Kingsway College is a high school in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, with a Seventh-day Adventist environment which encourages personal spiritual commitment and fosters academic excellence, physical fitness, sensitive service, and growth in employment and social skills.

The school was established in 1903 1905 Year Book of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination, p. 98 in Lorne Park (a community to the west of Toronto, now part of Mississauga) by Eugene Leland and his wife, and was then known as Lornedale Academy, and had eight students from Grades 1–9. By 1907, the enrollment had grown to 40 students.Statistical Report of Seventh-day Adventist Conferences, Missions, and Institutions For the Year Ending December 31, 1907, p. 12 In 1911, Lornedale had become a high school, serving grades 7–12, which led to a need for more space and equipment.

The school began looking for a new site, and the present site in Oshawa (east of Toronto) was acquired. The school was renamed Buena Vista Academy, and opened in 1912. The school quickly grew. In 1914, it became a Union Conference school. In 1916, it became a junior college with fourteen grades, and its name was changed to Eastern Canadian Missionary Seminary.

In 1920, the school was incorporated, leading to another name change, this time to Oshawa Missionary College. During the Depression years, enrollment decreased and some programs were discontinued, following which an improvement program was implemented in 1933. Enrollment decreased again during World War II, but following the war, the college enjoyed a period of expansion.

In 1963, the school name was changed once more, to Kingsway College, reflecting a curriculum that included a complete academic program while decreasing the implication that the school was only a Bible college. In 1975, the Branson school of nursing was closed due to a change in nursing education policy by the Ontario government. This led to the decision to close the remainder of the college program and merge it with Canadian Union College in Alberta, leaving Kingsway strictly a high school. Since then Kingsway College has followed the ups and downs that have come with the Ontario education system, including the phasing out of OAC in 2002.

Lornedale Academy 1903 - 1912

An Overview

Kingsway College "had its birth not at Oshawa, but in a beautiful fruit farming section, about fifteen miles west of Toronto. In 1903, the officers of the Ontario Conference opened the first academy in this part of Canada in a farm house at Lorne Park. As the academy grew, a large addition was made to the house, making it into quite a convenient dormitory, with the necessary class rooms, and chapel. For nine years Lornedale Academy at Lorne Park was the Adventist educational centre for Ontario, and also well patronized by our members in Quebec." Historical Sketch by M.V. Campbell, Canadian Union Messenger, June 27, 1933, pp. 16, 17

1904

Lornedale Academy Publishes the Canadian Union Messenger

The executive committee of the Canadian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists voted to turn over to the management of the Lornedale Academy the printing, editing and mailing of The Canadian Union Messenger.The Canadian Union Messenger, September 15, 1904, p.4 Thus began a unique and practical educational venture. In September, the academy installed a printing plant on campus and the school's work of publishing the Messenger began under the supervision of principal Leland.The Canadian Union Messenger, October 1, 1904, p.4 For the December 8 issue of the Messenger, Eugene Leland reported that the type-setting, the press-work, and the editorial work was done almost entirely by students who, three weeks ago, had never been in a printing office before. All the students helped with preparing the Messenger for mailing. The principal then took the papers to the post office. Mr. Leland observed,

Christ's Object Lessons as a Fund-raiser for the School

An Informal Minority Meeting of the General Concerence Committee of Seventh-day Adventists met at Takoma Park, Maryland on July 19, 1904. A.G. Daniells, W.C. White, and W.W. Prescott, and, by invitation, I. H. Evans, discussed the need of establishing a training-school in the Ontario Conference. Evans had recently attended the annual camp-meeting for Ontario. They took this action:

The 5th annual session of the Ontario Conference held June 16–26, 1904, dedicated the last of their seven meetings to the work of selling Christ's Object Lessons,Read Christ Object Lessons online at this link. a book by Ellen G. White. At this last meeting, 55 people pledged to sell 1,251 books. The conference appointed T. H. Robinson to oversee the sales of the books. The months of October, November, and December, of 1904, were "set apart among all our people to especially prosecute this work." Review and Herald, July 28, 1904, p. 17

Ellen White relates how her book Christ's Object Lessons came to be linked to the financial support of Adventist schools,

The School Farm

Sunday Laws and the School Farm

On, August 15, 1904, Charles Sweeten and Fred Boettger, both employees on the Lorne Dale Academy farm, were summoned to appear before the Magistrate in answer to a complaint made against them for working on the Lord's day. At the time of the trial, the defense attorney failed to show. Charles Sweeten did not want to proceed without his attorney. However, the Crown attorney demanded his pay for the day plus the pay for the attendance of the large number of witnesses he had called. This was unacceptable to Mr. Sweeten, so the trial began. Principal Eugene Leland helped present a defence of "not guilty" for the two accused men. As the trial proceeded, the witnesses were unclear in their testimony as to what they had seen. The only witness put on the stand who could bear positive testimony was a member of the Adventist church, a young girl who had been employed at the farm picking berries. She reluctantly testified that Sweeten was in the patch on the day specified and was carrying berries.

