Passing of Harry Giles, Co-founder of TFS
On December 5, 2021, TFS lost its co-founder, William Henry “Harry” Giles. He was 91.
The life story of Mr. Giles is one of incredible achievement and we are the beneficiaries of his pioneering spirit and quest for providing the most advanced education to not only his children, but all children at TFS.
Born in Windsor, Ontario, Mr. Giles attended the University of Toronto where he met Anna Por, his future wife and partner in the founding of TFS. On starting a family, they wanted their children to be educated in both English and French, and came up with the idea of starting their own school when they found there were none. They turned the basement of their North Toronto home into a classroom and hired Nicole Corbi, a French teacher from abroad. It wasn’t long before more children joined the one room school.
Families became very eager to join the Giles’ bilingual education movement. In 1962, they incorporated as Toronto French School (TFS), and by 1966, the single schoolroom became six branches spread out across the city, with Mr. Giles as Headmaster. In 1973, he was honoured for his work by being named a member of the Order of Canada.
Sadly, a few months after the first graduation was held at TFS in 1975, which included their eldest child, Anna died, leaving an enormous absence in their family and at the school. Mr. Giles continued on and, in 1977 and in 1979, the two younger Giles children graduated as well.
By 1984, the many Toronto locations were consolidated at Lawrence Avenue East and Bayview Avenue, leaving the Mississauga branch, started in 1973, as the West Campus. Based on a record of excellence in French programming, TFS was officially recognized by the Ministry of National Education of France, also in 1984, and has maintained that recognition ever since.
Mr. Giles was a pioneer of bilingual education in Canada. He was also an innovator, introducing Russian-language instruction during the Cold War, Scottish O levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, still a part of TFS’ curriculum today. Mr. Giles remained TFS’ Headmaster for 22 years.
As the idea of our country as a bilingual nation took hold, so did TFS become the model for bilingual education from coast to coast to coast. The Giles' legacy lives on to this day.
