George F. MacDowell was born in 1913, in Prince Edward Island. He studied at Dalhousie University from 1930 to 1933, but did not complete a degree. During WWII, MacDowell served in Canada and Europe as a member of the Royal Canadian Signals Corps. After the war, he returned to Dalhousie University, graduating with a B.A. in 1947. Subsequently, he graduated with a Masters Degree in Economics from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. George McDowell taught at both Mount Allison University and the University of Alberta before coming to Brandon in 1957 to teach at Brandon College. He remained as a professor in the Economic Department until his retirement in 1979.
MacDowell's work was published in the Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science. In 1971, McClelland & Stewart published his account of the Brandon Packers strike of 1960 titled "The Brandon Packer's Strike: A Tragedy of Errors." In Brandon, MacDowell maintained a relationship with the local Association of Fire Fighters, aiding them with collective bargaining procedures. He also served as Chairman for the MacKenzie Seeds Board, and was a member of the Manitoba Development Corporation Board.
MacDowell never married and had no known children. He passed away on February 26th, 1986.
Custodial History
This collection was in the possesion of George MacDowell until his death. It was then held by the Brandon University Department of Economics until 1997, at which time it was transferred to the McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The bulk of this fonds falls into five main categories:
1. Records dealing with the Brandon Packers Strike of 1960 and the subsequent legal actions against the owners, including all 2215 pages of the Brandon Packers Strike Commission;
2. Records dealing with the Commission of Inquiry into The Pas Forestry and Industrial Complex, including the complete transcript of the inquiry measuring approximately 5m. This Commission dealt with the conduct of Churchill Forest Industries, a company owned by a Swiss financial firm, which, in the 1960's, was given approximately 93 million dollars by the Roblin Provincial Government to develop The Pas Forestry and Industrial Complex. Churchill Forest Industries and its parent company subsequently came under suspicion of fraud and accused of fradulently transfering The Pas Forestry funds into other foreign business interests;
3. Records dealing with business loans awarded by the Manitoba Development Corporation during the 1970's and 1980's to businesses primarily within Manitoba;
4. Records dealing with McKenzie Seeds, and McKenzie Steele-Briggs Seeds during the early 1980's when George MacDowell was a board member of McKenzie Seeds;
5. Records dealing with Professor MacDowell's career as a Professor at Brandon University, including records relating to his courses and to administrative activities.
To a lesser extent, this collection includes records dealing with the University of Saskatchewan College of Commerce, the publication the "Manitoba New Democrat," issues associated with politics, labor and union in the prairie provinces from the 1960's to the 1980's, articles from various economic periodicals including "Economica" and "Public Finance," a variety of government reports from 1941 to 1981, and records dealing with George MacDowells' relationship with the Brandon Firefighters Association.
Notes
File level inventory available. Description written by Mike White (2002).
File consists of memos, forms, schedules, notices, registration information and news releases for various seminars and lectures held at Brandon University.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 4: Office of the Vice-President
4.2 Office of the Vice-President (Administration & Finance)
Box 5
File consists of programmes, notices, correspondence, memos, and news releases regarding various seminars and lectures sponsored by Brandon University.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 4: Office of the Vice-President
4.2 Office of the Vice-President (Administration & Finance)
Box 7
Fred McGuinness was a sessional lecturer in the English Department at Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba where he co-taught an introductory undergraduate course in journalism with English Professor John Blaikie. Although McGuinness had 30 years experience as a journalist, editor, publisher, and freelance writer, as well as an extensive public speaking career, the partnering was necessary because he did not have a graduate degree, a qualification necessary for teaching in a university setting. In addition to his professional experience, McGuinness was also an avid reader on topics about the process of writing and the publishing of popular writing.
McGuinness likely began teaching his journalism course at Brandon University in 1983 and continued until 1990, possibly 1996. McGuinness often referenced his class when writing his Neighborly News column. A portion of McGuinness’ course involved analyzing and debating current events from newspaper headlines. McGuinness emphasized the importance of clean copy, spelling, and grammar with his editing assignments.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist, freelance writer, and sessional instructor. 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 sessional instructor and writer. Consisting of teaching materials McGuinness used in the undergraduate course he taught with Professor John Blaikie the subseries includes: lecture notes, quizzes, exercises, exams, and newspaper and magazine articles.
