In addition to working as a journalist, editor, and publisher, Fred McGuinness worked as a freelance writer or “wordsmith” as he identified himself on his business cards. Throughout his career, McGuinness would write/publish about a topic in a variety of forums and would continually re-work manuscripts. The last piece of freelance writing the S.J. McKee Archives appears to have is a un-proofed draft manuscript titled “Tommy Douglas and Me” printed on October 2, 2010.
McGuinness wrote promotional pieces for businesses such as McKenzie Seeds, The Keystone Centre, possibly Patmore’s Nursery, and Westman Communications Group. He wrote for industry magazines and newsletters such as CP Trucking News, BC Business Journal, TV Times, and Western People. He also contributed memoirs to the Manitoba History Journal. He was invited to submit contributions to the World Book Encyclopedia (1977) and Encyclopedia of Manitoba (2007).
In the 1990s, McGuinness was a consultant with the WESTARC Group, the non-profit Western Training and Applied Research Centre affiliated with Brandon University. The group was concerned with the project management, research, training, and economic development of communities and organizations in Western Canada. McGuinness would be involved in a number of economic development workshops and rural forums through his work with WESTARC.
Additional freelance work was contracted by the Manitoba government to write business profiles about Manitoban entrepreneurs; these stories/profiles were published as booklets for distribution titled: Bootstrap Two (1989), Bootstrap Three (1994), and Bootstrap Four (1995).
McGuinness’ interests in rural development lead to writing assignments for the Community Futures Program and Western Diversification Series. He accepted a five-year writing assignment for Industry Canada (1996 – 2000) and the Community Access Program, which focused on introducing the internet into rural communities.
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.
Scope and Content
The subseries contains records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his time as a journalist, editor, and freelance writer in Manitoba. The records consist of research materials (e.g., newspaper clippings, copies of articles and book chapters, brochures, pamphlets), notes, drafts, copies of articles and reports, and correspondence.
Notes
Information in the history/biography was taken from documents in the Miscellaneous freelance subseries (McG 3.2)
In the file level inventories, square brackets at the end of file names reference the original location of the file in the unprocessed Fred McGuinness collection. The original location is also noted on the front of each file folder
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Fred McGuinness would write/publish about a topic in a number of forums. Therefore, it is possible research materials pertaining to this subseries may be found in the Fred McGuinness collection subseries: Correspondence (McG 1.2), Brandon Sun (McG 2.2), Neighborly News (McG 2.3), The Reader’s Digest (McG 3.1), Local history research (McG 4.1), and Talks and workshops (McG 6.3)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period
All the calendars in the sub sub series were produced by the Senate Office on behalf of Senate. See RG 6, series 6 (Senate), sub-series 6.6 (Brandon College/University Calendars) for additional history/bio information.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of Brandon College and Brandon University miscellanous calendars for spring and summer sessions, the School of Music and the Faculty of Education. It includes summer session calendars for 1967 to 1971; spring and summer session calendars for 1972 to 1979; Department of Music/School of Music calendars for 1957 to 1958, 1962, 1965 to 1968, 1971 to 1972 and 1978; Faculty of Education calendars for 1970 and 1977 to 1978; and Teacher-Training Programme calendars for 1959 to 1960.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Senate
6.6 Brandon College/University Calendars
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of one folder containing thank you letters to Prof. George F. MacDowell, Professor of Economics at Brandon University, and a long-time member of the McKenzie Seeds Board for his service to the company.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 1 Board of Directors
Related Material
RG 6 (Brandon University fonds), MG 3 (Brandon University Teaching and Administration), MG 3 1.12 (George MacDowell fonds).
