File consists of correspondence, sabbatical leave application documents, sabbatical reports, application for promotion and documents related to courses taught in the Anthropology department.
File consists of the correspondence, minutes of the Foundation Liaison/Board committee, financial statements and other financial information, a list of the Board members and a copy of by-law number 2.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 2: Board of Governors
2.4 Correspondence and subject files
Box 1
Samuel James McKee was born near Wellesley, Ontario on July 17, 1849. By 1872, he had graduated from Toronto University. That same year he accepted a position at the Canadian Literary Institute in Woodstock, Ontario. Although he accepted this post with reservation, McKee soon found himself converted to the Baptist faith and was a true believer. In 1881, his doctor advised him to move West because of his poor health. He and his wife Laura moved to Rapid City, Manitoba and established a farm there. His brother-in-law, Rev. Davis was busy establishing the Rapid City Academy during this time, and when Davis had the chance to move to Moose Jaw, he prevailed upon McKee to take over the Academy. Under McKee's guidance the Academy flourished. By 1890, he decided that he could reach more people if he relocated the school Brandon, Manitoba, which was located on the C.P.R. line. The S.J. McKee Academy did quite well in Brandon, although it had trouble finding a permanent home. By 1899, the school was located in the Stewart Block on Ninth Street and Rosser Avenue. McKee's wife taught music, and there were always potential ministry students in his classes.
In 1899, the Baptists finally decided that they wanted a College in Manitoba that would help preapre students for potential ministry service. It was decided to locate the school in Brandon, as McKee, a staunch Baptist, already had a flourishing Academy there. The Baptists and McKee amalgamated and Brandon College was created. When the school opened in October 1899, McKee was on the Board of Directors as well as teaching Classics, Mental Science and French. He also acted as the unofficial Vice-principal of the school. McKee taught several different subjects during the next few years, and in 1910 accepted the newly created post of Registrar. He retained this position for the next decade. As well, McKee acted as the Bursar in 1911-1913, 1914-1915, and 1919-1920. He retired in 1920 and moved to Vancouver. McKee was given the title Professor Emeritus in Philosophy. He was made an honorary member of the Board of Directors in 1925.
McKee and his wife had five daughters and three sons. Three daughters that died soon after the move from Rapid City due to a typhoid epidemic. His son, George Eugene, graduated from Brandon College in 1902. A son, John Harris McKee, became the Bursar of Brandon College in 1915 after obtaining his B.A. in 1914. Another son, William Carey McKee, graduated from Brandon College in 1914, and received his M.A. in 1915. He was studying Law in Calgary when he enlisted with the Army. Carey McKee was killed in action on August 26, 1918. A fourth son, Robert Allan also attended Brandon College. He enlisted when Carey did, but he was declared medically unfit for service in Winnipeg in 1917. He eventually returned to Brandon, but was sick for a very long time. He died on Febrary 13, 1919, from a growth on his brain that had weakened him greatly. McKee's daughter Mildred also attended Brandon College. After her husband was killed in action in November of 1918, she returned home to her parents. Eventually she obtained a degree in Household Science. There is another daughter mentioned, Lydia. McKee also states in a tax return form that he has a permanently epileptic child in a home. It is not known if this child was Lydia or not. S.J. McKee died in September 1937 at the age of 88.
Custodial History
To commemorate the move of the McKee Acadamy to Brandon, Manitoba in 1890, Brandon University renamed the Brandon University Archives the S.J. McKee Archives in the fall of 1990. At that time, the McKee family was represented by S.J. McKee's grandson William, who donated the S.J. McKee papers to the Archives. Up until 1990, the records had been in his custody, having passed from S.J. at the time of his death to William's father.
Scope and Content
S.J. McKee's files are very unique. He has records detailing many aspects from Rapid City Academy and the desire for educating the West. He has a lengthy document entitled "The Beginning of our Educational Work in the West" in his records. It details the creation of Prairie College, its demise, and the building of the Rapid City Academy. There is a lot of correspondence, not just to and from S.J. McKee, but to and from his children as well. There are Land Titles papers, Mortgages, Last Will and Testaments, and various other legal documents dealing with the McKee family. There is a ninety page paper that his son, Carey, wrote in 1915 entitled "Immigrants and Their Assimilation." There are several files dealing with Carey McKee, and also with the death of Midred's husband, Robert Alexander Cunningham. The Minute Book of the Brandon College Literary Society from 1903-1905 is located in the McKee files. McKee also kept various newsclippings and certain issues of "The Western Baptist," "The Northwest Baptist" and "The Sunday School Times." As well, there are some used account and receipt books.
