Upper Canada College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Upper Canada College |
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200 Lonsdale Road
, Canada
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| School type | Independent day and boarding |
| Motto | Palmam qui meruit ferat (Latin for 'Let he who merited the palm bear it') |
| Established | 1829 |
| Principal | Samuel James McKinney |
| Faculty | 140 |
| Grades | Kindergarten to grade 12 |
| Enrolment | 1,146 |
| • K – grade 7 | 416 |
| • Grades 8–12 | 730 |
| Campus | Deer Park/Forest Hill (38.5 acres [0.156 km2], urban) Norval (450 acres [1.8 km2], rural) |
| Colour(s) |
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| Endowment | CA$107,000,000 |
| Visitor | Vacant |
Upper Canada College (UCC) is a special school for boys in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's an independent school, meaning it doesn't get government funding. Students can attend during the day or live there as boarders. UCC uses the International Baccalaureate program, which is a well-known way of learning.
Many people describe UCC as Canada's best preparatory school. This means it helps students get ready for university. Lots of famous people have graduated from UCC. About 1,200 students go to UCC, and it's quite hard to get in. The school helps Canadian students who need financial support, giving out over $5 million each year.
The older students' part of the school is split into 10 groups called "houses." Eight houses are for day students, and two are for students who live at the school. Besides the main building with its tall clock tower, the Toronto campus has many sports fields and buildings. UCC also has a large outdoor learning campus in Norval, Ontario. It is the oldest independent school in Ontario and the third oldest in Canada.
UCC was started in 1829 by Sir John Colborne, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada at the time. He wanted it to be like famous schools in England. After almost closing a few times, UCC became fully independent in 1900. This was nine years after it moved to its current spot. Today, UCC is a truly independent school with students and teachers from many different backgrounds. The school also has ties to the Canadian royal family.
Contents
A Look at UCC's Past
How UCC Started and Grew
UCC was founded in 1829 by Sir John Colborne. He hoped it would prepare students for the new King's College (now the University of Toronto). UCC was designed like the "public schools" in Great Britain, such as Eton College. Even though it's now independent, it started with public money and a large gift of land.
The school first taught in the old Royal Grammar School. But within a year, it moved to its own campus at King and Simcoe streets. Sir John Colborne brought skilled teachers from England's Cambridge and Oxford Universities. He offered them good salaries to come to Canada.
Even with more students and popularity, UCC faced challenges. People who didn't like elite schools wanted to stop government funding. But the school survived. It moved to its current location in Deer Park in 1891. This area was more rural back then. In 1902, UCC added a separate building for younger students, called the Prep. This allowed boys to join from Grade Three all the way to graduation.
In 1900, the government of Ontario stopped funding UCC. This made it a completely independent school. By 1910, UCC had fewer students and less money. They thought about selling the Deer Park campus and moving again. But World War I started, and the plans stopped. The college stayed where it was and grew. New buildings were added, and great teachers joined.
Principal William Grant helped the school develop even more after 1917. He hired teachers who were "eccentric" but very smart and well-traveled. Student numbers doubled, and financial help for students increased. Teacher salaries also doubled, and they got pension plans.
UCC had a Cadet Corps (a military training group) from around 1837. This group helped protect Canada during the Fenian Raids in 1866. This was one of only two times student groups were called to duty in Canadian history. During the two World Wars, many UCC graduates fought and led. Over 30% of Canadian generals in World War II were UCC graduates. A special display at the school honors these brave Old Boys.
UCC After World War II
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In 1958, UCC had a big problem. The main building was unsafe and might collapse. The school didn't have much money saved up. So, they started an emergency fund. With help from Prince Philip, they raised $3.2 million from alumni and friends. Ted Rogers and his family paid for the clock tower. The new main building started being built in 1959 and opened in 1960.
This crisis made the school leaders think more about planning for the future. They started building new facilities and improving teacher salaries. Also, the school began to change its teaching style. Instead of focusing only on old subjects like Latin, they started teaching a wider range of subjects.
The years from 1965 to 1975 were a time of big changes at UCC. Global events and new ideas affected the school's traditional culture. Students wanted more freedom. The cadet corps was eventually stopped in 1975. The school also built new learning and sports facilities. By the 1990s, UCC started offering summer camps on its campus for any child.
The college started another building project in 1989, finishing in 1994. They built new sports facilities and replaced a building at the Prep school. Two years later, UCC started using the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This program added to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Since 2003, UCC has offered classes from Senior Kindergarten to Grade Twelve.
UCC in the 21st Century
In 2002, UCC decided to focus on being a "Green School." This meant teaching about the natural environment and making the school more sustainable. They updated buildings to be eco-friendly and added environmental topics to classes. In 2004, the school also started looking at how to help boys learn better.
