Hart House, University Of Toronto
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Hart House is a student activity centre at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...
's St. George Campus that offers programming for students across the university's three campuses. Established in 1919, it is one of the earliest North American student centres, being the location of student debates and conferences on the St. George campus since its construction. Hart House was initiated and financed by
Vincent Massey Charles Vincent Massey (February 20, 1887December 30, 1967) was a Canadian diplomat and statesman who served as the 18th governor general of Canada from 1952 to 1959. Massey was the first governor general of Canada who was born in Canada. Mas ...
, an alumnus and benefactor of the university, and was named in honour of his grandfather,
Hart Massey Hart Almerrin Massey (April 29, 1823 – February 20, 1896) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who was a member of the prominent Massey family. He was an industrialist who built the agricultural equipment firm that became Massey Fe ...
. The Collegiate
Gothic-revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...
complex was the work of architect
Henry Sproatt Henry Sproatt (June 14, 1866 – October 4, 1934) was a Canadian architect who was prominent during the early 20th century. Born in Toronto, he trained in Europe and in New York City. He formed a partnership in 1890 with another celebrated arch ...
, who worked alongside decorator
Alexander Scott Carter Alexander Scott Carter (7 April 1881 – 30 December 1968) was an English-born Canadian artist and architect, specializing in architectural decoration and heraldic ornament. Early life and education Carter was born on 7 April 1881 in Harrow, Mid ...
, and engineer Ernest Rolph, and subsequently designed the
campanile A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell to ...
at its southwestern corner, Soldiers' Tower. In 1957, the house hosted future U.S. President
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
.


History

As an undergraduate, Vincent Massey read history and English at University College in the University of Toronto, and then completed graduate studies in history at
Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...
. Upon his return to Canada, he sought to bring a unifying, communitarian spirit to the highly independent colleges of the University of Toronto, inspired by the social and recreational life that he observed at Oxford's colleges. Massey, who in 1908 had become a trustee of his family estate, offered to establish a structure devoted to extracurricular activities at the university, an idea that was embraced by the university's governors. The land on which the building exists was close to the McCaul's pond, which was buried along with
Taddle Creek Taddle Creek is a buried stream in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that flowed a southeasterly course about six kilometres long, from St. Clair Avenue west of Bathurst Street through the present site of Wychwood Park, through the University of Toronto ...
in 1886. When construction began in 1911, the trustees of the Massey estate had budgeted $300,000 for the project. Working without a master plan, Massey and his architect continued to adopt new ideas and expand existing ones as construction progressed. By the time of its completion in 1919, the cost of the building had soared to $2 million. Hart House was built during the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
era. Originally, Gothic architecture was associated with cathedrals. The Gothic cathedral was built at a large scale. When the style had first gained its momentum in England and France, the large churches were encrusted with decoration. This decoration depicted biblical events through images so that even the illiterate could dwell in the ideals of religion. Originally, the church developed universities. Hart House is intended to evoke that history. The building is made up of corridors flanked by rooms with high ceilings and sculptural detailing. Massey's donation stipulated that the building was to be used only by men, as he felt that a coeducational facility would ruin the sense of collegiality that he hoped to create. Beginning in the 1950s, this restriction created much controversy, as women demanded admission. Until the end of his life Massey stood by his original conditions, although some progress did occur. In 1954 the Arbor room coffee shop was constructed, which was the first co-educational space in Hart House. Additionally, in 1958 the first debate was held which women were allowed to attend, although they were segregated behind a rope and not allowed to speak. After Vincent Massey's death in 1967 the Stewards and administrators of Hart House had Massey's deed of gift altered to allow women to become members. Since 1972, women have been able to fully participate in the House's activities. During
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
's debate with
Stephen Lewis Stephen Henry Lewis (born November 11, 1937) is a Canadian politician, public speaker, broadcaster, and diplomat. He was the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations in the 1980s and was the leader of the social democratic Ontario New Democr ...
at Hart House on 14 November 1957, Kennedy said "I personally rather approve of keeping women out of these places." He also said, "It's a pleasure to be in a country where women cannot mix in everywhere" (ignoring the female students who picketed outside with signs proclaiming "Unfair!" and "We want Kennedy!").


