A.E. McKenzie was involved with Brandon College from its very beginnings. He was present at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of the Brandon College Building in July of 1900; he became a member of the Brandon College Endowment Committee in 1918; the following year he was on the Finance Committee. By the mid-1920's, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the College. In 1928, he was part of a group that convinced the Baptist Union of Western Canada, the principal funding body for the College, to provide money towards reducing the College’s accumulated deficit. McKenzie and other members of the College Board had advised the Union that they were developing an endowment plan to provide continuing financial support for Brandon College.
In 1931. Mr. McKenzie organized the Brandon Board of Trade to help save the College when the Baptist Union indicated its intention to withdraw financial support to the College. When efforts to have the City of Brandon provide finacial resources to the College failed, A.E. McKenzie organized the Brandon Citizen's Campaign to raise enough money to enable the College to open the next year.
In 1938, when the Baptist Union did withdrew support from the College, McKenzie offered to establish a $100,000 endowment, which he later raised to $300,000, to ensure the continuation of the College. On August 1 of the same year, the Board of Trade, of which McKenzie was a member, set out to raise $15,000 to match the offer the government had made to the College. In September 1938, McKenzie increased his endowment again, this time to $500,000. As a result, of McKenzie's endowment and the fundraising efforts of the Board of Trade the charter establishing Brandon College Incorporated was approved on April 17, 1939.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes correspondence between McKenzie and Lowes with various government officials - Duff Roblin, Hon. George Johnson, Hon. Stewart E. McLean and Comptroller-General George D. Iliffe. There is also correspondence with the company lawyer, William Johnston. Documents within the series consist of the Act to Incorporate Brandon College, Inc. and Bill 86, as well as an indenture and an agreement between C.S. Eaton, G.C. Edwards, A.E. McKenzie, D.H. Hudson and E.J. Tarr. There are also a number of documents written by McKenzie that were presented to the Brandon College Board of Directors. Brandon College Inc. resolutions regarding the McKenzie Foundation are also included.
The sub-series has one sub sub series: MG 5 1.1.1 History of Brandon College Inc.
The Brandon College Bulletin was a forerunner to the current Brandon University annual report. Nothing else is known about its origins. The publication was a product of the Brandon College Board of Directors.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of copies of the Brandon College Bulletin for: 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 12: Brandon College publications
Sub-series consists of copies of The Brandon College Gazette, including: Vol. 1, No. 4 (May 11, 1937); Vol. 2, Nos. 1-4 (May 2, May 5, May 9, and May 11, 1938). It also includes a document entitled "Hand 'Bill' The Stick." This document is an endorsement of Bill Potoroka as a nominee for the position of Senior Stick.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 12: Brandon College publications
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
The Brandon College Honor Roll is a list of the Brandon College students who served and/or were killed, wounded, gassed or imprisoned during World War I.
Sub-series Brandon College track and field programs for 1920 and 1922; two copies of Brandon College songs and yells, along with a typed copy of the class song for the class of 1929; a copy of the Brandon College students' directory for 1914-1915; and a donations pamphlet for the Brandon College Students' Memorial Gymnasium ca. 1918.
Notes
Located on the front page of the Memorial Gymnasium pamphlet is a proposed campus development plan showing the site of the proposed gymnasium, with other additional facilities including: a science building, a library/chapel, a conservatory, and a new women's residence.
At the front of the Brandon College songs and yells is a copy of the Brandon College Students' Association constitution.
