c ^btoarb 
 
 ^^^^WMc^Ul^.] 
 
 
 
 • > 
 
 • • < 
 
 ■ k I 
 
 • • t 
 
 V « 
 
 • ■ 
 t t 
 
 • > 
 
 • • » 
 
 '.•.- 
 
vyy. 
 
 • • • • • 
 
 • • • ' . • • ' 
 
 
 
 • • > •• 
 
 
'^ 
 
 COOOO 
 

THE EDWARD MURPHY MEDAL. 
 
 Reprinttd from th* " Canaditin Antiquarian" 
 
 |N 1873, Mr. Edward Murphy, of the well known 
 firm of Frothingham & Workman, Iron Mer- 
 chants, of this City, founded a prize called the 
 Edward Murphy Prize for the encouragement 
 of Commercial Education in Mvntrcal. The prize consists 
 of a gold Medal, value fifty dollars, besides a purse of fifty 
 dollars. It was founded for the encouragement, as its title 
 indicates, of commercial education among the scholars at- 
 tending the Commercial Academy, under the Roman 
 Catholic School Commissioners ot Montreal. 
 
 The prize is to be awarded annually to the highest scholar, 
 in the graduating commercial class, and is open without any 
 distinction, to all students attending the Academy.* 
 
 Thedonor has placed a sum of money in the hands of the 
 Roman Catholic School Commission of Montreal, the annual 
 value of which is sufficient to found the medal in perpetuity. 
 This medal was first struck in 1876, and is from the hands of 
 Messrs. J. S. & A. B. Wyon ; being of their perfect classical 
 workmanship. The Obverse, bears the head of its founder 
 with the legend — '* Edward Murphy* Donor." Ex : "Founded 
 A. D : 1873." Reverse, a beautiful Wreath of Maple leaves, 
 enclosing an inscription of five lines with a Shamrock above, 
 
 •As a proof of the lihcnil intention of thedonor li.ivhi;^ hceii fully carried out, we may men- 
 tion that the medal fur 1875 was awarded to Master F J. Duran, who is a member of the Pres- 
 byterian Church. 
 
and a beaver underneath, " For the encouragement of Com- 
 mercial Education." Lej^ : — " Catholic Commercial Aca- 
 demy." Ex : " Montreal." 
 
 With rej^ard to the School itself we quote the following 
 from its prospectus : — 
 
 " The rapidly increasinjj industry and prosperity of the 
 city of Montreal have assumed such proportions of late years 
 as to make it not only the commercial capital of Canada, 
 but one of the first business centres in America. 
 
 " This being the case, it was not surprising to find our citi- 
 zens taking early measures to have the intellectual education 
 of their youny people keep place with the development of 
 their material resources. The Catholic portion of the popu- 
 lation, unwilling to lag behind in the march of intellect, felt 
 it incumbent on them to establish a first-class Commercial 
 High School. 
 
 "A few years ago the Commissioners of Catholic Education 
 undertook the work, and with laudable energy and enterprise 
 brought it to a consummation ; and for the last three years 
 it has been in most successful operation. 
 
 " The beautiful mountain of Montreal, lifting itself in 
 ' royal ' grandeur above the horizon, and stretching towards 
 the city in a series of gently undulating hills, delights the 
 beholder and varies the beauty of the surrounding landscape. 
 The Reservoir, the Waterworks and the McGill University, 
 occupy one of these declivities of the mountain, while hand- 
 some country seats — the residences of private gentlemen or 
 wealthy merchants — occupy the others. Entirely isolated 
 eminences, and still nearer to the city proper, stood one of 
 those hills, which, from its extent and p.atural position, seem- 
 ed well adapted for the size of a popular institution. This 
 was the delightful spot chosen by the Catholic School Com- 
 missioners for the erection of the Commercial Academy. 
 
 " The main building is 165 x 45 feet, and the style of archi- 
 tecture is that of the sixteenth century, an epoch so pro- 
 
ductive of combined strength and beauty of civil and muni- 
 cipal edifices. The style of architecture shows how well the 
 ogival style may be made subservient to the exigencies of 
 modern times, as emplified in many of our public buildings 
 and private mansions, as well as in the less pretending re- 
 sidences of citizens, where elegance and beauty combine with 
 solidity and comfort. 
 
 •' The Commercial ." cadtmy presents a strikingly well-dis- 
 posed group of uniform buildings, the sameness of the archi- 
 tecture being relieved by tall towers and pretty pavilions in 
 pleasmg variety. In the centre /./m^^ of the main building 
 stands a stately tower, eighty feet high, and at its base a 
 a flight of grey granite steps, crowned with two balustrades 
 leads to the main entrance door. Within this centre tower 
 stands a large and costly clock, the large dial faces of which 
 announce the passing hours with unerring certainty." 
 
 One of the chief workers in this enterprise, was Mr P S 
 Murphy, who is about founding a medal in connection with 
 the Polytechnic course, lately added to the curriculum of the 
 Academy. The dies are now being prepai ed by the Messrs. 
 Wyon. and we hope soon with a short Article to usher it in 
 to the list of our Canadian Numismatic treasures 
 
 ••....,* . ,., •..•.. .... 
 
 • ♦ , ; • • ! • • 
 
 
 • •■•••••• • •»• •• • •