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Robert Troy Blair fonds

http://archives.brandonu.ca/en/permalink/descriptions13300
Part Of
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
GMD
multiple media
Date Range
September 1950 - June 1954
Accession Number
18-2013
Part Of
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Description Level
Sub-series
Accession Number
18-2013
GMD
multiple media
Date Range
September 1950 - June 1954
Physical Description
2 scrapbooks (7.5 cm)
Physical Condition
Excellent
History / Biographical
Robert (Bob) Troy Blair was born on March 11, 1930 in Brandon, MB. His first six years were spent in Alexander, MB, where his father and uncle operated a grocery store. In 1936, his family moved to Souris, MB, where his father ran a grocery store. Blair received his primary and high school education, with the exception of Grade 12, in Souris. Blair remembers his school years in Souris as mainly happy years. He was involved with both piano and organ music lessons. he was never interested in physical sports with the exception of golf. World War II broke out in September of 1939. Souris became the site of #17 SFTS and home base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Many of the service men came from England, Australia and New Zealand. Blair's mother always entertained at least two for dinner every Sunday. Rationing of sugar, tea and coffee, butter and meat became a way of life. Blair had the job every Saturday of pasting the ration coupons into booklets. It was also when he was in Grade 6, that Blair realized he was more attracted to boys than to girls. Perhaps it was because so many attractive airmen surrounded him! In November of 1947, the Blair family relocated to Alexander where Bob Blair finished his Grade 11. This was not a good year due to bullying. In September of 1948, Blair moved to Winnipeg to attend United College for his Grade 12. Upon completion of Grade 12, Blair remained in Winnipeg until June 1950. he worked at a number of businesses - Gestetner, Eaton's Mail Order shoe department, Maple Leaf Milling, and the drug store in the Medical Arts Building. In September 1950, he entered Brandon College. Blair was very active in extra-curricular affairs while at Brandon College; particularly drama. Following his B.A. he enrolled in the Education Faculty, having decided to become a teacher. Blair's teaching career spanned 34 years. All but one year was spent in the Brandon School Division. On his first day of teaching in the Division he met the man with whom he would spend the next 46 years. He was primarily a teacher of English and Music. A highlight of his career was exchange teaching in Sacramento, California in 1961. Orientation for exchange took place in August in Washington, D.C., where Blair had the opportunity to meet President J.F. Kennedy. He vividly recals the morning that JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. In September 1965, Blair assumed the principalship of Park School and in September of 1969, the same position at George Fitton School where re remained until his retirement in 1989. He was a member of the Brandon Picnipals' Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and servedas President of the Brandon Teachers' Association. Among his major accomplishments during his time as principal were the introduction of a centralized school library in both Park and George Fitton Schools and the integration of special needs students into regular classroom situations wherever possible. He was made a Life Member of the Manitoba Teachers' Society (Brandon) in June 1990. Following his retirement Blair worked as a Library Automation Consultant (1989-1993). Blair also had numerous community involvements during his time in Brandon. he was active in the Brandon Little Theatre (Best Actor Award, Manitoba Drama Festival for One Act Plays in 1963), the Brandon Festival of the Arts, the Eckhardt-Gramatte National Music Competition, and Arm Industries to name a few. Following the death of his partner in 2001, Blair moved to Saskatoon to live with a younger gay couple. He has been active in volunteerism: as an Ambassador for the Saskatoon Airport Authority, assistant with the Saskatoon Health Region's Immunization Clinics, information clerk for the Festival of Trees, data entry clerk for the Saskatoon Music Festival, on the Board of the Saskatoon Jazz Society, and Hospitality Coordinator for the Saskatoon Jazz Festival. Robert Troy Blair died on July 2, 2024 in Saskatoon, SK. He is buried in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Records were in Blair's possession until he donated them to the Mckee Archives on Homecoming weekend October 2013.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of two scrapbooks containing 145 photographs and ephemera (play and graduation programs, tickets, pins, newspaper clippings) documenting Bob Blair's days at Brandon College. Social events and extra-curricular activities are heavily featured in the two scrapbooks. Also included are graduation portraits for the Classes of 1951, 1952 and 1953. Of the 145 photographs all are black and white except for two photos of the Class of '53 reconvocation (May 1993), and one from the Class of '53 reunion (2003).
Notes
History/Bio provided by Bob Blair (October 2013).