The students' directory contains the constitution of the Literary Society, and a newspaper clipping regarding the death of Dorothy Nelson (nee Werthembach), former Dean of Women at Brandon College 1934-1935.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 12: Brandon College publications
The Canadian Federation of University Women was founded in 1919 under the leadership of Margaret McWilliams of Winnipeg to promote the interests of women with higher education at local, national and international levels. It is a voluntary, non-profit, self-funded organization with a membership of over 10,000 university-educated women and 122 local clubs. The CFUW promotes high standards of public education; encourages advanced study and research by women university graduates; encourages active participation in public affairs by qualified women; works to safeguard and improve human rights and the economic, legal and professional status of women in Canada; and participates in the work of the International Federation of University Women. The Brandon University chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women was established in 1948. It continues to be active.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains correspondence with other branches of the CFUW, minutes and programs from meetings and seminars held throughout Canada, as well as administrative records and minutes of the Brandon branch. Most administrative records concern the problems of maintaining membership levels and recruiting younger members. Fonds also contains various issues of the "Chronicle," a CFUW publication. Fonds also includes CFUW Brandon minutes, miscellaneous projects, annual reports and member lists, as well as a number of documents relating to the provincial, national and international activities of the CFUW.
Consists of the BCSA constitution, electoral procedure documents, nomination forms, the Brandon College Crests and Awards Board constitution, the Brandon College Finance Board constitution, the Brandon College Athletic Board/Athletic Council constitution, the Brandon College Board of Publications constitution, the Brandon College Literary Board constitution, the Sigma Mu constitution, and BCSA statistical summary of Committee meetings.
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
This item is a continuation of the Brandon College Honor Roll (RG 6, sub-series 16.3, item 16). It lists Brandon College students who served and/or were killed, wounded, gassed or imprisoned during World War I.
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series16: Brandon University/College artifacts
16.3 Artifacts - other
Storage Range
New oversize drawer 4
Related Material
The Evan McDonald Whidden fonds (RG 1 Brandon College fonds, MG 1 1.8) has a considerable amount of correspondence written by Whidden to his family from the front during his service in World War I.
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).
Thomas Hector MacDonald McLeod (Tommy) was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan in August 1918. During his youth in Weyburn, McLeod was a member of Tommy Douglas' Baptist congretation; it was Douglas who encouraged McLeod to attend Brandon College. McLeod attended Brandon College from 1937 to 1940. While there, he received scholarships in Bible, Economics, and General Efficiency, as well as receiving the Medal in Sociology during his final year. Following graduation in 1940, McLeod studied economics at the University of Indiana, receiving his M.A. in 1941. Later that year he returned to Brandon College to teach economics and sociology. From 1941 until 1944, he also acted as the Resident Master. He remained at Brandon College for three years. McLeod married Beryl (Pentland) Thompson c. 1943 and together they had five children: Beth, Ellen, Ian, Brian and Morna.
Following the election of Tommy Douglas as Premier of Saskatchewan, McLeod was employed in a variety of senior positions in the Saskatchewan civil service. In 1952, McLeod was named the Dean of Commerce at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus.
In 1961, he served as the Chief Consultant (Ford Foundation) to the Turkish Government. In 1962, McLeod was the supervisor of an eight man team advising the Iranian government on Economic Planning Activities. He has also served as a Special Advisor in Public Administration and Higher Education for the Canadian Development Agency.
In 1963, he became the chairman of the Saskatchewan Royal Commission on Taxation. McLeod accepted the position of Dean of the College of Arts and Science, Regina Campus at the University of Saskatchewan on May 15, 1964. In May 1965, he became Vice-Principal of the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus.
McLeod had a Ph.D. in Government and Economics from Harvard. As well, he was a past recipient of the Vanier Medal (1971) for outstanding contribution to public administration in Canada. In 1987, McLeod wrote a book entitled "Tommy Douglas: the Road to Jerusalem." Also in 1987, McLeod was awarded an honorary degree from Brandon University. In 2003, McLeod was awarded the Order of Canada.
Thomas Hector MacDonald McLeod died on January 1, 2008 in Victoria, BC.
Custodial History
McLeod donated a copy of the paper, subsequently published in Manitoba History, to the McKee Archives c. 1995.