UCC decided to keep its status as an all-boys school. This happened even though other similar schools in Ontario started allowing girls. In 2007, the school thought about closing its 180-year-old boarding program. But students and alumni strongly disagreed. So, the school decided to keep boarding, but only if it had at least 60 students and the buildings were improved. These improvements happened in 2013 and 2014.
UCC's Campuses and Buildings
Toronto Campus
Upper Canada College has a large 17-hectare (43-acre) campus in Deer Park. It's close to Avenue Road and St. Clair Avenue in Forest Hill. There are 15 buildings on this campus.
The main building, called the Upper School, was built between 1959 and 1960. It has a tall clock tower and houses the high school part of the college. Laidlaw Hall, the main assembly hall, has a stage and a pipe organ. The Memorial Wing, the school's main health center, is also connected. The north side of the main quadrangle has the two boarding houses and homes for the teachers who live there. The school chapel is also nearby.
Around the campus, there are also homes for teachers and their families. The principal's house, Grant House, was built in 1917. There's also a small cricket pavilion. The Preparatory School (Prep), for younger students, is at the southwest corner of the campus.
The sports facilities include an indoor pool and three gyms. There's also the William P. Wilder sports complex, which has two hockey rinks. Other facilities include tennis courts, a running track, and nine sports fields. Two main fields are called Commons and Lords. One central field is known as the Oval. In 2006, the Oval and its running track were updated. Geothermal pipes were put under the field to help heat the Upper School and sports complex. Many of these facilities were built thanks to a $90 million fundraising effort.
The Ontario Heritage Trust has placed three plaques in Toronto about UCC's history. One is at 20 Duncan Street (from the original campus). Another is at 212 King Street West. The third is at the main entrance of the current campus at 200 Lonsdale Road.
Norval Campus
Upper Canada College also has an outdoor education center near Norval, Ontario. It's on 420 acres of land along the Credit River. This land was once used by First Nations for camping and hunting. Later, it was used for farming, and you can still see old apple orchards there.
The main goal of Norval is to teach students about the natural environment, sustainability, and ecosystems. Students learn through outdoor programs, some with Outward Bound Canada. Five full-time teachers work there, along with other staff. Throughout the school year, classes or groups of students stay at Norval for a few days. Other Ontario schools also use the property. Norval hosts open houses each season, like "Maple Madness" in spring for maple syrup making.
The land was bought in 1913 when Toronto was growing fast around the Deer Park campus. The school thought about moving there, but World War I and the Great Depression stopped those plans. The school tried to sell the land twice but couldn't find buyers. So, it became an outdoor education center for UCC students. Over 700,000 seedlings were planted by staff and students in the 1940s. The first bunk house was built in the 1930s. A larger building, Stephen House, was added in 1967. It has classrooms, labs, and living spaces for students and staff.
Waterfront Facility
UCC has a waterfront site by Lake Ontario at Toronto's Outer Harbour Marina. This site is home to the Don Lindsay Boathouse. It's mainly used by UCC's rowing team for practice in spring and fall. When the school's team isn't using it, the facility becomes a community rowing center. It also hosts UCC's summer camps.
Cost, Help, and Valuables
Upper Canada College is Canada's richest independent school. It has over CA$100 million saved up. For the 2020–2021 school year, tuition fees for day students were between $34,135 and $37,135. For students who live at the school, it was between $61,085 and $66,835. There's also a technology fee for older students, which covers a MacBook Air laptop. The school says that less than 2% of Canadians can afford the full cost.
UCC is very selective, accepting about 20% of applicants in 2018–2019. The college started a fundraising campaign in 2012 to get $100 million for scholarships. They received a huge donation of $11 million from Stu Lang, the largest gift ever to a Canadian independent school. To honor this, UCC created the Lang Scholar Program. This program helps up to 15 student-athletes each year who show great leadership. In 2019, UCC gave over $5 million in financial aid to about 20% of its students. Only students in grade five and up can get this help.
Besides its own historical records, UCC has a collection of art, old items, and war medals. This includes the Order of Canada awards given to famous Canadians. It also has Canada's first Victoria Cross, awarded in 1854 to Alexander Roberts Dunn. Another Victoria Cross and a ceremonial sword belonging to Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn are also part of the collection. These medals are on permanent loan to the Canadian War Museum.
In the school's chapel, there's an altar made of marble from St Paul's Cathedral in London, England. This marble was damaged during World War II bombings. The altar cloth was made from a piece of the cloth used for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. The school also has an American flag that flew on one of the World Trade Center towers. UCC also owns paintings by the Group of Seven artists.
Leadership and Staff
Upper Canada College is run by a 17-member Board of Governors. The board chooses the school's principal, who leads the school's daily operations. There are also many committees that help with different parts of the school. The UCC Foundation manages the school's money.
