The Caress

The Caress

Greg Egan

So I called an on-line Britannica, and said “Lindhquistism”.

Andreas Lindhquist, 1961-2030, was a Swiss performance artist, with the distinct financial advantage of being heir to a massive pharmaceutical empire. Up until 2011, he engaged in a wide variety of activities of a bioartistic nature, progressing from generation sounds and images by computer processing of physiological signals (ECG, EEG, skin conductivity, hormonal levels continuously monitored by immunoelectric probes), to subjecting himself to surgery in a sterile, transparent cocoon in the middle of a packed auditorium, once to have them swapped back (he publicized a more ambitious version, in which he claimed every organ in his torso would be removed and reinserted facing backwards, but was unable to find a team of surgeons who considered this anatomically plausible).

In 2011, he developed a new obsession. He projected slides of classical paintings in which the figures had been blacked out, and had models in appropriate costumes and make-up strike poses in front of the screen, filling in the gaps.

Why? In his own words (or perhaps a translation): The great artists are afforded glimpses into a separate, transcendental, timeless world. Does that world exist? Can we travel to it? No! We must force it into being around us! We must take these fragmentary glimpses and make them solid and tangible, make them live and breathe and walk amongst us, we must import art into reality, and by doing so transform our world into the world of the artists’ vision.

The Caress. Photo by Elena

I wondered what ARIA would have made of that.

Over the next ten years, he moved away from projected slides. He began hiring move set designers and landscape architects to recreate in three dimensions the backgrounds of the paintings he chose. He discarded the use of make-up to alter the appearance of the models, and, when he found it impossible to find perfect lookalikes, he employed only those who, for sufficient payment, were willing to undergo cosmetic surgery.

His interest in biology hadn’t entirely vanished; in 2021, on his sixtieth birthday, he had two tubes implanted in his skull, allowing him to constantly monitor, and alter, the precise neurochemical content of his brain ventricular fluid. After this, his requirements became even more stringent. The “cheating” techniques of movie sets were forbidden – a house, or a church, or a lake, or a mountain, glimpsed in the corner of the painting being “realized”. Had to be there, full scale and complete in every detail. Houses, churches and small lakes were created; mountains he had to seek out – though he did transplant or destroy thousands of hectares of vegetation to alter their color and texture. His models were required to spend months before and after the “realization”, scrupulously “living their roles”, following complex rules and scenarios that Lindhquist devised, based on his interpretation of the painting’s “characters”. This aspect grew increasingly important to him:

The precise realization of the appearance – the surface, I call it, however three-dimensional – is only the most rudimentary beginning. It is the network of relationships between the subjects, and between the subjects and their setting, that constitutes the challenge for the generation that follows me.

At first, it struck me as astonishing that I’d never even heard of this maniac, his sheer extravagance must have earned him a certain notoriety. But there are millions of eccentrics in the world, and thousands of extremely wealthy ones – and I was only five when Lindhquist died of a heart attack in 2030, leaving his fortune to a nine-year-old son.

(Excerpt from The Year’s Best Science Fiction, eighth annual collection, edited by Gardner Dozois, 2008)

Teeth Brighteners

A Dim Report about Teeth Brighteners

Using your brush with teeth brighteners, you may be getting more than just a flashy smile.

When you brush with teeth brighteners, you may be getting more than just a flashy smile. Teeth brightener sales topped $52 million in 1993, up 25 percent over 1992. But the American Dental Association has raised serious concerns about the safety of teeth brighteners. Prompted by the ADA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now investigating whether the over-the counter products should be regulated as cosmetics or drugs. None of the products currently on the market are accepted by the ADA.

Although dentists have used hydrogen peroxide as bleaching agents for years, the ADA worries that commercially available at-home kits involve hours of unsupervised exposure to hydrogen peroxide and that users may leave the product on their teeth longer than directed, thinking their teeth will be made even whiter the longer the product is applied. The brighteners often contain acids that can damage enamel, they say, and overuse can also cause tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, and throat and stomach problems. In some cases, oxygenating agents can damage mouth tissues, delay healing, harm the interior of teeth, cause cell changes, and enhance the effects of other cancerogenics, they claim.

