A Century of learning at St. Augustine’s Seminary

Posted on August 3, 2013 by scarboro

St. Augustine's Seminary in its 100th year, 2013. Photo: Jeremy Hopkin.

St. Augustine’s Seminary reaches the century mark, 2013. Photo: Jeremy Hopkin.

On August 28, 2013, St. Augustine’s Catholic Seminary enters its 100th year of operation in Scarborough. To highlight this occasion, we look back to a newspaper article written by Rick Schofield, Scarborough’s Archivist.

1913 Catholic Seminary has world influence
St. Augustine’s first institution of higher learning

Richard Schofield: Scarborough’s Heritage
(Originally published in The Toronto Star, July 9, 1979)

“High above Lake Ontario near the edge of the Scarborough Bluffs stands the first institution of higher education to be built in the borough. It is not only historically important but also architecturally significant and thus has been recommended for designation under the terms of the Ontario Heritage Act.

A dedication notice for St. Augustine's Seminary. c/o Toronto Star.

A dedication notice for St. Augustine’s Seminary, 1913. -c/o Toronto Star.

St. Augustine’s Seminary was begun in 1910 and was one of the first reinforced concrete buildings in Toronto. The idea for the seminary for English-speaking Catholics was actually conceived in 1890 but it was not until Eugene O’Keefe gave his financial support that the dream became a reality. His generosity was heralded across the country and when the building was completed in 1913, it was the pride of Catholics across Canada.

Although the building has been open to the public on only three or four occasions in its 70-year history, its influence has been felt around the world. Although most of its graduates have been channeled into Ontario, the United States and around the globe.

During its early history, the seminary received the right to confer its own Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree and in 1938 was permitted to enroll some seminarians for arts degrees at the University of Toronto.

The military-style discipline ensures that seminarians act as ecclesiastical students at all times and the courses offered are not likely to appeal to the average university-oriented student. Latin, canon law, dogmatic, ascetic, moral and pastoral theology; scriptures, church history, sacred liturgy, ethics, languages and English literature all form part of the students program. Despite the concentration on studies and prayer, the seminary provides a wide variety of recreational activities and its library is thought to be one of the finest of its type in North America.

Early fundraising advertisement for St. Augustine's. c/o Toronto Star.

Early fundraising advertisement for St. Augustine’s Seminary, which highlights the role that O’Keefe played. – c/o Toronto Star.

Not disturbed by the heavy traffic along nearby Kingston Rd. and the new subdivisions and apartments that have sprung up in the area, St. Augustine’s has maintained its original 130-acre site with only a few minor alterations. Chine Drive Public School, St. Theresa’s Shrine Separate School and the Scarboro’ Foreign Mission Society all occupy small parcels of land adjacent to St. Augustine’s.

The main building was designed by architect A.W. Holmes and has been described as an educational-ecclesiastical building resembling the Ecole des Beaux-Arts style in France with some Italianate detailing. The bold dome, columned portico and beautifully proportioned windows are hallmarks of the classical style. The dome, especially, draws attention to the building and it’s almost impossible to drive along the Kingston Rd. without noticing this impressive building.”

*Editor’s notes:

1. The Seminary was purposely dedicated on August 28 to honour the death date of St. Augustine of Hippo, who lived from November 13, 354 – August 28, 430.
St. Augustine was an early Christian theologian whose writings are considered very influential in the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy.
He was bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria) located in the Roman province of Africa.

2. As its project to mark the centennial of St. Augustine’s Seminary, the Priests’ Alumni Association was entrusted with the restoration of the Seminary windows, 16 in total. Fundraising for the project began in 2009, restoration work began in July of 2013.
The restoration will not only bring the appearance of the building back to its original state, but will also greatly improve energy efficiency. Deterioration was visible both in the windows themselves and in the frames which enclose them. The original frames and sills, constructed in 1913, were weathered, dry rotted and entombed in sheet metal; a futile attempt to extend the life of the windows.

