A.E. McKenzie was born in Wilcox Lake, York County, Ontario in 1870 to F.B. and Maria (Carley) McKenzie. His family came to Manitoba in 1883. He was educated in Brandon, Manitoba and graduated from the Collegiate Institute at age 21. In 1897 he founded the Brandon Seed House. McKenzie was present at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of Brandon College on Juy 13, 1900. From that moment on, he was very involved in the College, first as an interested businessman, and later as a member of its Board of Directors. In 1902, McKenzie married Laura Bell in Port Arthur. They had two daughters, Marjorie Bell and Kathleen. In 1906 the Brandon Seed House was incorporated and from then on was known as the "A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd.."
McKenzie became a member of the Brandon College Endowment Committee in 1918. The following year he was on the Finance Committee. By 1925, McKenzie was a member of the Board of Directors. In 1928, he was part of a syndicate that advised the Baptist Union that they were developing an endowment plan to provide continuing financial support to the College and talked the Union into providing $10 000 towards the accumulated deficit.
In 1931, McKenzie organized the Brandon Board of Trade to help save Brandon College when the Baptists said they could no longer afford to keep the College. After the By-law failed, he helped to organize the Brandon Citizen’s Campaign to raise enough money so that the College could open the following year.
When the Baptists withdrew support in 1938, McKenzie was one of the central figures on the Brandon Board of Trade that decided to save the College from closure. A representative delegation from Southwestern Manitoba of over 60 men descended upon Premier Bracken’s office to try and convince him to help the College. On June 12, 1938 McKenzie said he would set up a $100 000 endowment to Brandon College. He subsequently raised this amount to $300 000. On August 1, 1938 the Board of Trade launched a campaign to raise $15 000 to match what the government was prepared to offer the College. McKenzie was asked to provide Brandon College with $3000 personally. In September of 1938, McKenzie upped his endowment once more to $500 000. The fund raising worked however, and the chater establishing Brandon College Incorporated was assented to on April 17, 1939. On June 6, 1939 a by-law was again presented to the citizens of Brandon, and fortunately it passed.
In 1941, McKenzie received an honorary L.L.D. from the University of Manitoba. The A.E. McKenzie Foundation was created in 1945 by the provincial government, who had assumed 90% of the A.E. McKenzie Co. Ltd. stock.
On September 25, 1964 McKenzie died at the age of 94. He never retired, but worked full time until two weeks before his death. The funeral was held in the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre. The Arts and Library Building at Brandon College was completed in 1960, and is known as the A.E. McKenzie building, in honour of the man who contributed so much time, effort and financial help to the College during a crucial period in its history.
Custodial History
Records were accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
A.E. McKenizie’s records in the Brandon College fonds are very useful from an administrative point of view. Because McKenzie was so involved in Brandon College from the very beginning until his death in 1964, it is easy to understand how the College Administration arrived at decisions. There is correspondence between McKenzie and various regarding College and Board of Director business. There are Brandon College financial statements and letters regarding the A.E. McKenzie Foundation. The records contain newspaper clippings, pamphlets and lists of names of members of various Brandon organizations. As well, McKenzie has letters regarding Building Expansion in the 1940’s and minutes of Board of Director meetings. There are also several photographs. One photograph is the 1919 graduation picture of Zoe Hough. Another is tentatively identified as Frances Wolverton, also of the Class of 1919. There are two more photographs of unidentified young women.
Artifact catalogue containing 455 records from Atkinson II site 2004.
Scope and Content
Spreadsheet containing information about the artifacts recovered, including: unit, level, artifact number, catalogue number, depth, co-ordinates, entry date, date recovered,count, weight, UTM co-ordinates, notes(excavators initials and comments) and artifact identification.
Artifact catalogue containing 646 records from Atkinson site 2003.
Scope and Content
Spreadsheet containing information about the artifacts recovered, including: unit, level, artifact number, catalogue number, depth, co-ordinates, entry date, date recovered,count, weight, UTM co-ordinates, notes(excavators initials and comments) and artifact identification.
Artifact catalogue containing 556 records from Atkinson site 2004.
Scope and Content
Spreadsheet containing information about the artifacts recovered, including: unit, level, artifact number, catalogue number, depth, co-ordinates, entry date, date recovered,count, weight, UTM co-ordinates, notes(excavators initials and comments) and artifact identification.
Artifact catalogue containing 343 records from Atkinson site 2006.
Scope and Content
Spreadsheet containing information about the artifacts recovered, including: unit, level, artifact number, catalogue number, depth, co-ordinates, entry date, date recovered,count, weight, UTM co-ordinates, notes(excavators initials and comments) and artifact identification.
The Atkinson site was named for the landowners Ken and Karen Atkinson who were very helpful to the archaeology and geoarchaeology crews that worked at the site. Their support made the project possible.
