DEANS OF ARTS:
R.F.B. KING (1967-1972)
Ralph Frederick Breach King was born July 16, 1921 in Vancouver, B.C. He obtained his B.A. from the University of British Columbia in 1948, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1951 and 1960 respectively. Before coming to Brandon College in 1963, King held positions in the English Departments of the University of British Columbia, Royal Military College (Kingston), and the Canadian Services College (Victoria). At the latter, he was also the head of the department.
At Brandon College he joined the Department of English as its Head and also acted as, first, the Associate Dean of Arts (1963-1965), and then as the first Dean of Arts (1965-1972) of Brandon University. He continued as Head of the English Department until 1977. In addition, during the interregnum between the Robbins and Dulmage presidencies in 1969-1970, King also served as Acting President of the University.
As Dean, King oversaw the radical change in curriculum that took place just prior to Brandon College becoming an independent University. He supervised the introduction of the major-minor system (instead of three sequences of specialization) and the wide-ranging revisions in the academic program that the new degree structure required. Once Brandon University had been formally constituted in 1967, a need arose to expand and develop teaching staff, and King profoundly influenced the development of the institution through his choice of faculty. King also played an important role in expanding the library collection as Chair of the Brandon College Faculty Library Committee in the 1960s.
King retired in 1986; he was on full-time disability for the last seven years of his appointment due to complications arising from multiple sclerosis. In 1988, the University conferred on him "Emeritus" status.
Ralph F.B. King died June 3, 2002.
MICHAEL BLANAR (1972 - December 31, 1980)
Michael Blanar was born on April 26, 1933, in Montreal, Quebec. He graduated from Loyola College (Universite de Montreal) with his B.A. in 1954, and from the Universite de Montreal with his M.A. in 1956. From 1955-1960, except for 1958-1959 when he was registered as a post-graduate external Ph.D. student at University College, University of London, Blanar taught at Loyola High School in Montreal. In 1960, he graduate from the University de Montreal with his Ph.D.
From 1960-1970, Blanar taught English at Loyola College and directed the Freshman English Program there. For the two years before he came to Brandon University, he was on a leave of absence from Loyola College at Mount Saint Vincent University (Halifax), where he held the position of visiting associate professor in the English Department. In 1972, Blanar accepted the position of Dean of Arts at Brandon University. He held that post until 1981, while teaching part-time; in 1981, he resumed teaching full-time in the English Department, and continued to do so up until his retirement on September 1, 1993.
As a member of the English Department, Blanar developed and taught Written Expression, in addition to teaching other courses. He also acted as: a member of Senate (1981-1988); a member of the Senate Executive Committee; Chairman of the Scholarship Committee; Chairman of the Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee; Chairman of the Brandon University Act Committee; Chair, Tenure Committe; Chair, Promotions Appeal Committee; Chair, Search Committee for Director of Extension; and Chairman, Graduate Studies Committee (Arts Faculty Council). Blanar was also the Senior University Officer of Inter-Universities North for a number of years during the 1980s.
As Dean of Arts, he performed the usual academic administrative responsibilities, and due to the fact that there was no Vice-President (Academic and Research) at the time, he also represented the University at negotiations with the Universitites Grants Commission on Inter-Universities North, on the Inter-University Admission Committee. During his tenure as Dean, Blanar also oversaw the establishment of the Department of Native Studies, the consolidation of the language areas at the University into the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, and the intoduction of a Business Minor into the Economics Department.
In addition to his work at the University, Blanar was also a representative on the Articulation Council for Secondary and Post-Secondary Education for the Province of Manitoba (1982-1986), a member of the Board of Directors and the Brandon representative for the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC), and an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Opera Association.
Michael Blanar had three children with his first wife. In 1985, he married Shirley Lyon. Shirley Lyon passed away on March 1st, 2012. Michael Blanar lived in Winnipeg until his death on April 23, 2019.
