Some of the pages and photographs in the scrapbooks have become loose
History / Biographical
Verda Joan McDonald (nee Peden) was born in Brandon, MB on May 2, 1934. She was the middle daughter of Bill, a school principal, and Phyllis Peden. McDonald attended school at King George, Alexandra (now Betty Gibson), Earl Oxford and Brandon Collegiate Institute.
In 1951, McDonald enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program at Brandon College. A fellowship program from the local YMCA enabled her to teach gym and swim programs after school and on Saturday for a small salary, which enabled her and some other students to finance their education. She graduated in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. During her graduating year, McDonald served as Lady Stick for Brandon College; the title of Lady Stick was an elected position and an honour, and gave McDonald and the person elected Senior Stick, Frank McKinnon, the responsibility of leading the student council for that year. In 1956, McDonald obtained her Bachelor of Pedagogy degree, also from Brandon College, which allowed her to teach grades 1 to 12 in Manitoba.
Verda married her college sweetheart, Dick McDonald, on August 25, 1956, and the couple moved to Dauphin to teach at the Dauphin Collegiate and Technical Institute for two years. They returned to Brandon in September 1958, and Verda proceeded to teach at Brandon Collegiate, Neelin High School and Vincent Massey until December 1960.
When Dick finished his degree at Brandon College and started teaching, Verda stayed at home to raise their three sons, Rick, Paul and Daren. During this time she began her many years of volunteering within the community. She served seven years on each of the following three boards: The Brandon Schools Instrumental Music Association; The Brandon University Alumni Board; and The Board of Fairview Nursing Home. She became President of each board during her term.
McDonald supported her husband throughouet his teaching and financial career, as well as his strong involvement in the Artillery Reserve Army with the 26th Field Regiment where he served as Commander and later Honorary Colonel. Both McDonald and her husband maintained strong ties with Brandon University and have contributed generously to funding campaign and scholarships. The Sports Wall of Fame in the Health Living Centre on the Brandon University campus is named in their honour.
In addition to their involvement with Brandon University, the McDonald's were members of the Kinsmen, K40 service club, gold and bridge clubs and enjoyed many years together in Brandon. They enjoyed going on cruise ship holidays and visited many countries together.
Since Dick's death in September 2015, Verda has tried to maintain her involvment in university activities. She continues to reside in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Records were created and collected by Verda McDonald during her years as a student and alumna of Brandon College/Brandon University. The records were stored in her home until their donation to the McKee Archives in 2015.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records dealing with Verda McDonald's experiences as a student and alumna at Brandon College/University. The majority of the collection contains records from the early 1950s during McDonald's college years (1951-1955). These records, which cover the social and athletic aspects of Brandon College in the 1950s, provide a detailed look at college student life during this time period. The collection also contains a small number of records (1955-2005), documenting McDonald's experiences as an alumna of Brandon College/University.
The collection consists of four scrapbooks, which contain photographs, newspaper clippings, graduation cards, lyrics for class songs, and programs for graduation banquets, school dances, graduation ceremonies and drama productions. The scrapbooks also contain ephemera such as sports emblems, table decorations, election paraphernalia. It also includes McDonald's oath of office from when she was sworn in as Lady Stick, as well as her acceptance speech from the same ceremony.
The three file folders in the collection include: a list written by Frank McKinnon, a classmate of McDonald's, outlining his reasons for coming to Brandon College and his recollections of being a student at Brandon College; the rules of Clark Hall residence hall; and pamphlets for various celebrations and events at Brandon University (Homecoming 2009, Homecoming 2006, Reunion Weekend 2005, Reunion Weekend 2004, Homecoming 1995 and 1995 Reconovocation program, Homecoming 1980, 1975 Open House).
Finally, the collection contains 18 loose photographs. A number of the photos document important reunions for the Class of 1955 (40th Anniversary in 1995, 50th Anniversary in 2005), while others were taken at alumni events over the years (1988-1997). There is one postcard of Brandon University buildings (Original Building and Clark Hall, McMaster Hall and the Queen Elizabeth II School of Music building). Some of the 1995 reunion photos include images of the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall under renovation. Also included are a composite portrait of the Class of 1955 and class portraits Arts and Science for the Class of 1960.
Notes
History/Bio information provided by Verda McDonald. Description by Emily Bate (October 2016) and Christy Henry.
Harold Arthur Kinniburgh was born in New Zealand in 1883. He spent two years in Brandon working at the Experimental Farm during the summer and studying at Brandon College during the winter. After his years at Brandon College he worked in Canada in the dairy industry from two years and then returned to New Zealand for the balance of his life. He devoted his time to developing a dairy farm in New Zealand. Harold Kinniburgh died in 1953.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of copies of correspondence written by Kinniburgh to his mother in New Zealand while he was attending Brandon College. The photograph is a copy of the 1905 First Year Academic class at Brandon College.