The Atkinson site story begins with the discovery of a charcoal lens eroding from the north bank of the Souris River in the summer of 2002. Study of Cultural Adaptations on the Prairie Ecozone (SCAPE) project geoarchaeologist Dr. Garry Running was exploring the stratigraphic layering in the bank when he noted the lens and reported it to Dr. Bev Nicholson. Upon closer examination, a tiny pressure flake was observed on the lens exposure and it was decided to collect a charcoal sample for radiocarbon dating.
The resulting date of 5250B.P cal. 4225 B.C. placed the site in the early Archaic period. A second date on bone collagen of 5580B.P. cal. 4500 B.C. confirmed the earlier date and gave an averaged date of circa 4400 B.C or 6,500 years ago.
The Atkinson site is one of the oldest excavated sites in Manitoba. Based on the date of the site and the kind of lithics (stone tools) present it is considered a Gowen occupation. The Atkinson site is evidence that bison hunters were active on the northern plains at a very early date. Similar sites have also been found on the High Plains in the U.S. and are referred to as the Mummy Cave Complex.
The Atkinson Site is of great importance as it is the first undisturbed site of this type to be excavated in Manitoba and extends the range of these sites south and east from the type-sites in central Saskatchewan. Based on the date and sample evidence further excavations were conducted by Dr. Nicholson's team. in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Scope and Content
Sub series has been divided into three sub sub series including: (1) Atkinson 2003, (2) Atkinson 2004; (3) Atkinson 2006
See fonds level description of custodial history of A. E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd.
Scope and Content
This sub-series includes reports from three management consultants: Harbridge House, Urwick, Currie & Partners Ltd., and Thorne Stevenson & Kellogg. As well, the sub-series contains correspondence between the President and Comptroller of A.E. McKenzie Seed Co. Ltd. and Harbridge House regarding the implementation of a management training program and plans to combat the weak field seed market. The Urwick, Currie reports deal with improvement in company operations and improvements in packet seed processing. The Thorne Stevenson & Kellogg report is entitled 'Implementing a Strategic Planning Process.' Each of the reports completed for the company deal with improving the business operations of McKenzie Seeds.
Harbridge House – this record is a management-training program designed to address a weak field seed market.
Storage Location
RG 3 A.E. McKenzie Company fonds
McS 1 Board of Directors
The University Calendar is the authoritative statement of the institutional structure, faculty and staff, and academic program of Brandon University. Since the creation of the College in 1900, calendars have been produced annually, with only a few exceptions, by the Registrar's Office.
Up until 1991-1992, the calendar was called the general calendar. In 1991-1992, it was called the undergraduate general calendar. Beginning in 1992, the calendar was produced every two years instead of annually, except for 1998-1999, until 2003. The 1992-1994 calendar contains both the undergraduate and graduate general calendars, and starting in 1994 a separate undergraduate and graduate calendar was produced.
Custodial History
The Brandon College/University calendar was produced by the Registrar's Office. Individual copies of the calendar were held by the Registrar's Office until their transfer to the University Archives.
Scope and Content
The sub-series consists of general calendars, general undergraduate and graduate calendars, as well as calendars for the School of Music, the Faculty of Education, and for spring and summer sessions. It has been divided into three sub sub series, including: (1) Calendars - bound archival copies; (2) Calendars - researcher's copies; and (3) Calendars - miscellaneous.
Notes
The Registrar, acting in his/her capacity as Secretary of Senate, is responsible for the production of the University calendar.
The high biodiversity and evidence of pre-Europeon contact prompted the decision to test the Crepeele locale. The survey was named in recognition of the Casselman family, the original landowners.
Archaeological testing began in the Crepeele locale in May 2003 on property now owned by the Crepeele family. The locale covers over 6 sections or approximately 3,800 acres of land in an area of stabilized sand dunes and wetlands covered with mixed forest and prairie grass. Given the terrain, the size of the crew and time constrains, an area of approximately 60 acres was chosen for the survey. The survey used the established archaeological methodology of walking the selected area and using a shovel test surveyed grid. The use of GIS technology to locate the exact test spot and record the information into a GIS database was a significant advance and was one of the advantages of the integration of multi-disciplinary techniques encouraged by the SCAPE project. Over one half of the test pits resulted in the recovery of cultural materials. The results of the Casselman survey indicated several areas for further examination including areas that became the Crepeele, Sarah and Graham sites.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series has been divided into five sub sub sub series including: (1) Summary information; (2) Field journals; (3) Site records; (4) Artifact catalogues; and (5) Photographs.
Radiocarbon date reports have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele locale is located within the larger Lauder Sandhills area, located in southwestern Manitoba. The area is a complex region of high biodiversity made up of stabilized sand dunes and wetlands that encourage the development of mixed forest and grass prairie. This area provided a variety of subsistence resources for pre-European hunter-gatherers. At the present time the grass prairie is now farm land but the areas of vegetated sand dunes have not been cultivated and have revealed numerous pre-contact archaeological sites.
Archaeological surveying was conducted in 2003. The results of the 2003 Casselman survey showed over 300 test uints contained cultural material and indicated several areas for further examination including the Crepeele site DiMe-29, Sarah site DiMe-28 and Graham sites DiMe-30.