P.J.C. HORDERN (January 1, 1981 - June 30, 1993)
Peter John Calveley Hordern was born in England on February 5, 1935. He was awarded a State Scholarship to Cambridge University (Latin, History, English) in 1953, and in 1959, completed his B.A. Thological Tripos Part 1 and 2 at that same institution. In 1961, he passed his General Ordination Exam at Lincoln Theological College and in 1961, received his Diploma in Ecumenical Theology from the Unviersity of Geneva, Switzerland. Hordern obtained his M.A. from Cambridge in 1964, and his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from McMaster University in 1972.
In the late 1960s, Hordern was a sessional lecturer in Hebrew at the University of Saskatchewan and a Professor of the Old Testament at the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad. In 1971, he took a position as a Lecturer in the Religion Department at Brandon University. From 1975-1978, he acted as the Chair for the department, and in 1980, he became the Co-ordinator for the Mature Student Centre. In 1981, he became the Dean of Arts; Hordern held this position until July 1993.
During his career at Brandon University, Hordern served the school in a number of additional capacities, including: Chairman of the Student Recruitment Committee, Chairman of the Arts Faculty Council Library Committee, a member of the Executive of the Brandon University Faculty Association, Vice-Chairman of the Arts Faculty Council, Vice-Chairman of the General Faculty Council and Vice-Chairman of the University Senate. In addition, Hordern was also a member of the Executive of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, Vice-Chairman (1976) and Co-Chairman (1978) of the Programme Committee for the Annual Conference of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, and Chairman of the Manitoba Police Commission. One of his prime research interests was the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Peter John C. Hordern retired from Brandon University in 2005 and on January 26, 2006 he was designated the title of Dean Emeritus. He continues to live in Brandon.
R.E. FLORIDA (July 1, 1993 - December 31, 1999)
Robert Florida was born on September 16, 1939 in St. Louis, MO to Edwin Lowe Florida and Eleanor Camille (nee Greene). He completed his Mech. Eng. degree at the University of Cincinnati in 1962, his Bachelor of Divinity at Tufts University in 1965, his M.A. at McMaster University in 1969 and his Ph.D. at McMaster in 1973.
He joined the Department of Religion at Brandon University in 1969 and retired at the end of 1999. While at Brandon University, Florida served as Dean of Arts from 1993-2000, as Chair of the Religion Department (1974-1975, 1978-1982, 1984-1986, 1991) and as President of the Brandon University Faculty Association (1972-1974, 1979-1980). His research interests focused on Buddhist ethical theory and practice.
During his career, Florida also acted as the Treasurer of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion from 1980-1986, and as Treasurer of the Canadian Corporation for the Study of Religion from 1986-1989. From July 1989-June 1991, he was an Associate Professor, and member of the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni, Swaziland (CIDA Project) helping that institution revise its curriculum. In the Spring of 1989, Florida was a Professor for the University of Pittsburg's Semester at Sea, and from January-June 1992 and January-June 1993, he was a Visiting Professor at Mahidol University, Salaya (Bangkok), Thailand.
Robert Florida married his wife Janice in 1963, and together they had two children: Aisha and Michael. At present (January 2006), Florida and his wife live in Victoria, B.C.
C. SCOTT GRILLS (August 2000 - June 30, 2007)
Scott Grills was born on December 31, 1963 in Peterborough, Ontario. He obtained his B.A. (Hons.- sociology) from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1984, his M.A. from the University of Waterloo in 1985 and his Ph.D. (sociology) from McMaster University in 1989.
Prior to becoming the Dean of Arts and Graduate Studies at Brandon University in August 2000, Grills served as the President of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations, and taught in the sociology department at Augustana University College from 1989-2000. In his time at Brandon University, Grills has also served on the Brandon University Research Committee, as Chair of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, as the Brandon University representative of the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada and as a member of the Province of Manitoba's Working Group on Socio-Economic Status and Tuition Policy.
Scott Grills assumed the position of Vice-President (Academic & Research) on July 1, 2007.
REINHOLD KRAMER - Acting (January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007)
No biographical information yet.
