SEED School
Encyclopedia
SEED Alternative School is a small Toronto District School Board
alternative high school now located in Toronto's east end.
Previous locations include Yonge and College, McCaul St, and Bloor and Spadina, in downtown Toronto. Originally, as a summer program, it was at Dundas St West and Bloor St W (where they cross in Toronto, not in then-Etobicoke).
The acronym 'SEED' originally stood for 'Summer of Experience Exploration and Discovery', and when it became year round semestered school it was changed to 'Shared Experience Exploration and Discovery'. Students interested in a particular subject, would gather other students, and together they would find a knowledgeable person to act as a teacher or catalyst, and meet regularly to learn. The groups met at various locations and times, including sometimes evenings and weekends. It was entirely up to the students how many and which subjects they studied, and when and where the groups would meet. A group studying Mass Media, for example, would meet in the evening in the Lowther Avenue home of CBC Radio Broadcasters Betty Tomlinson and Allan Anderson. A Japanese Studies group met at the University of Toronto. A few groups met at SEED's own facilities.
SEED was founded by the then Toronto Board of Education as a summer program for high school age students in 1968 during the Pierre Trudeau
era, a period that also produced Rochdale College
and Theatre Passe Muraille
and fostered the growth of Coach House Books
and a number of other experimental institutions in Toronto. (SEED was not connected with any of them.) The teachers, or co-ordinators as they were called, in the beginning were Les Birmingham and Murray Shukyn, both of whom came from the elementary school system.
The first two years it was a summer program only. Then in the fall, the students decided to keep SEED going throughout the year, on their own, obtained recognition from the University of Toronto, and requested the Board establish it as a high school to obtain core funding (for staff and space) and so that students could obtain high school diplomas. During that fall and winter, students ran SEED without any coordinators, using an office made available free by St Thomas Anglican Church on Huron Street.
The Board of Education agreed to make SEED a high school, and in September it did start as a high school, in rented space at what was then the YMHA (at Bloor St W and Spadina) in Toronto. Official enrolment was capped at 100 students, who were those eligible to earn high school credits/diplomas. Additional students could also attend but not earn high school credits/diplomas. Grades 9 to 13 were included. Students who had gone to SEED but who were officially under the jurisdiction of a nearby Boards of Education, were included as students. A budget of about $200,000 was approved. Murray Shukyn was the first coordinator. To meet the technical requirement of having a principal, and yet minimize costs, the Superintendent of Secondary Schools A. L. Milloy was appointed Principal, but he was not involved at the school. A small core group of four or five teachers was hired, most of whom were certified to teach in more than one high school subject, so that students, if they wished, could still take traditional subjects taught by certified teachers that would qualify for a high school diploma.
The students ran the school, often dealing directly with the Board of Education where trustees such as long time trustees Fiona Nelson and Dr. Maurice Lister
were supportive.
In Ontario all high schools except one, followed part B of the Ministry of Education's regulation HS1. Part B was a traditional high school program. SEED was only the second school in the province set up under part A. Part A allowed tremendous flexibility.
It was now possible to get a high school diploma using many different subjects.
The school was influenced by the pedagogical philosophy of A.S. Neill's Summerhill School
. It was also known for its catalyst system in which university students, professors, community members and experts-at-large on a variety of fields facilitated classes. Milton van der veen was the catalyst for the SEED newsletter (he is now a volunteer with the charity 'Sleeping Children Around the World'.) Noted late science fiction author Judith Merril
ran a weekly science fiction seminar at SEED from 1972-1973. Other notable catalysts included noted social activist June Callwood
, CBC Radio broadcaster Allan Anderson, then-architect Colin Vaughan
, journalists John Gault and Maggie Siggins
, advertising executive Billy Edwards (one of the subjects of Allan King's film A Married Couple), and notable Toronto City Alderman Ying Hope
. Several U of T professors, such as Milt Wilson of Trinity College, also taught courses.
A notable achievement was a short film made by students Peter Belisis and Robi Blumenstein that was nominated for an Academy Award.
Notable alumni include blogger, journalist, activist and science fiction author Cory Doctorow
; former head of the Ontario Securities Commission and V.P. of the Toronto Stock Exchange lawyer Edward Waitzer ; musician and producer Efrim Menuck
; Harvard physics professor and Chair of the Physics Department Melissa Franklin
, a co-discover of one of the kinds of quark; visual artist Eli Langer
; author Claudia Casper
. Alumni Michael McLuhan, son of Marshall McLuhan
is a photographer living and working in Owen Sound.
Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
alternative high school now located in Toronto's east end.
Previous locations include Yonge and College, McCaul St, and Bloor and Spadina, in downtown Toronto. Originally, as a summer program, it was at Dundas St West and Bloor St W (where they cross in Toronto, not in then-Etobicoke).
The acronym 'SEED' originally stood for 'Summer of Experience Exploration and Discovery', and when it became year round semestered school it was changed to 'Shared Experience Exploration and Discovery'. Students interested in a particular subject, would gather other students, and together they would find a knowledgeable person to act as a teacher or catalyst, and meet regularly to learn. The groups met at various locations and times, including sometimes evenings and weekends. It was entirely up to the students how many and which subjects they studied, and when and where the groups would meet. A group studying Mass Media, for example, would meet in the evening in the Lowther Avenue home of CBC Radio Broadcasters Betty Tomlinson and Allan Anderson. A Japanese Studies group met at the University of Toronto. A few groups met at SEED's own facilities.
SEED was founded by the then Toronto Board of Education as a summer program for high school age students in 1968 during the Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
era, a period that also produced Rochdale College
Rochdale College
Opened in 1968, Rochdale College was an experiment in student-run alternative education and co-operative living in Toronto, Canada. It provided space for 840 residents in a co-operative living space. It was also a free university where students and teachers would live together and share knowledge...
and Theatre Passe Muraille
Theatre Passe Muraille
Theatre Passe Muraille is a theatre company in Toronto, Canada.-Brief history:One of Canada's most influential alternative theatres, Theatre Passe Muraille was founded in 1968 by director and playwright Jim Garrard, who started the company out of Rochdale College.Its radical intention was create a...
and fostered the growth of Coach House Books
Coach House Books
Coach House Books is an independent Canadian publishing company located in Toronto, Ontario. Coach House publishes innovative and experimental poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction. The press is particularly interested in writing that pushes at the boundaries of convention.-History:The company was...
and a number of other experimental institutions in Toronto. (SEED was not connected with any of them.) The teachers, or co-ordinators as they were called, in the beginning were Les Birmingham and Murray Shukyn, both of whom came from the elementary school system.
The first two years it was a summer program only. Then in the fall, the students decided to keep SEED going throughout the year, on their own, obtained recognition from the University of Toronto, and requested the Board establish it as a high school to obtain core funding (for staff and space) and so that students could obtain high school diplomas. During that fall and winter, students ran SEED without any coordinators, using an office made available free by St Thomas Anglican Church on Huron Street.
The Board of Education agreed to make SEED a high school, and in September it did start as a high school, in rented space at what was then the YMHA (at Bloor St W and Spadina) in Toronto. Official enrolment was capped at 100 students, who were those eligible to earn high school credits/diplomas. Additional students could also attend but not earn high school credits/diplomas. Grades 9 to 13 were included. Students who had gone to SEED but who were officially under the jurisdiction of a nearby Boards of Education, were included as students. A budget of about $200,000 was approved. Murray Shukyn was the first coordinator. To meet the technical requirement of having a principal, and yet minimize costs, the Superintendent of Secondary Schools A. L. Milloy was appointed Principal, but he was not involved at the school. A small core group of four or five teachers was hired, most of whom were certified to teach in more than one high school subject, so that students, if they wished, could still take traditional subjects taught by certified teachers that would qualify for a high school diploma.
The students ran the school, often dealing directly with the Board of Education where trustees such as long time trustees Fiona Nelson and Dr. Maurice Lister
Maurice Lister
Professor Maurice Wolfenden Lister was a leading academic chemist and writer.-Education:...
were supportive.
In Ontario all high schools except one, followed part B of the Ministry of Education's regulation HS1. Part B was a traditional high school program. SEED was only the second school in the province set up under part A. Part A allowed tremendous flexibility.
It was now possible to get a high school diploma using many different subjects.
The school was influenced by the pedagogical philosophy of A.S. Neill's Summerhill School
Summerhill School
Summerhill School is an independent British boarding school that was founded in 1921 by Alexander Sutherland Neill with the belief that the school should be made to fit the child, rather than the other way around...
. It was also known for its catalyst system in which university students, professors, community members and experts-at-large on a variety of fields facilitated classes. Milton van der veen was the catalyst for the SEED newsletter (he is now a volunteer with the charity 'Sleeping Children Around the World'.) Noted late science fiction author Judith Merril
Judith Merril
Judith Josephine Grossman , who took the pen-name Judith Merril about 1945, was an American and then Canadian science fiction writer, editor and political activist....
ran a weekly science fiction seminar at SEED from 1972-1973. Other notable catalysts included noted social activist June Callwood
June Callwood
June Rose Callwood, was a Canadian journalist, author and social activist. She was born in Chatham, Ontario and grew up in nearby Belle River.-Early life and career:...
, CBC Radio broadcaster Allan Anderson, then-architect Colin Vaughan
Colin Vaughan
Colin Vaughan was a television journalist, architect, urban activist and alderman serving the Canadian city of Toronto. He was best known as the political specialist for the Toronto television station Citytv from 1977 until his death...
, journalists John Gault and Maggie Siggins
Maggie Siggins
Maggie Siggins is a Canadian journalist and writer. She was a recipient of the 1992 Governor General's Award for Literary Merit for her non-fiction work Revenge of the Land: A Century of Greed, Tragedy and Murder on a Saskatchewan Farm...
, advertising executive Billy Edwards (one of the subjects of Allan King's film A Married Couple), and notable Toronto City Alderman Ying Hope
Ying Hope
Ying L.K. Hope , P. Eng., was a Chinese Canadian politician, Toronto Public School Board trustee and Metro Toronto Councillor and Toronto Alderman....
. Several U of T professors, such as Milt Wilson of Trinity College, also taught courses.
A notable achievement was a short film made by students Peter Belisis and Robi Blumenstein that was nominated for an Academy Award.
Notable alumni include blogger, journalist, activist and science fiction author Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow
Cory Efram Doctorow is a Canadian-British blogger, journalist, and science fiction author who serves as co-editor of the blog Boing Boing. He is an activist in favour of liberalising copyright laws and a proponent of the Creative Commons organization, using some of their licences for his books...
; former head of the Ontario Securities Commission and V.P. of the Toronto Stock Exchange lawyer Edward Waitzer ; musician and producer Efrim Menuck
Efrim Menuck
Efrim Manuel Menuck is a Canadian musician involved with a number of Montreal-based bands, most notably Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra...
; Harvard physics professor and Chair of the Physics Department Melissa Franklin
Melissa Franklin
Melissa Franklin is an experimental particle physicist and the Department Chair and Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics at Harvard University. While working at the Fermi National Acceleration Laboratory in Chicago, her team found some of the first evidence for the existence of the top quark....
, a co-discover of one of the kinds of quark; visual artist Eli Langer
Eli Langer
Eli Langer is a Canadian visual artist. Langer rose to prominence in 1993, while 26 years old, in the Toronto art world with a solo exhibition at the Mercer Union Gallery in Toronto. The exhibition consisted of 8 paintings and 50 drawings addressing various issues of childhood sexuality...
; author Claudia Casper
Claudia Casper
Claudia Casper is a Canadian writer. She is best known for her bestselling novel The Reconstruction, about a woman who constructs a life-sized model of the hominid Lucy for a museum diorama while trying to recreate herself.-Early life:...
. Alumni Michael McLuhan, son of Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
is a photographer living and working in Owen Sound.