{"id":6172,"date":"2023-04-04T09:07:45","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T13:07:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/?p=6172"},"modified":"2025-01-29T17:00:30","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T22:00:30","slug":"the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa-6172\/","title":{"rendered":"The Past and Present of the University of Ottawa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The University of Ottawa is a centre of education and culture, occupying a vast area in Sandy Hill. Its history and heritage are rich and fascinating, dating back to 1848. What was the institution like in the past? What are its past and present like? <a href=\"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/\">Ottawa One<\/a> provides the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d894b7b973\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d894b7b973\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa-6172\/#How_Did_the_History_of_the_University_of_Ottawa_Begin\" >How Did the History of the University of Ottawa Begin?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa-6172\/#The_College_Changes_Leadership_and_Name\" >The College Changes Leadership and Name<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa-6172\/#Bilingualism_and_University_Colours\" >Bilingualism and University Colours<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa-6172\/#The_Impact_of_War_and_Program_Expansion\" >The Impact of War and Program Expansion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/the-past-and-present-of-the-university-of-ottawa-6172\/#The_University_of_Ottawa\" >The University of Ottawa<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Did_the_History_of_the_University_of_Ottawa_Begin\"><\/span>How Did the History of the University of Ottawa Begin?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is known that in 1848, an educational institution was founded in Bytown, Western Canada. Initially, it was called Bytown College, and the first bishop of Ottawa, Joseph-Bruno Guigues, was its patron. He emphasized bilingualism, hoping that it would help bridge the gap between Catholics and Protestants, as well as between the French- and English-speaking populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The institution was initially located near the bishop\u2019s residence, at a site that remains unchanged today\u2014Notre-Dame Cathedral on Sussex Drive. As the institution grew, larger premises were needed. Consequently, the college relocated to the university campus in Sandy Hill, beyond Main Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The provincial parliament officially registered the institution in 1849. The college focused on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meeting educational needs in the Ottawa Valley;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Catholic education for training Canadian clergy;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diocesan requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The early years were difficult, and the college\u2019s survival was uncertain due to financial hardships. The bishop sought government assistance and land use permits but was unsuccessful. In 1857, the government allocated \u00a3300 to the college. However, a Catholic school that focused on English-language education won funding of \u00a3500 per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This financial strain led to increasing debts for the Diocese of Ottawa to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. As a result, the bishop was forced to sell the college to pay off the debt. In 1856, the Oblates took over its administration, marking a new era in the institution\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_College_Changes_Leadership_and_Name\"><\/span>The College Changes Leadership and Name<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The year after acquiring the institution, eight professors and ninety students joined its ranks. This positive trend continued, and within three years, student enrolment reached 160.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Oblates also had to navigate legislative changes. Bytown College was renamed Ottawa College in 1861. Five years later, Father Timothy Ryan, who led the institution, petitioned for university status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notably, the first person to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree at the university, and later a master\u2019s degree, was Thomas Foran\u2014one of the most distinguished lawyers of his time, who became a significant historical figure in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/01\/ad_4nxeg5q8vhx27w7aio49ubr4hpon6ceb7bxstlrxql8cb740vlrao2undu5ekxma-mbsmhihfygk16ilnbk8twlk31zb5itva5hz4lr_v3skacvo51to8zzug46y4d1in_lqrvqz77wkeyro3jxtw3afovl_dan-mo10iq.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bilingualism_and_University_Colours\"><\/span>Bilingualism and University Colours<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The growing number of English-speaking students made bilingual education increasingly challenging. For instance, at the college, all courses except French literature and religion were taught in English. As a result, only two subjects remained in French. In 1880, Canada\u2019s first &#8220;English Debating Society&#8221; was established. The society debated student enrolment expansion and the &#8220;language issue.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The institution invested in two sports teams, whose colours became the university\u2019s official colours. These included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The football team, founded in 1881 (garnet colour);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Athletic Club, established in 1885 (grey colour).