First Commonwealth Conference

The first unofficial Commonwealth conference was held at Hart House from the 11-21 September 1933 (The Commonwealth Relations Conference) organised by the Canadian Institute of International Affairs and the UK
Royal Institute of International Affairs Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Roya ...
(
Chatham House The Royal Institute of International Affairs, also known as Chatham House, is a British think tank based in London, England. Its stated mission is "to help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous, and just world". It ...
) at the invitation of one of the delegates Vincent Massey. Chaired by former Canadian Prime Minister
Sir Robert Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was a Canadian lawyer and Conservative politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World ...
with Arnold Toynbee as Recorder. All the then Commonwealth nations were present with 77 international delegates. There were seven Commonwealth countries at the time: Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland (later to become a province of Canada), South Africa and the Irish Free State. There is a photograph of the delegates in the Debating Chamber of the building. These conferences then occurred irregularly around the Commonwealth in succeeding years until the official
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a biennial summit meeting of the governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations. Despite the name, the head of state may be present in the meeting instead of the head of g ...
began.


Architecture

Hart House is large in comparison to the buildings surrounding it such as Wycliffe College and the Stewart Observatory. In keeping with the Gothic form, the building is presented as larger in height than in width, which gives an even greater sense of grandeur to those standing at its base. From the exterior, a repetition of large windows can be seen along the northern and southern sides, matched with stout exterior protrusions accentuating the end of one section of the building and the beginning of another. The contours of the building are jagged, emphasizing the Gothic form and giving Hart House the profile of an academic institution of that time period. A variety of intimate details can also be found in the interior. Below grade, backstage, at the rear wall of the theatre, there are scars formed by service ammunition, giving the building a sense of character. There are also elements forged into the walls of the building, like the first occupants of the house, who are remembered on the south façade, as well as carvings over the bay windows of the map room which depict the principal units that were stationed there during the war. The Great Hall holds another souvenir, inconsistent with the Gothic setting: one of the stone corbels has been carved to represent an officer cadet of 1916 in uniform, carrying his field pack and rifle. Hart House is an example of Gothic Revival architecture as it is asymmetrical with pointed arches and windows, extensive ornamentation, steeply pitched roofs and a tall tower. It is also a late collegiate Gothic building because of its late erection date, 1919. The building consists of four wings around a quadrangle with a four-peaked tower extended from the south west corner. Although Hart House appears to be of masonry construction, it is actually structural steel and precast concrete with grey sandstone cladding. The roofs are barrel vaulted wood beams. Wood and stone are the main materials used in this building.


Composition

The majority of elements within Hart House hint at the Perpendicular style of Gothic architecture and thus generally line up in a row. Arches and vaults are the dominant structural form, however, there are parts of the building that employ
lintels A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case of ...
to create open spaces with flat ceilings (such as the East Common Room). The ceilings in the corridors and many rooms such as the Upper Gallery of the Great Hall are vaults with ridge ribs, but of particular emphasis is the treatment of the library ceiling that uses decorative
Lierne Lierne may refer to: Places *Lierne Municipality, a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway * Lierne National Park, a national park in Trøndelag county, Norway Other *Lierne (vault) In Gothic architecture, a lierne is a tertiary rib connecti ...
ribs, which can also be seen in the entrance vaults. The general shape of the frontispieces and what appear to be Tudor-like archways mirror the shape of the chimney arches, while the decorative cinquefoil shapes used for the windows can also be seen in the woodwork of doors and trusses. The main entrance on the south side, the entrance on the west side, and the entire east wall is treated with a Perpendicular style parapet of battlements. The Gothic nature of the structure is emphasized through the structural systems, layout, and ornamentation, while the weight of stone is de-emphasized through its decoration, and its contrast with the thin stained-glass windows. Close to the Romanesque-building style, Gothic, or Gothic-revival style uses stone masonry to build. The use of rocky dark sandstone and limestone materials contrasted greatly with the smooth brick lining inside, the pointed-arch shape dominating the windows and doors and hallways. The porch is another Gothic-revival element that architect Henry Sproatt added, a protected space in front of the main entrances for people to hide in case of bad weather. The addition of decorated wooden arch-braces and ceilings act like an acoustical amplifier for the Hart House Orchestra. Even though the detail of the Gothic style is much simpler than the Romanesque style, it still has decorative stone and wood carvings inside and outside the building. On the south side of the building there is a line of miniature human head sculptures made out of stone near the top of the building. There are also stone lions and monkeys that are on the outside of the main doors one at each side. The arch braces on the flat roofs of the east hall ways have carved decorations on them. The windows have clover like decorations near the top. Even the school crest and motto is carved onto the façade of Hart House. These carvings are a beautiful addition aesthetically to the building.


