

In Canada, academies and seminaries offering "superior" education for women emerged in the 1820s and 1830s.7 By 1847 there were a number of seminaries for women in Ontario; three in Cobourg, five in

Toronto, and one each in Niagara, Kingston, Hamilton, and Cornwall.8 The Rev A Burns, principal of the Hamilton Ladies' College, reported the existence in 1888 of seven ladies' colleges established by

denominational patronage without state assistance.9 Although many of the schools were sponsored by specific denominations, they shared a common belief that women could and should be educated The belief

in the importance of higher education was a distinguishing characteristic of the academy's seminary

movement which, throughout North America, attempted to imbue female education with the same degree of 249

Gender And Education In Ontario: An Historical Reader

seriousness that had been associated with male education and particularly seminary training for the

ministry.10 Ladies' seminary education was a training for a female "ministry" which led, not to ordination, but to vocations in family, teaching and church work or social reform Alma College was part of this seminary movement for women

Origins of the College

Bishop Carman of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Southwestern Ontario was convinced, by the 1860s, that Western Ontario needed a college for young ladies Carman had long been involved in educational matters; he had served, for example, as principal of Albert College, Belleville, from 1858 to 1875!11 Carman was thus familiar with the question of education for girls and he considered St Thomas an excellent location

for such a school The existence of several railroad lines, the healthy climate of the area and the availability

of fresh fruit and vegetables were cited as reasons for the choice of St Thomas An added advantage, particularly for the establishment of a girls' school, was the fact that St Thomas was "comparatively free from the vices and snares incident to overgrown cities”.12 A college circular, dated Spring 1881, claimed that: "The best bred lady in the land cannot find there anything to wound her delicacy, or to repress her taste; while to nearly all, the arrangements tend to elevate, to inspire a higher and purer ambition for the personal habits and modes of thought of the perfect woman."13

The attention to architectural style was no accident Helen Horowitz describes the seminary model as a single building wherein students could be kept "physically in place and thus secure in a limited sense."14 The seclusion of students in a single building made an intense disciplinary regime possible, with a routine similar to life in an asylum At the Ipswich Female Seminary in Massachusetts, for example, almost every moment of the day was accounted for and bells marked the tasks required Yet this closely supervised schedule gave students time for either domestic work, prayer or study and provided them with a sense of mental mastery Mi Holyoke Seminary also used an enlarged version of a nineteenth-century private house, with a clear division between parents and children in the seminary family.15 This model closely resembled the structure of Alma College Furthermore, rural and small town locations were important to both the family ideal and to the goal of protection, and the location of Alma College in St Thomas was no

exception.16

The congruence between design and purpose was noted at the cornerstone ceremony by the Minister of Education, Hon Adam Crooks: "I have not seen

250

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men In Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

in this country-I have not seen anywhere else-a design in better harmony with the objects of the

institution."17 The college, built in a Victorian style, was designed by the architect James Balfour of

Hamilton, and consisted essentially of one grand building with 50 rooms able to accommodate 100 students

A great stairway led to the upstairs floors, which were arranged with two parallel rows of rooms divided by

a hall Two towers at each corner and a central tower lent an air of stately elegance to the building The plan was to provide "every degree of comfort possible" including steam heating, ventilation, and gas lights.18 The building housed the principal, the lady principal and governess, in addition to providing apartments for the teachers

The college board consisted of twenty-one members: seven St Thomas citizens and thirteen members of the Methodist Church, along with Bishop Carman A charter was granted in 1877 and by 1881 the college was declared open "to afford young ladies a liberal course of instruction in all that tends to make their lives useful and happy, and their tastes elevated and refined."19

The Principalship of B.F Austin

The life of the college was guided by the leadership of the principal B.F Austin successfully headed the school through its trial years By 1847, however, the relationship between the board and the principal had become tense The board felt that Austin was not devoting enough of his time to the school On his part, Austin wrote to the board revealing mixed feelings about his commitment to the college:

Finding a reprieve of at least a year necessary for straightening my financial affairs, I

am undecided whether it is better in the school interests and my own to ask for a

year's furlough or to tender my resignation While the above reasons seem to me of

weight, I must confess that family affliction and much anxiety of mind over various

matters have rendered me somewhat distrustful of my own judgment.20

Austin's personal confusion may have been due to the death of his young daughter in 1896.21 In 1897, Austin did resign his position;22 the following year he was to be tried for heresy and expelled from the Methodist ministry Austin left the College with an unpaid debt and a commitment to follow his interests and belief in spiritualism.23

