Sub-series consists of four scrapbooks detailing life at Clark Hall and Brandon College. They include newspaper clippings, photographs, cards, various programs and ephemera.
Storage Location
RG 1 Brandon College fonds
Series 9: Clark Hall Women's Residence
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).
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This artificially created sub-series consists of indexes to bodies of MPE records created by MPE itself. The records include the following:
Pool Packers Ltd. Record of Indexing 1947-1968
MPE Record of Indexing A-C 1925-1986(created 1986)
MPE Record of Indexing D-L 1925-1986(created 1986)
MPE Record of Indexing M-Z 1925-1986(created 1986)
Transfer Index Sheets A-K 1925-1980s
Transfer Index Sheets L-Z 1925-1980s
MPE Minute Book Index
Annual Meeting Index 1932-1994
MPE Miscellaneous Index
1. MPE Legal File Index 1925-1986
2. Index to the Scoop Shovel Vol. 3 1931
3. Documents Index 1981-1988
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of summaries of elevator operations. The records include the following:
Box 1:
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Alexander-Gretna
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Hamiota-Morris
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Napinka-Woodnorth
Box 2:
Association Financial and Debt Repayment Summary 1925-1963
Association Financial and Debt Repayment Summary 1925-1963
Box 3:
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Box 4:
Summary of Operations A-K 1925-1996
Summary of Operations L-Z 1925-1996
Elevator Points Closed A-L 1926-1987
Elevator Points Closed M-Z 1926-1987
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This artificially created sub-series consists of documents and correspondence pertaining to MPE's acquisition of private companies. The records include the following:
1. Kenmore Industries 1959-1977
2. Seed Plant 1945-1971
3. Northern Canadian Seed Sales Ltd. 1947-1971
4. Fairway Milling and Grain Co. 1970-1971
5. Terminal #2 – Horne Elevator 1937-1977
6. Douglas Depot 1968-1972
7. Ogilvie – Lake of the Woods Purchase 1955-1961
8. Western Canada Elevators 1940
9. Northern Canadian Seed Sales Ltd. 1965-1970
10. Westland Elevators Limited
11. Kenmore Industries Share Certificates 1959-1975
12. Gillespie Grain Company Ltd. 1935-1944
Kenmore Industries Minute Book 1959-1975
13. Burns Foods Ltd. (Pool Packers Ltd. Purchase) 1969-1971
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of MPE's involvement in four different inter-provincial committees: Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers, Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd, Inter-provincial Pool Board, and Canadian Pool Agencies. The records include the following:
Box 1:
Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers Minute Book 1924-1944
Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers / Prairie Pools Minute Book 1945-1983
1a. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. 1966-1979
1b. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. 1965-1979
1c. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. meeting in Toronto Sept 25 1979
1d. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. By-laws 1960-1963
2a. Inter-provincial Pool Board Minutes 1971-1983
2b. Inter-provincial Pool Board Minutes & By-laws 1971-1983
2c. Inter-provincial Co-operative Limited Board and Annual Meeting Minutes 1980, 1982
3a. Co-operative Union of Manitoba Organizing Documents and Minutes 1953-1964
3b. Co-operative Union of Manitoba Minutes March 31 1959 - June 16 1966
4. POS Pilot Plant 1973 - 1975
Box 2:
Inter-provincial Pool Board Minute Book 1945-1984
Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers Limited / Canadian Pool Agencies Limited Minute Book 1924-1944
Canadian Pool Agencies Limited Minute Book 1945-1980
5. Co-operative Crop Development Group Constitution and Annual Reports 1984-1993
6. Prairie Pools Inc. Directors Reports 1985-1986
Notes
Description by Jillian Sutherland (2009)
Documents for the Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers can be found in MPE B.2
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of historical topics created by MPE:
1. P.F. Bredt Invovement with MPE and death 1935-1940
2. MPE history 1941-1973
3a. Manitoba Wheat Pool and MPE history 1930-1939