9.46 m textual records; 1919 photographs & graphics
History / Biographical
Brandon, Manitoba was incorporated as a city in 1881. In 1882, led by Charles Whitehead and a small Board of Directors that included J.W. Vantassel, Charles Pilling, George Halse, J.E. Smith, William Johnson, R.T. Evans, and Thomas Lockhart, it was decided to hold an agricultural exhibition. These men were all involved in the farm business in one way or another, and they wanted an opportunity to help residents realize the agricultural potential of the region. In October of that year, the fledgling community held its first agricultural exhibition . The fair was held in downtown Brandon at what was known as “Market Square.” Market Square was two acres of land located on Princess Avenue between Eighth and Ninth Streets. Due to poor weather, and the fact that not many people were ready to show animals and grain, there was a relatively small turnout. The following year was much improved. There were 730 entries into the exhibition. By 1884, the Board of Directors of the Brandon Agricultural Society, which was in charge of the exhibition, realized that they were in poor financial shape, to the point of being personally out of pocket. It was realized that October was not the best time for farmers to be leaving their farms to go to an exhibition. In 1888, it was decided to move the exhibition to the summer time, when it was much easier for people to attend.
The first Brandon Summer Fair was held in July 1889, and it was a resounding success. The Board of Directors had added many items of interest to appeal to the entire public, not just agricultural people. In 1892, the Western Agricultural and Arts Association (WAAA) was formally established to take over duties from the Brandon Agricultural Society. However, it was not until 1897 that the WAAA held its first meeting. There is no explanation as to why there is a five year gap between the formation and the first meeting of this organization. 1897 was the turning point of the Brandon Exhibition. The fair was now firmly established in Brandon, and the Board of Directors was instrumental in ensuring that it remained so. This was done by petitioning to both the municipal and provincial governments for grant money. As well, the Board booked midway and grandstand acts that would bring the city dwellers to the agricultural exhibition.
There were also early attempts at holding an agricultural exhibition in the winter. The first such attempt was in 1884. There was also a Spring Stallion show held in 1891. By 1904, however, a petition by J.D. McGregor had gone out to formally establish a winter exhibition. This effort also failed, but by 1906, it was decided by businessmen, politicians, and farm representatives in Brandon, including McGregor, to organize a winter fair. Rather than seeing this new fair as competition, the Board of Directors of the summer fair felt that it would complement their exhibition. The new fair would remain primarily agricultural. The first winter fair was held in 1906. While the two fairs were not amalgamated, they did share the same secretary-manager. The secretary-manager was responsible for the day to day management of the fair, as well as keeping track of meetings and decisions reached by the various fair boards and committees. In 1907, the Brandon Winter Fair and Livestock Association (BWFLA) was formed to act primarily as a land-holding joint stock company. The following year the Provincial Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association (PWFFSA), an entirely separate organization from the BWFLA, was formed to manage the activities of the winter fair. The PWFFSA name was soon changed to the Manitoba Winter Fair and Fat Stock Association (MWFFSA).
By 1906, Brandon could boast two full size exhibitions, one in the summer and one in the late winter, both of which were considered to be premiere events. In 1908, the Brandon summer fair was renamed the Inter-Provincial Exhibition, and in 1912 it held it’s first Traveller’s Day, an event which would soon become an important addition to the fair and is still in existence today. It is thought that the name “Traveller’s Day” came from the fact that it was held on a Saturday, a day when many people could travel to Brandon for the exhibition.
In 1913, Brandon was bestowed with the honour of hosting the Dominion Exhibition. This was a national exhibition sponsored by the federal government. It was held in a different city every year. There were several cities vying for the 1913 Dominion Exhibition, but it was Brandon that impressed the sponsors the most. With the government funds received for this honour, the Board of Directors supervised the building of a new grandstand, display buildings, and racetrack, as well as the general expansion and improvements to the fairgrounds.
In the spring of 1912, it was decided by the Board of Directors of the winter fair that the facilities they were currently housed in were inadequate for their needs. The mayor and city clerk of Brandon went to the provincial legislature in order to request that there be an amendment added to the Brandon city charter. This amendment would allow the city to guarantee bonds issued by the winter fair board to help pay for the construction of a new facility. This request was granted, and a $70 000 addition was built next to the original winter fair building. The new building was opened in 1913.