This artificially created sub-series consists of records related to the office of the President/General Manager that did not fit into any of the preceding sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
The sub-series includes photocopies of articles on A.E. McKenzie and Keith Guelpa, Pat Kelleher's resignation as President of McKenzie Seeds (1975), as well as correspondence from Bill Moore's term as President.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 2 Office of the President/General Manager
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of miscellaneous MPE records:
Box 1:
1a-5. Miscellaneous files March 5 1925-Nov 19 1973
Box 2:
6. Membership Lists
7. Training and Development
8. Member Complaints
9. MPE Employee Handbook
10. Plebiscite Nov 24 1951
11. Quiz Programs 1940, 1948
Canadian Wheat Pool Visitors Book 1930-1956
12. Delivery Ledger 1967-1968
13. Information re: Wheat Export Shipments 1924-1930
14. Important Issues by Association June 2 1944
15. Grain Booklets
This sub-series is artificially created and contains records that did not fit into any of the preceding series or sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
The records in this sub-series concern A.E. McKenzie's personal life. It contains a number of documents created by his father, F. B. McKenzie, including land deeds, financial records, and a grant of probate. The sub-series also includes documents concerning the Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Co., the dissolution of partnership between A.E. McKenzie and George. E. McKenzie, the release of F.B. McKenzie's estate to his son and a copy of A.E. McKenzie's mother's last will and testament.
Also included within the sub-series is a file or correspondence between McKenzie and R.B. Dessert, a former employee of McKenzie Seeds who established his own seed company in California after leaving Brandon. The correspondence is almost entirely personal in nature.
Thank you letters regarding Brandon College and scholarships, as well as minutes from meetings of the Education Advisory Board can also be found within the sub-series.
See fonds level description of the Alexander MacPhail collection.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of miscellaneous publications/curriculum materials collected by the members of the MacPhail family and John Armstrong. It includes copies of "The Manitoba School Trustee" (1956-1963); "The Manitoba Teacher (May-June 1942)"; "Canadian Agriculture and the War (1941-1942)"; Canadian Girls in Training (C.G.I.T.) pamphlets; "Answer Book for Basic Achievement Tests (Manitoba) grades 2-7"; "The Manitoba Arithmetic for Elementary Grade VI"; "Arithmetic Answers, grade VI"; newsclippings; "Nature Study Self-Taught: Junior Work-Book, grades III & IV (Manitoba schools)"; Manitoba Provincial Board of Health pamphlets; senior high school boys' physical training, grade X & XI; outline of arithmetic, grade VI & VII; and sheet music and lyrics for "We'll Never Let the Old Flag Fall."
The sub sub series also consists of Manitoba, Department of Education examination papers for the following years and subjects:
1915 Entrance Examinations: Elementary agriculture; Arithmetic; Book-keeping; Composition; Drawing, Grade IX; Drawing; Geometry; Geography; Gramma; Canadian history & civics; History; Writing.
1921 Examinations: Literature.
1925 Entrance Examinations: History.
1926 Examinations: Industrial arts; Metal work.
1928 Entrance Examinations: Agriculture; History; Drawing; Grammar; Geography; Mathematics; Compostion.
1929 Examinations Grade XI: Algebra; Chemistry; Composition; French authors; French grammar; French literature & composition; Geometry; German authors; German grammar; History; home economics; Household science option; Latin authors; Latin grammar; Music option: first year, second year, third year, fourth year, fifth year, sixth year, seventh year; Spelling; Practical arts: arithmetic, household art, household science, industrial arts: mechanical drawing, metal work, woodworking & patternmaking, household arts option.
1931 Examinations Grade XI: French authors; French grammar.
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
This sub-series consists of publications that did not fit into any of the preceding series or sub-series.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes one copy each of Manitoba Business Top 100 (June 1985), Trade and Commerce Supplement, Brandon (c. 1963) and Manitoba Business (November 1985).
It also includes a Christmas Song book, the book "By Gossip and Myth" by Prof. George MacDowell and a document entitled "Background Information re A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd."
The following newspaper clippings have been located in the map case drawer #4 located in the archives reading room:
1. $175,000 Gift Set for College from City Man
2. McKenzie Will Leaves House to Arts Centre
3. The Old Alma Mater is Down on Her Knees
4. How to Help the Alma Mater
5. Good Things are "growing" on at McKenzie Seeds (ad)
6. Fire fails to halt work at McKenzie Seeds
7. McKenzie Seeds: new facilities are first in North America
8. A full-page advertisment for McKenzie Seeds from "The Brandon Sun" (September 24, 1971)
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 6 Miscellaneous