3b. Manitoba Wheat Pool and MPE history 1925-1929
4. Manitoba Wheat Pool history 1924-1971
5a. On to Ottawa and Manitoba Delegation Committee 1958-1960
5b. MPE Miscellaneous history 1934-1959
6. Manitoba Wheat Pool history 1925-1929
7. Manitoba Wheat Pool 1925-1931
8. Pool Grain Marketing after 1929 Overpayment 1928-1936
9. Historical Review of Grain Trade and MPE
10. MPE Library 1948-1952
11. Coarse Grain Handling 1948-1953
12. Canadian Wheat Board 1935-1960
13. Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 1949
14. 1929 Overpayment and Williams/Stamp Commission Newspaper Clippings 1929-1931
15. Leonard Harman 1972
16. Historical Publications 1995-1996; no dates
17. Miscellaneous Historical
18. Western Agricultural Conference and Farm Bureau 1963-1965
19. Canadian Co-operatives 1961-1969
20. Miscellaneous Historical Topics 1930
21. Miscellaneous Historical Topics 1934-1936
22. International Wheat Agreement 1941-1948
23. World War Two 1939, 1944
24. Canadian National Railway System
25. Overpayment Aftermath 1932-1938
26. Miscellaneous Pool History 1925-1931
27. Miscellaneous History
28a. MPE History (Acquisitions, Philosophy) up to 1979 1931-1979
28b. MPE History (Acquisitions, Philosophy) up to 1979 1931-1979
Very good. Some of the letters written in pencil are a little faded.
History / Biographical
Ruth Alverda Wade was born born July 11, 1912 in Brandon, MB to James and Etta Alverda. She had two younger siblings: sister Gwen and brother Sherry. The Wade family resided at 1837 Princess Avenue, Brandon, MB. Ruth graduated from Brandon College with the Class of 1933.
During her time at Brandon College Ruth met Archie MacLachlan. Archibald James MacLachlan was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan in 1907. He had four brothers: Howard, Edgar, Bruce, Curly and Stirling. When Archie was quite young the MacLachlan family moved to Alberta. Archie came to Brandon c. 1930 to attend Brandon College. During the summers of his years at Brandon College Archie held pastoral charges in Alberta. The first two summers were spent in the Peace River Country and the second two in Etzikom in Southern Alberta. This is the period during which the letters in the fonds were written.
Ruth Wade married Archie MacLachlan on September 19, 1934 in Brandon, MB. Following the wedding the couple moved to Hamilton, ON. Archie graduated from McMaster University with his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1937. During this period their daughter Joann Ruth was born. After his ordination as a Baptist Minister the family moved to North Bay where Archie was minister for four years. The next six years were spent in Vancouver as Archie worked as minister at Fairview Baptist Church in Vancouver. The couple's sons Archibald James and Lachlan Wade were also born during this period.
At the end of the Second World War Archie decided to go back to school. The family travelled to Brandon, where Ruth and the children remained for part of a year while Archie went ahead to Andover Newton to enroll and find a parish that would support him while he went to school. The family was reunited in Penacook, New Hampshire; they lived there for two years while Archie completed his Masters in Sacred Theology. After a brief additional period of study at Harvard University, the MacLachlan family returned to Canada, settling in Toronto while Archie finished his second Masters degree (Psychology) and held positions as interim minister and then assistant minister at York Minster Church. Following the two years in Toronto they moved to Winnipeg.
Eventually Archie left the church ministry and became Chaplain at the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital. He also continuted to train students in Pastoral Education through the courses he had begun at the Divinity College of McMaster University. He remained at the Hospital until his retirement.
During their married life Ruth was kept busy raising the couple's children and with her work as a minister's wife, particularly her work in the community. She sat on a number of community boards, including positions as President of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec and a member of the Board of Governors for McMaster University's Divinity School.
Ruth MacLachlan died on October 29, 1983 in Missassauga, ON.
