Dr. Evans was born in Nanaimo, B.C. on March 15, 1891. In the fall of 1907, at the age of sixteen, Dr. Evans entered the Academic Department of Brandon College. He played an integral part at the College, participating in academics, sports, and various other college functions and organizations. In his final year he was Senior Stick, the highest position in the Student Government. In 1913, Dr. Evans graduated from Brandon College. Immediately after graduation he was hired to teach Science and Academic Mathematics. In 1917, he became Principal of the Academic Department, while continuing to teach Mathematics and Science. Dr. Evans took leave in 1920 to study post graduate work at the University of Chicago. During the summers, he was the Acting Dean of the Department of Geology in Chicago. He received his Ph.D. in Geology in 1923, and returned to Brandon College. His new positions at the college were of Professor of Geology and Resident Master. He also taught some Chemistry.
On August 1, 1927, Dr. Evans married Adelene M. Bailey (Class of 1921, Music 1924) at the Joseph Bond Chapel in Chicago. He took over as College Dean in 1928 after the position became vacant. In September of 1928, Dr. Evans accepted the position of President of Brandon College, thus becoming its fifth president since the college’s inception. Dr. Evans was head of the college at a very difficult time. He guided the College through the Depression and repeated threats of closure from the Baptists. Dr. Evans resurrected the Department of Theology in the mid-1930’s. He helped with the reorganization of Brandon College as a non-denominational college in 1938, and its new affiliation with the University of Manitoba. During World War II, Dr. Evans started a War Emergency Fund, aimed at keeping the College from sinking into debt during the war years as enrollment shrank. With increased financial support from the government, Dr. Evans began expansion plans for the College. In 1958, he created the Dr. J.R.C. Evans Student Loan Fund in conjunction with the Alumni Association in order to provide worthy students with interest-free loans. It was also in 1958 that Dr. Evans was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal for his outstanding contribution to education in the British Commonwealth.
On July 29, 1959, Dr. Evans died suddenly at his summer home in Robson, B.C.. On his desk was the programme for the sod-turning ceremony for the new Arts and Library Building and Lecture Theatre. When it was completed, the Lecture Theatre was christened the Dr. J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre on behalf of the man who had made sure that it would be built. The Theatre had been his dream, a place to hold Chapel and Assemblies, as the student body grew in number.
Scope and Content
Dr. Evans collection is quite substantial, owing to the fact that he was President of Brandon College for thirty one years. His collection is primarily made up of correspondence between Dr. Evans and various people. The letters deal with students, teachers, finances, fundraising, the Bursar, the Registrar, and legal matters. The collection also includes the minutes from various meetings, including Board of Director meetings and National Conference on Canadian Universities. There are accounts dealing with World War II, its affect on campus, the C.O.T.C, and the lending of part of Brandon College to the R.C.A.F. during the war. The complete withdrawal of Baptist support for Brandon College is well documented in this collection, as is the ensuing affiliation of the College with the University of Manitoba. The Brandon College Campaign and other fundraising endeavors are documented in Evans’ papers as well. Evans was bent on the expansion of Brandon College, and there is a lot of correspondence dealing with this topic. There are various financial accounts and financial histories of Brandon College in Evans’ collection.
Photograph is looking northeast and shows the south and west walls of the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre. Portions of the link, the A.E. McKenzie Building and Clark Hall are also visible.
Photograph is looking north northwest and shows students walking across the greenspace with the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre and the link to the A.E. McKenzie Building in the background.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. A sign for Rylam Development is visible on the snow fence fencing off the demolition site.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. The photograph is looking northeast from the steps of Harvest Hall. The Citizens' Science Centre (BUSU Building) is visible in the background.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. The photograph is looking northeast.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. The photograph is looking south/southeast.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. The photograph is looking south/southeast.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. The photograph is looking south/southeast.
Located at the centre of the Brandon University campus, the Physical Plant H-Hut was destroyed following the opening of the new $3.9M, 13,600 square-foot physical plant on 07 April 2010.
Custodial History
Photograph was taken by McKee Archives project archivist Jill Sutherland.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the demolition of the Physical Plant H-Hut. The photograph is looking southeast. The John R. Brodie Science Centre, the Geology H-Hut, and portions of the Citizens' Science Building (BUSU Building), Knowles-Douglas expansion (KDC) and McMaster Hall are visible in the background.
Accession 3-1997 (84 photographs, various diplomas; 1886-1960) contains a variety of photographs of buildings and streetscapes of the 100 block of Tenth Street and various Hughes properties in the city. In addition, there are photographs of the "Founders of Hughes and Co," a parade on Tenth Street in 1924, the Wheat City Business College Hockey Team 1912, three photographs of the Port of Churchill in 1931, three photographs of threshing crews on Hughes and Company property, a Great War military contingent from Brandon including JRC Evans, and four family photographs.
