On the brass plaque there are a few spolotches of what looks to be ink. There are also miltipal scrapes, large and small, across the plaque that have rubbed off the reflective polish. On the wooden backing there is a large crack that runs down the middle from tope to bottom.
Scope and Content
Item was created by the Brandon College class of 1968. The plaque, which is made of a brass engraved sheet nailed to a wooden scroll, features the class motto “Nostrum Est Imperium”. The plaque features the Brandon University Coat of Arms, as well as the Class of 1968 Hymn.
Names include: Betty Aitken, Susan Arnold, Ken Arthurs, Rod Balkwell, Dave Beer, John Birnie, Judy Brereton, Ken Brown, Wayne Brown, Nancy Brownlee, Barry Burdeny, Karen Burkett, Fred Casey, Bob Cassan, Eleanor Chernenkoff, Rudy Dauk, Jane Davidson, Janice Davies, Garry Donoch, Leonard Fast, Hope Finestone, Karen Fingas, Myrna Graham, Brian Gusdal, Myron French, Keith Glawson, Al Gordon, John Graham, Shirley Halsey, Bill Henderson, Herb Henson, Michael Hill, Shirley Hrynkiw, Keith Hummel, Lynne Jackson, Dunloop Kells, Phhyllis Kotyk, Lana Kunnyckyi, Ted Leptick, Brian Lestition, Joyce Los, Penny Martin, George Matheson, Jack Maw, Allan McAulay, Ray McDonald, Linda McDowell, Randy McGunigal, Douglas McKenzie, Ken McKinney, Barb McLeod, Arlene Misanchuk, Don Mochnacz, Vicki Moore, Emmanuel Ojo, John O'Rourke, Connie Pedersen, Ken Penton, Nancy Penton, James Quinn, Don Rankmore, John Ross, Barry Russell, Ron Saranchuk, Paul Schneider, Albert Siemens, Murray Shelton, Patricia Stevenson, Glenn Stewart, Yvette Stewart, Clive Taylor, Penny Taylor, Vaughn Thorsteinson, Gerry Titus, Harry Van Mulligen, Bob Walker, Daniel Warrenger, Barb Webb, June Wilson, Margaret Beswatherick, Jim Campbell, Jim Clark, Jody Dunlop, Jacob Dyck, Paul Eilers, John Fast, Pat Filipowich, Ernest Friesen, Elaine Hopkin, Ray Hurd, Alvin Jackson, Karen Kerr, Harold Klassen, Marie Kullberg, Bruce MacDonald, Karen MacDonald, Ken Malcolm, Brian Manns, Wayne Palidwar, Wallace Peel, Floyd Phillips, Don Popien, Don Sawyer, Bernice Swanson, Don Taylor, Dennis Tokaryk, Doroty Vinthers, Penny Wallace, Fred Frost, Isabelle Kerr, Lavonne Miller, Don Simmons, Cheryl Stephansson and Thomas Williams.
Notes
Description by Lief Charles/Kees Adriaansen (February 2024) and Christy Henry.
Slight staining and discolouration on brass, screws are discoloured and may need replacing in the future, molded details in good condition. Scratching on wood and brass.
Scope and Content
Item was created by the Brandon College class of 1969. The plaque, which is made of a brass engraved sheet nailed to a wooden base, features the class motto “Nostrum Est Imperium,” as well as brass molded torches and a lame with filagree detail. The also feature the Class of 1969 Hymn and the Brandon University Coat of Arms.
Names include: James Ajila, Cheryl Anderson, Leslie Archibald, Mel Armstrong, Lorna Baldwin, Bruce Bateman, Irene Bauman, Ron Bawtinhimer, John Bell, Laurence Bertram, Dorine Best, James Blanchard, Darlene Boyd, Jake Braun, Dale Brawn, Warren Brown, Ross Brownlee, Irene Bullee, Barry Burdeny, Linda Burneski, David Campbell, Cathy Cantin, Terry Colli, Judy Crabbe, Jack Dawes, Pat DeCorby, John Douglas, Neil Douglas, Hilda Dueck, Ross Eastley, Margaret Ellis, Ruth Endall, Kerry Fair, Stu Farnell, Judy Ferris, Arthur Feser, John Findlay, Sharon Fitzsimmons, Pam Forsyth, Clark Fraser, Heather Gerrard, Chuck Gorrie, Arnold Grambo, Cordell Grant, Dale Gray, Lylle Grobb, JoAnne Haarmans, Elias Haddad, Rae Harris, Brian Harvey, Bob Haynes, Audrey Hrytsak, Janet Inglis, John Irvine, Bill Jardine, Bonnie Keay, Sharon Keynes, Amber Krauchi, Anne Kreager, Julie Laverty, Ken Lisowski, Murray MacMillan, Elspeth MacNaughton, Doug Magee, Balwarth Mahadoo, Joanne Manns, Rick Marshall, Ed Mazer, Wilfred McArthur, Murray McCartney, Joe McDonald, Peter McGregor, Jim McIntosh, Ben McKinney, John Menzies, Willa Miller, Jean Morton, Annette Mosey, Wayne Nickel, Arnold Novak, Clarice Oldcorn, Doug Paterson, Greg Paulson, Marion Perkin, Cheryl Pierson, Jacquelyn Porter, Pat Price, Jim Pringle, Linda Probe, Janis Rampton, Russ Reid, David Rinn, Madeline Ritchot, Lorna Rose, Pat Sankey, Jane Sharratt, Nancy Shaw, Tom Sinkinson, Claudia Skinner, Don Smith, Joyce Smith, Sandra Sobol, Dennis Sparling, Harry Sutcliffe, Wilf Taylor, Gerry Thompson, Marjorie Susan Tsukamoto, Jean Tilly, Andrew Turnbull, Sharon Twilley, Leo Valcourt, Mary Anne Waldron, Brian Wallace, Janis Watson, Gaylene Archibald, Joan Armstrong, John Ato-Yeboah, Don Ballard, Jack Ballard, Harko Bhagat, Lon Brandon, Marion Brereton, Alex Carruthers, Louis Chastko, Bill Currie, Pat Davies, Al Doerksen, Ernie Dushnicky, Harvey Dutkewich, Siggi Eiriksson, Steve Ewasko, Lynn Flock, Carl Forman, Sharon Garbutt, Kent Gooden, John Graham, Ken Hainsworth, Allan Halls, Mel Harvey, David Hatch, Len Hendzel, Bernie Hill, Donna Hrynkiw, Peter Hunter, Doug Kinney, Hedy Kling, Don Lindenburg, Ken Loader, ? MacIntyre, Brenda Malyon, Roy Martel, William McCartney, Ewert? McDonald, David McInnes, Bob McTaggart, Ron Metcalfe, Brian Minaker, Garth Minish, Jim Nadler, Reg Nylen, Peter Pang, Mike Quinn, Gordon Rourke, Ron Samchuk, Sandra Schepp, Allistair Scott, Richard Scott, Adelene Stefaniuk, Abdul Suleiman, Donna-Lynn Sumpton, Bruce Taylor, Monika Thiet, Mervin Toderian, Pat Turner, Vern Watt, Rick Way, Brent Wladichuk, Warren Wolfe, Jack Woodward, Harvey Wregget, Margaret Graham, Elizabeth Grant, Garry O'Brien, Nyall Ross and Sister Mary Rose.