Bright teeth. Photo by Elena

One study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that hamsters given hydrogen peroxide orally developed precancerous growths. When hydrogen peroxide was combined with cancer-causing products, such as cigarettes, the likelihood of cancer increased greatly.

FDA safely regulations are more stringent for drugs than for cosmetics. According to the FDA, a drug is intended to affect the structure and function of the body while a cosmetic is defined as anything “introduced into or otherwise applied to the human body for promoting attractiveness or altering appearances.”

At prices that can be twice as high as regular toothpaste, teeth brighteners carry a healthy profit margin. The FDA will have to determine if they are also as safe.

Straight Talk About Braces

Straight Talk About Braces

An early trip to the orthodontist can spare you a fearsome dental bill

Dr. Tom Graber has been in the forefront of orthodontic research since he began practicing in 1945. He authored several textbooks on the subject and has edited The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics since 1985. Though he’s never worn braces himself, three of his children have.

What does an orthodontist do?

Just as an orthopedic surgeon guides the growth of an abnormally forming leg or arm, an orthodontist guides the growth of the jaw and face, particularly for children with underdeveloped jaws or when the upper and lower jaw don’t fit together.

What are the tip-offs that preventative measures like an appliance might be needed?

The most obvious problems are the inherited ones, such as when a child inherits a small jaw from one parent and large teeth from another, leading to jaw disorders. Also, the upper jaw can be deformed by finger sucking or, more likely, compensatory tongue-swallowing habits. This happens when kids continue natural back and forth tongue-thrusting when they stop nursing, which pushes the front teeth out. Kids whose front teeth stick out tend to get their lower lip under them every time they swallow, which pushes the teeth even further out. Mouth-breathing or enlarged adenoids and tonsils can also cause compensatory problems.

Starbucks. Photo by Elena

What can be done to prevent such problems?

Children should be seen by a qualified orthodontist by the time they are six. A pediatric dentist may not have the training to recognize the early developmental problems that can be solved with simple interceptive orthodontics, and recognizing these problems can save a lot of trouble down the road. By the time your girl hits 11 or 12 or your boy hits 13 or 14, all you can really do is shove teeth around. Better to start with simple appliance procedures than to go in there later with an expensive long-term procedure.

A simple appliance, for instance, can be used to expand a narrow jaw or to prevent the deleterious effects of bad habits. You probably will want to use a simple fixed appliance which is cemented to the child’s upper teeth. A removable appliance relies too much on patient cooperation, which is hard to come by with very young children.

What about braces? What are some of the reasons one would get them?

Mostly for cosmetic reasons, but braces also help to correct abnormal jaw growth and function. The cause of real dental health problems is not necessarily crooked teeth but the way the teeth fit together, so you use braces to get a handle on the jaw. When the jaws are not in the right relationship, it places abnormal stress on the jaw joint, and that may cause pain and improper functions.

Are there any new technologies that can make wearing braces a less traumatic experience for a self-conscious young person?

Lingual braces, which are hidden behind the teeth, are fine for purely cosmetic reasons, but they are much harder to adjust and make eating and talking difficult. And they aren’t as effective because you can’t get the same kind of control over them.

The alternative is ceramic braces. The brackets are made out of the same sort of material as coffee cups and are nearly invisible against the teeth. Ceramic brackets are bonded to the tooth instead of being glued around it like the old metal bands were. They make very cosmetically acceptable brackets for the wires, which have also come a long way. The new thin nickel titanium wires are light and they need less adjustment. They work so well that you don’t need them as long.

In some specialized cases, small magnets can be used to speed up and simplify treatment, for example with growth guidance appliances and the eruption of teeth embedded in the jaw, but this is very unusual.

How can a parent know if a price quoted by an orthodontist is reasonable?

Early interceptive work with appliances may run you hundreds of dollars, but if it’s a difficult case that requires braces and a lot of treatment, it may be thousands and thousands of dollars. Of course, prices vary geographically, but in most cases, braces will run from around $2,000 up for involved programs.

In a lot of cases you have to rely on the integrity of your orthodontist. Make sure he is board certified, which only about 30 percent of orthodontists are. You can also call one of the dental schools in your town to get an idea of what the going rate for a specific procedure is. And, of course, you should always get a second opinion.