STEVEN ROBINSON - Acting (January 1, 2008 - July 30, 2009)
Steve Robinson obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Guelph. He also studied Classics at Queen's University. He came to Brandon University in 1996 as a member of the Philosophy Department.
G. BRUCE STRANG (August 1, 2009 - December 31, 2014)
Bruce Strang obtained his Ph.D. in History and an M.A. in History from McMaster University and a B.A. (Honours) from the University of Winnipeg. He came to Brandon University from Lakehead University, where he was a member of the history department. At Lakehead, Strang had also served as Acting Dean of Social Sciences & Humanities and Chair of the Department of History. After stepping down as Dean of Arts, Strang returned to teaching in the history and business administration departments at Brandon University.
DEMETRIOUS TRYPHONOPOULOS (January 1, 2015 - July 1, 2019)
No biographical information yet.
LISA ROBSON - Acting (June 1, 2019 - 2020)
Custodial History
Accession 17-2000 was donated to the McKee Archives by Dr. Robert Florida, Dean of Arts. Accession 24-2000 was donated to the McKee Archives by the Dean's Office in October 1999. Accession 03-2005 was donated to the McKee Archives by the Dean's Office in June 2005. Accession 04-2005 was transfered to the Archives from the Dean of Arts Office in February 2005.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of a number of accessions.
Accession 17-2000, consists of personnel records of faculty members who have left Brandon University or who have left the employment of the University through retirement or death. In addition, the records of the Northern Manitoba Business Institute, which was operated as a feature ofthe Faculty of Arts, are included. This accession contains 36 cm of texutal records and covers the years 1967-1986.
Accession 24-2000, consists of personnel files for the following members of the Faculty of Arts: C. Acosta-Gonzalez, M. Abou, J. Barletta, M. Bartosova, R.Bazillion (University Librarian), M. Blanar, H. Burmeister, D. Campbell, J. Chyzyk, L. Clark, F. Ezeala-Harrison, L. Hallat, K. Hanly, S. Hunter-Harvey (Vice-President Academic and Research), B. Jukpor, L. Kaufman, I.Makus, J. Rastel, M. Ruml, K. Saundrs, J. Skinner, Z. Yiheyis. In addition, the accession also includes miscellaneous records dealing with the Northern Manitoba Business Institute, the Brandon University Foundation, Attrition, and Remunerations of instructional staff. This accession contains 30 cm of textual records and covers the years 1962-1995.
Accession 3-2005, consists of personnel files for Dennis Anderson, William DeHaney, Trevor Denton, Robert Florida and Trevor McNeely. Files include curriculum vitae, correspondence, sabbatical applications, notes, paperwork related to courses and certificates. This accession contains 17 cm of textual records and covers the years 1977-2004.
Accession 4-2005, consists of Dr. Robert Brockway's personnel file. The file contains correspondence and copies of articles written by Brockway. The file consists of 5 cm of textual records and covers the years 1966-1999 (predominantly 1972-1985).
Notes
History/Bio information for Scott Grills was taken from the Dean of Arts page of the Faculty of Arts webpage at http://www.brandonu.ca/academic/arts/Dean's%20Office/dean's%20message.html (December 2005). History/Bio information for Steve Robinson was taken from the Fall/Winter 2008 Alumni News.
Accruals
Further accruals expected.
Access Restriction
Personnel records are closed.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
7.1 Faculty of Arts
When the Department of Music was founded in 1906, it offered only conservatory-type instruction under the direction of Abbie Helmer Vining (1906-07). W.L. Wright, after four years' study in Berlin with Leopold Godowsky, took over in 1907 and remained director until 1947. During the 1920s and 1930s, the department attracted students from across Canada to work with Wright, Esther Magdalene Moore, Kathleen Moffat Fairbairn (piano), and Ruth Morgan (voice) towards graduate and post-graduate diplomas. During the Depression and the Second World War, music education at Brandon College declined as a result of financial woes facing the College and the departure of students to the war.
