Full Description
Drawing from History brings to life the remarkable story of Toronto's Central Technical School Art Department, a vibrant hub that inspired generations of Canadian artists.
Weaving together personal insights, first-hand accounts from students and teachers, and rare archival treasures, this book traces the department's journey from its 19th-century beginnings to its enduring impact today. Through captivating storytelling and meticulous scholarship, it reveals how this distinctive program fostered creativity, artistic excellence, and a sense of community while navigating cultural upheavals, global conflicts, changing policies, and the persistent challenge of maintaining arts education in public schools.
Insightful and thought-provoking, Drawing from History illuminates an overlooked cornerstone of Canada's artistic heritage and prompts readers to consider what is lost when the arts are marginalized. More than a local history, this book serves as a testament to how art education shapes lives, strengthens communities, and helps define a nation's cultural identity. It is essential reading for educators, students, historians, artists, policymakers, and anyone who believes in the power of the arts to transform lives and foster a more creative society.
Contents
Acknowledgment
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Stories, Historying, and the Polyptych Methodology
Chapter 2 - A Generation of Change: 1891-1916
Chapter 3 - Memorializing Greatness: A Generation of Remembrance: 1917-1942
Chapter 4 - A Generation of Pride: 1943-1968
Chapter 5 - A Generation of Shifting Undercurrents: 1969-1994
Chapter 6 - A Generation of Educational Change and Standardization: 1995-2019 171
Conclusion: A Legacy of Stories
Afterword
References
Appendices