251

Gender And Education in Ontario: An Historical Reader

The official histories of Alma College deal only briefly with the principalship of Austin Edwards claimed that his adventures outside his immediate duties as principal were for the most part "unfortunate." Austin's publishing ventures were costly and, according to Edwards, financial problems precipitated his resignation

or dismissal.24 Riddell only briefly mentions Austin's resignation, claiming that he moved to California to edit a magazine on spiritualism, "a subject in which he had been deeply interested for some time."25Austin was succeeded by Professor Warner, who had previously served as a professor of modern languages and literature The college minutes do not discuss Austin further, and it is thus impossible to conclude whether

he had a following among students or staff

Yet, a quite interesting figure emerges from sources other than those of the college Indeed, Austin held distinct views on the education of women These are summarized in a volume of essays which he edited and

published in 1891, entitled Woman: Her Character, Culture, and Calling.26In a chapter called "What Christ Has Done for Woman, and What Woman Has Done for Christ," Austin argued that Christianity conferred a special honour on woman, and the birth of Christ rendered motherhood forever glorious.27

Woman was exalted to a position wherein she partook in the "blessings responsibilities, and duties of Christian life," but, in addition, woman had the "signal glory of womanhood."28 The "queen of the home had been lifted up by Christ's birth, not only to equality, but to a distinctive calling Austin wrote that any Biblical passages which appeared to endorse the submission of women could be explained-and ignored by placing them in the context of the culture for which they were written

Women were exalted not only for their role as mothers, but also for special qualities which they possessed including such passive virtues as gentleness, meekness, patience, self-denial, and obedience.29These virtues were not indigenous to a man's heart, but they bloomed naturally in a woman's Austin explained that women used their talents to serve others, evangelize, support missions, and fight the battle for social and moral reform.30

Austin's exaltation of women as mothers was not inconsistent with his educational mission at Alma Indeed, Austin proclaimed the necessity of educating women He argued that a woman should be

educated in a way that would give her a specialty or a useful art by which she could earn a living, rather than being forced to marry to escape poverty The "ornamental" education dispersed by many ladies' seminaries needed to be replaced by the teaching of practical arts.31 Austin urged the employment of women in outdoor labour, horticulture, telegraphy, civil service, art work, art teaching, house decoration, design, and medicine By outdoor labour, Austin meant any light

252

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men in Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

farm work which would have a more wholesome effect on women's health "than the miserable slave life many women lead in factories, shops and stores where long hours, promiscuous associations and poor pay are the general rule."32 Austin envisioned that even traditionally female occupations such as domestic

service would help them escape from their current slavery Domestic service would require women who had greater intelligence and culture, thus entitling them to greater recognition in the home as trained, scientific housekeepers or governesses The higher remuneration and respect which Austin deemed necessary for domestics was also recommended for another female profession, namely, teaching The inequality in the salaries of female, as opposed to male, teachers was unjust and discriminatory In addition to these

occupations, Austin claimed Christian service as a calling for women The home, school and church were spheres in which woman was all-powerful Her influence on society was crucial since "if society is ever to become thoroughly permeated with the Christian doctrine and spirit it must be by the agency of Christian women."33 Professions, then, which traditionally employed women needed to be revalued in terms of status and remuneration, while those which had previously excluded women workers needed to be reconsidered Austin rejected the two main arguments commonly used against the higher education of women, which were that women were unable to absorb higher education and that evil results derived from educating women He believed that women were physically and mentally capable of higher learning The claim that education produced evil results such as "strong-minded women" and "men in petticoats" was inaccurate because higher Christian education could only foster humility, not conceit Proper education should provide physical development, intellectual training, and religious culture.34 In sum, the major goal of education was the development of character, as opposed to "mere skill or accomplishment."35

Austin's message was shaped by conservative rhetoric, tainted with radical connotations.36His recognition that not all women were destined to marry, and that marriage should never be an alternative to economic necessity or boredom was clearly progressive He also rejected traditional reasons why women should not

be educated and advocated their ability to learn and perform a variety of occupations His views were particularly innovative on the subject of "practical" education and on vocational goals for women The suggestion that women could work in non-traditional jobs opened the door for women's further participation

in the public sphere He sanctioned the public involvement of women by suggesting that society would benefit from their special qualities

