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"A Family Tradition for 133 Years" Sketches PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, July 20, 1999 - 1 MacBrien family produces of Scugog by Paul Arculus Sketches of Scugog is a historical column written by local resident and historian Paul Arculus and published in the Port Perry Star each month. HE NEXT TWO articles in this series will take a look at one of the most accom- plished families in this part of the province: the MacBrien family. Two brothers, Australia B. MacBrien and James A. MacBrien, became teach- ers, the latter becoming the Inspector of Schools for Ontario County. James' sons William and James H. achieved honour and fame in the military. William became a Colonel with the Toronto Scottish Regiment. James H. MacBrien, became Chief of Staff for the Canadian Armed Forces and later, head of the North West Mounted Police. His son, in turn, also became a major in the army and was, for a brief period, a lawyer in Port Perry. James MacBrien, senior, had pur- School Inspector James A. MacBrien. chased a lot on the north side of con- cession 8 exactly half way between Raglan and Myrtle in the early 1830's. Their sons Australia and James born in 1828 and 1832 respectively were raised there. James senior's brother William had established himself a little further east on the north - east section of Raglan itself. Australia MacBrien became a teach- er at S.S. # 3 in Reach Township from 1866 to 1868 and then moved to S. S. #1 Cartwright where he taught until his retirement in 1889. His nineteen year tenure became legendary at the one roomed school house on the south side of the first concession about a kilometer east of the Blackstock road. In "A Documentary History of Education" published by the Ministry of Education in 1890, Australia MacBrien's comments about the school are recorded. He notes that the new 40 by 28 foot frame school house was built in 1870 and accommodated between 70 and 90 pupils arranged two to a desk. James MacBrien also became a teacher and earned his qualifications as a Public School Inspector in 1871. When Canada entered into Confederation in 1867, a number of significant changes took place in the daily lives of the country's citizens. One notable change was the way in which schools were administered and inspected. Up to the time of Confederation the inspection of elementary and secondary schools was assigned to local ministers. Reverend R. H. Thornton was the supervisor of education for Ontario County. He assigned to the Reverend John D. Mackenzie the responsibility of inspecting the Grammar, or sec- ondary, level schools. Egerton Ryerson, also a former cler- gyman, had been appointed Superintendent of Education for Upper Canada in October 1844. In 1866, Ryerson toured Upper Canada, Canada West and addressed forty meetings in seven weeks cam- paigning for support for legislation for compulsory school attendance and for Township Boards of Trustees to admin- ister schools, appointing their own inspectors from experienced educators on a county basis. In 1871, Ryerson's bill was passed. It also included the change of name from Grammar School to High School and a provision for a minimum legisla- tive grant based upon average atten- dance, for each High School. James MacBrien was appointed as inspector of schools for Ontario County in 1871 under the new regulations. He replaced Rev. Thornton. In this capacity MacBrien initially had the assistance Rev. John D. Mackenzie. Mackenzie had inspected Port Perry Grammar school upon its opening in 1868 and continued as its inspector when it became Port Perry High School in 1871. He served as its inspector until 1874. He also inspected the High Schools at Whitby, Oshawa, Uxbridge, Manilla and Oakwood. MacBrien set about his new assign- ment with vigor and assertiveness, attacking his predecessors and those who remained in power. The following was included in MacBrien's first report to the Ministry of Education in 1871: "The irregularity of attendance, the want of co-operation on the part of many parents ....the little interest taken by those in power, the deficiency with which he has to work - all these should be taken into deliberation in order to do justice to the teachers." two of the most noteable personalities of this area Ny . 1) So = == > > Tp = = 3 : d --1 -- a---- Sh d apy . | by ~ . - : r i ] | ay Jd i of ) BX ca oo NV y LA ~ WW ! \ \ » \ v \ hk \ Ay i ue n Jeary 4 Piet is 3 n - ] CBP. The MacBrien Home as it appeared in a wood cut in Toronto Mail of Saturday, October 2, 1886. The house is located along Old Simcoe Rd., just north of Prince Albert . Ontario County was divided into two inspectoral districts in 1899 with MacBrien having the responsibility of the northern half. MacBrien's success enabled him to move to Prince Albert with his bride, Julia Frances Madden, where they purchased land from Aaron Ross and built an elegant home in the 1860's. This home is one of the architectural gems of Durham Region, and is quite )/ Australia MacBrien, brother of James. IF YOU HAVE ANY OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF PORT PERRY AND AREA YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE - GIVE PETER A CALL AT 905-985-7383 unique. It is located on the west side of Old Simcoe Road in Prince Albert just below the intersection of Jeffery Street. The house has become known as "Heartland" and is at 14310 Old Simcoe Road. It is a Georgian style, frame home covered with white clapboard and has several Regency style characteristics. A graceful verandah with delicate trellis work and a curved roof enhances the entire front of the home. The front rooms of the main floor have French doors to the verandah, but the remain- der of the ground floor and all of the upper floor windows are of the usual double hung type. In this home, several children were born to the MacBriens including Margaret (Bates) in 1869 Elizabeth (Spur) in 1873, Julia, Olivia (Young), William, and, in 1878 James. Each of the children attended Port Perry High School and earned merit in his or her own accomplishments. Julia became a nationally recognized pianist, but the most notable was James Howden MacBrien. Next Month: the extraordinary career of Major-General Sir James Howden MacBrien, C.B., CM.G., D.S.0. The MacBrien family plot will be included in a Cemetery Walk at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Prince Albert on Sunday, Sept. 19. The walk is organized by the Lake Scugog Historical Society with Paul Arculus as tour guide.