
Theodore Harding Rand (1835-1900) in Canadian Singers and their Songs, 1919. Courtesy Internet Archive.
Theodore Harding Rand (February 8, 1835 - May 29, 1900) was a Canadian poet and academic.
Life[]
Rand was born in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia in 1835.
A Baptist, Rand attended Acadia College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia (which had been founded by the Baptist community in 1838), graduating in 1860.
Upon graduation, Rand became professor of Classics at the Provincial Normal School in Truro, Nova Scotia. Working at a normal school, charged with training future teachers, Rand soon developed an interest in education policy. He became interested in the common school movement and traveled to Great Britain and the United States to study the common school phenomenon. He began to advocate common schools for Nova Scotia, and produced writings and lectures on the topic.
Rand's advocacy proved successful in 1864 when the government of Nova Scotia, led by Conservative Premier Charles Tupper passed legislation creating a common school system for Nova Scotia. Tupper appointed Rand as Nova Scotia's 1st superintendent of education, and in this capacity, Rand oversaw the creation of Nova Scotia's public education system.
In 1871, the Province of New Brunswick, under the leadership of Liberal-Conservative Premier George E. King, passed the Common Schools Act which created a series of common schools in New Brunswick. Upon King's invitation, Rand became New Brunswick's 1st superintendent of education, and oversaw the creation of public education in that province as well. Rand continued his own education during this time, earning a Doctor of Civil Law from Acadia College in 1874.
Rand left the world of public education in 1883 when he became professor of history and didactics at Acadia College. In 1885, he moved to Toronto to take a position at the Toronto Baptist College (created in 1881 through funding provided by William McMaster). In 1886, he moved to Woodstock, Ontario to become college president of the Baptist Woodstock College.
In 1890, the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec voted to merge Toronto Baptist College and Woodstock College - the merged university was named McMaster University in honor of William McMaster's financial support. Rand served as chancellor of McMaster University from 1892 to 1895.
Writing[]
While Rand began writing poetry as a teenager, he was not a published poet until his 60s. His earliest book, At Minas Basin and other poems, was printed in 1897. The book was successful, and an expanded 2nd edition was released the next year. Rand's next book of poetry, Song-waves, was in publication at the time of his death in 1900.[1]
Rand also edited a poetry anthology, A Treasury of Canadian Verse, which was also published in 1900.[1]
Publications[]

Poetry[]
- At Minas Basin, and other poems. Toronto: William Briggs / Montreal: C.W. Coates, 1897; 2nd edition, Toronto: William Briggs / Montreal: C.W. Coates / Halifax, NS: S.F. Huestis, 1898.
- Song-waves. Toronto: William Briggs, 1900.
Education[]
- "Rand’s publications include 'Dr. Rand’s address,' McMaster University, Educational addresses (Toronto; Dudley & Burns, 1890), 5–17; and 'Susan Moulton McMaster,' 'The chancellor’s address; graduation – May 1st, 1895,' 'Thomas Trotter,” and 'Our educational principles and ideals,' all in McMaster University Monthly(Toronto), 2 (1892–93): 153–60; 4 (1894–95): 349–54; 5 (1895–96): 289–94; and 7 (1897–98): 51–57, 110–15 respectively."[1]
- "His reports as the superintendent of education for Nova Scotia and for New Brunswick are found in: N.S. Council of Public Instruction, Annual report of the superintendent of education (Halifax, 1864–69); and in N.B. Annual report of the common superior, grammar, and training and model schools (Fredericton, 1872–79, and Annual report of the schools, 1880–84."[1]
Edited[]
- A Treasury of Canadian Verse. Toronto: William Briggs, 1900; London: J.M.Dent, 1900; New York: E.P. Dutton, 1900; London: Henry Frowde, 1904; Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1969.
Autumn (Theodore Harding Rand Poem)
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[2]
See also[]
Ay Me! (Theodore Harding Rand Poem)
References[]
- Margaret Conrad, "'An Abiding Conviction of the Paramount Importance of Christian Education': Theodore Harding Rand as Educator, 1860-1900," in Robert S. Wilson, ed., An Abiding Conviction: Maritime Baptists and Their World (Saint John: Acadia Divinity College and the Baptist Historical Committee, 1988), pp. 155-95
- Barry Moody, "'The Trail of the Serpent': The Appointment of a 'Professor of Didactics' at Acadia College, 1883", in Historical Identities: The Professoriate in Canada, ed. Paul Stortz & E. Lisa Panayotidis (2006).
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Margaret Conrad, "Rand, Theodore Harding," Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online, Web, Sep. 29, 2011.
- ↑ Search results = au:Theodore Harding Rand, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Oct. 29, 2013.
External links[]
- Poems
- "Autumn"
- 3 Rand sonnets: "Autumn", "The Willow at Grand-Pré", and "Glooscap" at Sonnet Central
- Theodore Harding Rand at PoemHunter (15 poems)
- Books
- Works by Theodore Harding Rand at Project Gutenberg
- Theodore Harding Rand at Amazon.com
- About
- Theodore Harding Rand in the New Brunswick Literary Encyclopedia
- Rand, Theodore Harding in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography
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