Notes
Description by Lief Charles/Kees Adriaansen (February 2024) and Christy Henry.
Robert (Bob) Troy Blair was born on March 11, 1930 in Brandon, MB. His first six years were spent in Alexander, MB, where his father and uncle operated a grocery store. In 1936, his family moved to Souris, MB, where his father ran a grocery store. Blair received his primary and high school education, with the exception of Grade 12, in Souris.
Blair remembers his school years in Souris as mainly happy years. He was involved with both piano and organ music lessons. he was never interested in physical sports with the exception of golf. World War II broke out in September of 1939. Souris became the site of #17 SFTS and home base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Many of the service men came from England, Australia and New Zealand. Blair's mother always entertained at least two for dinner every Sunday. Rationing of sugar, tea and coffee, butter and meat became a way of life. Blair had the job every Saturday of pasting the ration coupons into booklets. It was also when he was in Grade 6, that Blair realized he was more attracted to boys than to girls. Perhaps it was because so many attractive airmen surrounded him!
In November of 1947, the Blair family relocated to Alexander where Bob Blair finished his Grade 11. This was not a good year due to bullying. In September of 1948, Blair moved to Winnipeg to attend United College for his Grade 12. Upon completion of Grade 12, Blair remained in Winnipeg until June 1950. he worked at a number of businesses - Gestetner, Eaton's Mail Order shoe department, Maple Leaf Milling, and the drug store in the Medical Arts Building. In September 1950, he entered Brandon College. Blair was very active in extra-curricular affairs while at Brandon College; particularly drama. Following his B.A. he enrolled in the Education Faculty, having decided to become a teacher.
Blair's teaching career spanned 34 years. All but one year was spent in the Brandon School Division. On his first day of teaching in the Division he met the man with whom he would spend the next 46 years. He was primarily a teacher of English and Music. A highlight of his career was exchange teaching in Sacramento, California in 1961. Orientation for exchange took place in August in Washington, D.C., where Blair had the opportunity to meet President J.F. Kennedy. He vividly recals the morning that JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. In September 1965, Blair assumed the principalship of Park School and in September of 1969, the same position at George Fitton School where re remained until his retirement in 1989. He was a member of the Brandon Picnipals' Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and servedas President of the Brandon Teachers' Association. Among his major accomplishments during his time as principal were the introduction of a centralized school library in both Park and George Fitton Schools and the integration of special needs students into regular classroom situations wherever possible. He was made a Life Member of the Manitoba Teachers' Society (Brandon) in June 1990. Following his retirement Blair worked as a Library Automation Consultant (1989-1993).
Blair also had numerous community involvements during his time in Brandon. he was active in the Brandon Little Theatre (Best Actor Award, Manitoba Drama Festival for One Act Plays in 1963), the Brandon Festival of the Arts, the Eckhardt-Gramatte National Music Competition, and Arm Industries to name a few.
Following the death of his partner in 2001, Blair moved to Saskatoon to live with a younger gay couple. He has been active in volunteerism: as an Ambassador for the Saskatoon Airport Authority, assistant with the Saskatoon Health Region's Immunization Clinics, information clerk for the Festival of Trees, data entry clerk for the Saskatoon Music Festival, on the Board of the Saskatoon Jazz Society, and Hospitality Coordinator for the Saskatoon Jazz Festival.
As of October 2013, Bob Blair continues to live in Saskatoon, SK.
Custodial History
Records were in Blair's possession until he donated them to the Mckee Archives on Homecoming weekend October 2013.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of two scrapbooks containing 145 photographs and ephemera (play and graduation programs, tickets, pins, newspaper clippings) documenting Bob Blair's days at Brandon College. Social events and extra-curricular activities are heavily featured in the two scrapbooks. Also included are graduation portraits for the Classes of 1951, 1952 and 1953. Of the 145 photographs all are black and white except for two photos of the Class of '53 reconvocation (May 1993), and one from the Class of '53 reunion (2003).
