Photograph is a portrait of Franklin W. Sweet, Brandon College President (1923-1924).
Notes
A brass plate accompanied the photograph, which read: Franklin Wait Sweet. Born 1871 in Dayton, Ohio. Died, 1924 in Brandon, Man. President of Brandon College, 1923-1924. The plate was culled from the collection on February 29, 2008.
Dr. Sweet was born in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Denison University, Granville, Ohio in 1889. In 1892 he graduated from the Rochester Theological Seminary in Rochester, NY. His first pastorate was in Adrian, Michigan, where he was ordained. Dr. Sweet served ten years at the Calvary Church in Minneapolis. In 1920, Dr. Sweet was appointed to a committee by the Northern Convention to inquire into the loyalty of schools to the historic faith of the Baptists. Sweet received his Doctor of Divinity from Denison University in 1921. He worked for the Y.M.C.A. during World War I in the United States and Overseas. After Dr. Whidden retired in 1923, Dr. Sweet was offered the position of President of Brandon College. He accepted the offer and arrived in Brandon with his wife and six children on September 10, 1923. Mrs. Sweet was a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, and she had been a faculty member at Denison University. Dr. Sweet felt that Brandon was a call of God. He was inaugurated on October 11, 1923, and was readily accepted by students and faculty members alike.
His enthusiasm for fund raising was apparent, and he often took long trips in search of yet another subscription. He won the approval of the faculty, the students, the community and the Baptists. It was thought that Brandon College would prosper under the capable leadership of Dr. Sweet. Unfortunately, he died very suddenly at his home in Brandon on December 30, 1924. He was 55 years old. A funeral was held on January 3, 1925, and a memorial on January 7, 1925.
Scope and Content
Because of his short term of office, there are few papers left from Dr. Sweet. The collection includes invoices from Brandon College accounts, correspondence to and from the Bursar and Registrar, and Board of Director Meeting minutes. There is considerable correspondence from Dr. Sweet to various people regarding sermon topics, foreign missionary work, and his own faith. As well, Dr. Sweet was very conscious of the need for funds to run the College. He was very involved in the fundraising efforts of the College and the Baptists on behalf of Brandon College. There is also correspondence dealing with the MacNeill controversy in the early 1920’s.
Biographical information for Franklin W. Sweet can be found under RG 1 Brandon College fonds, BC 2 Office of the President.
Custodial History
It is suspected that Sweet's papers were left at Brandon College at the time of his death. They were transfered to the Archives with the Brandon College records in 1980, at the time of the creation of the Archives.
Scope and Content
The personal records of Dr. Sweet include sermon notes, newspaper clippings, and church bulletins. The collection, although small, is remarkable. Researchers wanting to study religion during the early Twentieth century will have no trouble finding out what the Baptist doctrine of the day was. The beliefs that Dr. Sweet held are evident in his sermons, as well as in the clippings that he kept. There are approximately fifty sermons that Dr. Sweet wrote, including the dates and places that he delivered them. These records are an excellent source of information regarding religion, faith, devotion and mankind in the 1920’s.
MacDonald tied for the Gold Medal in General Proficiency and won the silver medals in Mathematics and Zoology. She also studied music while attending Brandon College.
Scope and Content
Graduation portrait of Margaret Ann MacDonald, class of 1959.
Laura Anne Orchard was born on July 31, 1909 at Graysville, MB to Jeannie and Harold Orchard. She was the fourth of six children. In 1912, the family moved to Glenorchie Farm in the Morton district near Miami, MB.
Laura attended Morton School and Miami High School, completing Grade XI, then attended Manitou Normal School in 1928-1929. She taught in one-room schools: Bracken near Laurier (1929-1930); Rothesay near Isabella (19301-1931 or 1932); and Badger near Roland (1932-1933).
After Laura married Hugh Loyns in 1934, they farmed near Roseisle, MB and raised two children, Shirley, who became a high school teacher, and Alwyn, who became a university professor.
Laura continued to work with young people through 4-H Clubs. She also served on Eldviado school board, the one-room school where her children attended. In 1958, Laura returned to teaching at Roseisle Consolidated School District until 1961. When Laura and Hugh left the farm to live in Vanderhoof, B.C., she worked as a resource teacher in Vanderhoof Elementary School from 1965-1974. Though she never completed Grade XII, she did continue to keep abreast of teaching methods through correspondence courses, workshops, and summer sessions.
In the late 1970's, Laura and Hugh retired to Chilliwack, B.C. Laura Anne Orchard died at Chilliwack on July 28, 1983.
Custodial History
The records in the collection were in the possession of Shirley Hicks, Laura Anne Orchard's daughter, until donated to the S.J. McKee Archives in September 2013.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records related to Orchard’s time at Manitou Normal School. The textual records include: An autograph book with signatures of all the students at Manitou Normal School; Department of Education Entrance examinations for drawing (1929), composition (1929,1930), science (1929), and physiology and hygiene (1930) ; a copy of the Manitou Normal School Closing Ceremonies programme (1929); a notebook on how to teach reading (c.1929); a lesson plan notebook containing notes on various subjects including Manitou Normal School executive, Students, Arithmetic, Primary Reading, Grammar, History, Poetry, Spelling, Geography, Geometry, Science, and class scores.
The collection also contains ten black and white reproduction photographs including: the 1928-1929 Manitou Normal School composite portrait; the Manitou Normal School building; Manitou Normal School Executive; Mr. Gordon, School Principal (1927-1930); various students; and an individual photo of Laura Orchard.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by Shirley Hicks. Description by John Ball (2013).