Throughout the First World War, both the winter fair and Provincial Exhibition buildings were used for the war effort. There was one distinct difference however. The summer fair Board was able to negotiate a deal with the army that enabled it to reclaim the fair buildings during fair week. The winter fair, however, had to give up the idea of holding fairs in 1915 and 1916. It was not until 1917, that the winter fair was able to resume.
During this time, due to the financial problems that had beset the winter fair, the two exhibitions considered amalgamation. The Board of Directors of the winter fair felt that because they were the smaller of the two fairs, their interests would be swallowed up by the summer fair. The winter fair withdrew from the negotiations to amalgamate. With this rather sudden turn of events, the Board of Directors of the summer fair petitioned the government to be allowed to incorporate. This was granted, and in 1920, the WAAA was incorporated as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. From 1920, the summer fair was officially known as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. This was the first time that the summer fair was incorporated, and received the “status and financial assistance” that came with incorporation.
More problems beset the winter fair in the 1920s. In 1920, a fire burned down the winter fair pavilion, located at the south end of the winter fair buildings, and caused the Board to cancel the 1921 winter fair. It was not until 1922, that a new building was completed. By 1929, both fairs were well regarded throughout Canada. In 1929, a decade long Depression hit the west. While many fairs closed during this time, Brandon struggled to keep its open. The Directors of both fairs felt that the agricultural shows “encouraged excellence at a time when faith and enthusiasm were at a low ebb.” The summer fair proved to be quite successful during the Depression, likely as a result of the few moments one was able to forget one’s troubles while there. The winter fair was not quite as successful, although both fairs received government grants and work relief projects. There was little new entertainment in these exhibitions.
There were changes about to manifest themselves at the summer fair, however. While the winter fair had representatives from various associations on its Board of Directors, the summer fair Board of Directors was a small close-knit group of men. Citizens saw entry into this elite group as elusive and difficult. To ward off the possibility of the Board becoming a “self-sustaining clique,” that only chose Directors from within, it was decided by several citizens to try and elect some new blood into the fair Board. In 1933, there was a general election for the Board. Instead of the usual men shuffling positions, there were forty-four nominations for the twenty positions. When the voting was all over, seven new men sat on the Board. Despite some inner rumblings, especially on the summer fair Board over the next few years, both exhibitions survived the Depression.
During the Second World War the fairs once again were forced to operate under adversity. Once again, the buildings were requisitioned for the army, although they were released during fair week. The summer fair was forced to make several concessions, and the winter fair was relocated to the summer fair grounds for the duration.
The winter fair did not survive the Second World War intact. Due to financial reasons, in December of 1945, the Board of Directors turned the winter fair buildings over to the City of Brandon. By 1946, the BWFLA, which was the joint-stock land holding company, had ceased operations because the city now controlled the winter fair land and buildings.
The next fifteen years would be a time of rebuilding for both of Brandon’s exhibitions. Children especially were more active participants in the agricultural exhibitions. The summer fair continued to diversify and look for new ways of entertaining the public at large. The winter fair remained primarily agricultural. By the end of the 1950s the winter fair, which was used to struggling, was now both successful and stable; and the summer fair, a perennial success, was starting to fade.
By 1969, both the winter and summer fair Boards had realized that amalgamation was the best possible decision, both practically and financially, for the future of the two fairs. On 29 October, 1969, the two exhibitions amalgamated to become the Manitoba Exhibition Association. The reconstituted Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba was now responsible for both the winter and summer fairs. A new building was erected on the summer fair grounds to house both of the exhibitions. On 2 April 1973, the Keystone Centre was officially opened at the winter fair, although it had been in use since October of the preceding year.
In 1970, Manitoba’s Centennial, it was decided that an organization in Manitoba would receive the title of “Royal,” as a way to celebrate the centennial. Although many organizations applied for the honour, it was the Brandon winter fair that received the accolades. The winter fair was bestowed with the title “Royal”, and became known as the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.
In 1975, a third exhibition was added, this time a purely agricultural fall show known as the Agricultural Exhibition, or AgEx. This fair was partly organized on behalf of the cattle growers, who found that the summer and winter fairs did not give them adequate time and space to properly show their cattle. The return to a fall show, which had not existed since 1888, would be the return to a purely agricultural exhibition. This show was to be primarily a show and sale event. On 3 November 1975, the first AgEx was opened to resounding success.
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and AgEx are all still in existence in Brandon. They are regarded as three of the most important events to take place annually in the city.
