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Our History

Frontier College is Canada's original literacy organization, with a rich and storied history dating back to our beginning in 1899. Take a tour of Frontier College through the decades. If you have photos or stories to share with us, please send them to information@frontiercollege.ca or use the

Submit Your Own Story page.

1899

Teacher and reverend Alfred Fitzpatrick founds Frontier College, sending trained individuals to logging camps, mines and railway lines. These Labourer-Teachers worked alongside the men during the day
1903

Frontier College begins in Saskatchewan (before it is even a province!)
1911

Norman Bethune joins the Reading Camp association and is sent to work at the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. He went on to become a noted physician and inventor.
1920

Jessie Lucas is hired as secretary-treasurer. Her dedication to maintaining records lead to an incredible archive of adult education resources. Today, she is remembered at the Frontier College headquarters.
1929

Dr. Margaret Strang becomes the first woman Labourer-Teacher to participate in the homesteading program, bringing education to children in remote Northern Ontario communities.
1929

Dr. Margaret Strang becomes the first woman Labourer-Teacher to participate in the homesteading program, bringing education to children in remote Northern Ontario communities.
1970s

Women and couples are recruited to work in cities and rural areas. Jane Henson becomes the first woman Labourer-Teacher to work at a copper mine.
1977

UNESCO recognized our work in the field of adult education by awarding Frontier College with the 1977 Literacy Prize (also known as The Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Prize)
1986

Frontier College’s national headquarters is relocated to 35 Jackes Avenue in Toronto. The beautiful house (originally owned by Robert Laidlaw) was given to us by the National Ballet of Canada in exchange for the College's earlier headquarters.
2002

Frontier College headquarters was named Gzowski House in honour of renowned CBC journalist and College supporter, Peter Gzowski.
2005

The Summer Literacy Camps program began in five First Nation communities in Northern Ontario.
2009

Manitoba launches their first Aboriginal Summer Literacy Camp in Little Miskwaadesi (Turtle) Camp
2015

The Summer Literacy Camps program grows to 99 communities across Canada.

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Did You Know ?

Literacy is measured on a scale of 0 to 5, with 5 being the highest. A 2013 study revealed that almost half of Canadians have literacy scores below level 3, and nearly 1 in 5 Canadians are at or below Level 1.