Esther Moore was born in Norfolk, Nebraska and moved to Canada at age 3. There is a vague reference to her being related to the composer Dvorak in The Quill of 1913. She registered as a music student at Brandon College in 1909. In 1910, Miss Moore received a medal for sight-reading and accompanying in Edmonton. She took her examinations of the Toronto Conservatory of Music in 1910, and her Senior examinations in 1911. She completed her theory work in 1913, as well as finishing the academic requirements. In 1913, Esther Moore became the first graduate of the Music department at Brandon College. After graduation, Miss Moore taught music in Unity, as well as being the choirleader and organist. She returned to her home in Olds, Alberta for a rest from teaching. However, she was not idle for long. She took up teaching again, and she was the organist and choirleader at church. She also began a Glee Club. Between these responsibilities Miss Moore finished a course in the Household Science Department at the Olds Agricultural College. She returned to Brandon College to take postgraduate work, becoming the first Brandon College student to receive her L.T.C.M. in 1916. In 1922 Miss Moore began to teach piano at Brandon College. She received her Bachelor of Music in 1925, and her Master of Music in 1926.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Esther Moore’s records consist of newspaper clippings, recital programmes, concert programmes, and commencement programmes. As well, there are dance cards, invitations, tickets, and the programme for the annual Graduation Banquet for several years. There are Track and Field programmes and a ribbon. There are also Alumni Luncheon programmes for a few years. There is an issue of The Western Baptist from 1926, and the programmes for the installation of Dr. Robbins as President and the opening of the Arts and Library building and the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre in 1960. There is also a letter from William L. Wright, director of the music department at Brandon College.
The Brandon Art Club was founded in November 1907, and operated in an art studio on the top floor of the Brandon College Women's Residence. The club appears to have been the creation of Miss. H. Hancock, who became the Director of the Department of Art at Brandon College c. 1907. The club moved to larger facilities made available at the First Methodist Church; the organization remained there until sometime during the Great War when the club relocated to St. Paul's Presbyterian Church and then in 1921, to the Prince Edward Hotel. The club's first public art exhibitions were held at the Prince Edward Hotel. Art classes were held for the first time in 1928. In 1968, the Brandon Art Club merged with the Allied Arts Center, which had been formed in 1959. The Allied Arts Center was located at 1036 Louise Avenue. In April 1984, the Allied Arts Center was moved to new facilities at the Arts Center of Western Manitoba located at 638 Princess Avenue. In 1989, it was renamed the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, and began to function as a "professional, regional art gallery." The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba relocated to 2-710 Rosser Ave. c. 2001.
Custodial History
These records were created at different times between 1907 and 1993, and remained in the possession of the administration of the above mentioned organizations until May 2001, when they where donated to the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains administrative records, minutes, personal files, correspondence, newsletters, photographs, summaries of collections and exhibits, scrapbooks, programs, submitted papers, and other miscellaneous records. All are a record of the growth and evolution of the Art Club, its administration, and of the art community in Brandon.
The A.E. McKenzie Company fonds (RG 3 MG 1, 1.3) located in the McKee Archives contains some records, primarily correspondence and minutes, relating to the Brandon Allied Arts Council.
70 b&w photographs (various sizes)
7 mm textual records
Physical Condition
Good
History / Biographical
Frances Elizabeth Percival (nee Fraser) attended Brandon College in 1928-1929. She was from Wawanesa, Manitoba and passed away on August 3, 2004 at the age of 93 years.
Custodial History
The records were donated to the McKee Archives by Joy Lalonde, a realtive of Fran Percival's, in 2005.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of three dance cards from the Brandon Normal School, a photograph album of Brandon College students and activities (many of them identified) and an autographed copy of the 1929 Brandon College Annual Graduation Program.
