APPOINTED TRUSTEE FOR CHATHAM COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

King was always an advocate of education.  He also was a pioneer in proving that children of different races were capable of learning in classrooms together, as Secretary of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society John Scoble noted:

"I am not the advocate for exclusively coloured schools; I believe that one mode of breaking down the prejudice which exists against colour will be educating chidren of all complexions together.  An important fact came to my attention at Buxton which illustrates this point.  At this interesting settlement an excellent school was opened by the Rev. Mr. King, at which superior education was imparted, and the result was that the white school in the neighourhood was given up, and the children transferred to the coloured school  where I had the pleasure of seeing them distributed throughout the various classes, without distinction, and found that they studied harmoniously together."

King recognized the need for a 'high school' and was determined to have such an institution available for his scholars in Kent County.  In March of 1851, King was appointed a Trustee by Lord Elgin.  King prepared an application for a charter of a high school in Buxton, but upon learning that an application was also in process for Chatham City by Dr. Thomas Cross, the superintendent for Chatham schools, he deemed it wisest to work with Cross. King took the application petition to Lord Elgin himself.  Upon approval, Chatham had the only college preparatory school west of Toronto.

The first  classes were held in old military barracks and a new building built in 1855.  King wrote in his autobiography:

"I saw it rise from a class of 12 pupils to be the first collegiate institute in the Dominion with a full staff of teaches and 300 pupils on the roll, sending out annually a number of well-qualified school teachers and others who enter University to qualify for the different leaned professions."

King remained on the Board of Trustees in Chatham for twenty-eight years.