Future Studies in Canada in the 1860's !

Marta, my Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin - Madison followed the German model, which in fact originated at the University of Berlin in the 1800's. Germany in the 1800's was the world's leading center of scientific study, research. As a result, countries that wanted to secure the benefits of science - which was just emerging forcefully because of the impact of the new Industrial Revolution - looked to the German model. In fact, my M.A. thesis at the University of Toronto, entitled Thomas D'Arcy McGee and the Idea of National Education, explored how one of the "Founding Fathers" of Canada, which became an independent country in 1867, had researched the German model and wanted to implement it in Canada! McGee advocated following the best science education in the world at his time, when 90% of Canadians still lived on farms! McGee, in fact, was a "futurist." He was able to imagine a scientific future in Canada based on the actual working models in Germany, actually Prussia, for Germany did not unite as a country until 1871. Sadly, a political enemy shot McGee dead at age 45 in 1868, and others had to realize his educational "dreams" - scenarios - later. Your professor here is still fascinated with McGee and wants to turn his M.A. thesis into a book for wider sharing and study! Last year, in fact, my wife and I journeyed to Montreal, Canada, where McGee lived, and I literally sat in his pew (number 125) at St. Patrick's church there. We then motored to Ottawa, the national capital, so we could trace his steps on the fatal night of his murder on Parliament Hill. In fact, next month, he and his wife will be at the University of Toronto for a conference, and this writer plans to explore how he might leverage some research money to help him to repackage his thesis into an exciting book!