Sub-series has been divided into six sub sub series, including: (1) Dean of Arts; (2) Arts Faculty Council; (3) Faculty of Arts publications; (4) Department of History; (5) Department of Drama; and (6) Department of Religion.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
These are the minutes from the meetings of the Arts Banquet committees from 1938 until 1964. They include detailed descriptions of what each banquet would entail.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 8: Brandon College Students Association
These records were created by the Director of Library Services from the year 1957 until 1963. It is mainly business correspondence and memorandums. The files include correspondence between the Director of Library Services and various people regarding the library. There are also memorandums to the faculty.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 14: Brandon College Library
Related Material
RG 6 (Brandon University fonds), sub-series 8.1 (Director of Library Services).
83 books and other materials (see Material Details Note)
Material Details
49 booklets
3 maps
3 newsletters
18 periodicals
16 pamphlets
35 newspapers [oversize drawer]
History / Biographical
The publications in this series were collected by Fred McGuinness during the course of his career as a newspaperman. McGuinness’ personal library contained over 500 volumes pertaining to local history. He regularly consulted these materials when writing his radio broadcasts, newspaper columns, and monographs. McGuinness was known to file related materials (e.g., correspondence, newspaper clippings, invitations) between book covers of various titles.
McGuinness donated a substantial portion of his personal library to Brandon University’s John E. Robbins Library when he moved to River Heights Terrace (Brandon, Manitoba). That collection can be found in BU’s library catalogue under the McGuinness local history collection. The titles McGuinness retained upon his move were donated to the McKee Archives by his estate in 2011.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Accession 20-2009 contain records created and collected by Fred McGuinness over the course of his career as a newspaper journalist and during the research and writing period of the Brandon history book, The Wheat City. Records remained in his possession at his home until their transfer to the McKee Archives on July 28, 2009.
Accession 6-2008 contains records created and collected during the writing of the Provincial Exhibition book, Pride of the Land. Fred McGuinness, who co-authored the book with Ken Coates, donated these records to the McKee Archives circa 1988. The materials relating to Souris, Manitoba, were given to McGuinness by Kay Sullivan in August 2007, and were subsequently deposited in the Archives.
Scope and Content
This series contains publications collected by Fred McGuinness during the course of his lifetime as a newspaperman. McGuinness was a well-known local history enthusiast and frequently wrote about Brandon’s local history. Many of his readers forwarded booklets and pamphlets for his consideration and review.
Materials in this series include books, booklets pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers and maps. Subjects include, but are not exclusive to: the city of Brandon, the town of Souris, memoirs, family histories, Canadian Pacific Railway, and local businesses.
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
All library titles, except the newspapers in the McGuinness oversize drawer, are located in Special Collections
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives.
McG 8 McGuinness library
McG 8.1 Books
McG 8.2 Booklets
McG 8.3 Maps, newsletters, and periodicals
McG 8.4 Pamphlets
McG 8.5 Magazines and newspapers (oversize)
See series level description of the administrative history of the Office of the President/General Manager
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes publications covering a variety of topics related to the seed industry and/or McKenzie Seeds. Publications include:
1. Building Bigger Business/by Charles Austen Bates. Winnipeg, 1925, 4 pp.
2. Business Correspondence/ by C.A. Burt. Chicago, 1905, 221 pp.
3. The Production of Timothy Seed in Alberta/ by H. A. Craig. Edmonton, [no date], 8 pp.
4. Sweet Peas for All Purposes/by A. J. Macself. London, [no date], vi, 84 pp.
5. Growing Quality Beans in Manitoba/by the Manitoba Department of Agriculture, 1976, 12 pp.
6. 1979 Field Crop Recommendations for Manitoba/by the Manitoba Department of Agriculture. Winnipeg, 1979, 69 pp.
7. The Canada Year Book 1915/by the Minister of Trade and Commerce. Ottawa, 1916, xvi, 707 pp.
8. 1974 Vegetable Production Recommendations/by New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 36 pp.
9. Lawn Care: A Bulletin Service for Turf Enthusiasts/by O. M. Scott & Sons Co. Marysville, Ohio, August 1928 - 1943(?), plus index
10. 1965 Guide to Chemical Weed Control/by the Ontario Department of Agriculture. Toronto, 1965, 67 pp.
11. 1968 Ontario Vegetable Production Recommendations/ by the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food. Toronto, 1968, 47 pp.
12. 1978 Vegetable Production Recommendations/by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. 72 pp.
