Photograph of the Neelin High School float travelling east on Rosser Avenue during Brandon University's Homecoming parade. The float won "best entry from the Westman community." Individuals on the float include: Rick Piche, Lynn Nicol, Susan Anderson, Karen Ashby, Jill Stewart, Jill Habing, Susan Medd, Felicity Adams and Wendy Muirhead.
Notes
Names and float information provided by Susan Medd.
Photograph shows Robert (Bob) Ford dressed as the Pied Piper playing a soprano saxophone surrounded by children in costume, some carrying Brandon University Alumni pennants. Photo was taken during the Brandon University Homecoming Parade held in downtown Brandon.
Photograph shows a float advertisement for the Manitoba Agricultural College. The photograph was taken at Treesbank, MB. The banners on the float read: "Prosperity like a Tree" "If the Roots Suffer, the Leaves Wither and the Trunk Dies."
The Office of the Bursar was created in 1910. As head of financial affairs, a Bursar was more compatible to the administrative framework of other universities in Canada. The initial duties of the Bursar were the collection of all fees, control of funds and disbursements, donations, purchasing, supervision of grounds, and progressive measures in the investment of funds and the enlargement of finances. By 1913, the Bursar was also in charge of the book department, boarding, grounds and gardens, buildings and heating plant.
By 1924, the Bursar had become so involved in the management of College affairs that the Board established a committee to examine the functions of the President and the Bursar “with a view to readjustment for efficiency.” The committee presented its report later that year, clearly defining nine functions of the Bursar. These functions were the keeping of books, banking, general handling of student fees and accounts, general handling of all trade accounts, handling of maintenance and extension movement pledge cards and receipts, general responsibility for the purchase of all supplies, supervision of fireman and janitor, supervision of buildings and grounds and the submission of a monthly report to the Secretary of the Executive. In 1929, the Bursar took on the role of Secretary to the Executive.
At several times during the history of Brandon College the Bursar and the Registrar were combined into one job.
BRANDON COLLEGE BURSARS:
R.J. KENNEDY (1910 - 1911)
No biographical information yet.
S.J. MCKEE (1911-1913, 1914-1915, 1919-1920)
Information about S.J. McKee can be found under the heading MG 1 Brandon College Teaching and Learning.
C.W. JACKSON (1913 - 1914)
No biographical information yet.
JOHN HARRIS MCKEE (1915 - 1918)
J.H. McKee was S.J. McKee’s son. He was born in Ingersoll, Ontario. He moved to Rapid City in 1881 with his family. In 1890 he moved to Brandon where his father opened McKee’s Academy. Harris attended Brandon College, graduating in 1914. When the war broke out he was not medically able to participate. He then took a position as Brandon College Bursar. In 1918, Harris resigned from his job to take up farming. He had several bouts of bad luck: drought, grasshoppers, frost, and other farming catastrophes, and was not too successful, having a list of 50 creditors at one point.
GEORGE H. ROSS (1918 - 1919)
Little is known so far about George Ross. He was a teacher before coming to Brandon College. He taught in Chatham, Ontario for a while, as well as at the Rider Moore College of Business in Trenton, NJ. From 1914-1919 Ross was also the Director of the Business Department at Brandon College.
S. EVERTON (1920 - 1923)
No biographical information yet.
E. SCOTT EATON (1923 - 1931)
E. Scott Eaton was born in Auburn. He graduated from Acadia University in 1903 and the Maritime Business College in 1904. Eaton then taught at the Maritime Business College and the Charlottetown Business College. For a time he was head of the Business Department at Alberta College. Eaton was the owner/manager of the Success Business College in Vancouver before coming to Brandon College. He occupied this position from 1923 until 1931. In 1931 he became purchasing agent and the superintendent of buildings and grounds at Acadia University. He became an accountant at H.T. Warne Ltd. in Digby, NS in 1940. Around 1953, Eaton became the Town Clerk of Digby. Eaton died at the age of 80 around 1962.
M.S. DONOVAN (1931 - 1936, 1939 - 1948)
No biographical information yet.
N. KEITH MCKINNON (1936 - 1939)
Keith McKinnon was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. After working in Weyburn he attended Brandon College, specializing in Political Economy. He was very active in all aspects of students affairs and was elected Senior Stick in his final year. He was appointed to the position of Registrar following his graduation from Brandon College.
D.R. MACKAY (1948 - Brandon University)
Information about D.R. MacKay can be found under the Office of the Registrar.
Scope and Content
The Bursar series revolves around the finances of the school. There are invoices from general accounts, letters from businesses, and receipts for payments. There are also numerous student accounts, wage lists and letters regarding teachers’ salaries. The Bursar did a lot of the correspondence regarding mortgages, estates, property, and other legal matters. The series is mainly correspondence to and from the Bursar regarding accounts, overdue accounts, pleas for financial support and numerous other matters. As well, there are financial statements, fundraising lists, and subscription lists. The series is not broken down by Bursar, but instead is grouped together chronologically.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 3: Office of the Bursar
Arrangement
Series has been divided into seven sub-series, including: (1) R.J. Kennedy; (2) S.J. McKee; (3) C.W. Jackson; (4) John Harris McKee; (5) George H. Ross; (6) S. Everton; and (7) E. Scott Eaton.
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).
Erected by the village of Wawanesa, the memorial is dedicated to the local citizens who died as a result of the First and Second World Wars. It was unveiled on November 11, 1921.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the dedication of a war memorial in the village of Wawanesa, MB. The memorial is located near the bank of the Souris River. The photograph was taken from Wawanesa Mutual. The street on the left is 4th Street.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Canadian National Defense website.
Bertha Miriam Clark was born on Prince Edward Island but attended public and high school in Brandon, MB. She was a member of the Class of 1929 and served as Lady Stick in her final year at Brandon College.
Clark married J. Scott Leith, Brandon College Class of 1928. Scott and Bertha Leith's son James Clark Leith is in the Canadian Who's Who.
Custodial History
Album was sent to Pat Britton, Brandon University Director of Alumni Relations, by Bertha Leith in April 1991. Britton then transferred it to the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of a small accordian style photograph album (7 x 10.5 x 3.5 cm) created by Bertha Clark during her years at Brandon College. The photographs, which measure 4" x 2.75", depict numerous people and events.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the 1928-1929 Sickle.