Scope and Content
Thomas McLeod’s records consist of a paper written in 1995, entitled "S.J. McKee of Brandon College: A Biographical Note on a Man and an Institution." This paper is a brief history of Brandon College and S.J. McKee’s role in the formation of it. Beginning with the foundation of the short-lived Canada Baptist College, as well as the foundation of the Canadian Literary Institute, McLeod traces the history of Baptists and higher education. The paper is a fairly good guide to researchers wanting to know a bit of the background behind Brandon College. The bibliography in the back also gives researchers several ideas on where to look for additional information.
Notes
Obituary is in the January 5, 2008 Globe and Mail. H. Clare Pentland and Tommy McLeod studied economics together at Brandon College under W.T. Easterbrook, who later taught at the University of Toronto.
MG 1 Brandon College Teaching and Administration
1.6 Thomas Hector McLeod
Related Material
W. T. Easterbrook, “Clare Pentland-Brandon College, 1937-1940,” Canadian Journal of Political and Social Theory, vol. 3, no. 2 (Spring-Summer 1979), p. 101.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIANS/DIRECTORS OF LIBRARY SERVICES:
EILEEN M. MCFADDEN (1967-1977)
Eileen May McFadden was raised in the Brandon area and obtained her B.A. from Brandon College (University of Manitoba) in 1953, her B.L.S. from McGill University in 1954 and her M.L.S. from the University of Toronto in 1978. Following service in the libraries of the University of Toronto and the University of Manitoba from 1954-1959, McFadden found employment at Brandon College/University, first as a Librarian (1959-1969) and then as Director of Library Services (1969-1977). In the late 1970s, McFadden became the University Archivist. She held this post until her retirement in 1997.
She is a former president of the Brandon Council of Women and a former councillor of the Canadian Library Association. Eileen McFadden continued to live in Brandon until her death on August 24, 2001.
T.A. MITCHELL (1978-1982; 1996 - 1997/1998 (acting); and 1999-2001 (acting))
Terrence A. Mitchell received his B.A. and his Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Manitoba in 1958 and 1966 respectively. In 1970, he obtained his Master of Science in Librarianship from Western Michigan University. Mitchell taught in Manitoba schools before becoming Education Librarian at Brandon College in 1966. He returned to his work at Brandon University in January 1977, after a two year secondment to the Canadian International Development Agency to develop the library of the Kenya Technical Teachers College, Nairobi, Kenya. In 1978, he became Director of Library Services.
MARILYN NICHOLS (1983 - c. 1988)
Marilyn Nichols was raised in Crawfordsville, Indiana. She attended high school there before going on to Denison College in Ohio where she obtained a B.A. in history and French. Further studies included undergratuate studies at Indiana University and an M.A.L.S. from the University of Minnesota. Nichols came to Brandon in 1967, with her husband Ken, and began her library career at Brandon University in 1975. Her first assignment was librarian to Inter-University of the North (IUN) and later she assumed the position of Head of Technical Services. Nichols was appointed Director of Library Services in 1983; she held the position until a few months before her sudden death on March 17, 1989.
*In the interim between Nichols and Bazillion, various members of the Library staff informally held the position of Director of Library Services, until Meir Serfaty, then Vice-President (Academic and Research) assumed the position. He remained Director until Bazillion was hired.
RICHARD BAZILLION (1990 - 1995/1996)
Richard James Bazillion graduated from the College of Liberal Arts, Boston University with an A.B., from the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University with his M.A.T., from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with his Ph.D. (modern European history with specialization in nineteenth-century Germany), and from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with his M.A.L.S.
From 1969-1971 he was a faculty member at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University). From 1971-1980 he was employed as a faculty member at Algoma University College, and from 1980-1990 he was the Library Director for that institution, as well as an associate professor of history and a member of the graduate faculty of Laurentian University. In 1990, he became the University Librarian at Brandon University, as well as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of History.