13. The Canadian Newspaper Directory, seventh edition. Montreal, 1911, xx, 138 pp.
14. The Shareholders' and Directors' Manual/by J. D. Warde. Seventh edition. Toronto, 1907, 617 pp.
THE BUSINESS MAN'S LIBRARY:
15. The Business Man's Library, volume II - Business Correspondence/ by Glenn S. Noble, et al. Chicago, 1907, 221 pp.
16. The Business Man's Library, volume III - Cost of Production/ by Alexander H. Revell, et al. Chicago, 1907, viii, 196 pp.
17. The Business Man's Library, volume V - Book on Buying/ by H.T. Kett, et al. Chicago, 1907, 216 pp.
18. The Business Man's Library, volume VI - Organizing a Factory/ by Clinton E. Woods. Chicago, 1907, 190 pp.
19. The Business Man's Library, volume VII - Book on Advertising/ by Truman A. DeWeese. Chicago, 1907, v, 165 pp.
20. The Business Man's Library, volume X - Accounting and Office Methods/ by W. Vernon Booth, et al. Chicago, 1907, v, 136pp, plus 45 p. index.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
The Brandon Allied Arts Council was established in the fall of 1959 and spring of 1960. At that time a Foundation was set up, consisting of six men 'of affairs' in Brandon, who were to act as Trustees and administer gifts, bequests and all capital expenditures. The men asked to serve were: Judge Buckingham, Roy Armstrong (Manager of the Royal Bank), Lasby Lowes, R.A. Clement, Victor Sharpe and D.R. Doig.
From the beginning A.E. McKenzie was a great supporter of the Allied Arts Council. Shortly before his death in 1964 McKenzie proposed leaving his home at 436 Victoria Ave. to the Arts Council to be used as an art gallery. Following a great deal of debate it was finally decided, sometime after McKenzie's death, to decline the offer.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series has been divided into two periods, the first dealing with A.E. McKenzie and the Arts Council and the second concerning Lasby Lowes and the Arts Council.
Included within the sub-series is correspondence to McKenzie from Marion Doig of the Arts Council relating the progress of the establishment of the Council through the fall of 1959 to the summer of 1960. It also includes correspondence between McKenzie and R.A. Clement regarding the gift of McKenzie's home to the Brandon Allied Arts Council, and correspondence between McKenzie and the Chairman of Nominations, Brandon Allied Arts Council.
The records generated during the Lasby Lowes period revolve primarily around the estate of A.E. McKenzie. Included is correspondence between The National Trust, Sutherland Agencies Limited, Kathleen Roberts (nee McKenzie), Canadian Diebold Safe Co., G.R. Rowe (President of Arts Council), Green Blankenstein Russell Associates, Income Tax Department, Winnipeg, Monarch Life Assurance Company and Lasby Lowes. Other correspondence deals with Lowes' role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Brandon Allied Arts Council.
Also included within the sub-series is a photocopy of the Memorandum of Agreement that established the "Brandon Allied Arts Foundation" (1960).
The sub-series has been divided into two sub sub series, including: (1) 1.3.1 A.E. McKenzie and the Brandon Allied Arts Council (1959-64); and (2) 1.3.2 Lasby Lowes and the Brandon Allied Arts Council (1964-68).
Additional Information on the Brandon Allied Arts Council is located in the
Brandon Art Club fonds 03-2001 in the S.J. McKee Archives.
Series 5 (Photographs) contains newspaper clippings concerning the gift of McKenzie's house to the Brandon Allied Arts Council in oversized drawer #4.
Leonard Andrew Muirhead (1918–2008) was the only child of Andrew and Isabella Muirhead. He grew up on the farm homestead in the Summerville District near Carberry, Manitoba. He graduated from Carberry Collegiate when he was sixteen. He helped out on the farm for two yeas after graduation then attended United College, Winnipeg, and then Brandon College. Muirhead then worked in the Financial Department at Canada Packers in Saint Boniface until 1942. In 1942 he returned home and helped his father with the farm operation. Leonard married Verle Sinclair, a local schoolteacher, on October 12, 1951. They had three daughters: Iris, Gwen, and Arla. In 1965, health reasons made him give up active farming and he began an income tax preparation business as well as selling investments for Trust Companies.