Governance

"Hart House's system of governance is based on a commitment to collaborative and democratic decision-making." It is governed by the Board of Stewards, a deliberative body composed of the student secretaries of the standing committees of the House; a representative from the Finance Committee; the University of Toronto campus student governments; the chair of the Alumni Committee; a senior member from Recreational Athletics; the President of the University (or his/her designate); two appointees of the President; one appointee of the Governing Council; and the warden, who serves as the chief administrative officer of the house. In October 2022, Sherry Kulman was appointed Interim Warden, succeeding John F. Monahan. The Board of Stewards is responsible for the use of space in the house, approving the House's finances, and working with the warden to determine the strategic vision of Hart House. Students are a majority of the members of the Board of Stewards.


List of wardens

* Walter F. Bowles (1919–1921) * J. Burgon Bickersteth (1921–1947) ** seconded to duties in England with first Canadian Army HQ in England and later the British Army advising on troop training (May 1940 to June 1944) * Nicholas Ignatieff (1947–1952) – died from a heart attack * Joseph McCulley (1952–1965) * E. Arnold Wilkinson (1965–1972) * J. G. Langelle (1972–1977) * Richard M. H. Alway (1977–1990) * Paul McCann (Acting Warden) (1990-1992) * Peter Turner (1992-1997) * Margaret Hancock (1997-2007) * Louise Cowin (2007 to 2011) *
Bruce Kidd Bruce Kidd, (born July 26, 1943) is a Canadian academic, author, and athlete. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he attended Malvern Collegiate Institute before becoming a member of the University of Toronto track and field team. He won 18 national senior ...
(2011–2015) * John F. Monahan (2015–2022) * Sherry Kulman (Interim Warden) (2022–2023) * David Kim (2023–)


Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Art Museum at the University of Toronto

The Art Museum at the University of Toronto comprises the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery (Hart House) and the University of Toronto Art Centre (University College). Located just a few steps apart, the two galleries were federated in 2014 and began operating under a new visual identity as the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, one of the largest gallery spaces for visual art exhibitions and programming in Toronto. The Art Museum features a collection of historical and contemporary Canadian art, dating from 1921 to the present. Exhibits focus on contemporary Canadian art in all media. The gallery also hosts film screenings, lectures and performance art. In addition to its regular exhibitions, the gallery houses an art collection that is valued at over CDN $10 million.


