Brandon University received its charter on June 5, 1967, on the occasion of the visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra and the Honourable Angus Ogilvie. The institution has its roots in Brandon College, which was established in 1899, by the Baptist Convention of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories and was administered by that authority until 1938. During these years it was an affiliate, first of the University of Manitoba and, from 1911 to 1938, of McMaster University. In 1938, it became a non-denominational affiliate of the University of Manitoba, under a board of directors elected by the Brandon College Corporation, and it continued as such until it was made a provincial university in 1967.
1967-1968 was the first year of operation as Brandon University.
The University is a co-educational, non-denominational, government-supported institution within the Province of Manitoba. It is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).
As stated in The Brandon University Act (1998), the purposes and objects of the university are: (a) the advancement of learning and the creation, preservation and dissemination of knowledge; and (b) the intellectual, social, ethical and physical development and improvement of its students and employees and of society. To further its purposes and objects the university may: (a) establish and maintain such colleges, faculties, schools, institutes, departments, chairs and courses of instruction as the board considers appropriate; (b) give instruction and training in all branches of learning; (c) grant degrees, including honorary degrees, diplomas and certificates of proficiency; (d) provide facilities for original research in every branch of learning, and conduct or facilitate the conducting of such research; and (e) generally promote and carry on the work of a university.
The mission statement of the University is to shape the whole person and enable students to make a positive difference as citizens and leaders. In a welcoming and supportive setting, the University emphasizes research, scholarship, critical thinking, performance, artistic creation, communication and participation, as a means of imparting value and meaning to society and contributing to the public good. The University nurtures and develops excellence in its programs, attracts an outstanding faculty, defends academic freedom, preserves knowledge and sustains a scholarly community where cultural differences are valued. The University strives to complement its primary mission of teaching and research by sharing the expertise of its staff, its information resources and its facilities with the greater community.
PROGRAM EVOLUTION:
1967 Brandon College became Brandon University with authority to grant degrees
1998 The Brandon University Act was passed by the Manitoba Legislature, replacing the Brandon University Regulations
Arts:
1902 First Arts graduates
1975 B.A. (4 year Specialist) degree
1983 B.A. (4 year General) degree
1990 Major in Business Administration
1991 Minor in Women's Studies
1992 Minor in Aboriginal Art
1996 Major in Business Administration (4 year)
1997 4 year Bachelor of Business Admin
Science:
1975 B.Sc. (4 year Spec)
1983 B.Sc. (4 year General)
1986 Post-Diploma degree for Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses
1995 4 year degree in Psychiatric Nursing
Education:
1952 Ed courses offered for the first time
1967 B.Ed. (5 year)
1969 B.Teaching (3 year)
1972 Project for the Education of Native Teachers (PENT) initiated
1974 Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Program (BUNTEP) initiated
1978 B.Ed (4 year)
1981 B.Teaching (3 year) discontinued as at October 17, 1981
1988 Concurrent B.Music/B.Ed (AD) degree program
1990 M.Ed.
1994 Brandon University Hutterian Education Programme (BUHEP) initiated
Music:
1906 Dept of Music (Conservatory) established
1973 B.Mus. (4 year General)
1977 B.Mus. (5 year Music Education)
1980 Master of Music Degree offered for the first time in Manitoba
1988 Concurrent B.Music/B.Ed (AD) degree program
Health Studies:
1998 School of Health Studies created and assumes responsibility for Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Mental Health and Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing
Interdisciplinary degree programs:
1972 B.G.S.
1998 Masters degree in Rural Development
1998 Bachelor of First Nations and Aboriginal Counselling degree program
On December 19, 1985, the Board of Governors approved a set of recommendations regarding the administrative structure of the university. The recommendations renamed, abolished and instituted a number of positions at Brandon University.
Custodial History
Records in the fonds were in the possession of the President's Office until 1980, at which point they were transferred to the McKee Archives upon its creation. Subsequently, additional records have been transferred from the President's Office, the Senate Office and some faculties. Most records transferred after 1980 have separate accession numbers.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of sixteen series, including: (1) Office of the Chancellor; (2) Board of Governors; (3) Office of the President; (4) Office of the Vice-President; (5) Office of the Registrar; (6) Brandon University Senate; (7) Faculties and Schools; (8) Library Services; (9) Department of Extension; (10) Office of Development; (11) Brandon University Foundation; (12) Student Services; (13) Miscellaneous Publications; (14) Brandon University Students' Union (BUSU); (15) Brandon University Faculty Association (BUFA); and (16) Brandon University/College Artifacts.