Leonard Muirhead attended Brandon College for the 1937-1938 school year. This was the last year that Brandon College was associated with McMaster University as it then became affiliated with the University of Manitoba.
Custodial History
The papers remained with Leonard Muirhead’s papers until his daughter, Iris Muirhead, donated the papers to the S.J. McKee Archives in 2011.
Scope and Content
Collection consists primarily of 1938 examination papers from Brandon College, when it was affiliated with McMaster University. It also contains an exam schedule and a course outline. It contains examination papers from spring 1938 for the courses of 2nd and 3rd Years Physics 2y, 3w, Bible 2k, Psychology 2a, Mathematics 2x, Mathematics 1e, a syllabus for second term English 1g2a, and an examination timetable for spring 1938 for Brandon College.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from conversation with Leonard Muirhead's daughter, Iris Muirhead in October 2012 and from obituary http://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-136216/(accessed October 24, 2012). Description by Jennifer Sylvester (October 2012).
The Leonard Muirhead collection is available at the Carberry Plains Archives. Leonard Muirhead also donated records related to Montrose School and Carberry 4-H Combines to the Carberry Plains Archives.
See RG 6 Brandon University fonds, 7.4.1 Dean of Music for biographical information.
Custodial History
The records were collected during the course of Jones' career as a member of the School of Music and as Dean of the School of Music. They remained in his possession until their donation to the McKee Archives on June 29, 2011.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records created and collected during the course of Lawrence Jones' teaching career in the School of Music and during his tenure as Dean of the School of Music at Brandon University.
Records include: dean's log books; recital programs and related materials; personal documents; academic papers; planning documents; contracts; administration documents; workshop documents; teaching documents; proposals; reviews; evaluations; violin concerto by S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatte, piano score, edited by Lawrence Jones. Topics include: planning for the School of Music; Master's degree program; award winners; the music building expansion; adjudicating; the New Brandon University Trio; and the National Music Festival.
Sub-series of one sub sub series: (1) Brandon Aboriginal Literary Festival.
Notes
Records for special events held in the S.J. McKee Archives can be found in the Archives' sub-series: RG 6, 8.2 This sub-series is specifically for special events held under the auspices of the University Librarian.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services
87.5 cm (57.5 cm textual records and 29 photographs)
History / Biographical
Gerald Brown was born and raised in Vista, Manitoba. He attended Islay and Rossburn schools. In 1955, he attended Brandon College to take the one year Teacher Training Course. He was part of the first graduating T.T.C. class at Brandon College. After graduation he taught in Ninga, MB. He also taught in Brandon and C.F.B. Shilo. In 1965, he moved to Winnipeg to pursue a career in school librarianship and information services until he retired in 1992. By the end of his career he had been Chief Librarian for thirteen years. He received a B.A. from Brandon College in 1964, a B.Ed. from the University of Manitoba in 1965, a Master of Library Science from Western Michigan in 1968, and a M. Ed. from the University of Manitoba in 1972. He is also very involved with music. At present Gerald Brown continues to live in Winnpeg, MB.
Custodial History
Accession 24-2009: Brown compiled these materials from the personal collections of Colin Mailer, Lorne Watson, Norman Kalinski and Gerald Brown. He delivered them to the Archives on November 17, 2009.
Accession 5-2013: Materials collected and written by Gerald R. Brown in the course of preparing for and attending the Islay (Vista) School District No. 733 reunion held in Rossburn, MB on August 4-6, 2006.
Scope and Content
Accession 30-1998 consists of newspaper clippings for Brandon College 1955-56 complied by Gerald Brown for the 41st anniversary of the graduation of the Brandon College Teacher Training Class of 1956; photographs of the TTC of 1956; the Reunion Yearbook for the anniversary of the 1956 TTC class; and a copy of the program for the 1998 production of W.S. Gilbert and Sullivan musical The Yeoman of the Guard.