253

Gender And Education In Ontario: An Historical Reader

However, arguments for equality, higher education, and vocational innovation were couched in a

conservative rhetoric which ultimately left her reigning as queen of the home Woman's distinctive qualities prepared her to influence society; "in the Church, in the school, in all moral and social reforms, woman's powerful influence is felt."37 The conservative aspect of the rhetoric emerged even more clearly in an article published in Austin's book by the Rev Morgan Dix This article strongly supported the use of single-scx education to underline God-given differences between the sexes The harmony between the sexes had to be maintained by education in which "the woman shall be enabled to be to the man all that he needs, while he shall hold her in the honour and devotion which are her due."38

The complexity of Austin's position derived from the fact that his views were neither strictly radical or conservative; nor did he advocate a completely private or totally public sphere of influence for women Rather, his views combined all these elements in a way that mirrored the education given at Alma College Indeed, Austin's views must be seen in the context of nineteenth-century expectations for women By the latter part of the century, the presence of women in social reform movements, church life and professions such as teaching was undeniable Moreover, advanced education continued to challenge the boundaries of women's role by offering them options The support of the ladies' college, however, was still derived from parents, individuals and churches, who believed in the primacy of the domestic sphere Early reformers and proponents of girls' education worked from inside this model, borrowed from its language, and thus

achieved their goals

Recent American studies show that this strategy was quite successful According to Anne Scott, the Troy Female Seminary in Troy, N.Y., combined an allegiance to certain well-defined ideas about what was proper for women with subversive attention to women's intellectual development."39 Emma Willard, the head of Troy Seminary, combined traditional views of woman's role with a commitment to her progress; Willard's success lay in the fact that, at Troy, "feminist values co-existed with traditional ones but also spread more easily when attached to 'correct' views of women."40 A similar phenomenon illustrated by the life of Francis Willard, who both spoke at Alma and wrote an introduction to Austin's book A local newspaper

enthusiastically described Willard's speech at the school's annual closing lecture in 1891, held at the First Methodist Church in St Thomas: "She speaks simply, as a lady always does, and she speaks with charity towards all, as a woman always should."41 Willard called for "mother-hearted women to be the saviours of the race."42 Using the rhetoric derived from the "cult of true womanhood" and the "cult of domesticity," Willard spoke in a language that was immediately accessible to

254

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men in Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

her audience.43 Yet the fact that she spoke in public was a continuing contravention of the norms of womanly behaviour

The concept of woman's special nature which was basic to the ladies' college tradition was also manifest

in social reform movements throughout Canada Members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union

of Canada believed that "woman was and should be the moral guardian of society."44 Maternal feminism also provided the rationale for the National Council of Women; its members believed that mothering was not to be restricted to the household but that it should extend throughout society The connection between ladies' colleges and reform or club movements has not been adequately explored Veronica Strong-Boag suggests that ladies' college graduates were both ideal women of the Victorian middle class and promising candidates for the club movement.45 We need to know more about these connections The life of one graduate, Annie Gardner, can serve to illustrate these links Gardner graduated from the Brantford

Collegiate Institute and the Brantford Young Ladies' College with highest honours In 1893 she graduated from Alma College with a diploma in painting She married George Brown, who became the Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan and had two children She worked with the W.C.T.U., the Y.W.C.A., the Women's Musical Club and the Ladies' Aid of the Metropolitan Methodist Church In addition, she was involved with the Local Council of Women, the Hospital Aid Society, the Daughters of the Empire, and the Aberdeen Association.46

Curriculum

Students travelled from Southern Ontario and the northern United States to attend Alma College A subscription list from 1879 shows that they came from Strathroy, Woodstock, Delaware, and Glencoe in

courses within a preparatory, academic, or collegiate department Preparatory courses consisted of

reading, primary elocution, spelling, grammar and arithmetic The academic course included the more advanced work in all preceding studies, as well as geometry, algebra, natural philosophy, French and Latin The collegiate department covered a three-year course of study, which embraced the Junior and Senior Matriculation of the University of Toronto and which consisted of ancient classics, modern

languages and literature, advanced science, metaphysics, Christian evidences, and ethics.48 Students could also

255

Gender And Education In Ontario; An Historical Reader

study at the conservatory of music, art academy or the school of fancy work, as well as the commercial department, all contained within the institution.49 Diplomas offered by the school included the Mistress of English Literature (M.E.L.) and the Mistress of Liberal Arts (M.L.A.)