Bell house restoration begins this year

Posted on March 24, 2013 by scarboro

Bell Estate heritage home condominiums illustration. – c/o Stafford Homes.

Thanks to lobbying by Scarborough and Toronto Preservation groups and support from Scarborough Community Council, the former Bell family house will be restored, its exterior intact, and once again serve as a dwelling.

A restoration agreement is in place, but the historically designated Bell house has remained untouched for a year. Since Stafford Homes purchased the house and surrounding property in 2011, various planning approval delays have halted the restoration process. Most of Stafford’s “Bell Estate” housing development has been constructed and many residents occupy the new residences south of the old home.

Proposed car ports, to be located north of the former Bell family house. – c/o Stafford Homes.

Updated site plans for land use immediately surrounding the house are now approved by the Scarborough Community Preservation Panel and Toronto Preservation Services. Car ports for the house and nearby townhomes are a part of the plan. The ports will be constructed in a modern style, yet are to be made of wood and stone, to not clash with the character of the historic home.

Now that all planning is approved, Stafford Homes hopes to complete the Bell house renovation this year. The interior will be renovated, with new interior walls installed to divide the structure into two Heritage Home condominiums, part of Stafford’s “Elite Collection”, each measuring over 2,400 square feet in area. The original cooking fireplace and built-in bake oven in the basement kitchen stone wall will be retained in the basement of Unit 1, in accordance with the building’s heritage easement agreement.

Map of the property section featuring the former Bell family home.

Property map featuring the former Bell family home. – c/o Stafford Homes.

A short history of the Bell Estate home, by Rick Schofield:

In 1828, 100 acres of land on the east side of what is now Warden Avenue, south of St. Clair, was first inhabited by Richard and John Thornbeck.

A lovely, cut fieldstone house standing one and a half storeys in height was erected about 1830 to house the Thornbeck family. The 1861 Census verifies the occupancy of the property by Richard Thornbeck, his wife, six children and his widowed mother. The four bedroom home was also equipped with a cooking fireplace and built-in bake oven in the basement kitchen stone wall.

The house and property were sold to William Bell in 1882 for $11,800 and later passed on to his son George. However, a massive fire gutted the interior shortly thereafter and the Bell family set about rebuilding the interior around the surviving, massive stone walls, which measured about two feet in thickness. To provide more headroom on the second floor, the walls were raised and the house became a full two storeys in height.

In 1931, John H. Bell and his brothers: Joseph, Robert and William established a dairy known as Bell’s Scarboro dairy, which flourished on the property until 1943 when it was sold to Donland’s Dairy. At one time, Bell’s Scarboro Dairy had their own embossed milk bottles and was one of the largest dairies serving rural Scarborough.

The farm was eventually subdivided and rezoned industrial, but even though John Bell passed away in 1954, two years after his brother Joseph. The remaining family members decided to keep the stone farmhouse and a small area of surrounding land. Ironically, the area to the south of the stone house became the Becker’s Milk plant, keeping the dairy theme for the property. However, the house was hidden from public view, surrounded by trees and behind the plant’s parking lot.

Ella and Ethel Bell, surviving spinster sisters remained in the house until they, too, passed away. Determined to have the 150 year old stone dwelling survive, Ethel Bell’s will included a clause that the building not be demolished for at least 25 years after her death (1988) and the proceeds of any sale of the property be given to charity. The house was later renovated and served as a seniors’ drop in centre for a short time.

In the news: “Springfield Jimmie” Thomson house restored

Posted on January 3, 2013 by scarboro

The renovated “Springfield Jimmie” Thomson house, Bendale. Photo: Rick Schofield.

*Excerpt from the Scarborough Mirror, Dec. 26, 2012.

“‘Springfield Jimmie’s’ house restoration breathes new life into home
Looking Back: Rick Schofield

While much has been written about the Thomson Settlement, we are indeed fortunate that several of the most historic buildings have been saved from demolition.