When does is make sense for adults to undergo an orthodontic procedure?

About 25% of the orthodontic work done today is on adults, mostly for cosmetic reasons. There is also a relationship between some gum problems and jaw problems that braces can help. You put up to 350 pounds of pressure on your jaw when you chew, and that can really affect your gums. A lot of adults tend to grind or clench their teeth at night, which, if your bite is wrong, can lead to a popped disc in the jaw joint. Orthodontists can make a splint that will help relieve that pressure.

Tinkering with Mother Nature

Tinkering with Mother Nature

Facial implants and chemical peels have joined tummy tucks and nose jobs in the panoply of cosmetic procedures that appearance-conscious Americans are resorting to in increasing numbers. The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons provides this guide to today’s most-elected interventions with nature.

Breast enlargement: Augmentation Mammoplasty. Enhances the size and shape of breasts using artificial implants.

Procedure: Lasts 1 to 2 hours. Local anesthesia with sedation, or general. Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary pain. Swelling, soreness, numbness of abdominal skin, bruising, tiredness for several weeks or months.

Recovery: Back to work in 2 to 4 weeks. More strenuous activity after 4 to 6 weeks or more. Fading and flattening of scars: 3 months to 2 years.

Risks: Blood clots. Infection. Bleeding under the skin flap. Poor healing resulting in conspicuous scarring or skin loss. Need for a second operation.

Duration: Permanent.

Breast Lift: Mastopexy. Raises and reshapes sagging breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning remaining tissue and nipples.

Procedure: Lasts 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Local anesthesia with sedation, or general. Usually outpatient. Sometimes inpatient. 1 to 2 days.

Elvis and Priscilla. Photo by Elena

Side effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, discomfort, numbness, dry breast skin. Permanent scars.

Recovery: Feeling better, back to work in a week.

Risks: Thick, wide scars; skin loss; infection. Unevenly positioned nipples. Permanent loss of feeling in nipples and breast.

Duration: Variable; Gravity, pregnancy, aging, and weight changes may cause new sagging. May last longer when combined with implants.

Chemical Peel: Phenol, trichloracetic acid (TCA). Restore wrinkled, blemished, unevenly pigmented or sun-damaged facial skin, using a chemical solution to peel away skin’s top layers. Works best on fair, thin skin with superficial wrinkles.

Procedure: Takes 1 to 2 hours for full face. No anesthesia – sedation and EKG monitoring may be used. Usually outpatient. Full-face phenol peel may require admission for 1 to 2 days.

Side effects: Both: Temporary throbbing, tingling, swelling redness; acute sensitivity to sun. Phenol: Permanent lightening of treated skin; permanent loss of ability to tan.

Recovery: Phenols: Formation of new skin in 7 to 21 days. Normal activities in 2 to 4 weeks. Full healing and fading of redness in 3 to 6 months: New skin within 5 to 10 days.

Risks: Both: Tiny whiteheads (temporary); infection; scarring; flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold sores. Phenol: Abnormal color changes (permanent); heart irregularities (rare).

Duration: Phenol is permanent, although new wrinkles may form as skin ages. TCA is variable (temporary).

Collagen/Fat injections: Plump up creased, furrowed, or sunken facial skin; add fullness to lips and backs of hands. Works best on thin, dry, light-colored skin.

Procedure: Lasts 15 minutes to 1 hour per session. Collagen: usually no anesthesia; local may be included with the injection. Fat requires local anesthesia. Outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary stinging, throbbing, or burning sensation. Faint redness, swelling excess fullness.

Risks: Collagen: allergic reactions including rash, hives, swelling, or flu-like symptoms; possible triggering of connective-tissue or autoimmune diseases. Both: contour irregularities; infection.

Duration: Variable, from a few months to as long as a year.

Dermabrasion: Mechanical scraping of the top layers of skin using a high-speed rotary wheel. Softens sharp edges of surface irregularities, including acne and other scars and fine wrinkles, especially around mouth.

Procedure: Lasts a few minutes to 1 1/2 hours. May require more sessions. Anesthesia: Local, numbing spray, or general. Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary tingling, burning, itching, swelling, redness. Lightening of treated skin, acute sensitivity to sun; loss of ability to tan.

