Minerva's Diary - A History of Jarvis Collegiate Institute

INTRODUCTION
Research on the history of Jarvis Collegiate began in 1975
in response to a suggestion that an article on the school's
heritage be written for a local magazine. After several months of
research it became apparent that enough material existed to
provide information and photographs for an entire volume. As
the project progressed, hundreds of J.C.I. "old boys and old
girls" carne forth with anecdotes, photographs, clippings,
financial assistance and assorted memorabilia and thus provided
a constant source of encouragement and emovment. To each of
them we are most grateful.
Minerva also wishes to thank the many determined
archivists who searched relentlessly until the desired material
was located. Moira Armour and Don Nethery of the Toronto
Board of Education Archives supplied inspectors' reports,
minute books, newspaper clippings and a great deal of help.
Patricia Birkett of the Public Archives of Canada located the
original papers on the Grammar School vs. U.C.C. conflict as
well as the 1854 notice of auction which had eluded us for two
years. Kenneth MacPherson of the Ontario Archives found the
Strachan letters and a photograph of the 1888 Girls' Literary
Society despite a colleague's insistence that such a print did not
exist. Linda Price of the Toronto City Hall Archives traced Mrs.
Howe and Mrs. Hester Howe through city directories to
determine that they were two different women. Edith Firth of the
Metropolitan Toronto Library found George O'Kill Stuart's
Account Book and Robert Taylor-Vaisey of the University of
Toronto Archives supplied many given names for athletes who
would otherwise have been known only by their surnames.
When the actual writing began in 1977, the Mika
Publishing Company was then consulted and agreed to publish
the unwritten manuscript. For the next three years Mr. and Mrs.
Mika gave frequent advice and much encouragement. Other
expertise was also volunteered by the following to whom we
11