From 2003 to 2008 field work took place at the locale with 75 - 1m x1m units excavated. The Crepeele locale is a complex region of high biodiversity made up of stabilized sand dunes and wetlands that encourage the development of mixed forest and grass prairie. This area provided a variety of subsistence resources for pre-European hunter-gatherers. At the present time the grass prairie is now farm land but the areas of vegetated sand dunes have not been cultivated and have revealed numerous pre-contact archaeological sites.
To help establish the cultural sequence at the locale Radiocarbon dates were obtained from the three sites in the Crepeele locale.
Radiocarbon dating
The technique of radiocarbon dating was developed by Willard Libby and his colleagues at the University of Chicago in 1949.
Radiocarbon dating is used to estimate the age of organic remains from archaeological sites. Organic matter has a radioactive form of carbon (C14) that begins to decay upon death. C14 decays at a steady, known rate of a half life of 5,730 years. The technique is useful for material up to 50,000 years. Fluctuations of C14 in the atmosphere can affect results so dates are calibrated against dendrochronology. Radiocarbon dates are calibrated to calendar years.
Dates are reported in radiocarbon years or Before Present. Before Present refers to dates before 1950. The introduction of massive amounts of C14, due to atomic bomb and surface testing of atomic weapons, has widely increased the standard deviation on all dates after A.D. 1700 causing these dates to be unreliable.
Accelerated mass spectrometry can more accurately measure C14 with smaller samples and can date materials to 80,000 years.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series contains radiocarbon dates from: Crepeele, Sarah and Graham sites.
Artifact catalogue containing 636 records from Crepeele site 2003.
Scope and Content
Spreadsheet containing information about the artifacts recovered, including: unit, level, artifact number, catalogue number, depth, co-ordinates, entry date, date recovered,count, weight, UTM co-ordinates, notes(excavators initials and comments) and artifact identification.
Field journals have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele site was excavated in 2003 as Crepeele 3. Standard archaeological methods were used to excavate the units. Excavation units were initially numbered as units 10, 11, 12 & 13. These numbers have been changed on the catalogue to XU 110 – 113, due to duplication in 2005. Corresponding documents have been changed to reflect the amended excavation unit numbers, however the field journals may contain the initial numbers.
Scope and Content
Record of daily observations at the site including: excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather.
Numerous photographs were taken during the excavation of the Crepeele site 2003. A selection of photographs of personnel performing usual field tasks such as surveying, measuring, excavating, and taking photographs were selected for the archive.
Scope and Content
Sub sub sub series consists of photographs taken during excavation of the Crepeele site 2003.
Site records have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele site was excavated in 2003 as Crepeele 3. Standard archaeological methods were used to excavate the units. Site records of excavation units XU 110 – 113 are in seperate pdf files.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Field journals have been scanned in multi-page PDF files. Artifact catalogues are PDF files in spreadsheet format. Photographs are in jpeg format.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele site was identified from the results of the Casselman survey. The site is located within the Crepeele locale approximately 400 meters to the west of the Sarah site. The units were excavated by Crew Chief James Graham and the crew from the survey.
The Crepeele site was excavated in 2003 as Crepeele 3 with the units numbered as units 10, 11, 12 & 13. These numbers have been changed on the catalogue to XU 110 – 113, due to duplication in 2005. Corresponding documents have been changed but there may be some reference to the initial numbers in the field journals.
The artifacts recovered from these four excavations are faunal (animal bone), mainly bison, lithic materials (stone tools and flakes) and some ceramic (pottery). The artifact catalogue has over 600 records.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journalsare daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
Artifact catalogue containing 1258 records from Crepeele site 2004.
Scope and Content
Spreadsheet containing information about the artifacts recovered, including: unit, level, artifact number, catalogue number, depth, co-ordinates, entry date, date recovered,count, weight, UTM co-ordinates, notes(excavators initials and comments) and artifact identification.
Numerous photographs were taken during the excavation of the Crepeele site 2004. A selection of photographs of features and personnel performing usual field tasks such as surveying, measuring, excavating, and taking photographs were selected for the archive.
Scope and Content
Sub sub sub series consists of photographs taken during excavation of the Crepeele site 2004.
Site records have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele site was identified from the results of the Casselman survey and excavated in 2003. In 2004 the site was funded through the SCAPE project, directed by Bev Nicholson. The units were excavated by Crew Chief Tomasin Playford and crew.
Eight units were excavated in 2004, XU 1 to XU 8. Each unit has a seperate pdf file.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Field journals have been scanned in multi-page PDF files. Artifact catalogues are PDF files in spreadsheet format. Photographs are in jpeg format.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele site was identified from the results of the Casselman survey and excavated in 2003. Further units 1 to 8 were excavated in 2004. Funding was through the SCAPE project, directed by Dr. Bev Nicholson. The site was excavated by Crew Chief Tomasin Playford and crew.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position.
