As related in Vic Report, the Board of Governors of U of T had refused to endorse our admission in 1942, and Victoria College, led by Chancellor Brown, had helped to get this reversed. The brunt of the struggle, however, fell on University President Cody who had written an eloquent letter to the U of T Board of Governors, without effect.
This extraordinary document in the U of T Archives is reproduced below.
(Also see a 1941 group photo and story of the camp school in internment camp of many of the students concerned)
This extraordinary document in the U of T Archives is reproduced below.
(Also see a 1941 group photo and story of the camp school in internment camp of many of the students concerned)
A STATEMENT CONCERNING THE ADMISSION OF CERTAIN REFUGEES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO IN THE FALL TERM OF 1942, BY THE PRESIDENT, Dr. H. J. CODY.
Before the outbreak of the War in September, 1939, Hitler had begun his savage attacks on all Jews or persons who had Jewish blood in their veins, resident with his dominions - including Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. Many of these persecuted people fled for their lives to Great Britain, where the distressed and oppressed have always found a haven of refuge.
When France fell in June, 1940, the British authorities swept all alliens in England into internment camps; there was no otime to investigate the individual cases and no risks could be run. Many of these were lads already in attendance at English schools. The younger of these aliens were sent out to Canada in July, 1940, and placed in three internment camps in the Province of Quebec. With characteristic sense of justice, the Home Office of Great Britain soon began to investigate individual cases. In order to deal witht hose in Canada, the Home Office sent out a Mr. Alexander Patterson, M.C. to conduct these investigations. He did his work from November, 1940, to July, 1941, in cooperation with Lt.-Col. R. S. W. Fordham, Commissioner of Refugee Camps, under the Department of the Secretary of State. It was found that many of the occupants of these camps might safely and indeed should be released. Every refugee released from internment has had his case reviewed by three sets of officials; no one was released in Canada until a full report from the Home Office was added to whatever information was gained about him in this country. The Home Office authorities were anxious to build up among released refugees a high opinion of our democratic system; it was thought that most of them, being thoroughly anti-Nazi and victims of Nazi persecution, would wish to become British subjects.
Up to October 15th, 1942, the release (as reported by Dr. Coleman, Under Secretary of State) were 403, returned to the United Kingdom; and 658 in Canada. These latter were distributed as follows: 108 to Machinery Service Limited; 119 farm workers; 188, skilled workersin other plants; 158 students; 59 rabbinical students; 22 students forthe Roman Catholic priesthood; 4, patients at a sanatarium.
The idea of allowing released refugees to do academic work originated entirely with Home Office authorities, early in 1941. The Canadian authorities have acted as the agents of the British government in this matter. It was deemed preferable to give certain students designated for that purpose an educational course rather than keep them in the camps. They were meant to be available for war work whenever their courses were finished. Underthese circumstances, Col. Fordham reported that refugees released from camps under his jurisdiction were known to be at the following universities other than Toronto; McGill, Queen's, Acadian, McMaster, Ottawa, Manitoba and Sakatchewan. Each student released was required to have as a sponsor some reputable citizen, who guarantees his fees and expenses, and general good conduct.
It is with students, thus specifically released at the request of the British Home Office for continued education here, that the Canadian Universities have had to do. They have answered the request of the British government, through the Candian Department of State, in order that these young men may have the opportunity of becoming accustomed to our language and ways, and better trained technically so as to be of more use in war or in war industry later.
Last autumn 15 of these students applied for admission to the University of Toronto. Although all were Jewish or had some Jewish blood in their veins, they were divided religiously as follows:
Jews - 6
Roman Catholics - 3
Protestants - 4
Friends - 1
Unitarian - 1
Some were born in Germany, some in Austria. All weree sponsored by reputable citizens. Archbishop McGuigan, for example, sponsored two Austrians, Roman Catholics, who desired to take courses in Engineering Physics. Chancellor Brown of Victoria College sponsored one, Protestant in faith. The long delay in settling the question of their admission reduced the number at last to 9, of whom 5 are Jewish in religion, 1 Roman Catholic, 1 Protestant, 1 Friends, 1 Unitarian. Some of them, on account of Nazi peresecution, are absolutely without any country at all - stateless, and all of them have declared their intention of becoming British subjects, resident in the British empire, for the most part in Canada.
The revised regulations issue by the Department of External Affairs last September provide that all declarant aliens and all stateless aliens who have been in Canada for at least one year will be liable to compulsory military service just as though they were Canadians. There was some difference of opinion among members of our Board of Governors as to the status of these student applications in regard to military training, but it was finally and unanimously agreed that as soon as these internee applicants were placed in the same position as our own Canadian boys in repsect to admission to military training in the University, all objections to the admission to the University would be waived. When the matter was referred to the Minister of National Defence, he replied that, under existing regulations, we had authority to enrol students for compulsory military training without attestation and to issue them with uniforms subject to the University accounting therefor, as it is the practice in all Uniersities where these students were admitted. This reply of the Minister cleared up the point of uncertainty. These students have been admitted to the compulsory military training enforced on all undergraduates of military age by the Board of Governors. They are enrolled in what is variously called the Second Battalion, in which attestation is not required. Most students are voluntarily attested, as it simplifies procedure forthem as they later proceed to more advanced military training in the C.O.T.C. These friendly enemy alien students will take the oath of allegiance on being admitted to citizenship. The Adjutant of this junior batallion informs me that he has personally checked the military attendance records of these men, and he can certify that it is satisfactory in every case.