During his time in Brandon, Bazillion oversaw the construction of the Brandon University library building as chair of the project-management team. He also served as a member for the following organizations: Search Committee for Dean of Arts; Board/Senate Planning and Priorities Committee; Board/Senate Budget Committee; Senate Library Committee; and the University Senate. In addition to his work for Brandon Univeristy, Bazillion also did consulting work, and in 1993, Bazillion, Braun & Associates, consultants in library design, furnishings, equipping and moving, was registered in Manitoba.
Richard J. Bazillion resigned from his position as University Librarian some time during the 1995/1996 school year.
B. FOLEY (1997-1999)
Prior to coming to Brandon University, Bob Foley held the position of Director, Information Technologies, Applications and Planning / Librarian at the Banff Centre (1979-1997). From 1997-1999, he acted as Chief Information Officer and University Librarian at Brandon University, before going to the University of Regina as University Librarian (1999-2003). Since August 2006, Foley has been employed as the Director of Library Services at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo, B.C.
L. BURRIDGE (1989 (acting) and 2001 - April 30, 2011)
No biographical information yet.
CHRIS HURST - Acting (May 2011 - September 2013)
No biographical information yet.
BETTY BRAAKSMA (September 16, 2013 - April 2019)
Elizabeth Braaksma obtained her BA (Honours) from Brock University and a Master of Library Science from the Univeristy of Toronto. Right before joing Brandon University she worked as Usability Liaison Librarian and Virtual Reference Co-ordinator at the University of Manitoba.
H. RAINER SCHIRA - Acting (May 2018 - April 2020)
No biographical information yet.
Scope and Content
Sub-series includes records related to budget, planning, library employment, acquisitions, surveys, COPUL, external associations, library building plans, statistics, inter-library loan, and publications, as well as general files and correspondence. A portion of the sub-series consists of Senate records of former University Librarian Eileen McFadden. These records measure 1.2 m and include materials from: Senate (1964-1984), Senate Library Committee (1968?-1980?), Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Committees (1968), Senate By-law Revision Committee (1967-1972), Senate Committee on Counselling (1967-69), and Senate Long Range Planning Committee (1967-1977?). There is also a box labelled "Restricted file" (1964-1980).
Notes
General information in the History/Bio field was taken from University calendars and from a position description (1994). Biographical information for R.J. Bazillion was taken from his personnel file located in RG 6, series 7, sub sub series 7.1.1 (Dean of Arts). Biographical information on Marilyn Nichols was taken from an ariticle in "The Quill" (April 6, 1989). Biographical information for Bob Foley was taken from http://www.mala.ca/library/about/WNarchive.htm (September 2006).
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services
Harry "Hap" Fraser was born in Brandon, Manitoba on January 15, 1919. On February 12, 1945, he married Muriel Coleman of Virden. Fraser served in the RCAF during World War II, returning to Brandon in 1946. Harry Fraser was employed by Coca-Cola, Nutty Cup Candy Company and the Codville Company. Following a brief stint as manager of the North Hill IGA, Harry Fraser built an IGA grocery store on Victoria Avenue West. He operated this store until his retirement in 1972. Harry Fraser was a member of the Brandon Lion's Club from 1952 until his death. He also served a term on Brandon City Council. He passed away at his home in Brandon on April 2, 1991.
Custodial History
This fonds came into the possession of Fred McGuinness, a Brandon writer and acquaintance of Hap Fraser's, after Fraser's death. McGuinness donated it to the McKee Archives in 1998.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a single scrapbook containing articles and pictures of various personalities and events from the world of sports during the 1920s and 1930s. Hockey, baseball, basketball, wrestling, boxing, body building, bike racing, boat racing, track and field, swimming, diving, football, rugby, rifle shooting, tennis, bowling, horse racing, golf, soccer, and fishing are all featured in the scrapbook. The articles and pictures feature both local and internationally known sports figures. Fonds also contains pictures of celebrities, royalty, prominent military figures, inventors, and beauty queens from the same era.
Speeches and addresses given by executives of the Manitoba Wheat Pool and MPE as well as argricultural experts and supporters of the co-operative movement helped to spread and solidify support for the Pools. They also served to educate rural members on a variety of topics. See fonds level description of RG 4 for complete history/bio of MPE.