His records are extremely interesting in that McKee was really one of the founding fathers of Brandon College. The documentation that still exists with regard to Rapid City Academy is quite astounding, down to the legal agreement he and G.B. Davis made with Duncan L. McLaren regarding using some of his land to build the school on. His recollections on the beginnings of education in the west are clear and concise. As well, the sense of family and devotion to God are evident in almost all of the letters between family members.
Biographical information for Franklin W. Sweet can be found under RG 1 Brandon College fonds, BC 2 Office of the President.
Custodial History
It is suspected that Sweet's papers were left at Brandon College at the time of his death. They were transfered to the Archives with the Brandon College records in 1980, at the time of the creation of the Archives.
Scope and Content
The personal records of Dr. Sweet include sermon notes, newspaper clippings, and church bulletins. The collection, although small, is remarkable. Researchers wanting to study religion during the early Twentieth century will have no trouble finding out what the Baptist doctrine of the day was. The beliefs that Dr. Sweet held are evident in his sermons, as well as in the clippings that he kept. There are approximately fifty sermons that Dr. Sweet wrote, including the dates and places that he delivered them. These records are an excellent source of information regarding religion, faith, devotion and mankind in the 1920’s.
24 cm textual records
ca. 95 photographs
memorabilia
History / Biographical
Margaret (Peggy) Doran was born on May 27, 1919 in Brandon, Manitoba to parents Sol and Margaret (Honan) Roberts. Doran grew up in Brandon and was very active in theatre during her high school and college years. Her first theatrical success came at age 20, when she directed Brandon Little Theatre's production of "Send Her Victorious," which received top honours in the Manitoba Drama Festival.
Following her graduation from Brandon College in 1941, she trained as a nurse at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital during the Second World War and worked at Vancouver General Hospital for almost a year.
On August 25, 1945, Peg married Dennis Roberts, whom she had met in high school. Dennis, a music graduate from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, became interested in psychology after serving overseas with the Royal Canadian Air Force, so the couple moved to Toronto so that he could pursue a psychology degree at the University of Toronto. After Dennis graduated in 1950, the family moved to Sudbury, where Dennis and Peg became actively involved with the education and cultural life of the city. Peg was especially involved with the Sudbury Little Theatre Guild (SLTG), which was founded in 1948.
Between 1950 and 1956, Peg directed or acted in five plays. Her directorial works included: Blithe Spirit, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Glass Menagerie and Antigone. Peg was recognized for her directing of Antigone when she won the Edgar Stone Trophy for Directing in the Dominion Drama Festival in 1955. For the 1956-1957 season, Peg assumed the role of President of the SLTG. During this time, she successfully petitioned the Dominion Drama Festival to create a new region and thus in 1957, the Quebec-Ontario Theatre Association (QUONTA) was founded and Peg acted as its first regional chairperson. Peg's further accomplishments included co-founding and serving on the board of directors of the Sudbury Theatre Centre, as well as acting as drama consultant for the Sudbury Secondary School Board.
Peg was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997 and, shortly after, in 1998, she moved back to Toronto. She died there on April 2, 2003. Peg and Dennis had three children: Judith Marion (b. June 23, 1946), Steven John (b. September 8, 1950), and Patricia May (b. April 5, 1955).
Custodial History
After Peg's death in April 2003, materials in the collection were gathered and donated to the S.J. Mckee Archives by her children Judith, Steven and Patricia Roberts on July 19, 2003.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of textual records, photographs and other material that belonged to Margaret Doran Roberts. The textual materials include various personal letters, yearbooks, newspaper articles, journals, graduation diplomas, playbills and other miscellaneous records. The collection also includes approximately 95 photographs, mostly personal photographs of weddings and family, but also professionally taken group photos of the play casts. Other materials in the collection include various artefacts kept by Peg throughout her life.
Notes
Description and inventory by Ayn Lewandoski (2003).
Storage Location
MG 2 Brandon College students
2.22 Margaret Doran Roberts
Related Material
Additional archival material pertaining to Peg and Dennis Roberts is located in the archives at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.
