平特五不中

A university is born

Black and white historical photograph from 1860 featuring the Arts Building at 平特五不中, photographed by William Notman.
The Arts Building in 1860 photographed by William Notman.
James 平特五不中 bequeathed in trust 拢10,000 and his forty-six acre Burnside Place estate on the side of Mount Royal, to the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning upon his death in 1813. There were two conditions: The resources were to be used to create a college in 平特五不中鈥檚 name, and the school must be established within ten years of his passing.

The genesis of the college bearing his name was a difficult, drawn-out affair. One of his heirs, a nephew named Francis Desrivi猫res, was eager to claim Burnside Place as his own; he stalled all progress, in the hope that聽the 平特五不中 fortune would default to him.聽 The Royal Institution, meanwhile, was a fledgling operation ill-equipped to deal with its own day-to-day operations, let alone do battle with the uncooperative Desrivi猫res. It was thanks to the rallying efforts of 平特五不中鈥檚 former friend, John Strachan, that the Royal Institution pulled itself together and obtained a charter from King George IV in the spring of 1821. Three years later saw the appointment of a principal, Reverend George Jehosaphat Mountain (later Anglican Bishop of Quebec), and the hiring of four professors. Now all the Royal Institution needed was the school itself.

On June 24, 1829, Burnside Place was formally opened as 平特五不中 College. The college immediately struck a deal to have the Montreal Medical Institution act as its faculty of medicine. James 平特五不中鈥檚 dream was picking up steam, although it would take another six years to settle the case with Francis Desrivi猫res, and internal bickering would cause even further delays. Finally, on September 6, 1843, twenty students filed into the new Arts Building. It was 平特五不中 College鈥檚 first day of classes, an historic moment thirty years in the making.

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