Donald Montgomery (educator)
Encyclopedia
Donald Montgomery was an educator and political figure in Prince Edward Island
, Canada
. He represented 4th Queens
in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
from 1878 to 1879 as an Independent member. He was chief superintendent of education for the province from 1879 until his death.
He was born in Valleyfield, Prince Edward Island, the son of Malcolm Montgomery, a Scottish
-born farmer. Montgomery taught school in rural Kings County
before continuing his education at Prince of Wales College
. In 1874, he became master of the province's Normal School
and Model School
. Montgomery was dismissed in 1877 by the government of Louis Henry Davies
because it was felt that he lacked sufficient credentials for the post. He studied law at McGill College
before returning to the island in 1878. He was elected to the provincial assembly in a by-election held that year and was reelected in the general election the following year. In September 1879, he resigned his seat to become superintendent of education, an office that he had suggested should be created. Among other duties, Montgomery was charged with implementing the 1877 Public Schools Act. He established a Provincial Educational Institute, which held an annual convention to provide professional development for the province's teachers. He also took steps to try to encourage French language
education at Prince of Wales College. In 1887, he married Mary Isabella, the daughter of William McPhail. Montgomery died in Charlottetown
in 1890. His death was attributed to his heart having been weakened by a vaccination against smallpox
.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He represented 4th Queens
4th Queens
4th Queens was an electoral district in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, which elected two members to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1873 to 1993.The district comprised the southeastern portion of Queens County....
in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown....
from 1878 to 1879 as an Independent member. He was chief superintendent of education for the province from 1879 until his death.
He was born in Valleyfield, Prince Edward Island, the son of Malcolm Montgomery, a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born farmer. Montgomery taught school in rural Kings County
Kings County, Prince Edward Island
Kings County is located in eastern Prince Edward Island, Canada.It is the province's smallest, most rural and least-populated county. Kings County is also least dependent upon the agriculture industry compared with the other two counties, while being more heavily dependent on the fishery and...
before continuing his education at Prince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College is a former university college, which was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. PWC merged with St. Dunstan's University in 1969 to form the University of Prince Edward Island....
. In 1874, he became master of the province's Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
and Model School
Laboratory school
A laboratory school or demonstration school is an elementary or secondary school operated in association with a university, college, or other teacher education institution and used for the training of future teachers, educational experimentation, educational research, and professional...
. Montgomery was dismissed in 1877 by the government of Louis Henry Davies
Louis Henry Davies
Sir Louis Henry Davies, was a Prince Edward Island lawyer, businessman and politician, the third Premier...
because it was felt that he lacked sufficient credentials for the post. He studied law at McGill College
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
before returning to the island in 1878. He was elected to the provincial assembly in a by-election held that year and was reelected in the general election the following year. In September 1879, he resigned his seat to become superintendent of education, an office that he had suggested should be created. Among other duties, Montgomery was charged with implementing the 1877 Public Schools Act. He established a Provincial Educational Institute, which held an annual convention to provide professional development for the province's teachers. He also took steps to try to encourage French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
education at Prince of Wales College. In 1887, he married Mary Isabella, the daughter of William McPhail. Montgomery died in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
in 1890. His death was attributed to his heart having been weakened by a vaccination against smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
.