Under directors Peggy A. Sharpe (acting director 1947-48), and Lorne Watson (1948-1981), most instruction was given to elementary and high school students from Brandon. Through the encouragement and support of successive university presidents, the music faculty and university music credit courses were expanded to make possible a music minor within a B.A. or B.Sc. degree. By 1963, the college offered the first B.Mus. program (music education and applied) in Manitoba. In the same year, the Department of Music became the School of Music with two areas of activity: one continuing the conservatory tradition, the other leading to university degrees. Watson continued as director while Sharpe assumed the new position of supervisor of the conservatory. She was succeeded by Watson in 1981.
When Brandon attained university status, the School of Music became a member of the Western Board of Music (WBM), now Conservatory Canada. Later a B.Mus. (general) was added and, in 1980, the M.Mus. (music education and applied). In 1981, Watson was succeeded as director by Gordon Macpherson (1981-87), during whose tenure the position was re-named dean. In 1987 Lawrence Jones became dean. Jones was followed by Patrick Carrabre and Glen Carruthers.
Originally housed in Clark Hall, in 1963 the School of Music moved into a new building, officially opened by Sir Ernest MacMillan, on 28 October 1963. It housed a music library, electronic music studio, classrooms, rehearsal hall and studios. Increased enrolment in the 1970s necessitated the acquisition of three adjacent houses. On 5 October 1984, Queen Elizabeth II opened the present music building, which is named after her.
The school's reputation as a centre of string pedagogy dates from Albert Pratz' appointment to the faculty in 1964 and the engagement of the Halifax Trio (Brandon University Trio) as artists-in-residence in 1966. The Wawanesa Insurance Co. in 1964 established a string scholarship program, which has since been carried on through the Carl and Lyle Sanders Grant and the R.D. Bell String Scholarships. A Suzuki string program was set up in 1977, directed by Alison Ryles (B.Mus. Brandon, 1978) who was followed in 1981 by Gerhard Ginader.
Besides the Brandon University Trio, school ensembles have included the Brandon University Orchestra, Concert Band, Chorale, Jazz Bands and Guitar Ensemble. The Collegium Musicum, formed in 1973 by James Mendenhall, has a collection of replicas of early instruments. The school frequently produces an opera (or musical theatre work) directed by Sylvia Richardson.
Student pursuing a major in music education have founded an active organization known as the Brandon University Student Music Educators' Association (BUSMEA), which is, in effect, a student branch of Manitoba Music Educators Association (MMEA). Annual summer schools enhance the program. In the 1960s, under the direction of Peggy A. Sharpe, recitals and workshops were given by visiting artists. In the 1980s, the emphasis was on graduate courses, including the offering of a Kodaly specialist diploma.
In the conservatory, music for children classes, the Suzuki string program, and classes in the Alexander technique are offered. The conservatory offers courses for gifted students. It also sponsored annual workshops for teachers. Clinicians have included Lawrence Jones, Lorne Watson, Gordon Macpherson, Sydney Young McInnis, Shirley Yip, Elizabeth Grant and Irma Toews.
The School of Music acts as a musical focus for southwestern Manitoba. Beginning in the 1960s, it co-sponsored (with the MMEA) an annual choral/orchestral workshop in January attracting up to 300 music educators and students from Manitoba and beyond. Rehearsals of the Brandon Community Chorus and Community Orchestra take place at the school, as do most events of the Brandon Festival of the Arts. It is also the home of the annual S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatte competition for the Performance of Canadian Music and the annual Brandon Jazz Festival. One reason for such constant activitiy is the excellence of the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building, which includes an advanced electronic studio, rehearsal halls for orchestras, bands and choirs and a 200-seat hall with recording facilities and ideal acoustics. On the occasion of Lorne Watson's 40th anniversary at Brandon that hall was named the Lorne Watson Recital Hall in his honour.
The music school's first graduate (1966) was Jack Spalding. Honourary doctorates in music have been awarded to W.L. Wright (1969), S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatte (1970), Murray Adaskin (1972), Jon Vickers (1976), Kenneth Winters (1989), the Guess Who and Tom Cochrane.