Notes
Information for the history/biography was obtained from documents in the BU journalism course subseries (McG 6.2), and his Neighborly News columns (McG 2.3)
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 materials pertaining to his teaching career may be found in other subseries of the Fred McGuinness collection. Several articles McGuinness wrote for Neighborly News referenced his BU journalism students (see McG 2.3)
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Subseries has been re-arranged according to publication period
Fred McGuinness’ public speaking and broadcasting career began after he enrolled at St. Paul’s College, which was affiliated with the University of Manitoba. From 1943 to 1946, McGuinness served on the student union’s Public Relations Committee; in 1945, he became chairman of the Radio Subcommittee working as the Director of the University Radio Series where he was responsible (i.e., writing, casting, directing) for a half-hour Saturday afternoon radio programme. That same year, the President of the University of Manitoba recommended McGuinness as a speaker for the War Finance Committee in the Winnipeg Area.
In 1946, McGuinness moved to Port Arthur to work in public relations with the Wartime Prices and Trade Board. That same year he married his wife Christine. In 1947, the couple returned to Winnipeg, when McGuinness took a job as a Public Relations Officer for the National Employment Service’s Unemployment Insurance Commission (UIC). While employed with the UIC, McGuinness travelled the summer fair circuit with displays promoting the UIC and its benefits. During that time, Royal American Shows also hired McGuinness as its Director of Publicity and Exploitation while the show toured with the fairs on the Canadian prairies. McGuinness also sold his first manuscript to the CBC in 1947, recording a 14-minute broadcast titled the “Class A Circuit” about the Royal American tour, after his summer fair schedule concluded.
McGuinness continued his work with Royal American and the UIC until he accepted a position with the Saskatchewan government in 1952 to promote its upcoming 1955 golden jubilee. His experience with the Saskatchewan Jubilee preparations lead to McGuinness being appointed as a provincial representative to the Canadian Centennial Commission in 1963; an appointment that had McGuinness delivering speeches provincially and internationally.
After the jubilee, McGuinness accepted a position with The Medicine Hat News in Medicine Hat, Alberta. During his decade with that newspaper as a journalist and publisher, McGuinness was heavily involved with the Chamber of Commerce and community service organizations. His position within the community had him delivering talks to many local groups.
At the beginning of 1966, McGuinness started his new appointment as manager of the newly formed personnel and information branch for James Richardson and Sons Ltd. whose head offices were in Winnipeg. At that time McGuinness was developing broadcast scripts for the CBC in earnest. McGuinness left Richardson and Sons in the fall of 1966 to become the publisher and vice-president of the Brandon Sun newspaper in Brandon, Manitoba.
In the 1970s, McGuinness was writing copy for CBC’s Radio Noon and Information Radio, as well as producing Ashgrove Farm, a CBC radio drama. By 1980, McGuinness was hosting the CBC Radio broadcast Neighborly News from the Prairies. The radio program was cancelled by the CBC in 1983, but was reincarnated with Altona broadcaster CFAM later that year with McGuinness at the helm. The radio show ended its run in the summer of 1987. McGuinness continued working with the CBC, and is popularly known for his work as the prairie essayist for CBC Radio’s Morningside with Peter Gzowski, a position McGuinness held for 17 years.
During his twenty years with the Sun, McGuinness took an active roll in the community and cultivated his interest in local history. Consequently he was invited to guest speak and chair sessions on local history, rural development, and the economy while providing his personal insights as a newspaper publisher.
In the 1980s and 1990s, McGuinness co-taught an undergraduate journalism class at Brandon University with English Professor John Blaikie. McGuinness also delivered community workshops on memoir writing, a past time he continued until shortly before his death in 2011.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a radio broadcaster, 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 series contains records created and collected by Fred McGuinness during his time as a radio broadcaster, journalist, editor, and freelance writer. Records in the series consist of broadcast scripts, lecture notes, speeches, rough drafts and notes, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and other research materials for respective broadcasts, lectures, speeches, and workshops.