Physical activity involved at least one daily walk and calisthenic exercises The school's concern with the students' welfare also extended to dietary restrictions: "Good health depends largely on habits of diet All boxes of rich pastry etc will be returned to the sender."50 In 1885-86, Alma College added a department of domestic economy to the curriculum, since "the vast majority of young ladies go from school and college, not to enter professional life, but to control the HOME-the fountain of health and strength, and of moral and religious reforms to the people."51 The establishment of a commercial department, as well as the school of elocution, also reflected a practical orientation The latter offered graduates the potential to teach elocution privately or in conjunction with an established school.52 Similarly, the earning potential of a music graduate was recognized from the beginning:

The income of the girl who can teach the piano and, perhaps, the violin, or singing,

will always be greater than that of her less fortunate sister in the factory or

counting-room.53

Although the academic program was regarded with great seriousness, students were encouraged to

participate in extracurricular clubs organized on the basis of activities considered appropriate for young girls By 1899, the college calendar listed the following clubs: The Alumnae Association; the Almafidian Literary Society; the Alma College Missionary Society, the Tennis Club and reading circles such as Sorosis Religious and moral development was a central goal of the school's program The college advertised that it was non-sectarian, but still distinctive and positively Christian in its character and teachings.54 Students attended the church of their parents' or guardians' choice, accompanied by a chaperon All students had to follow a Bible course during their stay The school intended to provide a complete environment for students and this environment was shaped by good manners and morals: "Good manners are founded on good morals, and our wish and effort is to utilize every occasion and means for inculcating a knowledge of polite forms Our true ideal is the perfect culture-that of brain, soul and social being."55

The moral instruction was enforced by a system of discipline and a clearly defined code of behaviour Girls were given demerit points for infractions such as misconduct in church, unexplained absence from class, receiving a caller

256

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men In Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

without permission and pranks, such as concealing the college bell Room doors had to be left open during study hours On Saturdays between four and six, students could receive visitors but were forbidden to walk

or ride in public without attendance by some adult and responsible member of the family."56 Restrictions on behaviour extended to all the details of daily life Students were allowed, for example, to write only one letter per week to anyone outside their immediate families, and were permitted to cut their hair only with their parents' permission Two students lost all their social privileges for the term because they threw snowballs at a visitor to the college.57 Although the college claimed to be non-sectarian, there were also limits to tolerance In 1891, Professor Warner moved at a council meeting that the presence of Negro students might prove prejudicial to the financial interests of the school and might "imperil the usefulness of the school for the purposes contemplated in its foundations."58 The motion passed

Pressures were also mounting from outside the college to redefine its curriculum In 1898, the deputy minister of education wrote to the principal of Alma College, suggesting that the secondary level be

abandoned:

Why, might I ask, should the work required in the institution of such subjects such as

English, Literature, French, Chemistry, Latin, Algebra, etc., be duplicated by having

separate classes in a city hike St Thomas? My suggestion is that Alma College or, in

fact, any ladies' college should abandon the work of instruction in those subjects for

which ample provision is made in the High Schools and Collegiate Institutes.59

The deputy minister argued that the proper role of the ladies' college was teaching the accomplishments, such as music and art, for which school boards were unwilling to pay He suggested that young ladies from the college be allowed to attend classes in geometry, botany, or history at the collegiate institutes.60 The board of education was therefore increasing pressure on Alma College to refrain from duplicating secondary school functions and to become strictly a ladies' "accomplishments school."61 The option of seeking

university affiliation was settled in 1891, when the college affiliated with the University of Toronto and Victoria University, thus giving Alma a status similar to a junior college.62 This affiliation meant that Alma students were examined according to standards set by the university Although the exact amount of credit given of Alma College courses was determined through negotiations with the university, by 1898, Alma College

257

Gender And Education In Ontario: An Historical Reader

clearly was engaged in university preparation as opposed to university level teaching This type of

relationship meant that the curriculum at Alma was consciously shaped to adapt to external standards, which

in this case were set by the university.63 The adaptation to external standards increased in 1909 when the government's "approved school" scheme meant that all schools, including private schools such as Alma, had

to pass certain inspection standards and adjust their curriculum to address priorities set by the department of education

Financial Difficulties

Financial problems plagued the college from its very beginnings in 1871, dependent as it was on fees and donations collected by agents throughout the circuits Bishop Carman remained optimistic in the face of continuous financial crises and he believed that the college was "bound to rise above all the clouds of financial difficulties to where perpetual sunshine shall settle upon it."64 The building plans for the college, in addition to the costs of furnishing it and hiring competent staff, outstripped the funds which had been collected Edwards estimated that the total cost of the college was $60,000.65 The success of the fundraising tactics varied; some agents were skilful and raised a great deal of money, but in rural districts located far from Alma, people did not feel called to support the college