These students are not German but mainly Jewish in blood. They are declarant aliens who seek to be British subjects; their presence here in the University does not lead to any additional expenditure on the part of the University; rather their fees are a help. Their admission does not keep out any of our Ontario students who desire to come and have the necessary academic qualifications. Their admission was desired by the overwhelming majority of the staff, students, and Senate of the University. I am glad to add that these students are proving to be among the ablest and most diligent in the respective classes. They have formally expressed their gratitude to the institution which has opened its doors to the persecuted and distressed.
Before the outbreak of the War in September, 1939, Hitler had begun his savage attacks on all Jews or persons who had Jewish blood in their veins, resident with his dominions - including Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. Many of these persecuted people fled for their lives to Great Britain, where the distressed and oppressed have always found a haven of refuge.
When France fell in June, 1940, the British authorities swept all alliens in England into internment camps; there was no otime to investigate the individual cases and no risks could be run. Many of these were lads already in attendance at English schools. The younger of these aliens were sent out to Canada in July, 1940, and placed in three internment camps in the Province of Quebec. With characteristic sense of justice, the Home Office of Great Britain soon began to investigate individual cases. In order to deal witht hose in Canada, the Home Office sent out a Mr. Alexander Patterson, M.C. to conduct these investigations. He did his work from November, 1940, to July, 1941, in cooperation with Lt.-Col. R. S. W. Fordham, Commissioner of Refugee Camps, under the Department of the Secretary of State. It was found that many of the occupants of these camps might safely and indeed should be released. Every refugee released from internment has had his case reviewed by three sets of officials; no one was released in Canada until a full report from the Home Office was added to whatever information was gained about him in this country. The Home Office authorities were anxious to build up among released refugees a high opinion of our democratic system; it was thought that most of them, being thoroughly anti-Nazi and victims of Nazi persecution, would wish to become British subjects.
Up to October 15th, 1942, the release (as reported by Dr. Coleman, Under Secretary of State) were 403, returned to the United Kingdom; and 658 in Canada. These latter were distributed as follows: 108 to Machinery Service Limited; 119 farm workers; 188, skilled workersin other plants; 158 students; 59 rabbinical students; 22 students forthe Roman Catholic priesthood; 4, patients at a sanatarium.
The idea of allowing released refugees to do academic work originated entirely with Home Office authorities, early in 1941. The Canadian authorities have acted as the agents of the British government in this matter. It was deemed preferable to give certain students designated for that purpose an educational course rather than keep them in the camps. They were meant to be available for war work whenever their courses were finished. Underthese circumstances, Col. Fordham reported that refugees released from camps under his jurisdiction were known to be at the following universities other than Toronto; McGill, Queen's, Acadian, McMaster, Ottawa, Manitoba and Sakatchewan. Each student released was required to have as a sponsor some reputable citizen, who guarantees his fees and expenses, and general good conduct.
It is with students, thus specifically released at the request of the British Home Office for continued education here, that the Canadian Universities have had to do. They have answered the request of the British government, through the Candian Department of State, in order that these young men may have the opportunity of becoming accustomed to our language and ways, and better trained technically so as to be of more use in war or in war industry later.
Last autumn 15 of these students applied for admission to the University of Toronto. Although all were Jewish or had some Jewish blood in their veins, they were divided religiously as follows:
Jews - 6
Roman Catholics - 3
Protestants - 4
Friends - 1
Unitarian - 1
Some were born in Germany, some in Austria. All weree sponsored by reputable citizens. Archbishop McGuigan, for example, sponsored two Austrians, Roman Catholics, who desired to take courses in Engineering Physics. Chancellor Brown of Victoria College sponsored one, Protestant in faith. The long delay in settling the question of their admission reduced the number at last to 9, of whom 5 are Jewish in religion, 1 Roman Catholic, 1 Protestant, 1 Friends, 1 Unitarian. Some of them, on account of Nazi peresecution, are absolutely without any country at all - stateless, and all of them have declared their intention of becoming British subjects, resident in the British empire, for the most part in Canada.
The revised regulations issue by the Department of External Affairs last September provide that all declarant aliens and all stateless aliens who have been in Canada for at least one year will be liable to compulsory military service just as though they were Canadians. There was some difference of opinion among members of our Board of Governors as to the status of these student applications in regard to military training, but it was finally and unanimously agreed that as soon as these internee applicants were placed in the same position as our own Canadian boys in repsect to admission to military training in the University, all objections to the admission to the University would be waived. When the matter was referred to the Minister of National Defence, he replied that, under existing regulations, we had authority to enrol students for compulsory military training without attestation and to issue them with uniforms subject to the University accounting therefor, as it is the practice in all Uniersities where these students were admitted. This reply of the Minister cleared up the point of uncertainty. These students have been admitted to the compulsory military training enforced on all undergraduates of military age by the Board of Governors. They are enrolled in what is variously called the Second Battalion, in which attestation is not required. Most students are voluntarily attested, as it simplifies procedure forthem as they later proceed to more advanced military training in the C.O.T.C. These friendly enemy alien students will take the oath of allegiance on being admitted to citizenship. The Adjutant of this junior batallion informs me that he has personally checked the military attendance records of these men, and he can certify that it is satisfactory in every case.
These students are not German but mainly Jewish in blood. They are declarant aliens who seek to be British subjects; their presence here in the University does not lead to any additional expenditure on the part of the University; rather their fees are a help. Their admission does not keep out any of our Ontario students who desire to come and have the necessary academic qualifications. Their admission was desired by the overwhelming majority of the staff, students, and Senate of the University. I am glad to add that these students are proving to be among the ablest and most diligent in the respective classes. They have formally expressed their gratitude to the institution which has opened its doors to the persecuted and distressed.