Clubs and activities


Hart House Chess Club

Founded in 1895, the Hart House Chess Club is one of The University of Toronto's oldest, most high profile, and most successful clubs. It meets every Friday from 4 pm to 11 pm in Hart House's Reading Room for casual and serious play. Players of all skill levels are welcome. The chess club offers lectures by some of Canada's leading players as well as CFC-rated tournaments. The HHCC Chess Team has won the top title six times at the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship. Since its founding, the club has served host to numerous famous chess players throughout the years, including
Paul Keres Paul Keres (; 7 January 1916 – 5 June 1975) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, and narrowly missed a chance at a World Chess Championship match on five ...
,
Samuel Reshevsky Samuel Herman Reshevsky (born Szmul Rzeszewski; November 26, 1911 – April 4, 1992) was a Polish chess prodigy and later a leading American chess grandmaster. He was a contender for the World Chess Championship from the mid 1930s to the late 1 ...
, George Koltanowski, and
World Chess Championship The World Chess Championship is played to determine the world champion in chess. The current world champion is Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated the previous champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship 2024, 2024 World Chess Championship. ...
winners
Bobby Fischer Robert James Fischer (March 9, 1943January 17, 2008) was an American Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster and the eleventh World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Chess Champi ...
,
Max Euwe Machgielis "Max" Euwe (; May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess player, mathematician, author, and chess administrator. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, a title he held from 1935 ...
,
Mikhail Botvinnik Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (; ;  – May 5, 1995) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster who held five world titles in three different reigns. The sixth World Chess Champion, he also worked as an electrical engineer and computer sci ...
,
Boris Spassky Boris Vasilyevich Spassky (; January 30, 1937 – February 27, 2025) was a Russian chess grandmaster who was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Spassky played three world championship matches: he lost to Tigra ...
and
Evgeny Bareev Evgeny Ilgizovich Bareev (; born 21 November 1966) is a Russian-Canadian chess player, trainer, and writer. Awarded the FIDE Grandmaster title in 1989, he was ranked fourth in the world in the international rankings in 1992 and again in 2003, w ...
.


Hart House Debating Club

In 1986, the University of Toronto Debating Union—a university-wide debating club dating back to the 1940s—approached the Hart House Debates Committee and came to an agreement that secured support for the Union from Hart House. The organization, renamed Hart House Debating Club, has ever since been the primary speech and debating society at the University of Toronto open to all students from all colleges and campuses. Since its inception, the Hart House Debating Club has played host to leaders in every field, including heads of state, senior Cabinet officials, filmmakers, business leaders, activists, poets, policymakers, and philanthropists. Some of its most notable speakers include
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
,
Christopher Hitchens Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British and American author and journalist. He was the author of Christopher Hitchens bibliography, 18 books on faith, religion, culture, politics, and literature. He was born ...
,
Adrienne Clarkson Adrienne Louise Clarkson ( zh, c=伍冰枝; ; born February 10, 1939) is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as the 26th governor general of Canada from 1999 to 2005. Clarkson arrived in Canada with her family in 1941, as a refuge ...
,
Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...
,
John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the Opposit ...
,
Brian Mulroney Martin Brian Mulroney (March 20, 1939 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. Born in the eastern Quebec city of Baie-Comeau, Mulroney studi ...
,
John Tory John Howard Tory (born May 28, 1954) is a Canadian lawyer, broadcaster, businessman, and former politician who served as the 65th mayor of Toronto from 2014 to 2023. He served as leader of the Official Opposition in Ontario from 2005 to 2007 ...
,
Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian novelist, poet, literary critic, and an inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of nonfiction, nine collections of short fiction, eight chi ...
,
Bob Rae Robert Keith Rae (born August 2, 1948) is a Canadian diplomat and former politician who is the current Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations since 2020. He previously served as the 21st premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, leader of the ...
,
Elizabeth May Elizabeth Evans May (born June 9, 1954) is a Canadian politician, environmentalist, lawyer, activist, and author. She has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Saanich—Gulf Islands since 2011. May is the leader of the Green Party ...
, Bill Graham,
Andrew Coyne James Andrew Coyne (born December 23, 1960) is a Canadian columnist with ''The Globe and Mail'' and a member of the ''At Issue'' panel on CBC's '' The National''. Previously, he has been national editor for ''Maclean's'' and a columnist with ''Nat ...
,
Margaret MacMillan Margaret Olwen MacMillan (born 23 December 1943) is a Canadian historian and professor at the University of Oxford. She is former provost of Trinity College, Toronto, and professor of history at the University of Toronto and previously at Ryers ...
, and
Atom Egoyan Atom Egoyan (; ; born July 19, 1960) is an Armenian Canadians, Armenian-Canadian filmmaker. One of the most preeminent directors of the Toronto New Wave, he emerged during the 1980s and made his career breakthrough with ''Exotica (film), Exotica ...
. The club has hosted dozens of prestigious tournaments, including the
North American Debating Championship The North American Debating Championship is one of the two official university debate championships of North America. It is sanctioned by the national university debating associations in the United States and Canada, the American Parliamentary Deba ...
and the
World Universities Debating Championship The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the world's largest international debating tournament and one of the largest annual international student events. WUDC is held in the British Parliamentary format (involving four teams of t ...
, the latter of which it has won twice: in 1981 and 2006.