Arrangement
Inventory of the collection:
Pack of matches from Mona's Dress Shop
Cigar that belonged to Sol Doran
Water colour picture, in frame, of St. Paul's Cathedral by Ev Lindsay Hunt from Brandon (1930s)
Earl Haig Graduation bracelet and Grade IX notebook belonging to Peg Doran
Nursing diploma and various other memorabilia from Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal
Unidentified pictures of war squadron, World War II
RCAF Christmas card from Sergeant William S. Day
Possible home economic project of Peg Doran filled with cake recipes
Photograph: Gordon Savage and Edith Laycock, plus Royal Winnipeg Rifles locket given by Gordon Savage to Peg Doran (with pictures of Gordon and Peg inside)
Francis Bernard Roberts' (Dennis' father) materials: correspondence with Mayo Clinic, photographs and negatives of Indian Chief etc.
Shares belonging to F.B. Roberts
Unidentified photos of children from Brandon (2)
"Willa Cather and the West," essay by Dennis Roberts
Various letters and memborabilia in letter case including:
- personal letters
- Brandon College Annual Arts Banquet programme 1941
- Brandon College Annual Commencement programme 1941
- Brandon College Alumni Dinner program 1941
- Season ticket Manitoba Drama League Provincial Finals Festival 1939
- Manitoba Medical College 4th Annual Ball dance card 1902
- Postcard to Peggy - University of Manitoba Arts Building 1939
- Various report cards from Brandon Collegiate
- Brandon Little Theatre 1936 production "Hay Fever" programme
- Shares from the Brandon Golf and Country Club 1968
- Margaret Doran's United Church of Canada Member's certificate 1933
Blue scribbler from Expression class, filled with various poems, stories, plays etc. belonging to Peg Doran
Miscellaneous newspaper clippings ranging from 1940-1979 (when dated)
Brandon Sun 75th Anniversary edition Saturday January 19, 1957
Sol Doran's daily journal - 1963 (the year of his death)
Picture of Bessie Scott, housekeeper to Sol and Margaret Doran
Wedding photographs, Peg Doran and Dennis Roberts - one in glass frame
"Through the Gateway to Yesteryear" written by Eric Wells and Gordon Tucker and Friends, with inside inscription from Una Johnston
Sheet music (11) of F.B. Roberts, father-in-law of Peg Doran
Sheet music (8) of May Roberts, mother-in-law of Peg Doran
Sheet music (4) of Peg (Doran) Roberts
Unidentified school project, possibly a rough copy of a play, maybe Peg Doran's handwriting
Photo of cast of play "Out to Sea" 1940
Tube containing various graduation diplomas of Dennis Francis Roberts
Peg Doran's graduation diploma, Brandon College 1941; letter and certificate recognizing the change from Brandon College to Brandon University; recognition certificate of attendance to 50th Reunion (1991) as well as photographs from the event attended by Peg and one of her Brandon friends, Jean Downing
Identification bracelet, probably belonging to May Roberts from hospital in London when Dennis Roberts was born
Small glass from Smith Drug Store
Two teaspoons, with initials G.E.B.- George Edward Bennest - uncle of Doh (Doran) Bennest Hammond, lawyer in Winnipeg (Doh's mother, Nell Doran, married Fred Bennest)
Sterling silver child's cup (Peggy) and baby spoon, both belonging to Peg Doran
Various photographs
Dennis Roberts RCAF memorabilia including a hat, epaulettes, brass buttons etc.
Dennis Roberts' Men's Handicap Singles tennis trophy 1932
L.W.G.A. trophy 1933-34, believed to be awarded to Margaret [Mrs. Sol] Doran, an avid golfer
Several pages of photographs of family holidays
- 1958 - to Cornwall, Ontario to look for Doran relatives before St. Lawrence Seaway flooded low-lying graveyards
- 1959 - when family rented a cottage in Clear Lake
Two framed photos of Peg Roberts: as a baby and as a toddler
Wedding announcement of Peg Doran and Dennis Roberts
Dauphin Musical Society photograph 1924
Playbills: Othello (1943); Wonderful Town; and The King & I
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Annual Blue & Gold Football Game program 1959
Play scripts: "Symphony in Illusion;" "Buddy Speaks a Piece;" "At the Photographer's;" and "At the Matinee"
YMCA Winnipeg song sheet
The New Era: 1937 & 1938
The Sickle: 1939, 1940 & 1941
The Quill: Vol. XXIX No. 4 (Oct. 26/38); Vol. XXIX No. 5 (Nov. 4/38); Vol. XXIX No. 6 (Nov. 9/38); Vol. XXXI Nox. 8 (Dec. 12/40)