UCC has 129 teachers. Many of them have advanced degrees, and 20% are International Baccalaureate examiners. Seventeen teachers live on campus. There are about 18 students for every teacher in the lower grades and 19 students for every teacher in the upper grades.
The Visitor of UCC
The "Visitor" of Upper Canada College is a special role. This person has the right to check on the college and report about it.
Sir John Colborne was UCC's first informal visitor. Over time, different important people held this role, like the lieutenant governor of Ontario. In 1920, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) became the official Visitor. He asked for the role himself.
After Edward VIII stepped down as King in 1936, the role was empty until 1955. Then, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Queen Elizabeth II's husband) became the Visitor. He held this role until he passed away in 2021, making him the longest-serving Visitor. He visited the college five times and helped with fundraising.
During his 1959 visit, Prince Philip became an honorary "Old Boy" (alumnus) of UCC. He also showed his personal coat of arms at the school. In 2012, students polled and suggested that Prince William should be the next Visitor.
Student Life at UCC
UCC is a non-religious school with about 1,000 day students and 88 boarders. Younger students, from Senior Kindergarten to Grade Seven, attend the Preparatory School (the Prep). After that, boys can move to the Upper School, which has Grades Eight to Twelve. The Upper School grades are called:
- Grade Eight: Year Eight
- Grade Nine: Year Nine
- Grade Ten: Year Ten
- Grade Eleven: Year Eleven
- Grade Twelve: Year Twelve
In the Upper School, students are divided into "houses." The house system started in 1923. There are now ten houses. Eight are for day students: Bremner's, Howard's, Jackson's, Martland's, McHugh's, Mowbray's, Orr's, and Scadding's. The two boarding houses are Seaton's and Wedd's. The houses compete in sports and other events for the Prefects' Cup. Boarding students also have weekend activities and trips.
Martland's house is named after John "Gentle" Martland, a teacher who improved the boarding houses. He made them more comfortable and fair. Wedd's is one of the oldest houses and is named after William Wedd, a former teacher.
The school's student government is called the Board of Stewards. It was created in 1892. This group represents students at events and shares their ideas with the school leaders. It has 17 elected members from the graduating class. Students can also join the prefects program. This program recognizes students who show strong leadership.
UCC has always welcomed students from different backgrounds. The first black student joined in 1831, and First Nations boys also attended. Over time, UCC has become very diverse, with students from over 20 different countries. The school works to make sure students from all economic backgrounds can attend.
What Students Learn
Upper Canada College teaches boys from Senior Kindergarten to Grade Twelve. Graduates receive both the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. UCC adopted the IB program in 1996. The whole curriculum is guided by this program.
In the Prep School, boys learn French, language, mathematics, science, outdoor education, physical education, and the arts. When boys move to the Upper School in Year Eight (Grade Eight), they start preparing for university. They study subjects like math, history, geography, science, English, other languages, and computer science. The Wernham West Centre for Learning helps students with their academic skills and learning differences.
Fun Activities and Sports
UCC encourages students to join in many activities outside of class. All students must complete 40 hours of community service to get their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. They also need to complete 150 hours of other activities, split between arts, sports, and community service.
Arts and Sports Teams
Upper Canada College has many theatre programs, from musicals to Shakespeare plays. They usually have at least one big and one small play each year. Students also write and direct their own plays. The theatre program works with Bishop Strachan School, a nearby girls' school. UCC also has various bands and music groups, like a wind ensemble and a jazz ensemble. These groups perform and raise money.
UCC has sports rivalries with other boys' schools in Ontario. Sports teams at UCC include alpine ski, baseball, basketball, cricket, football, golf, hockey, rowing, rugby, lacrosse, soccer, squash, swimming, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. Many teams compete in regional and national competitions.
Special Programs
The World Affairs Conference is Canada's oldest student-run conference. It started in 1983 and works with Branksome Hall. This yearly conference has reached over 4,000 students from many countries. Famous speakers like Mehdi Hasan and Edward Snowden have talked about human rights, justice, and other important topics.
UCC students also lead the OMUN, a Model UN conference. It hosts 400–500 students each year, including international groups. UCC has many clubs, with Model UN and DECA being very popular.
The UCC Green School is a group of students and teachers focused on the environment. They have an organic garden, reduce waste, and use renewable resources. The Green School has won awards for its efforts.
School Media
UCC has its own publishing company, the UCC Press. It prints most school publications, like the newspaper and alumni magazines.
The College Times is UCC's yearbook. It's the oldest school publication in Canada, started in 1857 by John Ross Robertson, a student at the time. Famous people like Robertson Davies and Stephen Leacock were once editors. UCC also has an online publication called The Blue and White (TBAW), where students write about school life and current events. Old Times is the magazine for alumni.