The series has been divided into three subseries, including: (1) radio broadcast scripts, (2) BU journalism course, and (3) talks and workshops.
Notes
Information for the history/biography was obtained from documents in McGuinness’ personal papers (see his family papers McG 1.1 and the scrapbook in McG 1.4) and his book Letters from Section 17 (published by Great Plains Publications in 1999)
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available for each subseries, see subseries
descriptions
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Related Material
Fred McGuinness would write/publish about a topic in a number of forums. Therefore, it is possible materials pertaining to his broadcast and lecture career may be found in other series of the Fred McGuinness collection. A sound recording of one of McGuinness’ UofM broadcasts can be found in McG 7
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives. Series has been re-arranged according to publication period
McG 6 McGuinness broadcasts, lectures, workshops
McG 6.1 Radio broadcast scripts
McG 6.2 BU Journalism course
McG 6.3 Talks and workshops
The Canadian Union of Public Employees came into existence in September 1963, during a convention in Winnipeg when The National Union of Public Employees and the National Union of Public Service Employees merged. In 1964, the Manitoba Division of CUPE (now CUPE Manitoba) held its founding convention in The Pas. At that time, there were 12 affiliated local unions and a total membership of 1,300. The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada's largest union. Public service employees formed CUPE to protect their rights, to negotiate wages and working conditions, and to achieve dignity in the workplace.
Custodial History
Fonds was in the possesssion of the Brandon CUPE Office until its donation to the S.J. McKee Archives in 1995.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains general administrative files of the CUPE including agreements, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and convention records. In addition, fonds includes records for many CUPE locals in southwestern and north-central Manitoba. These includes files for each local containing agreements, lists of officials, correspondence and financial records. An extensive body of records dating from 1956 exists for CUPE local #69. This local began its existence as the Brandon Civic Employees Federal Union formed in April 1919.
"Maley House was constructed in 1912 by Henry F. Maley, founder and owner of the Brandon Brewery Company. The house was purchased by Dr. McDiarmid, whose family occupied the home for the next sixty years. It is currently used as a bed and breakfast establishment" (Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport). Maley House is listed as Manitoba Municipal Heritage Site No. 80.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
[Maley House]; Elizabethan style
Notes
Located at 16th St. & Victoria Ave.
[Mr. Stuckey put two negatives in the same envelop, numbering them DE4a and DE4b. We have separated them.]
"Built in 1892 by Bell Brothers Construction, Lorne Terrace is a typical terrace house - a facility that combined several addresses in what would appear to be a very large house" (Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport). It is currently listed as Manitoba Municipal Heritage Site No. 197.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
"Christie House was built in 1905 for Ernest Lisle Christie, founder of the huge stationary and school supply business that still bears his name. Christie and his family lived here until 1934, and the house was occupied by other family members until 1966. The house was designed by Brandon architect W.A. Elliott and was constructed by the local firm of G.C. Taylor" (Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport). Christie House is listed as Manitoba Municipal Heritage Site No. 20.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Item is a mini-chapbook entitled "Unrest Bound" by Liliane Welch. It is series 2, number 10 in the Dollarpoems series. The series was publiched by Pierian Press, Brandon University with the aid of a grant from The Manitoba Arts Council.
Photograph of the Brandon College Literary Society Executive 1911-1912.
Back Row (L to R): F. Freer ’15 (Editor of Critic); H.E. Green, Theo. (Pres.Deb.Soc.); W.Wilkin ’13 (Reading Room Com.); J. Robinson ’13 (2nd Vice Pres.); and H. Wilson (Treas.).
Front Row (L to R): M. Reid ’14 (Pres.C.H. Lit.); K. Johnson ’14 (1st Vice Pres.); J. Evans ’13 (Pres.); and W. Speers ’13 (Sec.).
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