Accession 3-1999 consists of a compilation of nine seasons of Gilbert & Sullivan Society pictures, programs, and newsletters. Mr. Brown and other graduates of the Brandon School of Music are among the cast members.
Accession 2-2001 consists of copies of the newsletter, Titipu Times, for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg, Volume 10, 1-4, a 10th Anniversary Program (2000) and a list of ensemble singers 2000/2001.
Accession 4-2001 consists of a scrapbook and programs for the following Gilbert & Sullivan productions: “Patience” (performed April 6-9, 2000 in Winnipeg) and “Pirates of Penzance” (April 5-8, 2001).
Accession 7-2001 consists of 4 colour photographs and a one page summary of the activities of the Reunion TTC 1956 during the May 2001 Convocation.
Accession 4-2003 consists of colour photographs of the 41st Reunion of the Brandon College Teacher Training Course 1955-56 held in May 2001. Included as well is a "Past History Summary" of the Class of 56 Reunions and a copy of Reflecting on Our Past, a publication of the Brandon School Division.
Accession 27-2006 consists of materials collected and written by Gerald R. Brown in the course of preparing for and attending the Islay (Vista) School District No. 733 reunion held in Rossburn, MB on August 4-6, 2006. It includes a copy of "Vista Tales. . . from Islay School District No. 733 in Vista, Manitoba" compiled and edited by Gerald R. Brown (c.2006), a program of events for the reunion, a copy of the reunion worship service program, and 15 postcards entitled "Vista Views," which were sold at the reunion.
Accession 19-2007 includes biographical information on Isabelle Mills, former faculty member of Brandon College (School of Music) and the program for HMS Pinafore, presented by the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Winnipeg (2003).
Accession 24-2009 (1938-2009, 30 cm textual records) consists of the records of the Brandon Festival of the Arts. Included are: meeting minutes (Executive, Regular and Annual), reports, financial reports, correspondence; programs and syllabi from the Festival; and Festival highlights and similar programs.
Accession 5-2013 (1951-1952, 2006, 5 cm textual records, 3 CDs) consists of hard copies of "Vista Tales. . . from Islay School District No. 733 in Vista, Manitoba Reunion Photo File" and "Vista Tales. . . from Islay School District No. 733 in Vista, Manitoba Alunni & Community Events" compiled and edited by Gerald R. Brown (c.2006). Also includes three CDs containing ditigal versions of all three Vista Tales volumes and a a copy of the 1951-1952 Foxwarren High School yearbook.
The Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition (commonly called the E-Gré Competition) is the most important annual contemporary music competition for exceptional emerging Canadian performing artists in piano, voice, and strings. Since 1976, the E-Gré has promoted the performance of Canadian and contemporary music of the 20th and 21st centuries and has commissioned 31 new works by leading Canadian composers. The S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition received its letters patent in 1974 and its legal incorporation in 1979. The inaugural competition was held in 1976 and continues to be held annually at Brandon University. The competition has undergone a few name changes since its inception. For the 8th annual event of the competition the name changed to the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition for the Performance of Canadian music. Prior to the 27th competition, the event listed both contemporary music as well as Canadian music. The competition is administered by a board and artistic director.
Custodial History
The records were held by the Eckhardt-Gramatté competition until their donation to the McKee Archives in the summer of 2010 by Pat Carrabré, President of the Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition Board.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records created and collected by the Eckhardt-Gramatté committee in the course of holding the competition each year. The records are related to the promotion and administration of the event and the annual award winners. Items include: legal documentation, including the Certificate of Revival and the incorporation documents for the Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition; press files (1976-1979, 1980-1983, 1984-1987), which include newspaper clippings and photocopies of newspaper coverage, press releases on performance orders/show times, and promotional materials for individual performer; 30 award winners' files containing promotional materials and press clippings related to the award winner; event programs; and promotional posters for every year (except 1979).
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the E-Gré national music website available at: http://e-gre.ca. (Date accessed October 26, 2012). Description by Steve Dueck (October 2012).
Photographs in the collection are covered by Canadian copyright law. Researchers are responsible to honour appropriate legislation.
