he took an active interest in educational institutions. One of the first and most lasting of his interests was the University of Toronto. In 1887, the denominational institutions of Victoria College (Methodist), Knox College (Presbyterian), Wycliffe College (Anglican theological school), and St. Michael's College (Roman Catholic) had entered into a federation with the secular University College, the only one funded by the government. After fire destroyed the eastern portion of University College in 1890, Walker was instrumental in persuading the Ontario government to make its first grant to the amalgamated University of Toronto. He was also responsible for leading the last denominational college - Trinity College, affiliated with the Church of England - into the federation in 1904. Trinity awarded him a Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.) that same year. In 1905, he was a member of the Royal Commission on the reorganization of the university, which was responsible for securing annual government grants thereafter. Over the course of his 32-year involvement with the university, Walker served as trustee (1892–1906), senator (1893–1901), member of the board of governors (1906–10), chairman (1910–23) and chancellor (1923–24). The Toronto Conservatory of Music also joined the university through his efforts. He served as a member of its Board of Governors, and later as president (1917–24). His support for music also included the Mendelssohn Choir, for which he was honorary president (1900–24). With a lasting commitment to education and the importance of Canadian history in nurturing patriotism and a Canadian identity, he founded the Champlain Society in 1905. Established as a non-profit organization, its mandate was to publish important documents relating to Canadian history, projects that commercial publishers would consider unprofitable. He believed that this Society was his finest achievement. He served as its president until his death. As an author of articles on a variety of subjects - banking, Robert Browning, Italian and Japanese art - it is not surprising that Walker would be one of the founders of the Canadian Society of Authors, established to promote Canadian literature and protect authors with copyright laws. Walker served as president from 1904 to 1909. In 1911, Walker established Appleby School, a boys' private boarding school, for which he purchased the initial property in Oakville. The first headmaster of the school was Walker's son-in-law John Guest. A love of art Through his years in New York City and early trips to Europe - including to London