Recovery: Back to work in 2 weeks. More strenuous activities in 4 to 6 weeks. Fading of redness in about 3 months. Return of pigmentation/sun exposure in 6 to 12 months.

Risks: Abnormal color changes (permanent). Tiny whiteheads (temporary). Infection. Scarring. Flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters, cold sores.

Duration: Permanent, but new wrinkles may form as skin ages.

Eyelid Surgery: Blepharoplasty. Corrects drooping upper eyelids and puffy bags below the eyes by removing excess fat, skin, and muscle. (May be covered by insurance if used to improve vision).

Procedure: Lasts 1 to 3 hours. Usually, local anesthesia with sedation, occasionally general. Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary discomfort, tightness of lids, swelling, bruising. Temporary dryness, burning, itching of eyes. Excessive tearing, sensitivity to light for first few weeks.

Risks: Temporary blurred or double vision; blindness (extremely rare). Infection. Swelling at corners of eyelids; tiny whiteheads. Slight asymmetry in healing or scarring. Difficulty in closing eyes completely (rarely permanent). Pulling down of the lower lids may require further surgery).

Recovery: Reading in 2 or 3 days Back to work in 7 to 10 days. Contact lenses in 2 weeks or more. Strenuous activities, alcohol in about 3 weeks. Bruising and swelling gone in several weeks.

Duration: Several years to permanent.

Facelift: Rhytidectomy: Improve sagging facial skin, jowls, and loose neck skin by removing excess, tightening muscles, redraping skin. Most often done on men and women over 40.

Procedure: Lasts several hours. Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general. Usually outpatient. Some patients may require short inpatient stay.

Side effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, and tenderness of skin; tight feeling, dry skin. For men, permanent need to shave behind ears, where beard-growing skin is repositioned.

Recovery: Back to work in 10 to 14 days. More strenuous activity in 2 weeks or more. Bruising gone in 2 to 3 weeks. Must limit exposure to sun for several months.

Risks: Injury to the nerves that control facial muscles, loss of feeling (usually temporary but may be permanent). Infection. Poor healing, excessive scarring. Change in hairline.

Duration: Usually about 5 to 10 years.

Facial implants: Change the basic shape and balance of the face using carefully styled implants to build up a receding chin, add prominence to cheekbones, or reshape the jawline. Implants may be natural or artificial.

Procedure: Lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours. Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general. Usually outpatient.

Occasionally requires overnight stay.

Side effects: Temporary discomfort, swelling, bruising, numbness and/or stiffness. In jaw surgery, inability to open mouth fully for several weeks.

Recovery: Back to work in about a week. Normal appearance in 2 to 4 weeks. Activity that could jar or bump face after 6 weeks or more.

Risks: Shifting or imprecise positioning of implant, or infection around it, requiring a second operation or removal. Excess tightening and hardening of scar tissue around an artificial implant (“capsular contracture”), causing an unnatural shape.

Duration: Permanent.

Forehead lift: Browlift. Minimize forehead creases, drooping eyebrows, hooding over eyes, furrowed forehead, and frown lines by removing excess tissue and redraping skin. Most often done on people over 40.

Procedure: Length: 1 to 2 hours. Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general. Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary swelling, numbness, headaches, bruising. Possible itching and hair loss for several months. Change of hairline.

Recovery: Back to work in 7 to 10 days. More strenuous activity after several weeks. Bruising gone after 2 to 3 weeks. Limited exposure to sun for everal months.

Risks: Injury to facial nerve, causing loss of motion, muscle weakness, or asymmetrical look. Infection. Broad or excessive scarring.

Duration: Usually about 5 to 10 years.

Hair replacement surgery: Fill in balding areas with the patient’s own hair using a variety of techniques including scalp reduction, tissue expansion, strip grafts, scalp flaps, or clusters of punch grafts (plugs, miniplugs, and microplugs). Works best on men with male pattern baldness after hair loss has stopped.

Procedure: Lasts 1 to 3 hours. Some techniques may require multiple procedures over 18 months or more. Anesthesia: Usually local with sedation. Flaps and tissue expansion may be done with general anesthesia. Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary aching, tight scalp. An unnatural look in early stages.