Hart House Literary and Library Committee

This committee oversees many of the literary events that Hart House sponsors throughout the school year. These include the writing groups ''le mot juste'' and the Algonquin Square Table, as well as the ''
Hart House Review The ''Hart House Review'' is an annual Canadian literary magazine published by Hart House, a student life centre at the University of Toronto, and printed at Coach House Press Coach House Books is an independent book publishing company locate ...
''. The Literary and Library Committee regularly hosts a writer-in-residence who leads workshops and reviews students' writings. The committee also runs a library, located on the second floor of Hart House. It features a variety of books for in-house research and leisure reading, and often is the venue for public readings (also coordinated by the committee).


Hart House Music Committiee

This committee oversees concerts and events of various types of music, including rock, reggae, and folk. The concerts are free for all members of the university community. Throughout the school year the committee organizes six to ten concerts. These events are a growing part of Hart House. The committee's aim is to bring the entire music community together from all campuses. Hart House also organizes open mics which are open to all. These events are considered a "must see" for all first year students.


''Hart House Review''

The ''
Hart House Review The ''Hart House Review'' is an annual Canadian literary magazine published by Hart House, a student life centre at the University of Toronto, and printed at Coach House Press Coach House Books is an independent book publishing company locate ...
'' (''HHR'') is a Canadian literary journal published by student members of Hart House at the University of Toronto and printed by
Coach House Press Coach House Books is an independent book publishing company located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Coach House publishes experimental poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction. The press is particularly interested in writing that pushes at the boundar ...
. The magazine is best known for prose, poetry and photography contributed by emerging writers and artists in Canada.
Rohinton Mistry Rohinton Mistry (born 1952) is an Indian-born Canadian writer. He has been the recipient of many awards including the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2012. Each of his first three novels was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. His ...
,
Camilla Gibb Camilla Gibb (born February 20, 1968) is an English-born Canadian writer who currently resides in Toronto. Early life and education Born in London, England, she grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and studied at North Toronto Collegiate Institute and ...
,
Lynn Crosbie Lynn Crosbie (born 7 August 1963) is a Canadian poet and novelist. She teaches at the University of Toronto. Life and career Crosbie was born in Montreal, Quebec, and now lives in Toronto, Ontario. She received her PhD in English from the Uni ...
and similarly notable names in Canadian literature have been published in the ''HHR''. The review also hosts lecture and reading events that feature established and emerging figures in Canadian literature and publishing.


Lecture series

The Hart House Hancock Lecture is an annual public lecture series. Delivered by a lecturer chosen by a committee of students, staff and alumni, it generally takes place in late March in the Great Hall of Hart House. The series was launched in 2001, with the vision of establishing an annual public lecture in Hart House. The lecturer for 2007 was McGill Professor Darin Barney, who delivered a lecture titled "One Nation Under Google: Citizenship in the Technological Republic" examining the relationship between technology and citizenship. The lecturer for 2008 was Warchild Canada founder and U of T Professor
Samantha Nutt Samantha Joan Nutt (born October 1969) is a Canadian physician and philanthropist who is the founder and president of War Child Canada. She has more than sixteen years of experience working in war zones. Her 2011 book ''Damned Nations: Greed, Gu ...
lecturing on "The world is Our Backyard: Individual Responsibility for a Global Society". Dr. Nutt spoke about citizens' role as privileged North Americans and their ability to effect change in war-torn countries. Other past lecturers have included
Michael Geist Michael Allen Geist is a Canadian academic, and the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. He is the editor of four books on copyright law and privacy law, and he edits two newsletters on Canadian infor ...
(2006), David Bornstein (2005),
Jennifer Welsh Jennifer Mary Welsh (born 1965) is a Canadian professor of international relations, currently working as the Canada Research Chair, Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University. Welsh is the director of the Ce ...
, (2004),
Alan Lightman Alan Paige Lightman (born November 28, 1948) is an American physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur. He has served on the faculties of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is currently a professor of the pra ...
(2002) and
Pico Iyer Siddharth Pico Raghavan Iyer (born 11 February 1957), known as Pico Iyer, is an English-born essayist and novelist known chiefly for his travel writing. He is the author of numerous books on crossing cultures including ''Video Night in Kathman ...
(2001). Copies of some of the past lectures are available online.