Notes
Information for the History/Bio field was taken from Brandon University calendars 1967-2006, the Brandon University website (December 2005) and an article in "The Quill" (January 9, 1986). Description by Christy Henry, unless otherwise noted.
30 photographs -- 25 at 3.5" x 8" (color and b/w); 5 at 8"x10" (b/w); 3 magnates; 1 plaque (8 x 3 cm)
History / Biographical
The chancellor is the titular head of the university and confers all degrees. Where possible the Chancellor also attends official functions on behalf of the University and may take on special projects keeping with the goals of the University. According to "The Brandon University Act 1998," there is to be a chancellor of the university elected by the senate for a term of three years; the chancellor continues to hold office after his or her term expires until re-elected or until a successor is elected; the chancellor is eligible for re-election; and if a vacancy occurs in the office of chancellor before the end of the term, the successor elected to replace the incumbent chancellor is to hold office for the remainder of the incumbent's term.
BRANDON UNIVERSITY CHANCELLORS:
MAITLAND B. STEINKOPF (1967-1970)
Maitland B. Steinkopf (September 10, 1912 - 1970) was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was educated at the University of Manitoba, and was called to the Manitoba Bar in December 1936. He served in the Canadian armed forces in World War Two, as a Private in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and a Lieutenant Colonel with the R.C.O.C. He later founded the Canada West Shoe Manufacturing Company, and was a president of several companies including Bonded Investments Ltd., L.H. Packard Co. Ltd., Dayton Shoe Mfg. Col. Ltd., and the Tel Aviv Hilton Hotel. Steinkopf was a member of the Canada Israel Development Corporation, and served as chairman of State of Israel bonds in Manitoba. He was also an honorary counsel with the government of Czechoslovakia until 1948. Prior to his election, he assisted the Roblin government in land-development for cultural projects.
Steinkopf was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1962 provincial election as a member of Dufferin Roblin's Progressive Conservative government and was appointed to cabinet on June 12, 1963, as Provincial Secretary and Minister of Public Utilities. He later resigned his position and his seat in the legislature as a result of being implicated in a controversial land assembly payment. He was re-elected and re-appointed to the Cabinet in 1964. Steinkopf did not run for re-election in 1966. He later served as chair of the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation, which established a Maitland Steinkopf Youth Fund in 1972 for students in the arts.
Steinkopf married Helen Katz of Chicago and they had six children. He died suddenly in 1970 of a heart attack.
THE HONOURABLE STANLEY HOWARD KNOWLES (November 1970 - November 1990)
Stanley Knowles (June 18, 1908 - June 9, 1997) graduated from Brandon College in 1930, received his B.Div. from the University of Winnipeg in 1933, and was ordained by the United Church of Canada. Until 1940, he was a minister in Winnipeg churches. He organized public forums and created radio programs on social themes. He spoke for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCP), becoming its chairman, then provincial secretary, for Manitoba.
In 1942, Knowles was elected to the House of Commons as MP for Winnipeg North Centre. He was an MP from 1942 until 1958, was re-elected in 1962 and served until 1984. Throughout his political career, he struggled for a decent life and income for older people. He was instrumental in amending the industrial relations bill so that legal strikes did not interfere with employee pension rights, eliminating the "means test" from the Old Age Security Act and indexing the Canadian Pension Plan and Civil Security Pensions. He played a major role in creating the New Democratic Party in 1961, presiding over the founding convention. He was the Deputy Leader of that party from 1962-84.
In 1970, Knowles became Chancellor of Brandon University and in 1990, was designated Chancellor emeritus. He became an honorary member of Canada's Privy Council in 1979, and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984.
THE HONOURABLE JUDGE RONALD D. BELL (1990 - October 1996)
Ronald Dean Bell was born in Deloraine, Manitoba and graduated from Brandon College in 1951. He received his law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1955. Bell worked for several years as a solicotor for the Department of National Revenue, Taxation Division and as a partner in the Calgary law firm Fenerty & Co. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1976, and in 1978, he formed Bell Felesky Flynn, a law practice focusing on taxation. In 1991, Bell was appointed Judge of the Tax Court of Canada.
Throughout his distinguised career, Bell has continued to support Brandon University. In addition to his duties as Chancellor, he has also served on various BU boards and worked tirelessly to promote the institution. He also made siginificant financial contributions to improve physical structures, programs and student scholarships, including the establishment of the R.D. Bell Schoalrship and the R.D. Bell String Scholarships. The R.D. Bell Hall in the Queen Elizabeth II music building was named in his honour, as was the Bell Tower atop the orginal Brandon College building, which is now part of Clark Hall. Justice Bell recieved an Honorary Degree from Brandon University at the spring 2006 convocation and is presently Chancellor emeritus.