Recovery: Back to work: usually in 2 to 5 days. More strenuous activities after 10 days to 3 weeks. Final look: may be 18 months or more, depending on procedure.

Risks: Unnatural look. Infection. Excessive scarring. Failure to “take.” Loss of scalp tissue and/or transplanted hair.

Duration: Permanent.

Liposuction: Suction-assisted lipectomy. Improve body shape using tube and vacuum device to remove unwanted fat deposits that don’t respond to dieting and exercise. Locations include chin, cheeks, neck, upper arms, above breasts, abdomen, buttocks, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles.

Procedure: Lasts 1 to 2 hours or more, depending on extent of surgery. Anesthesia: Local, epidural, or general. Usually outpatient. Extensive procedures may require short inpatient stay.

Side effects: Temporary bruising, swelling, numbness, burning sensation.

Recovery: Back to work in 3 to 7 days. More strenuous activity after 2 to 3 weeks. Swelling and bruising subsides in 3 to 6 months.

Risks: Infection. Excessive fluid loss leading to shock. Fluid accumulation. Injury to the skin. Rippling or bagginess of skin. Pigmentation changes (may become permanent if exposed to sun). Excessive scarring if tissue was cut away. Need for second procedure to remove additional tissue.

Duration: Permanent.

Nose surgery: Rhinoplasty. Reshape nose by reducing or increasing size, removing hump, changing shape of tip or bridge, narrowing span of nostrils, or changing angle between nose and upper lip. May relieve some breathing problems.

Procedure: Length: 1 to 2 hours or more. Anesthesia: Local with sedation, or general. Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary swelling, bruising around eyes and nose, and headaches. Some bleeding and stuffiness.

Recovery: Back to work or school in 1 to 2 weeks. Avoid hitting nose or sunburn for 8 weeks. Fina appearance after a year or more.

Risks: Infection. Small burst blood vesselss resulting in tiny, permanent red spots. Incomplete improvement, requiring additional surgery.

Duration: Permanent.

Tummy tuck: Abdominoplasty. Flatten abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening muscles of abdominal wall.

Procedure: Lasts 2 to 5 hours. Anesthesia: General or local with sedation. In- or outpatient, depending on individual circumstances.

Side effects: Temporary pain. Swelling, soreness, numbness of abdominal skin, bruising, tiredness for weeks or months.

Recovery: Back to work in 2 to 4 weeks. More strenuous activity after 4 to 6 weeks or more. Fading and flattening of scars in 3 months to 2 years.

Risks: Blood clots. Infection. Bleeding under the skin flap. Poor healing resulting in conspicuous scarring or skin loss. Need for a second operation.

Duration: Permanent.

In aesthetic procedures, eyelid surgery is most popular among women, but men prefer to have their noses altered.

Ryerson University

Ryerson University

Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto. Its urban campus surrounds the Yonge-Dundas Square. The university has a focus on applied, career-oriented education.

Ryerson University is home to Canada’s largest undergraduate business school, the Ted Rogers School of Management, and Canada’s third largest undergraduate engineering school, the George Vari Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, as well as the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Communication & Design, Faculty of Community Services, and the Faculty of Science.

In addition to offering full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate programs leading to Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees, the university also offers part-time degrees, distance education and certificates through the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education.

The Ryerson Institute of Technology was founded in 1948, inheriting the staff and facilities of the Toronto Training and Re-establishment Institute. In 1966, it became the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.

The Toronto Training and Re-establishment Institute was created in 1945 on the former site of the Toronto Normal School at St James Square, bounded by Gerrard, Church, Yonge and Gould. The Gothic-Romanesque building was designed by architects Thomas Ridout and Frederick William Cumberland in 1852.

In 1992, Ryerson became Toronto’s second school of engineering to receive accreditation from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB).

In 1993, Ryerson formally became a University, via an Act of the Ontario Legislature. That year, Ryerson received approval to grant graduate degrees (master’s and doctorates). The same year, the Board of Governors changed the institution’s name to Ryerson Polytechnic University to reflect a stronger emphasis on research associated with graduate programs and its expansion from being a university offering undergraduate degrees.

