Editing William Lyon Mackenzie King (section)

== University (1891–1900) ==
[[File:King1899.jpg|thumb|upright|King in 1899]]
King enrolled at the [[University of Toronto]] in 1891.<ref name="Neatby" /> He obtained a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] degree in 1895, an [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]] degree in 1896, and an [[Master of Arts|MA]] in 1897, all from the university.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatpast.utoronto.ca/GreatMinds/ShowBanner.asp?ID=69 |title=William Lyon Mackenzie King: Prime Minister and Graduate |publisher=University of Toronto |website=Great Past |access-date=December 7, 2011 |archive-date=December 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202130909/http://www.greatpast.utoronto.ca/GreatMinds/ShowBanner.asp?ID=69 |url-status=dead }}</ref> While studying in Toronto he met a wide circle of friends, many of whom became prominent.{{sfn|Dawson|1958|pp=37–38}} He was an early member and officer of the [[Kappa Alpha Society]], which included a number of these individuals (two future Ontario Supreme Court Justices and the future chairman of the university itself). It encouraged debate on political ideas. He also was simultaneously a part of the Literary Society with [[Arthur Meighen]], a future political rival.<ref>{{Cite book |last=University of Toronto |url=http://archive.org/details/thevarsity13 |title=The Varsity, October 11, 1893 - March 21, 1894 |date=1893 |publisher=Toronto : The University |others=University of Toronto Archives & Records Management Services}}</ref>

King was especially concerned with issues of social welfare and was influenced by the [[Settlement movement|settlement house movement]] pioneered by [[Toynbee Hall]] in London, England. He played a central role in fomenting a students' strike at the university in 1895. He was in close touch, behind the scenes, with Vice-Chancellor [[William Mulock]], for whom the strike provided a chance to embarrass his rivals Chancellor [[Edward Blake]] and President [[James Loudon]]. King failed to gain his immediate objective, a teaching position at the university but earned political credit with Mulock, the man who would invite him to [[Ottawa]] and make him a [[deputy minister]] only five years later.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Blackburn |first=Robert H. |title=Mackenzie King, William Mulock, James Mavor, and the University of Toronto Students' Revolt of 1895 |journal=Canadian Historical Review |year=1988 |volume= 69 |issue=4 |pages= 490–503 |doi=10.3138/CHR-069-reviews }}</ref> While studying at the University of Toronto, King also contributed to the campus newspaper, ''[[The Varsity (newspaper)|The Varsity]],'' and served as president of the yearbook committee in 1896.<ref>{{Cite book |last=University of Toronto |url=http://archive.org/details/thevarsity58 |title=The Varsity, September 29, 1938 - March 17, 1939 |date=1938 |publisher=Toronto : The University |others=University of Toronto Archives & Records Management Services}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=University of Toronto |url=http://archive.org/details/thevarsity12 |title=The Varsity, October 12, 1892 - March 29, 1893 |date=1892 |publisher=Toronto : The University |others=University of Toronto Archives & Records Management Services}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=University of Toronto |url=http://archive.org/details/thevarsity14 |title=The Varsity, October 11, 1894 - March 3, 1895 |date=1894 |publisher=Toronto : The University |others=University of Toronto Archives & Records Management Services}}</ref> King subsequently wrote for ''[[The Globe (Toronto newspaper)|The Globe]]'', ''[[The Mail and Empire]]'', and the ''Toronto News''.<ref name="Hardy-1948">{{cite news|title=Mister Canada, Chapter V: Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword|last=Hardy|first=Reginald|date=July 8, 1948|newspaper=[[Lethbridge Herald]]|location=Lethbridge, Alberta|page=4|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jul-08-1948-3012161/}}{{free access}}</ref> Fellow journalist [[W. A. Hewitt]] recalled that, the city editor of the ''Toronto News'' left him in charge one afternoon with instructions to fire King if he showed up. When Hewitt sat at the editor's desk, King showed up a few minutes later and resigned before Hewitt could tell him he was fired.<ref name="Hardy-1948" />

After studying at the [[University of Chicago]] and working with [[Jane Addams]] at her settlement house, [[Hull House]], King proceeded to [[Harvard University]]. While at the University of Chicago, he participated on their track team as a half-mile runner.<ref>{{Cite book |last=University of Toronto |url=http://archive.org/details/thevarsity16 |title=The Varsity, October 14, 1896 - March 18, 1897 |date=1896 |publisher=Toronto : The University |others=University of Toronto Archives & Records Management Services}}</ref> He earned an MA in political economy from Harvard in 1898. In 1909, Harvard granted him a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] degree for a dissertation titled "Oriental Immigration to Canada."{{sfn|Dawson|1958|pp=198–199}} King and [[Mark Carney]] are the only Canadian Prime Ministers to have earned a PhD.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/federalgovernment/primeministers/Biographical.aspx |title=PRIME MINISTERS OF CANADA Biographical Information |website=Parliament of Canada |access-date=June 8, 2011 |archive-date=April 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415214234/http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/federalgovernment/primeministers/Biographical.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>