Theatre

Hart House Theatre is often referred to as the cradle of Canadian Theatre. Opening in November 1919, the Art Deco theatre on the University of Toronto's St. George campus quickly became a leader in the Canadian "Little Theatre" movement of the 1920s and 1930s. Hart House Theatre cultivated and featured some of the country's finest actors, directors, playwrights and designers of the Pre-World War II era, including
Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor known for his commanding stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He r ...
, Dora Mavor Moore,
Lloyd Bochner Lloyd Wolfe Bochner (July 29, 1924 – October 29, 2005) was a Canadian film, TV and voice actor. He appeared in many Canadian and Hollywood productions between the 1950s and 1990s, including the films '' Point Blank'' (1967), '' The Detecti ...
,
Lawren Harris Lawren Stewart Harris LL. D. (October 23, 1885 – January 29, 1970) was a Canadian painter, best known as one of the founding members of the Group of Seven. He played a key role as a catalyst in Canadian art, as a visionary in Canadian landsc ...
,
Arthur Lismer Arthur Lismer, LL.D. (27 June 1885 – 23 March 1969) was an English-Canadian painter, member of the Group of Seven and educator. He is known primarily as a landscape painter and for his paintings of ships in dazzle camouflage. Early life ...
,
Wayne and Shuster Wayne and Shuster were a Canadian comedy duo formed by Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. They were active professionally from the early 1940s until the late 1980s, first as a live act, then on radio, then as part of ''The Army Show'' that ente ...
and Merrill Denison. After the war, Hart House Theatre, under the direction of Robert Gill, became an extracurricular student theatre and for twenty years turned out a new generation of stage professionals. William Hutt,
Don Harron Donald Hugh Harron, (September 19, 1924 – January 17, 2015) was a Canadian comedian, actor, director, journalist, author, playwright, and composer. Harron is best remembered by American audiences as a member of the cast of the long-running co ...
,
Kate Reid Daphne Katherine Reid (4 November 1930 – 27 March 1993) was a Canadian actress, whose career spanned over fifty years and hundreds of roles across both stage and screen. She was described by the book ''Inspiring Women: A Celebration of Herst ...
, David Gardner,
Arthur Hiller Arthur Hiller, (November 22, 1923 – August 17, 2016) was a Canadian television and film director with over 33 films to his credit during a 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada and later in the U.S. By the late ...
,
Donald Sutherland Donald McNichol Sutherland (17 July 1935 – 20 June 2024) was a Canadian actor. With a career spanning six decades, he received List of awards and nominations received by Donald Sutherland, numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award ...
,
Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (July 21, 1926 – January 20, 2024) was a Canadian filmmaker. He was known for directing films which addressed topical Social issue, social and political issues, often making controversial or complicated subjects acces ...
and
Lorne Michaels Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He created and produced ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and produced the ''Late Night (franchise) ...
all got their start on the Hart House stage. By the mid-1960s the theatre joined the world of academia with the creation of the Graduate Centre for Study of Drama. A new generation of students combined dramatic literature with practical theatre experience, and learned from and contributed to the vibrant Toronto theatre scene of the 1970s. Today Hart House Theatre is the focal point for the performing arts at the University of Toronto. With over a thousand students participating each year in its extra-curricular season of drama, dance, music and film, Hart House Theatre continues to influence each new generation. The performances are often well reviewed by art critics, and almost always sell out.