In 1971, provincial legislation was amended to permit Ryerson to grant university degrees accredited by both provincial government legislation and by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

In June 2001, the school assumed its current name as Ryerson University. Today, Ryerson University offers programs in chemical, civil, mechanical, industrial, electrical, biomedical and computer engineering. Ryerson is Canada’s leader in innovative, career-focused education and a university clearly on the move. It is a distinctly urban university with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. Ryerson has a mission to serve societal need and a long-standing commitment to engaging its community. It offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs.

Ryerson University. The John Craig Eaton Garden. Chancellor 1999 - 2006

A sculpture of a bird in a court of the university. In 1971, the university became a member of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU).

Egerton Ryerson, founder of the university. Egerton Ryerson was a leading educator, politician, and Methodist minister. He is known as the father of Ontario's public school system. In 1852 at the core of the present main campus, the historic St. James Square, Egerton Ryerson founded Ontario's first teacher training facility, the Toronto Normal School.

Ryerson University urban campus, central area.

Ryerson University theatre.

Ryerson University Tower. Motto of the Ryerson University: Mente et Artificio (Mind and Skill)

This coat of arms in Ohio sandstone is a composite of a design by Governor John Graves Simcoe (1791 - 1796) to which were added the motto (religio, scientia, libertas) and the beaver by Dr. Egerton Ryerson, Ontario's first superintendent of education. Governor Simcoe's design served as the seal of Upper Canada, and Dr. Ryerson used the composite as the insignia of the Department of Education.

The university is named after the Reverend Egerton Ryerson, founder of the procince’s education system, the Ryerson Institute of Technology was established in 1948 to provide technological education for post-secondary school students.

Established in 1948, Ryerson University is a public research university located in Toronto, Ontario. Its urban campus is in downtown Toronto.

The majority of the buildings of the university are in the blocks northeast of the Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto’s Garden District. Ryerson’s business school, Ted Rogers School of Management (Canada`s largest undergraduate business school) is on the southwest end of the Yonge-Dundas Square, on Bay Street, north of Toronto’s Financial District. It is attached to the Toronto Eaton Centre.

The Mattamy Athletic Centre, is located in the Maple Leaf Gardens arena, formerly home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryerson has Canada’s third largest undergraduate engineering school, the George Vari Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science. In addition to offering full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate programs leading to Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees, the university offers part-time degrees, distance education and certificates through the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education.

In 1852 at the core of the present main campus, the St. James Square, Egerton Ryerson founded Ontario’s first teacher training facility, the Toronto Normal School. Mr. Ryerson was an educator, politician, and Methodist minister. He is known as the father of Ontario’s public school system.

Egerton Ryerson is also a founder of the first publishing company in Canada in 1829, The Methodist Book and Publishing House, which is today is part of McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

The Toronto Training and Re-establishment Institute was created in 1945 on the former site of the Toronto Normal School at St James Square, bounded by Gerrard, Church, Yonge and Gould. The Gothic-Romanesque building was designed by architects Thomas Ridout and Frederick William Cumberland in 1852.

The Ryerson Institute of Technology was founded in 1948, inheriting the staff and facilities of the Toronto Training and Re-establishment Institute. In 1966, this institution became the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.

Today, Ryerson University offers programs in chemical, civil, mechanical, industrial, electrical, biomedical and computer engineering. The university is also one of only two Canadian universities to offer a program in aerospace engineering accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). In total, Ryerson offers more than hundred undergraduate and graduate programs.

The Toronto Normal School. The Toronto Normal School, the first provincial institution for the systematic training of elementary school-teachers, was established in 1847 through the initiative of the Reverend Egerton Ryerson, Chief Superintendent of Schools for Canada West. In 1852 the School was located in Classical Revival style buildings designed for this site by F.W. Cumberland and Thomas Ridout. At first the Normal School had to provide academic instruction for some poorly educated student-teachers, but, increasingly, emphasis was placed on professional training. As a result the Toronto Normal School contributed significantly to the gradual improvement of teaching standards throughout Ontario and became a leading centre for teacher-training. In 1941 the Normal School was moved to a different site and renamed Toronto Teachers’ College in 1952.