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A visitor to the Settlement in 1854, John Ryerson, says that there were then eight common schools in the country five of them wholly, or in part, supported by the Church Missionary Society, two of them depending on the bishop's individual bounty, and one only, that attached to the Presbyterian congregation, depending on the fees of the pupils for support.
The weight of executive patronage, the insistence of the Governor that British connection was at stake, the alarms caused by some injudicious statements of Mackenzie and his Radical ally in England, Joseph Hume, and the defection of the Methodists, whose leader, Egerton Ryerson, had quarreled with Mackenzie, resulted in the overwhelming defeat of the Reformers.
After the union of the Canadas in 1841, a steady movement for the improvement of the elementary, public, or common schools continued for years, and the services of the Reverend Egerton Ryerson were engaged as chief superintendent of education with signal advantage to the country.
"This great scar remains with me to this day, and reminds me of that fierce fight, and tells of how terrible in those days were some of the doings of our people." Three Boys in the Wild North Land by Egerton Ryerson Young The boys listened with absorbing interest to this thrilling story.
It is only justice to the memory of a man who died many years after he saw the full fruition of his labours to say that Upper Canada owes a debt of gratitude to the Rev. Egerton Ryerson for his services in connection with its public school system. He was far from being a man of deep knowledge or having a capacity for expressing his views with terseness or clearness.
Egerton Ryerson, a son of a United Empire Loyalist, who defended the position of the governor-general, and showed how imperfectly he understood the principles and practice of responsible government.
Ryerson glanced at his watch. "Half-past three. I have four hours to live." "What!" "They'll come for me at seven o'clock when they find I haven't carried out my orders, and I'll be taken to the prison yard and shot or hanged. It's the best thing that can happen to me, but I'm sorry for you." "See here, Ryerson," I broke in.
Thus the Methodist preachers made rapid headway, more especially in regions untouched by the official churches. In the representative man of early Canadian Methodism, Egerton Ryerson, qualities conspicuously British and conservative, appeared.
I lost no time in answering this mysterious summons, and a little later found myself in the presence of a young woman whom I recognised, when she drew aside her veil, as Miss Mary Ryerson, sister of Lieutenant Randolph Ryerson. With her in the car were her brother and a tall, gaunt man with deep-set eyes. They were all travel-stained, and the car showed the battering of Virginia mountain roads.
When he fell Canada lost a valuable and useful citizen. His training, education and charm of manner, coupled with his intense patriotism, marked him for a great career. Major Norsworthy, his friend and comrade, fell by his side. Further along the line held by the Toronto Regiment, Captain George Ryerson fell at the head of his company.
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