Scope and Content
Series has been divided into three sub-series, including: (1) Dean of Music; (2) Music Faculty Council; and (3) School of Music publications.
Notes
The history/bio note was taken from the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada at http://www.collectionscanada.ca/emc/m17-119.01-e.php?uid=415&uidc=ID (January 2006). The entry was written by Lorne Watson. Peggy A. Sharpe died in 2005.
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
Related Material
A file of miscellaneous newspaper clippings etc. assembled by Eileen McFadden for the period 1979-1985, is located in the Institutional Files in the Reading Room.
Sub sub series consists of the following publications:
Department of Music General Information Academic Season 1956-1957; Department of Music General Information Academic Season 1957-1958; Department of Music General Information Academic Season 1959-1960; Department of Music General Information Academic Season 1960-1961; Department of Music General Information Academic Season 1961-1962; School of Music Academic Season 1962-1963; School of Music Academic Season 1963-1964; School of Music Academic Season 1964-1965; School of Music Academic Season 1965-1966; School of Music 1967
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
7.4 School of Music
DEANS OF STUDENT SERVICES:
R. BRUCE MCFARLANE (1968 - 1976)
No biographical information yet.
CAM CONNORS (1978 - 1982)
Campbell Connors was born in England and raised in South Africa. He came to Canada in 1963, and attended the United College in Winnipeg (now the University of Winnipeg). Connors had planned to return to Zimbabwai, but after the Declaration of Independence in 1966, he was unable to. Subsequently, he became a United Church minister in Russell, Manitoba for four years. In 1971, he was invited to head a special Mature Students project at Brandon University, and in 1976, he became that institution's Dean of Student Services.
TOM MITCHELL (1985 - 1989)
See RG 6 Brandon University fonds, Series 5 Office of the Registrar, 5.1Registrar's files for biographical information on Tom Mitchell.
BETH WESTFALL (1989 - 1992)
Additional biographical information for Beth Westfall is located at RG 6, series 9 (Office of Extension).
On September 1, 1989, Westfall became the first female dean at Brandon University when she accepted the position of Dean of Student Services. Westfall left Brandon University in 1992 to accept a position as President of Keewatin Community College, in The Pas, Manitoba. At present (January 2007), Beth Westfall Davies is the Senior Education Administrator of Northwest Community College in British Columbia.
DARCY BOWER (1994 - 2005)
See RG 6 Brandon University fonds, Series 5 Office of the Registrar, 5.1Registrar's files for biographical information on Darcy Bower.
JANET S. WRIGHT (2005 - July 31, 2008)
See RG 6 Brandon University fonds, Series 7 Faculties and Schools, 7.2.1 Dean of Science for biographical information on Janet Wright.
DAVID ROWLAND (August 1, 2008 - July 31, 2013)
David Rowland is a native of Toronto, ON. He obtained his B.Sc. in Physical Education from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina in 1997. He completed his Master of Education degree in Special Education at the University of Charleston in 1999.
From 2000-2005, Rowland was the Assistant Dean of Students at the College of Charleston before taking the position of Dean of Students at Mount Allison University in 2006. His term as Dean of Student Services at Brandon University began in 2008.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence and minutes.
Notes
History/Bio information on Cam Connor was taken from Connexion December 1971 and an article in "The Quill" (September 27, 1979). Biographical information for Beth Westfall was taken from articles in "The Quill" (August 30, 1989) and from the government of British Columbia's Board Member biography page on Beth Westfall Davies located at: http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/oop/brdo/memView.asp?Member=142002 (January 2007). History/Bio information for David Rowland taken from the September 1, 2008 issue of the Quill.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 12: Student Services
Photograph is looking north from in front of Darrach Hall and shows the parking lots in the foreground and the QEII Music Building in the background during winter.
Photograph is looking northeast from 20th Street and shows the southside of the QEII Music Building and part of the west side of the A.E. McKenzie Building during winter.
Photograph is looking northeast from the east side of 20th Street and shows the southwest corner and south side of the QEII Music Building in spring, prior to landscaping.