DR. KEVIN KAVANAGH (November 1996 - October 2002)
Born and raised in Brandon, Kevin Kavanagh graduated from Brandon Collegiate Institute in 1950, and completed his commerce degree at the University of Manitoba in 1953. That same year he joined the Group Insurance Division of the Great-West Life Assurance Company. From 1978-1992, he served as president and CEO of that organization. During his career, Kavanagh has also served on various provincial and national boards, including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, National Leasing Group, Winnipeg Airports authority, the Conference Board of Canada, the Crown Corporations Council and the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association Inc. Kavanagh was also a member of the Roblin Commission. In 1996, he was named the fourth Chancellor of Brandon University, and in addition to his duties as Chancellor, he has been involved with the university as a member of the Brandon University Foundation and as a member of the Corporate Challenge Campaign. In September 2006, the courtyard between Clark Hall and the George T. Richardson building was renamed The Kavanagh Courtyard in honour of Kavanagh and his wife in recognition of their vision and leadership with Brandon University and their dedication to the advancement of post-secondary education.
In 1963, Kavanagh married his wife Els, and together they had two children: Jennifer and Sean. At present, (July 2007), Kevin Kavanagh is Chancellor Emeritus of Brandon University.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD R. SCHREYER (November 1, 2002 - present)
Edward Schreyer was born on December 21, 1935 in Beausejour, Manitoba. He studied at United College, St. John's College and the University of Manitoba, receiving a Bachelor of Pedagogy in 1959, a Bachelor of Education in 1962, a Master of Arts in International Relations and a second Master of Arts in Economics in 1963. From 1962 to 1965, Schreyer taught International Relations at St. Paul's College. On June 30, 1960, Schreyer married Lily Schulz. The couple had two daughters, Lisa and Karmel, and two sons, Jason and Tobin.
Schreyer was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in 1958, as a member of the Manitoba Co-operative Communwealth Federation, representing the rural consituency of Brokenhead. In 1965 he resigned to run successfully for the House of Commons. In 1969, Schreyer returned to provincial politics as leader of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba. He led his party to victory in the 1969 provincial election, and served as Premier of Manitoba from 1969 until 1977.
Schreyer was appointed Governor General in 1979 by Pierre Trudeau. That same year, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada along with his wife Lily Schreyer. As Governor General, Schreyer championed women's issues, the environment, and official bilingualism. He established the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the "Persons Case," instituted the Governor General's Conservation Awards (1981), and presided over the first Governor General's Canadian Study Conference. Schreyer retired as Governor General in 1984.
Later in 1984, Schreyer was sworn into the Privy Council and was subsequently appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, and as ambassador to Vanuatu. He held those positions until 1988. Returning to Manitoba, Schreyer worked as a national representative of Habitat for Humanity. In 2006, he was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in Selkirk-Interlake for the 2006 federal election.
Edward Schreyer became Chancellor of Brandon University in November 2002, and his term was extended in 2005 until October 31, 2008.
HENRY CHAMP (November 1, 2008 - October 31, 2011)
Henry Champ was born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1939. He attended Brandon College in 1957 and 1958.
Scope and Content
At present (July 2007), the series consists of the Stanley Knowles collection (accession 61-1997).
Notes
Administrative information in the History/Bio field was taken from "The Brandon University Act (1998)" at: http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/1998/c04898e.php (December 2005) and from: http://alumni.brandonu.ca/alumniNews/images/BU_Alumni_News05.pdf. Biographical information for Maitland Steinkopf was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitland_Steinkopf (December 2005). Biographical information for Stanley Knowles was taken from: http://www.mcmaster.ca/ua/alumni/gallery/G129664.htm (December 2005) and from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Knowles (December 2005). Biographical information for Bell was taken from Brandon University calendars and the spring/summer 2006 issue of Alumni News. Biograpical information for Kavanaugh was taken from Brandon University calendars. Biographical information for Edward Schreyer was taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Schreyer (December 2005).
The Board of Governors of Brandon University is a body established by the Brandon University Act (1998), a statute of the Province of Manitoba. The Act vests in the Board the authority for governing Brandon University. The members of the Board of Governors, as trustees, hold the University in trust for the people of the Province of Manitoba. Responsibilities for maintaining this trust include: selection of a president, monitoring his/her performance, providing guidance to the University via its policies, and often delegating authority to the administration.