The union of Methodism in 1883 created additional problems for Alma The Act brought together the Ontario Ladies' College and the Wesleyan Ladies College with Albert, Alexandra, and Alma College.66 The affiliation increased competition for available resources Although the college encouraged its supporters to consider making large endowments, with the exception of the Massey endowment of $35,000, there were no significant offers of patronage The recruitment of agents to canvass the circuits was in itself an added cost, since the agents were generally paid $1,000 per year Alma College acquired a debt during its first decade which also taxed the financial status of the college Although the generation of income from tuition helped

to meet some of the college's costs, it was evident that this income would not help reduce the amount of indebtedness After union, the Board of Alma decided to reduce the debt, but increased enrolment at the

college strained the facilities until a new residence hall was built in 1886 at the cost of $50,000 The

expanded facilities contained a music hall with seating for five hundred, fifty dormitory rooms, a fine art studio, several class rooms and a museum.67 Grandeur could not be compromised even in the face of relentless financial problems

258

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men in Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

The Board attempted to hire financial agents with proven expertise to tackle the debt Not only was the debt

a problem, but school attendance declined due to a general economic depression.68 The minutes of the board record an awareness of the gravity of the situation: "A crisis is upon us and [that] if the Alma College is to live and grow we have reached the time of extraordinary vigorous measures in the way of economy."69 The extraordinary measures included reducing staff, asking staff to return part of their salary to the school and decreasing the use of food and fuel.70 Alma eventually received assistance from the Massey estate in 1896 and by 1848 the financial situation was improving.71

Public perception of the college's image was important because Alma depended on contributions and on the resources generated by student tuition Parents needed reassurance that their daughters were adequately supervised and were taught the essential social graces and academic subjects Any discrepancy between parental expectations and the students' experience at the school provoked emotional responses One parent, who was informed by his daughter that girls at the school regularly danced in the halls, wrote to the

principal:

Have we as Methodists come to this,-that we cannot send our daughters to a

Methodist school without contamination with this curse and spirit of

worldliness- when in our own Methodist Ladies' College our daughters are

encouraged to disrespect and violate the very rules of our church, and are allowed to

give themselves over to this soul-destroying pleasure, to sap the vital spark of

spirituality should they happen to possess any.72

The student's father believed that if students were organized into praying circles, this would soon destroy the

"insatiable" desire for dance The father paid the college for the "sacred safeguard" of his daughter and was outraged at its failure to fulfill this mandate

Safeguarding its patrons was such a major part of the college's task that this type of incident was potentially harmful to the image of the school and more importantly to its financial basis Increased competition for students and funds resulted from the perceived "proliferation" of ladies' colleges and the board, well aware

of the competition from other institutions, recognized that the school could not afford to tarnish its image A special report was commissioned in the late 1880s to investigate the reasons why Alma was not attracting more

259

Gender And Education In Ontario: An Historical Reader

students or support.73 The rumour that Alma College attracted "a lower class of students" was reported to be one detrimental factor Yet at the same time, the rate charged by Alma meant that the college could not compete with convent schools, which charged only one hundred and six dollars per year The author of the special report thus quoted the sisters of Loretto, who claimed that fifty per cent of their students were Protestant, a fact that could be explained by the cheaper cost of Catholic educational.74

Financial problems lent some urgency to the discussion of Alma's status as a school Board meetings grappled with the problem of how the college would fit into the larger school structure of the province In

June 1889 the board recommended that the Senate reconstruct the curriculum to bring it “into harmony with the high schools and collegiate institutes” so far as practicable.75 In 1882, the board had suggested that the Executive Committee take the necessary steps to secure university affiliation for Alma College The

importance of maintaining the central place of the Bible in the curriculum was underscored in 1895.76 These three proposals were of vital importance for determining the college's relationship to the university and to the secondary school, while at the same time expressing a desire to retain the Christian and Biblical basis of its curriculum

To withstand pressures from the provincial educational authorities, the Alma College board needed a clear vision of why Alma was distinct and necessary A major part of this mandate was Alma's claim to offer Christian education for women Rev R.I Warner, Prof of Modern Languages, who succeeded B.F Austin in

1898 to the principalship of Alma College, described his vision for the future of the college to the London Conference in 1891:

Is not our Provincial system of education ample to meet all the necessary demands? I

unhesitatingly answer, No! And when I do so please do not misunderstand me There

is no one here who feels a deeper sense of patriotic pride, when viewing our splendid

school system, than I feel, yet I most unmistakably declare that this splendid national

school system fails to supply all that the country demands in respect to the education

of women.77

Warner believed that only the church could fill the "lack" in public education According to Warner, Roman Catholics, those "enterprising propagandists," had seen the need for special girls' education and had

successfully started schools in Southwestern Ontario, which had captured more than half of the available Protestant girls Warner conceded that the convent

260

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men in Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

model successfully met a need in the education of girls, but he warned the audience of the dangers of letting education be controlled by Catholics:

It is claimed by many that the Roman Church has its hand on the Governments at Ottawa and Toronto, and exerts a controlling influence on our politics: that it has its hand on the school system and is destroying the basis of our national education-the public school-through the system of separate schools; and that the convent system is a shrewd effort to get the hand of that church upon the homes of the land by securing the education of the homemakers of the future.78

Warner believed schools should be based on Christian benevolence in the same way as convents, that is, the church provided the land and the nuns did the work as a labour of love-a system which was as effective as a heavy endowment The Protestant colleges had survived by means of joint stock companies which often undertook the work at a financial loss Warner thus suggested that the church, rather than individuals, carry this burden Warner referred to the Presbyterian church's sponsorship of Ottawa Ladies' College and Senator McMaster's endowment of Moulton Ladies' College as an illustration of the potential role for the church in education

For those who were unconvinced about the need to educate girls or the necessity for church-sponsored education for girls, the question was framed in the rhetoric of an eventual takeover by Catholics of both culture and society Yet, the question remains, why did Warner and the board believe that Alma College was needed as a "power for culture, for church, and for Christ in this empire province of Ontario?"79

In an appeal to "men of wealth" to donate money to the college, Warner underlined the virtue of giving to the cause of girls' education: `whoever thus gives a thorough Christian education to a young woman is exalting and ennobling a queen of the home and a leader in society, and is thus scattering broadcast the blessings of his benevolence upon the world."80 The author referred to examples of endowments to ladies' colleges in the United States in order to encourage the Canadian man of wealth to do the same This

investment would "preserve his name in perpetual fragrance in the Christian church, and prove more endurable than any monument of brass or marble."81 Despite this appeal, the endowments which in the United States played a major role in establishing women's colleges, were not forthcoming Alma College was rescued, at least in part, by the Massey estate, and by other smaller

261

Gender And Education In Ontario: An Historical Reader

endowments, as well as by campaigns organized by the alumnae The management of Alma was aware that the key to their development and stability was tied to the attainment of these endowments In 1902, it reported to the Board of the College:

Alma College as the only chartered residential Protestant school in Ontario West of

Toronto should with the start it has and with proper encouragement make St Thomas

the educational centre West of Toronto for the higher education of young women

With a Mathew Vassar or a Dr Goucher behind it Alma could easily have an

enrolment of 500 Students and be a measureless blessing in the life of our Canadian

people.82

Conclusion

Why did leaders in the women's education movement believe that this education was both necessary and distinct from public education? General agreement among Methodists that higher education was important and necessary for future mothers fuelled the impetus for schools such as Alma College In a healthy,

chaperoned environment with a balance of exercise and mental exertion, and a biblically based Christian instruction, young Protestant women could be carefully cultivated to full blossoming of both culture and belief The vision had religious reasons as well as patriotic impulses For both God and country, men must

be persuaded to part with their wealth to support the total environment of the ladies' college.83 Although the family was an important influence on a girl's life, the substitute family found in the college was better equipped to guide girls and prepare them for their future roles The residential school was described as a splendid transition between the home and the outside world In this microcosm the student would learn self-dependence as well as become aware of her role in the larger "sphere of citizenship in the commonwealth, to which commonwealth the college is the largest portal."84 Alma College was a Protestant improvement on the convent theme: the college offered dormitory life supervised by substitute "mothers," yet provided male teachers representing learning and prestige The substitute mothers had the advantage that they could help girls "over that crisis so trying to many mothers and to many girls, namely, the transition between childhood and womanhood."85

The school offered refinement and culture and this aspect of the girl's education was a marketable

commodity The development was not left to

262

"Manners or Morals"? Or "Men in Petticoats"? Education at Alma College, 1877-1897

chance or mere exposure-female students were carefully guided Morals and manners were seen to be inseparable and it was this vision which attracted parents of girls from towns in Southern Ontario and the