Language Note
Some posters contain French.
Storage Location
2012 accessions
Related Material
Media Kit for the 10th annual competition can be found in the Dr. J.R.C. Evans
collection at the S.J McKee Archives (accession number: 7-2004). All listings below can also be found at S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University: Francis Chaplin collection: Dean of Music: School of Music: Eckhardt-Gramatté: trio for violin, violoncello and piano (accession number: 13-2008): Ferdinand Eckhardt: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990), Sophie Carmen Eckhardt-Grammatté: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #14: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #15: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #16: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #17: Convocation (c. 1990): W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) # 19: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #12: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #18: W.M.C.A Convocation (Fall 1990) #13: Lawrence Jones Collection (accession number: 9-2011).
Information regarding Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté (née Fridman) Sonia Eckhardt and Dr Ferdinand Anton Ludwig Eckhardt can be found at the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections, the University of Calgary Library, Special Collections, the National Library of Canada and the Winnipeg National Art Gallery Archives.
Arrangement
Records are organized chronologically within each type of record.
The sub-series contains the minutes from Library Committee meetings. There are also minutes from the meetings of various sub-committees such as the Open Shelf Sub-Committee and the Sub-Committee on Apportionment of Library Funds. Includes minute books and files.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 14: Brandon College Library
This series contains three sub-series: Layouts & Furnishings, Receipt of Gifts, etc. and Archives. The first sub-series, Layouts and Furnishings, consists of photos of the Brandon College and University libraries from the 1940’s to the present time. These photos highlight interesting areas of the library and include past and present library staff members. The second sub-series contains photos taken in the library during presentations of gifts, and other important events, such as the naming of the Robbins Library. The third sub-series contains photos taken in the McKee Archives, at its former location in the Jeff Umphrey Building, and since 1997, in its new location on the mezzanine floor of the John E. Robbins Library.
From the very beginning, Brandon College has maintained library services for its students. A professor was put in charge of the library, although in the beginning it was little more than an empty shelf in a cabinet. As it grew, there became more of a need for an administrative body. A Library Committee was created in order to keep the library running smoothly. With the construction of the A.E. McKenzie Building in 1960 came a permanent resting place for the Brandon College Library.
Scope and Content
The records include a 3 cm book of Library of Congress Card Orders of Recent Publications from 1957 to 1960. As well, there are applications for employment, minutes from the Library Committee and Sub Committees. There is also correspondence from the Director of Library Services and accession records.
Series has been divided into three sub-series, including: (1) Minutes; (2) Director of Library Services; and (3) Library Accession Records.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 15: Brandon College Library
Related Material
RG 6 (Brandon University fonds), series 8 (Brandon University Library Services).
Sub-series consists of accession records listing the accession number, author, title, publisher, cost and “source” for each book accessioned into the Brandon College Library. It includes a total of 10 accession catalogues covering the period December 1899 - June 1965: 2 accession catalogues (12x18x5) and 8 accession catalogues (9x12x .75 cm)
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 15: Brandon College Library
The importance of knowledge and education to the Manitoba Wheat Pool is made clear in the The Scoop Shovel, the official organ of the Manitoba Wheat Pool and other co-operatives in Manitoba. Established in the 1920s, The Scoop Shovel owed its existence to a decision by the directors of the Pool to set aside small percentage of income per bushel for educational purposes. R.A. Hoey began to hold meetings to discuss the idea that the Pool was about more than just marketing grain, and in 1926 a Department of Education and Publicity was organized within the Pool. It was directed by J.T. Hull and advised by R.A. Hoey; they expanded and supervised The Scoop Shovel.
They also began to accumulate the educational volumes that would become the Pool library. Hull announced in November of 1926 that the library would be open by the end of the month and reported that: "We have a good representation of works on sociology... On co-operation we have about every book that we can find published in the English language. We have also a good selection of books on economics, history, science, general literature, and rural life. In a word, we have tried to make the library one of usefulness to people whose life is on the land."
He also encouraged Pool members--who were the only ones allowed to use the library at this time--to utilize the library to educate themselves, saying “Use it, for knowledge is power”.