The Board of Governors is a collective representing the entire community (both internal and external of the University). As a collective, the Board of Governors is responsible for ensuring the financial stability of the institution and for seeing that the overall plans of the institution are consistent with the institution’s philosophy, goals, and financial resources.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records generated and collected by the Brandon University Board of Governors in the course of perfoming its functions. The fonds is divided into six sub-series, incuding: (1) Documents; (2) Board Executive; (3) General Board agendas, minutes and packages; (4) Correspondence and subject files; (5) Board of Governors' committees; and (6) Board projects.
Notes
The information in the History/Bio field was taken from the Brandon University webpage (http://www.brandonu.ca/Administration/Governors/) on December 2, 2005.
Access Restriction
All files in the series are restricted. Researchers are required to contact the Executive Secretary to the Board of Governors to obtain written permission to access the records. Contact:
204-727-9714
board@brandonu.ca
See RG 6, sub-series 4.1 Vice-President (Academic and Research) and 4.2 Vice-President (Administration and Finance) for history/bio information.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records generated and collected by the Office of the Vice-President in the course of performing its functions. The fonds has been divided into two sub-series, including: (1) Vice-President (Academic and Research); and (2) Vice-President (Administration and Finance).
Notes
A portion (2.3 m) of the records in this series are unprocessed.
Series has been divided into five sub-series, including: (1) Faculty of Arts; (2) Faculty of Science; (3) Faculty of Education; (4) School of Music; and (5) School of Health Studies.
In 1970, the Department of Extension was divided into the Department of Extension (Non-Credit) and the Department of Extension (Credit). In 1974, the two departments were amalgamated into the Department of Extension (Credit and Non-Credit). The department's name was changed again in 1977, when it became the Department of Continuing Education (Credit and Non-Credit).
In 1986, the Office of Continuing Education and Summer Session was renamed the Office of Extension with responsibility for non-credit offerings, distance eduation and off-campus credit courses. From 1999 to the 2001-2003 calendar, Kathleen Matheos, the last Director of Extension, is listed as the Director of the Education Technology Unit. After the 2001-2003 calendar, the Department of Extension became part of Campus Manitoba.
DIRECTORS OF EXTENSION:
R.B. INCH - Extension (1967-1969) and Extension (Non-Credit) (1970-1971)
George Robert Boyer Inch, more commonly known as R.B. Inch, was born in 1903 in Oak Point, New Brunswick. His father, James Nathaniel Inch, was a local shopkeeper and served as town postmaster. James Inch married Phoebe Elizabeth Inch (nee Boyer), a native of Hartland, New Brunswick. While working in Ontario between 1939 and 1939, R.B. Inch met and married Elizabeth Gowling of Ottawa. The couple had two children; a son named George and a daughter named Jeanne. Elizabeth Inch (nee Gowling) passed away in 1956.
R.B. Inch was educated first at Mount Allison Academy in Sackville, New Brunswick. He later went on to study at Mount Allison University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1924. After graduating, Inch traveled to western Canada looking for employment in his chosen field of journalism. From 1924-1926 Inch was unable to find a job in the newspapers so he subsisted by teaching classes at Mount Royal College in Calgary and attending lessons at the Calgary Normal School. In June 1926, the Calgary Herald, then known as the Calgary Albertan, hired Inch as a regular journalist. He stayed in that position in Calgary for two years. Inch later accepted a job with the Winnipeg Free Press, where he worked from 1928-1929.
In 1929, Inch accepted a position with the National Research Council in Ottawa as Secretary to the President and information officer. Between 1929 and 1933 he also volunteered as editor of the magazine "Interdependence," the official publication of the League of Nations Society in Canada. In 1935, Inch resigned his post at the National Research Council to become the National Secretary of the League of Nations Society in Canada. There he served until the collapse of the League at the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
In 1942, Inch was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to prepare a series of programs entitled "Of Things to Come - Inquiry on the Post-War World." In 1943, Inch joined the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, but never saw action in Europe. After the war, Inch was hired by his alma mater, Mount Allison University, to serve as Director of Alumni and Public Relations. He remained in Sackville from July 1945 through to 1967. In July 1967, Inch was hired by Brandon University as the Director of Extension and as a political science lecturer.
After retiring in 1972, Inch was active in the formation of the Canadian branch of Amnesty International. He would later become National Director Emeritus of the organization.
R.B. Inch died in Brandon, Manitoba on January 7, 1983.
H.S. PERDUE - Extension (Credit) (1970-1971)
Dr. Henry Stewart Perdue was born in 1904 near Souris, Manitoba. He graduated from Souris Collegiate in 1920. After working several odd jobs, Perdue entered Brandon College in 1924. He graduated with his B.A. in 1928. After graduation, Perdue was hired as a teacher in the Academic Department. He received his M.A. in 1930, and went on to receive his Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Chicago. In 1930, Perdue became the Director of the Matriculation Department, as well as an Instructor in Geology. In 1931, he took over the position of Resident Master. In 1937, he married Ella May Higgens, who was the Resident Nurse. From 1938 until 1948, Perdue acted as Registrar of Brandon College.