Scope and Content
Sub-series MPE B.8 consists of speeches made by various important members and executives of Manitoba Pool Elevators. Records include the following:
1a. Addresses 1930 -1946
1b. Addresses 1946 -1954
2. Addresses 1954 -1960
3. Addresses 1969 -1975
4a. Addresses 1972 -1979
4b. Addresses 1972 -1979
5a. F.W. Hamilton Speeches 1967 -1973
5b. F.W. Hamilton Speeches 1962 -1966
5c. F.W. Hamilton Speeches 1960 -1962
5d. F.W. Hamilton Speeches 1949 -1960
6a. W.J. Parker Speeches 1945
6b. W.J. Parker Speeches 1940 -1944
7a. W.J. Parker Speeches 1948 -1950
7b. W.J. Parker Speeches 1946 -1948
8a. W.J. Parker Speeches 1954 -1958
8b. W.J. Parker Speeches 1951 -1954
9a. W.J. Parker Speeches 1968 -1970
9b. W.J. Parker Speeches 1960 -1967
10. F.W. Ransom Addresses 1942 - 1948
11. Miscellaneous Addresses 1948 - 1955; no dates
12. Miscellaneous Addresses 1960; no dates
13. E.S. Russenholt Addresses
14. V. Martens " The Implications of Including Protein in Segregrating Canadian Wheat"
William Wallace was born in Scotland around 1859. In 1881, when William was twenty-two, he emigrated to Canada with his father and brother. Once here they settled near what is today Forrest, Manitoba. The following spring they moved to the northwest margin of settlement in Manitoba, homesteading in the Shellmouth area. Wallace remained a resident of the region for the rest of his life. William Wallace was active in community affairs. He was appointed to the post of Secretary-Treasurer of the Shellmouth Municipality in 1887, and he held the position until 1904. In 1909, Wallace was injured in a railway accident, and he had to give up farming. He moved to Shellmouth and took up the position of postmaster, which he held for twenty-seven years. He died in 1945, and is buried at Shellmouth cemetery, Manitoba.
Custodial History
The letters contained in the fonds remained in the possession of Margaret Wallace, who was the original recipient of the correspondence. She emigrated to Canada in 1904. At some point the letters passed to William Wallace who kept them in his possession in Shellmouth. In 1941, William contacted Professor E. J. Westcott of Brandon College regarding the fonds. He offered it to the College for safekeeping. Westcott accepted the letters. Westcott passed the letters on to various officers and staff at Brandon College and then Brandon University. Since 1982, the collection has resided in the S. J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of hundreds of letters that William Wallace and his brother, Andrew, wrote to their sister, Maggie, from 1881 until 1904. The first letter, dated 22 March 1881, was written by both William and Andrew aboard the S.S. Prussia as they sailed to North America from Scotland. The last letter was written on 4 January 1904 by William. It was written to inform Maggie and her husband that William had reserved a homestead in their name. This letter marks the end of the fonds. Later that spring Maggie and John emigrated to Canada to be with her family.
William was keenly interested in everything going on around him; his letters and Andrew's reveal what life was like for inexperienced settlers on the Canadian agricultural frontier in the last years of the ninteenth century. Fonds touches on a variety of social, political and economic themes.
Notes
CAIN No. 202641. A partial accession of the Wallace collection was completed in 1992 by Eileen McFadden.
The Fairfax/Elgin United Church was formed in 1921, combining the Methodist (founded in 1889), and Presbyterian (founded in 1887) congregations in these communities. In 1968, the Elgin and Souris congregations joined and, in 1969, the original Elgin United Church was sold to the Fairfax Community Club.
Custodial History
The fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1997. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains minute books (1922-1968), account books (1953-1970), account statements (1966-68), one annual report (1967), and documents of insurance and property transfer (1960-1970) concerning the Fairfax/Elgin United Church.
