Toronto’s first public school celebrates 200 years

Jarvis Collegiate graduates reunite to celebrate landmark date

By Jeffrey Todd –

In 1807, a one-room shed became Toronto’s first public school. When it opened schooling was only for the privileged few. Now, Jarvis Collegiate will celebrate its bicentennial, and a history that’s seen the changing face of education in Canada.

Queen West Gwendolyn Julien-Medeiros, the project manager, has been working on the bicentennial since 2003. She graduated from Jarvis Collegiate in 1994.

“This is another full-time job for me,” Julien-Medeiros says. “I think Jarvis is a great school. But it’s not about the building. It’s all about the people in it.”

The bicentennial runs from May 25 – 27, and events are scheduled at the school during the day. Since 2003, over 1000 people have registered in their alumni database. There’s also a growing list of alum VIP’s who will take part in the festivities. Juno Award winner Marc Jordan and musician Blair Packham are attending the singer / song writer showcase on May 25. Internationally recognized pianist Miaomiao Yu will perform on May 26 at 4 p.m., and MP Olivia Chow is the guest speaker at the gala dinner that night.

But what Julien-Medeiros is especially keen on are events that show off the school’s multicultural richness, such as the Sunday night Mosaic Jarvis Stars. This event runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 27, and features performances by former students.

“What the committee has realized is a gala isn’t as attractive to the more recent graduates. The other events reflect our very diverse community,” she says.

Julien-Medeiros says Jarvis isn’t rooted in diversity. Up until Reverand Arthur Wickson in 1872, the school’s principals were ministers attached to St. James Cathedral. Only the rich elite got to attend classes, and this group consisted mostly of white males. In 1829 the land was taken from the school by John Strachan—founder of the University of Toronto—and given to Upper Canada College. It wasn’t until 1834 that the school reopened.

Much has changed over the years. Pauline McKenzie, a former principal of Jarvis, has been sorting through the school’s dusty archives in preparation for the Bicentennial. Her findings will be part of a display in the library that’s open to the public. She’s found photographs from the 1920’s that show students of colour and Asian descent.

“I’ve always taken great pride in the fact that I was principal of such a diverse community. Today, Jarvis Collegiate is intensely multicultural,” she declares.

McKenzie estimates there are over 150 languages represented at the school.

Winston Loui, the committee’s head of technology, is the former president of the Multicultural Jarvis Club. He attended the school from 1975 to 1980. Back then, Loui says he struggled to get students from visible minorities involved in student life and activities. There was a tendency for these groups to feel alienated.

“As a minority myself you have to push past the issues and do something about it,” Loui believes. “There was a smaller group of minorities then there is now.”

The Multicultural Jarvis Club has grown in size over the years, and now enjoys a strong presence that fosters understanding between cultures. An annual cultural show has been put on at the school for years. But this year, it’s hitting the big time.

Jessie Porter, a retired teacher, is spearheading the Mosaic Jarvis Stars on Sunday. Reggae singers, electric violinists and a Vietnamese drum dance are a few of the acts on tap that are being performed by former graduates. Porter is expecting guests from Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong. She sees the night as a celebration of culture.

“It’s all about bringing different backgrounds together so they can all appreciate one another,” Porter says. “I think it’s a way of attacking racism.”

Porter believes students taking an active leadership role in the school are essential in creating a positive school environment. She believes in doing, not talking.

Mary Suiden, who graduated from Jarvis 15 years ago, is traveling from Taiwan for the bicentennial. Suiden was an active member of the Multicultural Jarvis Club and looks forward to the Mosaic. Suiden says Jarvis was a place to grow without fear of intimidation. She considers teachers like Jessie Porter to be her family.

“The club was a place of inclusion. Although I was a Canadian born student, I felt at home among students who had traveled many miles to come to Canada,” she says.

Suiden believes these experiences gave her the confidence to live abroad.

“I would have been afraid to make such a leap to a culture so different than the one I grew up in,” Suiden contends. “Now I am in their shoes and I don’t feel alone.”

After four years of preparation, eighteen planned events and over 100 volunteers, Julien-Medeiros can’t wait to see her efforts come to fruition. The Bicentennial is entirely non-profit, with any remaining proceeds going towards improvements to the school, including a permanent museum that can house the school’s artifacts.

“It has been such an amazing process. Personally, it’s the first time I have got to take something I do for a living and make it a volunteer experience,” Julien-Medeiros says. By day she works in wealth management at Toronto Dominion Bank.

Registration is $60, and can be done online at www.jarvis2007.com. By registering you receive an official program and unlimited access to many of the events. Tickets will also be available at the door. If you have questions about the bicentennial, you can contact Gwendolyn Julien-Medeiros at Gwendolyn@jarvis2007.com.