In 1947, Perdue accepted the position on College Dean. This position ran until 1952, when it was changed to the position of Dean of Arts and Science. Perdue also held this position until 1962, when the office separated into the Dean of Arts and the Dean of Science. Perdue continued in the position of Dean of Science until 1967. After Dr. Evans' death in July of 1959, Perdue became acting President. He held this position from August 1959 until August 1960, when Dr. Robbins was appointed President. Perdue held the position of Director of Extension (Credit) from 1970-1971. He retired from teaching Geology in 1973. Dr. Perdue died on December 22, 1979 at the age of 75.
EVAN H. PEPPER - Extension (Credit) (1972-1974)
Evan H. Pepper was born in Windsor, Ontario. He received his BSc in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Detroit and his MSc and PhD from Michigan State University in the same fields. Pepper also attended the Henry Ford Trade School, the United States Brewer's Academy (Brewing Technology) and the Ryerson Institute (Instrictional Technology). In 1945-1946 he served in the U.S. Merchant Marine, and from 1954-1956, in the U.S. Army.
From 1960-1962, Pepper was a technical coordinator for Ladish Malting Co. He began his academic career in 1962 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University, leaving that position in 1967. From 1967-1988, he was an Associate Professor, and later a Professor (1971-1988) in the Department of Botany at Brandon University.
While at Brandon University, Pepper served on the Brandon University Senate, the Senate Executive Committee, the Extension Committee, the University Act Committee and the Senate By-Laws Revision Committee. He was also assigned as a liaison to Inter-Universities North (IUN) and helped to design the RN/RPN program (1970). Pepper's administrative duties included Director of Credit Extension, Director and designer of the FOCUS program and Chair of the Botany Department. In addition, he also taught, designed and developed several courses for the Biology and Botany Departments at Brandon University.
Evan Pepper retired in 1988. He died on March 27, 2013.
R. BRUCE MCFARLANE - Extension (Non-Credit) (1972-1973); Extension (Credit and Non-Credit) (1974-1976); Continuing Education (Credit and Non-Credit) (1977-1986); and Extension - acting (1990)
No biographical information yet.
B. WESTFALL - Extension (1987-1989)
Beth Westfall was born in Birmingham, England. Her undergraduate degree in European Studies was obtained from the University of Sussex; she recieved her Master's Degree in German from the University of British Columbia and her Ed.D. in adult education from Nova University.
Westfall came to Brandon University in January 1987, as the Director of Extension. Prior to that time she a director on a regional campus on the College of New Caledonia in British Columbia. She also had extensive experience in teaching basic adult education and English as a second language, and in facilitating women's support groups and communication skills workshops.
In September 1989, Westfall became Brandon University's Dean of Student Services. See RG 6, series 12 (Student Services) for additional biographical information.
K. MATHEOS (1990 - 1997/1998)
Kathleen Matheos was appointed Director of the Office of Extension for a five year term effective September 1, 1990. Prior to coming to Brandon University, she was the Agricultural Distance Education Coordinator/Community Programs Division at Assiniboine Community College. In 1999, Matheos' title was changed to Director of the Education Technology Unit and ca. 2003 the Office of Extension was absorbed into Campus Manitoba. Matheos left Brandon University some time thereafter, and currently (January 2006) works for the Department of Extension at the University of Saskatchewan.
Scope and Content
The series is divided into four sub series, including: (1) General files; (2) FOCUS; (3) Brandon University Art Exhibition Committee; and (4) Publications.
Notes
History/Bio information was taken from Brandon University calendars and an article in "The Quill" (January 9, 1986). Biographical information on R.B. Inch was taken from the finding aid for the R.B. Inch collection written by Matthew Palmer (2003). Biographical information on H.S. Perdue was taken from the "Brandon College finding aid" prepared by Karyn Riedel for McKee Archives in 1998. Biographical information for Evan H. Pepper was taken from his resume (given to the Archives in 2006). History/Bio information for Kathleen Matheos was taken from Campus News - July/August 1990.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Related Material
Additional material on R.B. Inch is located in MG 3 1.8 R.B. Inch collection.
ARCH 2: North Lauder Locale
The North Lauder locale has a long archaeological and geological history that is important for understanding the forces that shaped the region. Archaeological research in the locale shows that the area has been occupied by humans for at least the past 6,500 years. Environmental forces provided an area of diverse resources that attracted early peoples.