Name Access
Brandon College
Angus Jackson
Pat Magnacca
Freshie Week
Senior Stick
Lady Stick
Harvest Cabaret
Sigma Mu
Glee Club
Bob Blair
Jack Yeomans
Walter Dinsdale
Don Cronk
Bob McPherson
Lorne Watson
Marg Sanderson
Hazel Turnbull
Claudia Dickey
Gordon Bradley
Terry Prysiazniuk
Diane Lissaman
Joan Garnett
Doris Penstock
Dianne Macdonald
Ivey Graham
Joyce Pickard
Cathy Crawford
Roberta Wilkie
Marie Kullberg
Isabel Lyon
Shirley Pryce
J.R.C. Evans
Marjorie Kyles
Jo Thordarson
Ross George
Edward Perry
Ernest Birkinshaw
Barney Thordarson
Fall Formal
Variety Night
Installation Night
Paul McKinnon
The Saga of Brandon
Bill White
Ron Bell
Jerry Jerret
Rosa Ziolkowski
Murray Smith
Class of 1951
Harold Moffat
Bill Sutherland
Murray Coulthard
Frank Adamski
John McLean
Jack Medd
Jack Muir
Bill Fraser
Ken Morrison
Clifford Kitson
Ray Brown
Mike Doig
Ernie Shaw
Jack Scott
Doreen Dennison
Lois Kennedy
Lorna Prokaska
Ferne Henderson
Doreen Fedoruk
Marg Leckie
Freshie Parade
Helen Batho
Fred Calverly
Jim Crawford
Verda Peden
Olga Evasko
Betty Finch
Fred Schwarok
Jim Struthers
Muriel Bedford
John Brown
Freshie Royalty
Booster Night
Mary Jane Sexton
Marilyn Rust
Mildred McMurray
Mary-Jane MacLachlan
George Leask
George Jakubowski
Jack Purvis
My Sister Eileen
Edith Laycock
Ivey Robbins
Ken Campbell
Mac Andrews
Marion Simmons
Arnold Minish
Madeline Irving
Ernie Criddle
Don Dillistone
Gordon Hunter
Cathy Nelson
Jim Kelleher
Anne Kelleher
Neil McKellar
Ron Doupe
Bruce Watson
Neil MacKay
Peter Prokaska
Roger Ramsden
Bill Bridgett
Graham Hunt
John Muirhead
David Brodie
Murray MacDonald
Dr. Kidd
Cam Finlay
Blair MacRae
Donna McPhail
Louise Hoey
Agnes Nicholson
Jean Allan
Joan Urie
Royce Richardson
Don Rousell
Bill Black
Ken McNeeley
Rosalie Prokopchuk
Jean Morrison
Jacice Forrest
Fuzz Fedoruk
Brian Davison
Joan MacLachlan
First International Relations Club Conference
Minot Teachers' College
International Peace Gardens
Bruce McIlroy
Jean Shingfield
Campaign Week
Sigma Mu Dance
Arnold Wawruch
Jack Meyers
Jack Hilton
Bev Francis
Bert Gogol
Dick McDonald
Frank McKinnon
Stuart Craig
John Blackwood
Norman Hedison
Bob Hilton
John Minions
Kay Oliver
Mary Jane MacLachlan
Ben Ward
Ken Gunning
Trevor McNeely
Hilton Stewart
Jerry Graham
Bette Mitchell
Joan Curlock
Faye Myers
Jean Hannah
Mary Babuick
Mr. College Spirit
John Augustus McGee
Don Dillstone
Flora Johnson
Del Gusdal
Color Night
Don Burrows
Jim Casey Trophy
Marj Kyles
Prince Edward Hotel
Class Day
Dahl Harvey
Shirley Mitchell
Al Burton
Irving Bateman
Joyce Marie Thordarson
Eileen McFadden
Patricia Pope
Louise Astle
Ariel Genik
Western Canada Student Teacher Conference
Brandon College Glee Club
Be Your Age
Ike Prokaska
Joan Hilton
Fred Lynch
Garth Kidd
Ivy Robbins
Joyce Dunham
Shirley Popple
Grand March
Westley Wong
Stewart Perdue
H.V. Kidd
J.E.M. Young
Adelene Bailey
Mrs. Evans
Dennis Anderson
Stanley Knowles
Edward Schreyer
Lou Visentin
Subject Access
Student government
initiations
student activities
dances
basketball
talent shows
drama productions
major productions
Hockey
graduations
programs
parades
dorm rooms
student housing
literary "B's"
college letters
class flags
banquets
Storage Location
2013 accessions
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