Located on a site with a storied history, our school bears the name of Marshall McLuhan, a noted communication and media theorist.
McLuhan was born in Edmonton on July 21, 1911, and raised in Winnipeg. He attended the University of Manitoba, earning a BA and MA, and subsequently, completing a BA, MA and PhD at the University of Cambridge. McLuhan's studies were in English, Engineering, and Religion.
Marshall McLuhan converted to Roman Catholicism on March 25, 1937. He thought of his date of conversion as a date of his birth, hence, at McLuhan CSS, we celebrate our patron on March 25th.
McLuhan's career consisted of teaching positions at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, at St. Louis University, and at Assumption University in Windsor. He moved to Toronto in 1948 where he joined St. Michael's College of the University of Toronto (U of T).
It was in Toronto where McLuhan's global reputation grew. He began a series of Communication and Culture seminars, establishing the Centre for Culture and Technology at the U of T in 1963. He remained there until 1979. McLuhan died in 1980.
The arrival of the Internet brought renewed interest in his work. He is most widely noted for exploring media's effect on its message, coining the phrases 'Global Village', 'The Medium is the Message', classifying 'hot' and 'cool' media, and essentially predicting the way we access information and communicate globally.
Marshall McLuhan also spoke of the 'City as Classroom‛. At Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School, we live out his idea that learning extends beyond the walls of our classrooms, and as such, we offer our students a wide variety of experiences. As a lively hub of learning, our students participate in field trips near and far. We have also hosted world-renowned experts, some of whom include: Chris Hadfield, Marina Nemat, Anthony De Sa, Mariatu Kamara, and Father Stan Fortuna. Through these and many other life-altering learning experiences, Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School continues to promote the development of the whole child.
Marshall McLuhan lived in North Toronto and was an active member of the Holy Rosary parish. He has not only influenced our school culturally, but also religiously. Our school strives to embody Marshall McLuhan's devotion to his faith, and his passion for the influence of technology on society.