Environment of the Lauder Sandhills
The North Lauder locale is part of the greater Lauder Sandhills area. The glaciers that covered this region began to recede approximately 11,000 years ago leaving a large lake known as glacial Lake Hind. The Souris River, the Lauder Sandhills and the Oak Lake Aquifer are remnants of the environmental and geological forces that shaped the region.
The Lauder Sandhills region is characterized by a landscape of sand sheets and stabilized sand dunes interspersed with a variety of wetlands. This complex topographic and hydrological situation favoured the development of an island mosaic of mixed forest, wetland and meadow, surrounded by mixed grass prairie. The result was a large, isolated ecotone which provided a rich variety of subsistence resources for hunter-gatherers.
Research in the Lauder Sandhills
Archaeologists from Brandon University have been conducting research in the Lauder Sandhills since 1991. Research in the North Lauder locale has focused on the Atkinson site, a 6,500 year old hunter-gatherer site and Flintstone Hill.
The Atkinson site
The Atkinson site is one of the oldest excavated sites in Manitoba and has been Radiocarbon dated to 6,500 years before present. The Atkinson site is located on the bank of the Souris River and was discovered when a hearth (fire pit) was seen eroding out of the bank. 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.
Flintstone Hill
The geomorphology of the glacial Lake Hind Basin over the past 11,000 years is known primarily through the study of a cut bank along the Souris River. Flint Stone Hill contains the most complete stratigraphic record for the post-glacial period on the northern plains. The site has been extensively studied by geoarchaeologists, geologists and paleoenvironmentalists over many years and their findings have contributed to our understanding of the region.
The North Lauder locale Borden designations of Atkinson site DiMe-27 and Flintstone Hill site DiMe-26.
Borden System
Archaeological sites in Canada are identified by the Borden system, which is a uniform site designation system. The country is divided into grids based on latitude and longitude in blocks of 10 x 20 minutes. The first 4 letters indicate the block and the following numbers indicate the actual site. For example the area of the Lauder Sandhills in southwestern Manitoba is identified by the letters DM and the North Lauder locale within that area is DiMe. The Atkinson site is DiMe-27 and the Flintstone Hill site DiMe-26. As new sites are discovered they will be numbered sequentially.
Scope and Content
The Series has been divided into two sub-series, including (1) Atkinson site DiMe-27 and Flintstone Hill site DiMe-26.
The Lovstrom locale first came to the attention of Dr. Nicholson through conversations with landowners Mr. and Mrs. Herb Lovstrom in 1985. Lovstrom is a multi-component archaeological locale located 25km south of Brandon overlooking the Souris River channel. The landowner’s surface collection and the presence of bone and artifacts in a cultivated field indicated the presence of one or more sites.
Limited testing was conducted in 1985 and 1986, followed by major excavations in 1987, 1988 and 1991. Eight sites of block excavations with a total of 132 1m2 excavation units were completed. The locale area extends approximately 500m north from the edge of the Souris Valley escarpment and over 200m east from the Jock’s Creek escarpment.
Physical and biological environment As has been noted above, the locale is bounded on the south by the Souris channel and on the west by the incised channel of Jock’s Creek and a till plain extends to the north and the east. This plain is characterized by buff colored glacial till with numerous rocks embedded in the surface. Surrounding these rocky knolls are dark-soil hollows where the various cultural occupations are found. The depth of the topsoil layer suggests a long term grassland cover with the present oak forest likely developing in historic times due to the elimination of bison grazing and the controlling of prairie fires in late historic times. A small cleared patch of farmland is found within the boundaries of the locale area. This area has provided a substantial surface collection of artifacts.
Present vegetation in the area is a mosaic of aspen/oak forest groves and mesic grass prairie that includes introduced species such as brome grass. In poorly drained areas, willow and red osier dogwood are present. The Lovstrom locale is found in a forested area dominated by oak with an under story of saskatoon, chokecherry, pin cherry, and hazelnut brush. Poison ivy is abundant as well as sarsaparilla.
The major faunal resources in Precontact times would have been bison, with elk and mule deer playing a minor role. Antelope may have been present also. Small animals included snowshoe hare, cottontails, porcupines and beaver. Canids, including wolf, coyote, fox and domesticated dog were present, as well as mustelids such as badger, mink, and weasel. Fragments from a fisher were also recovered in the excavations.
Summation.
The Lovstrom locale has eight sites. The sites were designated and excavated as Blocks A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. Many of the sites are multi-occupations.
