Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Wesley College
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1888-1938
History
While nominally included in the 1877 incorporation of the University of Manitoba, Wesley College was officially founded in 1888 by the Methodist minister Rev. George Young. It was named for the 18th-century founder of Methodism, John Wesley. It taught its first year in Grace Church which stood on the corner of Ellice & Notre Dame with seven students, and Dr. W.J. Sparling was appointed the first instructor & Principal (although he did not arrive until the next year). In 1896 Wesley College opened the doors to its new college building on Portage Avenue. In 1913, due to their long co-operation and the proximity of their sites, Manitoba College entered into an experimental partnership with Wesley College called the United Colleges; however in 1914, they returned to independence and while Manitoba College surrendered the teaching of Arts to the University of Manitoba, Wesley College continued to teach both Arts and Theology. In 1938 the two colleges joined together as United College.