Hart House Orchestra

Since 1976, the HHO has provided an opportunity for members of the University of Toronto community with musical interest and training, to fellowship and perform challenging symphonic works. The orchestra is composed of 80 to 90 musicians. Membership is determined annually by audition, open to university students at all levels of study, alumni, faculty, staff and Hart House senior members. In a typical season, the orchestra performs three concerts at home and one in another city in Ontario or Quebec. Past concert tour destinations have included Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Windsor, London, Guelph and Sudbury. On a few special occasions, the orchestra has toured to Carnegie Hall, New York City; Tübingen, Düsseldorf and Göttingen, Germany; Chicago, Illinois; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Organizational operations are run by a committee of nominated volunteer orchestra members. On an annual basis the orchestra runs two concerto competitions, one internal (open to its membership) and one external (open to the community). The winning soloists perform with the orchestra, usually in the following season.


Hart House Film Board

This popular club helps its members make movies through equipment rental and instruction, as well as group projects (such as the New Filmmaker's Project) and screenings.
Atom Egoyan Atom Egoyan (; ; born July 19, 1960) is an Armenian Canadians, Armenian-Canadian filmmaker. One of the most preeminent directors of the Toronto New Wave, he emerged during the 1980s and made his career breakthrough with ''Exotica (film), Exotica ...
and Babak Payami made their first films using Hart House Film Board equipment. Since 2006 The Hart House Film Board has offered an extensive series of film training classes.


Other features

The captivating beauty of Hart House has made it a popular location for weddings, professional conferences and other events. Hart House also has a barbershop for students. Hart House also owns and manages a farm in the Caledon Hills on the ridge of the Niagara Escarpment. The farm has long been a popular retreat.


Notable visitors

Since 1919, nearly all dignitaries visiting Hart House signed its guest book. In 2007, the original leather-bound book finally ran out of pages and had to be replaced. The first royal visitor to Hart House was Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, who played squash with students there in 1924. In 1939,
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
and
Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen B ...
toured the campus and lunched at Hart House.
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
made the first of several visits as a princess in 1951. Several individuals have signed the guest book more than once during separate visits to Hart House. Notable visitors include: *
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...
*
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
*
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
*
Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...
*
Stephen Leacock Stephen Butler Leacock (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humourist. Between the years 1915 and 1925, he was the best-known English-speaking humourist in the world. Early life S ...
*
Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi-abstract art, abstract monumental Bronze sculpture, bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. Moore ...
*
Seamus Heaney Seamus Justin Heaney (13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish Irish poetry, poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. Among his best-known works is ''Death of a Naturalist'' (1966), his first m ...
*
Octavio Paz Octavio Paz Lozano (March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998) was a Mexican poet and diplomat. For his body of work, he was awarded the 1977 Jerusalem Prize, the 1981 Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the 1982 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, a ...
*
John Kenneth Galbraith John Kenneth Galbraith (October 15, 1908 – April 29, 2006), also known as Ken Galbraith, was a Canadian-American economist, diplomat, public official, and intellectual. His books on economic topics were bestsellers from the 1950s through the ...
*
Christopher Hitchens Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British and American author and journalist. He was the author of Christopher Hitchens bibliography, 18 books on faith, religion, culture, politics, and literature. He was born ...
*
Edmund Hillary Sir Edmund Percival Hillary (20 July 1919 – 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineering, mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa people, Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the Timeline of M ...
*
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
*
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...


See also

* ''
Survivors Are Not Heroes ''Survivors Are Not Heroes'' is a 1967 bronze sculpture by Sorel Etrog, installed outside the Hart House (University of Toronto), Hart House on the University of Toronto campus, in Ontario, Canada. References External links

* 1967 sculp ...
'', installed outside the building


References

* *


External links


Hart House official website

Hart House Debating Club

Hart House Orchestra

Hart House Lecture

''Hart House Review''

Justina M. Barnicke Gallery

Hart House Film Board
* Th
papers of John Burgon Bickersteth
the Warden of Hart House from 1921-1947, are held at th
University of Toronto Archives and Record Management Services

Hart House archival papers
held at th
University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services
{{authority control School buildings completed in 1919 University of Toronto buildings Gothic Revival architecture in Toronto Student activity centers Art museums and galleries in Ontario Museums in Toronto University museums in Canada Collegiate Gothic architecture 1919 establishments in Ontario