Concordia University

History

The university traces its academic roots back to the early 20th century, with the development of the Jesuit-run Loyola College and the YMCA-based Sir George Williams University.

Related Topics:
Jesuit - YMCA

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Sir George Williams University

The Montreal YMCA was established in 1851. From its early years, it offered evening classes to allow working people in the English-speaking community to pursue their education while working during the day. Concordia has continued this tradition by offering many night classes during the traditional fall and winter semesters, as well as the summer sessions. In 1926, the education program was organized as Sir George Williams College, named after George Williams, founder of the YMCA. It received a university charter from the provincial government in 1948. The first SGWU building was built in 1956, although the university continued to hold classes in the YMCA building until the construction of the Hall Building in 1966. The university gained international attention in 1969, when a group of students occupied the computer lab (see Sir George Williams Computer Riot).

Related Topics:
1851 - 1926 - George Williams - 1948 - 1956 - 1966 - 1969 - Sir George Williams Computer Riot

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Loyola College

Loyola College was founded in 1896 as an English-language program of the Jesuit Collège Sainte-Marie (since merged into UQAM). It was originally located at the Sacred Heart Convent in downtown Montreal. The college moved into the present west-end campus in 1916. Although founded as a collège classique (the forerunners of Quebec's CEGEPs), Loyola began granting university degrees through Laval University as early as 1906. By 1940, collège classique programs were gone and Loyola became a four-year university, although it never obtained its own charter, granting its degrees through Laval or, after 1920, the Université de Montréal.

Related Topics:
Loyola College - 1896 - Collège Sainte-Marie - UQAM - 1916 - CEGEP - Laval University - 1906 - 1940 - 1920 - Université de Montréal

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Concordia University

The merger of Loyola and SGWU was recommended in 1969 by a Royal Commission, as part of the secularisation of Quebec's educational system (see Quiet Revolution). The two schools were merged in 1974 under the name of Concordia University, taking the name from the motto of the city of Montreal, Concordia salus (meaning 'well-being through harmony'). http://archives3.concordia.ca/timeline/histories/naming_b.html

Related Topics:
1969 - Secularisation - Quiet Revolution - 1974

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