Archie married Kathleen Marie (Green) French (b. January 22, 1908, d. June 1, 1998) on June 20, 1987. Archie MacLachlan died in December 1997.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Ruth and Archie MacLachlan until their deaths. At that time the records were inherited by their daughter Joann. Joann MacLachlan donated the records to the McKee Archives on October 24, 2009 at a donation event held as part of Homecoming 2009.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of approximately 197 letters written by Ruth and Archie to each other during the spring and summers of 1932, 1933 and 1934. The letters were written during the courtship of the couple and contain details not only on about their lives in Brandon and Alberta but also more personal information about their relationship, families and future plans. Because Ruth and Archie were students at Brandon College during this period the letters also often reflect on events and personalities related to the College, as well as their own personal studies.
Fonds also contains a scrapbook compiled by Ruth during her Brandon College years. It includes photographs, newspaper clippings, graduation cards, event programs, place cards and other ephemera. There are also a few miscellaneous documents - McMaster University examination papers, handwritten sheet music, postcards - that appear to have belonged to Archie. Fonds also contains a graduation photograph of Ruth.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry. History/Bio information taken from Joann MacLachlan's book Ruth and Archie: Brandon and Brandon College 1932-1934.
Ruth and Archie's daughter Joann edited the letters into a book entitled Ruth and Archie: Brandon and Brandon College 1932-1934. A copy of the book is located in the Rare Book collection of the John E. Robbins Library, Brandon University.
William Ridley Sheridan Wade collection (28-2007)
Arrangement
The letters are arranged in chronological order with all of Archie's letters to Ruth for a particular year grouped together, followed by Ruth's letters to Archie for that same year. For preservation purposes photographs in the scrapbook have been removed and placed in photograph storage, with their corresponding scrapbook page number noted on the back. Because of the fragile condition of the scrapbook a note has been made concerning the original location of many items that have become detached from their original location in the scrapbook. These items remain with the remnants of the scrapbook in one archival housing. Note that Ruth did not place items on every page so the numbering is not sequential for scrapbook items. Some items were loose at the back of the scrapbook and therefore have no corresponding page number.
Script/music/lyrics: pages are somewhat foxed and dog-earred. Scrapbook: some items are fragile, torn or creased. Many items are loose within the pages of the scrapbook. Photographs: good.
History / Biographical
Clare Wallace Coburn was born in Winnipeg, MB on January 4, 1937. He attended Brandon College from 1954 to 1959, graduating with a science degree with the Class of 1959. During his years at Brandon College Coburn served as co-convenor of Freshie Week and the Freshie Parade, Manager of the Board of Publications, Class President, and Secretary of the Finance Board.
For the first three years after leaving the College he worked as a chartered accountant. Coburn then went into business with his father and brother manufacturing the Atom-Jet Humidifier; over time the focus of the company shifted to seeding and fertilizing equipment and seeding activity.
Clare Coburn married Dilys Pearce, with whom he had three children. Following his divorce from Pearce, Coburn married Darlene Wallin. Clare Coburn died on October 30, 2013 in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Clare Coburn found the materials in accession 6-2010 a storage area in the basement of Clark Hall in 1957. There was some thought of re-staging the production so he took the script. In 2009 he re-discovered the script in a trunk in his house. Coburn gave the materials to Carla Eisler in Alumni Relations in July 2009. Eisler transferred them to the Archives on July 28, 2009.
Accession 5-2014 was donated to the McKee Archives on November 2, 2010.
Scope and Content
Accession 6-2010 consists of a copy of the script, music and lyrics for Mr. College Spirit.