“Springfield Jimmie” Thomson’s lovely, bank farmhouse at 146 St. Andrew’s Road, is one of the oldest brick buildings in Scarborough and stands as a tribute to not only the Thomson family, but also to all our pioneers. The beautifully detailed verendah faces south and is quite visible to the public. It reflects the pride our early builders took in the construction of their permanent homes.

The bank style also shows the builders’ respect and understanding of the environment. “Springfield” is built into the side of the bank of Highland Creek. While appearing as a two-and-a-half storey house on one side, it is one and a half storeys high on the opposite side. Only one level of this bank-style house was exposed to the cold north and west winds.

The lower sections on the north and west sides of the building are beneath the ground. However, the warmer south side of the building has large windows which allowed the morning sun to brighten and warm the house during an era when electricity and central heating were visions of the future. Adjacent to the house stands a unique fieldstone cold cellar, also built into the side of the hill.

Several years ago, the bank took possession and after a short period on the market it was sold to a contractor whose goal was to restore the exterior to its former glory, yet renovate the interior as a modern, high-end dwelling. Mission accomplished.

INTERIOR GUTTED

While retaining and restoring the heritage aspects of the exterior, including the rebuilding of the verendah; the interior was gutted, a modern addition added to the rear and the large, surrounding property professionally landscaped. What the general public sees now would certainly have pleased “Jimmie” but he would never recognize its 21st century interior.

Restoring the entire house would have been preferred but not likely to generate a sale due to the high cost of renovation. This is a compromise that should guarantee that the 160 year old house will still be around 100 years from now.

It’s now for sale to the right buyer, with a price of $1.7 million.”

*To see more historical images of houses in Bendale, click here to visit the SHS website’s Bendale photo Gallery.

Scarborough Archives verandah restoration begins

Posted on July 21, 2012 by scarboro

Scarborough Archives after restoration of wooden verandah. Photo: Don Allen

By Jeremy Hopkin.

The Scarborough Historical Society is pleased to announce the restoration of the upper woodwork on the verandah of the Scarborough Archives building is complete. The facility in which the Scarborough Archives now resides was formerly the W.J. Morrish general store. Constructed during 1891, the building served residents of Highland Creek and surrounding rural areas as a general store until closing its doors in 1967.

Although essential repairs to the exterior of the building were made when the Archives first occupied the building, the verandah could not be included as it did not work within funding guidelines. In the meantime Scarborough Historical Society volunteers continually painted all exposed woodwork on the verandah to protect it from further deterioration until project funding could be acquired.

Earlier this year, Hydro One stepped forward to provide the Scarborough Historical Society with a donation to commence with restoration. A request for tender was publicized and the architectural restoration specialists of Colonial Building Restoration were awarded the work contract. They began the process of dismantling and stripping the wood on July 3rd, 2012.

Scarborough Archives verandah woodwork under restoration, 2012. Photo: Rick Schofield.

Over a century of accumulated paint was painstakingly removed from the wood by use of heat guns and stripping tools. This revealed that although most of the underlying wood is in great shape for its age, time has taken its toll – two of the main posts had to be replaced along with other small deteriorated areas. Sections with dry rot or damage were replicated and replaced so that the entire verandah could be properly reassembled and painted.

As paint was removed, notes were made on the layers of coatings which once covered the wooden members over the years. Deep under the paint remained evidence of a coat of linseed oil from what most likely is the original sealing coat made during construction in the 1890s.

Molding details which had disappeared from the posts several years ago were also re-created, utilizing an 1894 image of the W.J. Morrish general store front as reference.

The tin plated roof of the verandah, also in need of repair, was not included in the current restoration project, although the Scarborough Historical Society plans to undertake this secondary task in the near future when additional funding can once again be acquired.
The existing tin roof is not original when one examines the 1894 photograph. However, the original roof material needs further research and in the short term, to protect the existing tin, the Society will repair the joint where the roof meets the building and repaint the existing tin with rust inhibiting primer/sealer and quality paint.

Verandah restoration image gallery: