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HAVERGAL COLLEGE
F
or the past 112 years, the young women of Havergal have been
exercising their right to vote at the school. First Principal Ellen
Knox began teaching her students about the democratic system 14
years before women were given the right to vote in Ontario in 1917.
Knox believed that women could do anything they set their minds
to and that education was a preparation for an active, contributing
life. Her mission as principal was to inspire, train and indoctrinate
leaders for service in the far corners of the world; this mission
continues to inspire our students and faculty today.
The democratic system at the school began in February 1903, after
Knox established a new constitution to expand student leadership
opportunities. She introduced the idea that Upper School students
could vote for class Presidents and Vice-Presidents for each grade.
That year, Knox also appointed six Grade 12 girls as Prefects to act
as liaisons between herself and the student body. These new Prefect
positions were in addition to the group of Grade 12 students the
faculty and staff selected to be Seniors. Until the establishment of the
School Captain role in 1917 (a position also selected by faculty and
staff until 1929), the Seniors were the most powerful students in the
school and were selected carefully because of the special privileges
and authority they had.
When the House system was established school-wide in 1929, the
position of Seniors was replaced by House Prefects. That year, Upper
School students could elect one Grade 12 student per House to take
on the role of House Prefect, now called House Captains. Students
would also vote for the School Captain and Games Captain positions
for the upcoming school year.
Encouraging young women to participate in democracy was
forward-thinking for an all-girls school. However, the system
proved challenging as student election results could be easily
influenced by the heavier-weighted votes of the administration,
faculty and staff. At the time, the value of each vote was counted
as such:
• Grade 9—one
• Grade 10—two
• Grade 11—three
• Grade 12—four
• Grade 13—five
• Prefects—six
• Faculty and staff—seven
• Department Heads—eight
• Vice Principal—nine
• Principal—10
Faculty members tallied the votes. Clearly, those with the heavier-
weighted votes had the power to change the results of the election
process.
This democratic process continued until 1983, when School Captain
Lynn Archibald and her team of Prefects decided that it was time to
change the system to make it even more democratic. “They believed
if we were to be teaching true democracy, it was important to ensure
that each person involved in the process understood it and had input
into it,” reflects Brenda Robson, Dean of Students at the time.
Democracy at Havergal—
Empowering Our Student Leaders
By Susan Pink
Left:
1941 House Prefects;
Right:
1975 House Prefects
Traditions