The Appeal of Technical Education in Tough Times: A Comparison of the Toronto and Windsor Experiences, 1890–1930

Abstract

This paper examines the establishment of two pioneering technical schools in Ontario - the Toronto Technical School in the 1890s, and Windsor-Walkervile Technical School in the 1920's - in a comparative perspective. Though separated by geography and chronological era, there are significant similarities in their development, from idealistic schemes in the minds of a few visionaries to bricks-and-mortar reality as thriving stand-alone technical high schools. The analysis, while based on primary documents from the historical period, utilizes both the classical interpretation of Robert Stamp and the work of subsequent revisionists. An examination of evolving educational policy and changes in regional economic geography helps to situate this comparative institutional study in a broader interpretive perspective. The conclusion, that each school in its time was innovative, popular and respected, will provide valuable historical context for current debates about the appropriate role, if any, of technical schools in public education.