Frontier College National Historic Event
Toronto, Ontario
Frontier College in Trenton, ON, 1933
(© Canada. Dept. of National Defence | Défense Nationale / Library and Archives Canada | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / PA-035241)
Address :
35 Jackes Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1998-12-15
Other Name(s):
-
Frontier College
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
1998-52, 1999-OB-04, 2005-074
Importance:
Provided social welfare and education to isolated resource-based workers
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: 35 Jackes Avenue, Ontario
When established in 1899, Frontier College was the only national, non- denominational organization providing education to workers in remote parts of Canada. It sent idealistic youth to isolated lumber, mining, and railway camps across the country where, as "labourer-teachers," they taught classes, provided social services, and organized recreation. During the 1920s, the College also instituted an innovative extramural, degree- granting program directed at workers. A pioneer in the field of adult education, Frontier College reached generations of Canadians not well served by the traditional education system.