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The university&#8217;s football team, &#8220;Gee-Gees,&#8221; takes its name from these garnet and grey colours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the late 19th century, the college received a papal charter issued by the Pope (1889). In 1898, students from the Oblate junior school initiated a push to restore bilingualism in the university. This movement put pressure on Rector Henri Constantineau, leading to the reintroduction of French into the curriculum. However, this caused tensions between the Franco- and Irish-Canadian communities in Ottawa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This conflict contributed to the decline of Ottawa College at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1915, all Irish Oblate professors resigned, resolving the issue. However, during this conflict, a fire broke out in 1903, destroying the college\u2019s main building and claiming three lives. Many historical records were lost in the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Impact_of_War_and_Program_Expansion\"><\/span>The Impact of War and Program Expansion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The interwar years were among the best periods in the institution\u2019s history. The First World War had little impact on the college\u2019s operations. It was the only Catholic university in Canada (outside Quebec) that offered courses in French. As a result, 24 monasteries and colleges in Ontario and the western provinces joined the University of Ottawa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1923, a teacher training school was established, followed by a nursing school ten years later. These institutions attracted a growing number of female students. Program expansion led to the founding of a Faculty of Canon Law and a Faculty of Arts, which introduced Canada\u2019s first translation program in 1936\u2014a groundbreaking development in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_University_of_Ottawa\"><\/span>The University of Ottawa<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1933, the college was reorganized and renamed the University of Ottawa. The Second World War and the postwar era significantly influenced the institution\u2019s development, fostering rapid growth. The German model of postgraduate education became increasingly popular, leading to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The establishment of graduate schools;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The creation of a law faculty;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The development of a civil law section, which later became the Faculty of Canon Law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>During an expansion attempt in 1959, the university faced financial challenges. This led to the Oblates relinquishing control over the institution. In 1965, a new University of Ottawa was established, while the old Ottawa College became the University of Saint Paul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More faculty members, support staff, and women were hired. Comparing staff numbers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In 1965 \u2013 there were 300 faculty members;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By 1990, the number had risen to nearly 1,000.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By 2000, with the financial support of the provincial government, the university expanded significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the most distinguished alumni of the University of Ottawa are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Richard Wagner, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dalton McGuinty, former Premier of Ontario;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And many other prominent figures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawa1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/01\/ad_4nxemlfqjvufayf13agg5_j2o5hezqpe4s45zwj9apzeob08kzglo3rcoyk7wwpz6epjhanbpk2mmbbzwcsvaozwtvrfujwf6ploktnh97yhxnexz7oa1qgfrfunlwfnlpbsn1jxl7wkeyro3jxtw3afovl_dan-mo10iq.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University of Ottawa is a centre of education and culture, occupying a vast area in Sandy Hill. Its history and heritage are rich and fascinating, dating back to 1848. What was the institution like in the past? What are its past and present like? Ottawa One provides the details. How Did the History of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":469,"featured_media":6173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1166],"tags":[3420,3416,3424,3411,3423,3426,3422,3417,3419,3412,3414,3418,3425,3427,3413,3415,3421],"moimportance":[78,81],"motype":[],"moformat":[83],"class_list":{"0":"post-6172","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education","8":"tag-bishops-residence","9":"tag-center-of-education-and-culture","10":"tag-college-changes-leadership","11":"tag-english-debating-society","12":"tag-famous-alumni-of-the-university-of-ottawa","13":"tag-father-rector-henri-constantino","14":"tag-franco-irish-conflict","15":"tag-impact-of-war-on-university-work","16":"tag-language-issue","17":"tag-missionary-oblates-of-mary-immaculate","18":"tag-notre-dame-cathedral-on-sussex-drive","19":"tag-ottawa-college","20":"tag-thomas-foran","21":"tag-university-football-team-geegees","22":"tag-university-of-ottawa-at-sandy-hill","23":"tag-university-of-ottawa-present","24":"tag-university-of-ottawas-past","25":"moimportance-golovna-novina","26":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","27":"moformat-vlasna"},"modified_by":"Katya Koshevaya","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/469"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6172"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6182,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6172\/revisions\/6182"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=6172"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawa1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=6172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}