Accession 5-2014 consists of a scapbook made by Coburn to document his years at Brandon College. Scrapbooks includes: freshie week (1954), athletic (Hockey team 1954-1955, Cheerleaders 1954-1955) and graduation (1956 class portrait in the Prince Edward Hotel; 1956 graduates portrait;1958 class portrait in the Prince Edward Hotel; 1958 graduates portait; 1958 Senior Stick Jack Jubenvill and Lady Stick Elaine Fraser at graduation banquet; 1958 Shirley Young and Clare Coburn at graduation banquet; 1958 faculty group portrait at graduation banquet) photographs; various programmes (Homecoming football game - Notre Dame Hounds vs. Brandon College Caps; 1955-1957 Annual Commencement; 1956-1959 Graduating Banquet; 1957 and 1959 Brandon College Teacher Training Course Graduating Banquet; 1956 Brandon College Graduation Exercises Normal School Teacher Training Course; Brandon College Literary Board - "Time Out for Ginger" (1955), "Life with Mother" (1956); dance cards (1957 and 1958 Graduating Banquet, 1957 Teacher Training Graduating Banquet); tickets (1957 and 1958 Graduation Banquet; 1957 Teacher Training Course Banquet; 1957 Valentine Valse at the Agricultural School); 1956-1957 Student Handbook; 1955-1956 student election ephemera; the original Class of 1958 yell composed by Dick Tingley and Keith Haskins; examination timetables (1955, 1956); "The Feather" newsletter (february 1959; 1955-1956 Color Night shield decoration; Coburn's 1954-1955 Athletic Board pass; Coburn's 1955-1956 class timetable; a sheet of Brandon College cheers; a copy of the Graduation Hymn (George Willis); a sheet of Brandon 75th Anniversary stationary; newspaper clipping re Graduation Banquet (1957); a letter to students written by Coburn as Manager of the Board of Publications re purchasing the annual yearbook (from 1957); three copies of the 1956 Sickle.
Notes
History/Bio information provided by Clare Coburn via the Alumni Office and his obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Edwin Association Minutes 1928-1981; Sub-district #101 Minutes Oct 6 1969-July 18 1978; Agent's Letters Dec 24 1928-July 15 1947; Cirrculars Spet 19 1969-August 15 1978; Correspondence Nov 7 1960-Sept 8 1978; Memo of Association and By-laws 1928-1953; Member Certificates 1947-1953; Newsletters Jan 1976-August 1978; Attendance records 1946-1962; Financial 1929-1983; Miscellaneous (correspondance, Grain Handling Commission, Crop Development and Seed Clubs, publications) 1951-1978; Membership Lists 1955-1978
Notes
Description by Jill Sutherland (2010)
The records for Edwin Association are unique in that more that just minute books were sent to the McKee archives
Forrest Association Minutes 1927-1991; Circulars April 21 1965-Oct 19 1981; Correspondance May 22 1927-May 25 1981; Documents Feb 11 1927-July 31 1969; Financial 1928-1968; Membership 1948-1969; Miscellaneous 1952-1980
Notes
Description by Jill Sutherland (2010)
The records for Forrest Association are unique in that more that just minute books were sent to the McKee archives
Generally good. Some tears. Issues located first and last in the folders Lindsay stored them in are missing sections where the page stuck to the folder.
History / Biographical
James Gordon Lindsay was born June 16, 1925 in Minneapolis, Minnesota where his father, James Lindsay, a Brandon pioneer from Northern Ireland, had been working for the Coca Cola Bottling Company. In November 1925, the Lindsay family moved back to Brandon where they lived at 547 16th Street.
Lindsay attended Park School, Earl Oxford Junior High School and Brandon Collegiate. In September 1943, he entered 2nd Year at Brandon College, joining the Class of 1946. Due to past experience in publishing the BCI yearbook, he was drafted into The Board of Publications and named Co-editor of the Quill along with third year student Genevieve Fuloski. Lindsay and Fuloski held their positions for two years. Because of the war, money and supplies were in short supply and the Quill at one point was reduced to mimeographed pages. While Editor Lindsay wrote The eggshell-Slightly Cracked column.
Lindsay was named Senior Stick in 1945 and graduated from Brandon College with a B.Sc. in 1946. He obtained both his MSc (1948) and PhD (1951) in Physical Chemistry from McMaster University.
