The cairn was constructed in 1999 as part of the University's centennial activities. It was built by Mike Brewer, a local stonemason, using stones taken from the original site of Prairie College, which was located one mile north of Rapid City. The project was inspired by President Dennis Anderson, who wanted to povide a physical symbol on campus of Prairie College, as it was linked through the McKee Academy (located in Rapid City until 1890 and then in Brandon until 1898), Brandon College and Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The cairn is located in front of the Original Building east entrance. A time capsul, containing a list of the items enclosed, as well as copies of the 199-2001 Brandon University General Calendar, the 1998-1999 Brandon University Students' Union student handbook, the 1999 Brandon University Spring Convocation program, a Brandon University at a Glance fact sheet, the Spring 1999 edition of Alumni News, the March 17, 1999 edition of the Quill, a 1999 Mini University program, the Prairie College archaeology project abstract, a Prairie College archaeology project poster, the July 2, 1999 edition of the Brandon Sun, the 1999-2000 City of Brandon Tourist Guide, a Brandon city map and a Canadian Federation of Students pamphlet, was sealed inside the cairn on July 2, 1999 as part of the 100th Anniversary celbrations of Brandon University.
Notes
Part of BU 16.3 Artifacts - other. History/Bio provided by Tom Mitchell (April 10, 2007).
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series16: Brandon University/College artifacts
16.3 Artifacts - other
East side of the Original Building
Related Material
Photographs of the cairn dedication ceremony are located in the Brandon University Photograph collection under series 10 (Special Events) in the 100th Anniversary sub-series. Thomasin Playford's "Archaeological investigations at the Prairie College site (EaMA-9): a Baptist College in the Canadian Northwest (final report for grant 98F-W149)" and John Edwin Davis' "The life story of a leper: autobiography of John E. Davis, Canadian Baptist missionary among the Telugus." Both are available in the John E. Robbins Library.
Images of a Prairie City was a photography display of early Brandon circa 1912. The exhibition presented images of Brandon in the years immediately prior to the Great War when the city had moved beyond a pioneer stage and taken on the features of a modern North American urban centre, boasting parks, exhibitions, paved streets, and the latest trends in architecture and transportation.
Custodial History
These photographic images were drawn from the Alfred Fowler collection held at the S.J. McKee Archives. They were used in an exhibit entitled "Images of a Prairie City" in March 2004. The exhibit was located on The Curve Gallery in the John E. Robbins Library and curated by Christy Henry.
Scope and Content
Consists of 21 photographic prints (in frames) used by the Archives.
Notes
Seven photographs and the information page are on display in Student Services, McKenzie Building, Room 102. Six are on dislay in McKenzie Building, Room 117 and two are on display in McKenzie Building, Room 104. The remainder of the display is in storage at RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services 8.2, S.J. McKee Archives. The prints stored in the Archives should be handled with great care.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services
8.2 S.J. McKee Archives
Professor John Weldon Grant was born 12 March 1919 in Sunnybrae, Nova Scotia, son of Alec and Linda Grant. He was raised in Sunnybrae and graduated from Pictou Academy in 1937. Prof. Grant entered Pine Hill Divinity School to study Theology. During his ministerial internship, he taught and preached in Rabbit Lake and Biggar, Saskatchewan. He graduated from Pine Hill in 1943 and entered the mission field with the United Church.
Professor Grant moved to Trinidad & Tobago in the 1940s. There he taught in both San Fernando and Siparia, towns located in the southwest tip of the island. Weldon Grant was the first head master off the Iere High School School in Siparia when it opened in 1955. Professor Grant is recalled by Kenneth Ramchand in his _The West Indian Novel And Its Background_ as “his beloved English teacher” reading from an early Sam Selvon novel in a “Saskatchewan version of Trinidad dialect.” That he was teaching Selvon – a West Indian writer - testifies to Grant’s cultural pluralism. See Kenneth Ramchaud, _The West Indian Novel and its bachground_ (London: Faber and Faber, 2001 edition).
Professor Grant and Bernice Emma Moats were married in Gray, Saskatchewan 30 June 1954. They adopted three children in Nova Scotia and returned to Trinidad.
In 1961, the Grants returned to Canada. Weldon taught for one year at Vincent Massey High School and then joined the English Department at Brandon University where he taught in the English department until his retirement on August 31, 1984.
During a sabbatical he spent six months exploring Ireland and the poets that had been inspired by its countryside. He also loved stories of the sea and read many varied authors, both factual and fiction.
Custodial History
Records were collected by Weldon Grant during his teaching career in Trinidad and Canada.
Scope and Content
In the course of his teaching career in Trinidad & Tobego and at Brandon University Professor Grant acquired and retained a number of items with cultural, scholarly and sentimental value. These incude The First Folio of Shakespeare, prepared by Charlton Himan, [Academic ed.]. Imprint New York : W.W. Norton, 1968. xxvii, 928 p. : port. ; 37 cm. Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies. Published according to the true original copies. London, Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed. Blount, 1623.
The facsimile is described as "an ideal copy in which each page represents the best page selected from one of the 29 most satisfactory copies of the 80 copies in the Folger Shakespeare Library."
1 Self prononcing Holy Bible, Oxford 1910.
1 print 22.4" x 17," "Baking in a Clay Oven," by Trinidad artist David Moore, June 1977 printed in Trinidad by the College Press.
2 water colour paintings 17.5" x 12" by artist "AM." One titled San Fernando (1961) one titled Royal Palm, Trinidad (1960).
1 black and white portrait 10" x 13" of Governor general Roland Michener and his wife (No: A-2) copyright Karsh dated 1970.
1 Asian art work, 12.5" x 18" embroidery on silk.
Notes
Weldon Grant history/bio from Weldon Grant obituary Brandon Daily Sun c. April 14, 1999.
