Curious Curator: The Ontario Reader

Among the books within our book collection is the Ontario Reader, Third Reader, from 1885. Like many of the books within Parkwood it sits on the shelf, dark yellow fabric binding, pages showing signs of foxing (age related spots on vintage paper) and just being. As I peruse the shelves and check condition stability, its existence and purpose at Parkwood, in my mind, is likely due to Adelaide McLaughlin having been a teacher when she met Sam. Last week I decided to look a little bit further into the book. Well, to be honest, I was intrigued by what was curriculum of a Third Reader, (Grade 3) in 1885 and chuckled at some of the language and statements in the preface.


ALM third from left back row Teacher Sinclair PS,
 Whitby
Compliments Whitby Archives

This little book among the thousands in the Estate has an interesting history of its own, one of political arguing, national newspaper editorials, and its existence led to the advent of the Ontario Booksellers' Association.

The idea behind the creation of the Ontario Reader, was the Ministry of Education had desired the Ontario Reader series "become the sole authorised readers for use in the public schools." Furthermore, the Ministry assigned their publication to three publishers, granting exclusive rights, and a fixed price point, for purchase, of 30 cents per book. The Ministry was keen on this agreement, "because the contract gave them the right to inspect finished samples and to reject faulty work, the printing plates were kept the property of the Ministry and the Minister of Education, George Ross, reserved for himself strict control of the content and composition of the readers."

This new Ontario Reader program moved away from the public tenders and open competition for publication which had been the previous norm.
As one can imagine the independent book sellers were annoyed by this change in 1885, seeing that the process "could place them in a situation of perpetual disadvantage in dealings with the publishers." In January 1885, over 700 booksellers arrived in Toronto to "protest the government handling of the textbook issue, and to voice an united objection to the creation of a publishing combine with essentially monopolistic interests in the Ontario Readers, forming the Ontario Booksellers' Association."

Who knew when I picked up this book that it had such an intriguing history in terms of Ontario curriculum development, but also Ontario business history?

Want to learn more? My sources on the matter are Balancing the Books: Brokerage Politics and The Ontario Reader Question by Oisin Patrick Rafferty

and

Liberty of Trade from the Thraldom of the Autocrats: Provision of School Textbooks in Ontario, 1850-1909 by Penney Clark