During his time in Hamilton, Lindsay met Shirley Woolmer and the couple married on September 2, 1950. They moved to Arvida, Quebec in 1951 where Lindsay accepted an offer from Aluminium Laboratories Limited, the research arm of Alcan Aluminium Ltd. The couple remained in Arvida for twenty-two years, during which time they had four children: Sharon, Heather, Geoffrey and David.
In 1973, Lindsay was transferred to Alcan's head office in Montreal where he spent the next three years co-ordinating alumina research in Alcan plants around the world. In 1976, he accepted a transfer to Alcan Jamaica as Chief Technical Officer and Manager of Technical Development. He and Shirley spent nearly eight years in Jamaica before returning to Canada in 1984. After a yaer at Alcan's Research Centre in Kingston, ON Lindsay took early retirement.
During their years in Jamaica Lindsay had been introduced to Rotary and he continued his association with the organization in Kingston where for fifteen years he was Bulletin editor of the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club. In addition to Rotary, Lindsay (along with his wife) took up genealogy in his retirement and after fifteen years of extensive travel and research he became his Lindsay family's historian and author of The Lindsays of Dundonald.
For three years in the late 1980s Lindsay served as a representative on the Brandon University Alumni Executive for Eastern Canada. Along with his wife he attended two class reunions at Brandon University including his 50th Re-convocation in 1996.
At present (June 2010) Gordon Lindsay continues to live in Kingston, ON with his wife.
Custodial History
Materials remained in Gordon Lindsay's possession from time of creation until he donated them to the Archives on September 4, 2009.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of copies of the Quill, including:
1942-1943: No. 11 (January 26, 1943)
1943-1944: Nos. 2, 12, 14 (October 20, 1943, February 2, 1944, February 16, 1944)
1944-1945: Nos. 1-5 and 7-12
1945-1946: Nos. 1-10 (11 issues as there are two labelled No. 4)
Notes
History/Bio information provided by Gordon Lindsay. Description by Christy Henry.
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of financial records of the central office of MPE:
1-7 Audited Financial Statements 1968-1997
8-9 Capital Budgets 1979-1997
10. Annual Returns
11. Miscellaneous Financial
12. General Expenses 1930-1977
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of records produced by MPE meeting and workshops:
1-7b Spring and Annual Meetings 1988-1998
8 Annual Meeting Agendas 1931-1967
9a-9e Resolutions 1988-1998
10 Information for New Delegates
11 Board and Management Meeting 1997
12 Local Association Meetings 1998 (regarding transition to Agricore)
13. Sunrise / Sunset (transition to Agricore) 1998
14. Spouses Program 1995
15. Miscellaneous Meetings 1993-1995
16. New Committee Members Workshop March 2-3 1998
17. Report of Committee Appointed by Meeting of Representatives of the Provincial Pools & the Farmers Companies February 2 1925
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of records concerning the organization, democratic structure and various policies of MPE:
1 Branch Line Abandonment March 1970
2 Rail Line Abandonment 1978-1979
3 Grain Transportation 1969-1975
4 Elevator Statistics by Rail Line 1971-1973
5-7b Democratic Structure Review
8 Amalgamation 1988
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of records from various clubs and departments of MPE:
1 Minto Canola Club 1986
2 4-H Careers
3 Pool Co-operative Seed Association 1966-1967
4a Field Pea and Oat Variety Development Annual Reports 1988-1990
4b. Field Pea and Oat Variety Development Annual Reports 1991, 1992, 1994
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of miscellaneous MPE records:
Box 1:
1a-5. Miscellaneous files March 5 1925-Nov 19 1973
Box 2:
6. Membership Lists
7. Training and Development
8. Member Complaints
9. MPE Employee Handbook
10. Plebiscite Nov 24 1951
11. Quiz Programs 1940, 1948
Canadian Wheat Pool Visitors Book 1930-1956
12. Delivery Ledger 1967-1968
13. Information re: Wheat Export Shipments 1924-1930
14. Important Issues by Association June 2 1944
15. Grain Booklets