Other student publications include The Blazer (a humor newspaper) and Quiddity (an arts and literature magazine). The Blue Page is a weekly page for student opinions. Convergence is the school's award-winning student newspaper. BluesTV was a student-led TV network that showed school events.
Community Service
UCC encourages students to help their community. The Horizons program tutors local children in music, digital media, and school subjects. UCC students volunteer twice a week for this program. Each year, UCC also organizes trips for students to developing countries. For two to four weeks, students help build schools, wells, or homes, or work on conservation projects. Students have traveled to places like Venezuela, Kenya, and China.
School Events
Every year, UCC plans many events for students, alumni, and their families. These events promote school spirit, are fun, or raise money. Many are organized by the Upper Canada College Association.
Association Day, or A-Day, is like UCC's homecoming. It's the school's biggest event, happening on the last weekend of September. It includes sports games and a dinner for alumni. The Founder's Dinner is a formal event held in January to celebrate Sir John Colborne's birthday. The UCC Gala is a fancy dinner and silent auction held every few years.
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Two dances are held for high school students. The Battalion Ball, or Batt Ball, started as a dance in 1897. It became a spring prom for students in grades 11 and 12. Students wear tuxedos or evening gowns. The Stewards' Dance is a fall semi-formal dance with fun costume party themes.
Various sports events happen annually. Hockey Night started in 1933. The First Hockey team plays a special game against a rival school for the Foster Hewitt Victory Trophy. The game used to be held at Maple Leaf Gardens. The Terry Fox Run is another successful event. UCC is an official site for the run and has raised the most money in the world since 2000. The Prep Games Day is an annual event for younger students.
School Connections
Upper Canada College is part of many groups. It's a member of the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario (CIS) and the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS). It's also part of the G30 Schools, a group of leading independent schools worldwide. UCC is one of the "Little Big Four" schools, an athletic group of Ontario independent boys' schools.
Bishop Strachan School (BSS) is UCC's sister school, located nearby. UCC students also work on projects with students from other girls' schools like St. Clement's School and Havergal College.
UCC Community
Alumni Success
UCC says that almost all its graduates, called Old Boys, go on to college or university. In 2010, 143 out of 150 graduates went to higher education. There are over 6,000 Old Boys around the world. Many of them have become famous and important people.
The school has produced 26 Rhodes Scholars and five Loran Scholars. Six graduates became lieutenant governors, four became premiers (leaders of provinces), and four were elected Mayor of Toronto. At least 18 Old Boys have been appointed to the Queen's/King's Privy Council for Canada. Two were awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. Over 50 have received the Order of Canada. Ten are Olympic medallists, and eight have played in the National Hockey League.
Notable Teachers
Many notable people have taught at Upper Canada College, including:
- Robertson Davies – a famous author
- Mike Eben – a CFL football star
- David Gilmour – an author and journalist
- Stephen Leacock – a world-famous humorist
- John McCaul – the second President of the University of Toronto
- Sir George Robert Parkin – the first secretary of the Rhodes Scholarship
University Choices
Between 2016 and 2022, UCC students went on to study at many top universities. These include University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Waterloo, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Harvard University, Yale University, and Princeton University.
UCC Association
The Upper Canada College Association is a group that includes alumni, parents, teachers, and friends of the college. It was started in 1891. The association helps with school governance and fundraising. It also runs programs, like connecting recent graduates with current students as mentors. Alumni reunions are held around the world by the association's branches.
A board of directors, called the Association Council, meets three times a year. Four members of this council also serve on the college's Board of Governors.
School Symbols
UCC's motto is palmam qui meruit ferat (Latin for 'let he who merited the palm bear it'). This phrase means "Let him who has earned the palm bear it." It comes from a poem and was also used on Lord Nelson's coat of arms. UCC first used it in 1833 on prizes given to students. The school's emblem often shows a crown between laurel leaves with the motto.
A more complex design, called Scadding's Device, was created in 1889. It included symbols for education, England, and the school's connection to its founder. This design is still seen over the doors to Laidlaw Hall.
In the 1970s, the college decided to get its emblem officially approved. Because the emblem includes a royal crown, they needed special permission from the Canadian monarch. Queen Elizabeth II agreed, making UCC the only school of its kind in the Commonwealth to have the royal crown in its arms.
The official approval for UCC's symbols came on January 4, 1985. The traditional emblem became the school's official badge. The number "1829" (the founding year) was allowed on the badge, which is unusual for such symbols.
The school's new shield shows two deer heads. One is from the founder, Lord Seaton's, arms, and the other from Bishop John Strachan, the first chairman of the board. The shield is supported by a teacher and a student, dressed in mid-19th century style. These symbols were officially registered in 2005.
See also
- List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage
- Lower Canada College