Elder Leland's defense was that the 1845 law did not include 'farmers'. Both Bro. Boettger and Bro. Sweeten were put on the stand and testified that they were farmers. Elder Leland concluded his defence by stating some principles involved in Sunday laws in general and showing that there was no Bible authority for Sunday observance.

The Magistrate made some remarks which convinced the academy men that they would be convicted. He expressed sympathy for "this people" because he believed they were sincere, but he "did not believe that anybody had a right to set a day apart different from the majority of people, on which to worship, but should conform to the day on which the majority worshipped." The trial was adjourned until the August 25th for a decision.

The September 8, 1904 edition of the Review and Herald reported:

1905

The second term of the school year 1904-05 opened on January 11 with eighteen in attendance. All the old students returned bringing others with them.The Canadian Union Messenger, January 19, p. 3 A. O. Burrill observed, "If all the people in our conference could look in and hear some of the recitations, they would soon feel that this is the place for their youth.The Canadian Union Messenger, January 26, 1905, p. 3

The churches supported their school. The church in St. Thomas presented the school with "a beautiful parlor wood stove".Canadian Union Messenger, February 9, 1905, p. 3 The winter term closed with a special program held in the parlor. President Burrill attended. The principal made a few remarks then nearly all the students took part with recitations and musical selections. Some were upon the coming of the Lord, while others were upon the Sabbath, conversion, the love of God, and other subjects. Burrill considered the papers good enough for use in giving Bible studies in people's homes. "Only think, these are the children of the Ontario churches. These young people have been getting this knowledge by studying in our own school. My heart rejoiced as I listened. Of Jesus it is said that he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. I can say that when I had heard and seen, my heart was well paid for all that I have tried to do to help the school. It has been the money donated by the brethren and sisters, and that received from the sale of Christ's Object Lessons that has made it possible for this school to exist. Those who have toiled to get means to place this school where it is, will rejoice to know that their labors have not been in vain.

Principal Eugene Leland applied his creative mind to the work of education. The school organized a regular class in "Object Lessons" in the Spring term, presumably the course included the teaching of sales skills, a marketing class. As a result, they "hoped to see a lively interest awakened among the young people in the sale of this book." Canadian Union Messenger, April 27, 1905, p. 3 He asked of his readers, "What would the friends and patrons of the school think of organizing a class in giving treatments, and employing a trained nurse as teacher? The way seems to be opening up very providentially for this kind of instruction to be given."

Brother Herbert Knister took charge of the school farm. "He is up with the lark and at it all day."

Hospitality

The academy became a stopping point for travelling Adventists. The living quarters and cafeteria did not turn them away, but the expenses needed to be covered. After presenting the problem, A.O. Burrill writes:

1906

The academy provided strong out of the classroom life experiences for the young people attending. The January 4, 1906 edition of the Canadian Union Messenger reports that the printers gave up their vacation to help with the religious liberty work. This was the time of considerable political interest in Sunday legislation. These students gave up their Christmas vacation to help. In the same edition the Messenger reports on a wedding that took place in the academy parlor:

Buena Vista Academy 1912 - 1916

Overview

"Toward the end of that period (Lorne Park years) it became quite evident that still more commodious quarters would have to be provided. It was also felt that there should be more land to provide the young men with farm work to assist them in earning their way through the academy. As it did not seem practical to purchase more real estate in Lorne Park, nor to add further to the buildings it was decided to survey the field for some central point, with good railway service, where a modern academy building could be erected, which would have a good-sized farm connected with it.

In 1911, Lornedale had become a high school, serving grades 7-12, which led to a need for more space and equipment. The school began looking for a new site, and the present site in Oshawa (east of Toronto) was acquired. The school was renamed Buena Vista Academy, and opened in 1912. The school quickly grew. In 1914, it became a Union Conference school.

1912 "When the time arrived to open the academy for the year 1912-13, the first year at Oshawa, quite a large number of students arrived, but there were no arrangements to house them properly. The academy building was just nicely started. The little, square building behind it was used as the dining room, kitchen, chapel, classrooms, and in the basement was the laundry and cannery. The young ladies were taken care of fairly well in the stone house, but there was no near-by place to house the boys. Most of them roomed in the farm house, (now, 1933, Brother Brown's home), but several lived in tents on the campus. One or two of the boys continued to camp long after the ground was covered by a deep blanket of snow. Each student privileged to attend during that first year still treasures the memories of the joys as well as the hardships which were the common lot of the pioneer students of "Buena Vista Academy."