Once the library was open to all Pool members, Hull wrote a regular column for The Scoop Shovel called “In the Library”, in which he would review books and recommend reading in response to frequent questions from members. When the library gained new books, which was almost continually, he would list them and sometimes discuss them.
The library service was a mailing one; the main collection was kept at the Manitoba Wheat Pool central office in Winnipeg and members could request a catalogue of all the library holdings. If they wanted to borrow a book or books on a specific topic, they could write to Hull and the books would be mailed out to the member and returned by mail, all postage costs covered by the Pool Library.
During the crisis of the early 1930s, the library was saved because the Manitoba Co-operative Conference believed it was vital to the success of the Pools and the co-operative movement. The Conference took over administration of the Pool library in 1931, leasing the books and equipment from the Wheat Pool. The library was formally incorporated under a charter after it changed hands, the other charters members being the Co-operative Marketing Board and the United Farmers of Manitoba.
In 1935 the service was made available free of charge to all rural Manitobans with the financial support of the Co-op Marketing Board. By 1939, Manitoba Pool Elevators had begun to prosper again, and took back responsibility for the administration and housing of the library. The traveling library was also established around this time, and hundreds of boxes were distributed to all MPE points. The boxes were rotated and refreshed twice a year.
In 1942 Hull estimated that there were approximately 4,700 books in the Pool Library with an annual circulation of 4,000 to 5,000 books. Operating the library cost around two thousand dollars per year, although the cost was split between the members of the Manitoba Co-operative Conference, at least it was in theory. The Pool library ran as a free service to all rural Manitobans, regardless of whether they were members of the Pool, and the federal government census in 1941 indicates that over half of Manitoba’s population (56%) still lived in rural areas. In 1948, the majority of the Pool Library’s services were rendered unnecessary by an act called the “Public Libraries Act” that had been passed by the Manitoba legislature on April 22, 1948, and would go into effect July 1, 1948. The act provided for the establishing of a provincial “Public Library Advisory Board” that would be appointed by the government. Once the board had been established, the act allowed for the establishment of municipal and regional libraries that would be the administrative responsibility of the municipality or region they served and would be supported by a land tax levied on the population that would have access to the library. All employees of the central provincial library would be considered civil servants.
When the Provincial Library was being established in 1949, the Minister in charge of education--Ivan Shultz--actively sought both the advice of those who operated the Pool Library and the physical resources of the Library. In a letter to W.J. Parker, the President of Manitoba Pool Elevators, Shultz wrote that: "We find that in looking at the province as a whole that the box library service of the Manitoba Pool Elevators is the best developed and the best distributed within the province... We would feel that to a considerable extent you had pioneered in this field and we would be using your accomplishments as a springboard for a wider coverage of the province and an enlargement of the service."
He also requested that Miss E.L. Shields—the Pool Librarian--be released from Pool employment so that the Provincial Library could hire her for a year to aid in setting up the new library system.
An agreement was reached between MPE and the Provincial Library, and the bulk of the Pool Library was transferred to the province. The Pool retained the volumes it wished to keep as reference for its employees, and donated the rest of the open shelf library to the province. The traveling library service was sold at a discount to the province, with the caveat that service not be interrupted during the transfer and that the quality of service to rural Manitoba not diminish once the Library had been entirely transferred to the government. In a letter to Ivan Shultz after the agreement to sell the traveling library had been reached, W.J. Parker wrote that: "...Manitoba Pool Elevators has maintained an open shelf library for a period of some twenty years. These books have been made available to anyone in Manitoba, outside the City of Winnipeg, and the postage both ways was paid by the Pool. We feel it has served a very useful purpose, but that it is not primarily our function and if the government proposes to offer a more complete and universal service we are prepared to retire from the field and avoid what might be considered unnecessary duplication."
Scope and Content
Series contains items once held as part of the Manitoba Pool Library. It has been divided into the following four sub-series: (1) MPE E 1 Manitoba Pool Library publications; (2) MPE E 2 The Scoop Shovel; (3) MPE E 3 The Manitoba Cooperator; and (4) MPE E 4 Pamphlet collection.