Custodial History
These files were housed with the Manitoba Exhibition Association until c1986 when they were transferred to the S.J. McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of textual records and photographs comprised of the records from the three annual exhibitions that are held in Brandon, Manitoba: the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, and the Agricultural Exhibition (Ag-Ex). The textual records include prize lists, programs, minutes, financial, administrative files, original results, scrapbooks, tickets, news releases, contracts, by laws, documents as well as a miscellaneous section. There are approximately 1846 photographs that include scenes from these three exhibitions. These records provide a unique perspective on the development of agriculture and rural life in southwestern Manitoba. Fairs such as these have been and remain prime media of farm improvement, technological and scientific advancement in rural Canada, and the promoters of country living. These fairs also reflected the long tradition inherited from Britain and Europe of country fairs as centers of entertainment, social interchange and diversion. These records are a principal source of information about the most broadly based vocational, entertainment and social events held on an annual basis in southwestern Manitoba over the last century. The records are vital to academic research on agriculture or fairs, individual biography, or community history.
Notes
The RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association finding aid was created by Karyn (Riedel) Taylor with the exception of Series 9 and the accompanying database, which were created by Donica Belisle. This finding aid was created in August 1999.
Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright restrictions.
Finding Aid
Available
Storage Location
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
Storage Range
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association fonds
Related Material
Additional records regarding the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, and AgEx are housed at the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association offices. To gain access to these records, it is necessary to contact the general manager of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Association.
Arrangement
The fonds is divided into sous-fonds by exhibition. There is a Provincial Exhibition sous-fonds, a Royal Manitoba Winter Fair sous-fonds, an Ag-Ex sous-fonds, and a Miscellaneous sous-fonds that holds information that could not be easily broken down into one exhibition. The arrangement is as follows:
RG 2 Provincial Exhibition Association of Manitoba fonds
RG2SF1 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba
1.1 Documents
1.2 Minutes
1.3 Financial Records
1.4 Administrative Files
1.5 Prize Lists and Programs
1.6 News Releases
1.7 Original Results
1.8 Tickets
1.9 Photographs
1.10 Scrapbooks
1.11 Miscellaneous
RG2SF2 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair
2.1 Documents
2.2 Minutes
2.3 Financial Records
2.4 Administrative Files
2.5 Prize Lists and Programs
2.6 News Releases
2.7 Original Results
2.8 Tickets
2.9 Photographs
2.10 Scrapbooks
2.11 Miscellaneous
RG2SF3 AgEx
3.4 Administrative Files
3.5 Prize Lists and Programs
3.6 News Releases
3.7 Original Results
3.9 Photographs
RG2SF4 Miscellaneous
4.1 Documents
4.2 Minutes
4.3 Financial Records
4.4 Administrative Files
4.9 Photographs
4.10 Scrapbooks
4.11 Miscellaneous
20 cm textual records; 51 lantern slides (measuring 22 cm x 20.5 cm); 44 photographs (41 measuring 17.5 cm x 23 cm and 3 measuring 26.5 cm x 35 cm)
History / Biographical
J.D. McGregor was a leading agriculturist from Brandon who served as Lieutenant Governor in the province of Manitoba during the 1930's. The Hon. J.D. McGregor was born in Amherstburg, Ontario August 29, 1860. He came west with his father in 1877, and entered the horse and cattle trade. McGregor established Glencarnock Farm north of Brandon and created one of the finest Aberdeen-Angus cattle herds in North America. In 1912 and 1913, his cattle (Glencarnock Victor and Glencarnock Victor II) were selected Grand Champions at the Chicago International. McGregor was a Liberal in politics with close ties to Clifford Sifton. From 1897-99, he served as mines inspector in the Klondike during the gold rush in that region. He also served as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1929-1934. James Duncan McGregor died March 15, 1935.
Custodial History
This collection was donated to Brandon University in 1971 by McGregor's daughter Mrs. E.C. Harte. The collection was accessioned in 1998 by the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of photos and slides, principally of the Klondike during the gold rush era (1897-1902); Government House seating plans and speeches from a wide variety of events (1912-1934); correspondence of McGregor's, primarily from his time as Lieutenant Governor (1912-1934); a (23.75 oz.) gold bag; a state publication "Instructions for Lieutenant Governors;" documents pertaining to the history of the Manitoba Winter Fair; and documents dealing with the early career of Winston Churchill.
Frank Robb was Assistant Secretary Treasurer for School District of Brandon No. 129 and Curator of the B.J. Hales Natural History Museum exhibition for Brandon's 75th Anniversary (1957). Robb left Brandon ca. 1969 and relocated to Minaki, Ontario.
Custodial History
Frank Robb sent the slides to Fred McGuiness ca. 1986. McGuiness gave them to Eileen McFadden at the McKee Archives in April 1986.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of 155 slides taken by Frank Robb, an inventory for the slides prepared by Robb and a letter from Robb to Fred McGuiness regarding the slides and memories of Brandon ca. 1950s.