The Vickers materials are primarily confined to Blocks D, E, F, G and H. Vickers Focus materials overlie Blackduck/Duck Bay materials. Blackduck and Duck Bay materials are found in the lower levels of all excavation blocks and in most test units. The Vickers occupations at the Lovstrom locale, based upon ceramic wares and an overlapping of C14 dates, appear to have been contemporary with the Lowton type site to the east, near Belmont. A small protohistoric occupation was identified overlying part of Block D. Faunal remains are abundant with bison clearly dominating the assemblages. Lesser amounts of canid are present as well as small mammals including beaver, hare and mustelids. Small amounts of avian species are also present.
Publications
Nicholson, B.A.
2011 The Role of Pocket Gophers (Thomomys talpoides) in Restructuring Stratigraphic Relationships at the Lovstrom Site. Canadian Journal of Archaeology 35:323-331.
Nicholson, Bev, Scott Hamilton, Matthew Boyd and Sylvia Nicholson
2008 A Late Plains Woodland Adaptive Strategy in the Northern Parklands: the Vickers Focus Forager-Horticulturists. Invited Paper for Papers in Northeastern Plains Prehistory, eds. Michael G. Michlovic and Dennis L. Toom, North Dakota Journal of Archaeology Vol. 8:19-34.
Nicholson, Bev and Scott Hamilton
2001 Cultural Continuity and Changing Subsistence Strategies During the Late Precontact Period in Southwestern Manitoba. Canadian Journal of Archaeology 25:53-73.
Nicholson, Bev
1996 Plains Woodland Influx and the Blackduck Exodus in South-Western Manitoba During the Late Precontact Period. Manitoba Archaeological Journal 6(1):69-85.
Nicholson, Bev and Mary Malainey
1991 Report on the 1991 Field School Excavations at the Lovstrom Site (DjLx-1), Southwestern Manitoba. Manitoba Archaeological Journal 1(2): 51-93.
Nicholson, Bev and Jane Gibson
1990-91 Lovstrom Site Field Report, 1987 Excavations. Saskatchewan Archaeology 11&12:46-68.
Nicholson, Bev and Ian Kuiijt
1990 Field Report and Interpretations of the 1988 Archaeological Excavations at the Lovstrom Site (DjLx-1) in Southwestern Manitoba. North Dakota Journal of Archaeology 4:166-205.
Nicholson, Bev
1990 Ceramic Affiliations and the Case for Incipient Horticulture in Southwestern Manitoba. Canadian Journal of Archaeology 14:33-60.
Nicholson, Bev
1986 The Lovstrom Site: Culture Contact in Prehistory. Manitoba Archaeological Quarterly 10(1):35-71.
Scope and Content
The Series has been divided into nine sub-series, including (1) Survey (2) Block A; (3) Block B (4) Block C; (5) Block D; (6) Block E; (7) Block F; (8) Block G; (9) Block H
Artifacts in this series were collected by Fred McGuinness during the course of his lifetime as a community volunteer and newspaperman. Beginning in the mid-1930s through the Second World War, McGuinness worked with the Canadian Pacific Telegraph service in Brandon and Winnipeg. McGuinness frequently wrote about those early experiences in his newspaper columns, journals, and monographs.
In the early 1950s, while McGuinness worked as a publicist with the Unemployment Insurance Commission in Winnipeg, he volunteered with community organizations such as the Winnipeg Community Chest Drive. From 1953 to 1955, McGuinness worked as an organizer for the Province of Saskatchewan’s 1955 Golden Jubilee.
After the Saskatchewan Jubilee, McGuinness worked with The Medicine Hat News as a journalist and publisher from 1955 to 1965. During that time, McGuinness became heavily involved with the Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce. His community and business connections resulted in his appointment as a fundraiser for the Medicine Hat Junior College Library, a building project intended to see the City established with its own college.
After his work with the Saskatchewan Jubilee, McGuinness was asked to be a Regional Director for the Canadian Centennial Commission from 1965 to 1967. During that time, McGuinness returned to his hometown of Brandon in 1966, to start a 20-year career with the Brandon Sun as a publisher and vice-president. McGuinness’ interest in local history, of which he often wrote, made him the recipient of local ephemera from his readers.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Scope and Content
This series contains artifacts collected by Fred McGuinness during the course of his lifetime as a community volunteer and newspaperman. The artifacts include one telegraph sounder, four letterpress blocks, five typesetter rulers, two patches, two buttons, one token, one tin box, and ten sound recordings.
The telegraph sounder and relay system was possibly a gift from Bill Flett, a CPR superintendent. In his story “Canadian Pacific” published in Letters from Section 17 (1999), McGuinness mentions receiving a package containing telegraph equipment while he was working at the Brandon Sun. The tin box in McGuinness’ collection contained copies of telegraphs announcing the end of the war.
