APPEAL FOR FUNDS FOR ERECTION OF THE STATUE.
At a subsequent meeting of the committee, Rev. Dr. Ormiston and Dr. Hodgins were requested to draw up an appeal soliciting aid for the proposed memorial. Dr. Ormiston did so as follows:--
_Appeal to Trustees, Inspectors, Teachers and Pupils--past and present--connected with Public, Separate[3] and High Schools, and to the other friends of Education in the Province of Ontario; from the General Committee appointed at Toronto on the 14th March, 1882, for the collection of funds with which to erect a Monument, or other Tribute of Esteem and Admiration to the memory of the late Rev. Dr. Ryerson, founder of the Educational System of Ontario:_
[3] Having asked Archbishop Lynch to commend this and subsequent appeals to the teachers of the Separate Schools, he replied as follows:--
"ST. MICHAEL'S PALACE, Toronto, December 12, 1882.
"MY DEAR DR. HODGINS,--I do not like to assume a prominent part in writing to the teachers of the Separate Schools outside of my own diocese, or to set an example which I fear would be criticized. However, I send you my subscription ($10) towards the erection of the statue to the late lamented Dr. Ryerson.
"I am, yours very sincerely, "+JOHN JOSEPH LYNCH, "Archbishop of Toronto.
"J. GEORGE HODGINS, ESQ., LL.D., Chairman, etc."
(The Very Reverend Vicar-General Rooney also sent $10, as his subscription to the fund).
I also wrote to the Rev. Father Stafford, of Lindsay, on the subject. In his reply, dated March 9th, 1882, he said:--
"You ask my opinion as to whether the erection of a monument to the late Dr. Ryerson will receive support from the Separate Schools?
"Not much from Separate Schools as such, nor much from Separate School supporters. The recollection of the old controversy with the bishops of our Church, is still fresh in the memories of many.
"I think some of the Separate School teachers will subscribe--perhaps many of them.
"Personally, I must give my mite. I always found Dr. Ryerson, as you are aware, very kind with me, and very attentive to any suggestions I had to offer, and very just in all his dealings with me.
"I admired his ability and his love and enthusiasm for his work. No one knows better than you my admiration for that man. My idea is that the monument ought to be something very respectable--say, got up something like the one to Grattan, or Moore, or Burke, near Trinity College, Dublin; and it ought to be erected in the Normal School grounds.