Two letterpress type blocks have the letters “WM” which may represent the initials of Fred McGuinness’ father William McGuinness. J.R. Langford donated the “Colquhoun and Beattie” type plate to McGuinness, a known collector of Brandon local history. Mr. Beattie had gifted the plate to Lanford’s father who worked as a barber in Brandon in 1906. The Brandon Sun letterpress is likely from the period when McGuinness worked at the Brandon Sun.
The five typesetter rulers come from a variety of typesetter and newspaper companies and include Teletypesetter (Chicago, IL), 6 Cutting Limited (Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg), Mergenthaler Linotype Company (Brooklyn, NY), and The Edmonton Journal.
The two buttons in the collection come from McGuinness’ time as a community-volunteer in Winnipeg, Manitoba. One button is from the Community Chest Drive, the other button is a guest badge from the 1953 Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.
The two patches are from the Saskatchewan Golden Jubilee (1955). Photographs of Saskatchewan Jubilee events and participants wearing the patch on their blazers can be found in the McGuinness photograph collection.
McGuinness saved a Medicine Hat College Official Opening Token from October 3, 1971. McGuinness was likely at the opening as he was originally involved in the establishment of the junior college in the 1960s.
The sound recordings in McGuinness’ collection largely pertain to centennial events, which McGuinness helped organize. There is one box set containing four records of the Saskatchewan Golden Jubilee Choir. Tucked in this volume is an additional record of the Choir recorded at CKCK, Regina, Saskatchewan. Also stored within the box set was a copy “Canada, A Centennial Song.”
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
2015 accessions
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives
Documents
McG 7 McGuinness artifacts and sound recordings inventory.pdf
83 books and other materials (see Material Details Note)
Material Details
49 booklets
3 maps
3 newsletters
18 periodicals
16 pamphlets
35 newspapers [oversize drawer]
History / Biographical
The publications in this series were collected by Fred McGuinness during the course of his career as a newspaperman. McGuinness’ personal library contained over 500 volumes pertaining to local history. He regularly consulted these materials when writing his radio broadcasts, newspaper columns, and monographs. McGuinness was known to file related materials (e.g., correspondence, newspaper clippings, invitations) between book covers of various titles.
McGuinness donated a substantial portion of his personal library to Brandon University’s John E. Robbins Library when he moved to River Heights Terrace (Brandon, Manitoba). That collection can be found in BU’s library catalogue under the McGuinness local history collection. The titles McGuinness retained upon his move were donated to the McKee Archives by his estate in 2011.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2015 contains records created and collected over the course of McGuinness’ career as a newspaper journalist and freelance writer. The Estate of Fred McGuinness donated the materials to the SJ McKee Archives circa 2011. The Archives accessioned the records in 2015.
Accession 20-2009 contain records created and collected by Fred McGuinness over the course of his career as a newspaper journalist and during the research and writing period of the Brandon history book, The Wheat City. Records remained in his possession at his home until their transfer to the McKee Archives on July 28, 2009.
Accession 6-2008 contains records created and collected during the writing of the Provincial Exhibition book, Pride of the Land. Fred McGuinness, who co-authored the book with Ken Coates, donated these records to the McKee Archives circa 1988. The materials relating to Souris, Manitoba, were given to McGuinness by Kay Sullivan in August 2007, and were subsequently deposited in the Archives.
Scope and Content
This series contains publications collected by Fred McGuinness during the course of his lifetime as a newspaperman. McGuinness was a well-known local history enthusiast and frequently wrote about Brandon’s local history. Many of his readers forwarded booklets and pamphlets for his consideration and review.
Materials in this series include books, booklets pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers and maps. Subjects include, but are not exclusive to: the city of Brandon, the town of Souris, memoirs, family histories, Canadian Pacific Railway, and local businesses.
Accruals
Closed
Finding Aid
A file level inventory is available
Storage Location
All library titles, except the newspapers in the McGuinness oversize drawer, are located in Special Collections
Arrangement
Arrangement was artificially created by the Archives.
McG 8 McGuinness library
McG 8.1 Books
McG 8.2 Booklets
McG 8.3 Maps, newsletters, and periodicals
McG 8.4 Pamphlets
McG 8.5 Magazines and newspapers (oversize)
1965-1980, predominant 25 May 1965 - 30 September 1976
Physical Description
12 cm textual records
6 b/w photographs (loose)
1 artefact
Physical Condition
Some of the items in the scrapbook have come loose from their pages, some documents are stained from a liquid, likely coffee
History / Biographical
In 1965, Chris Verhoef, member of the Overture Concert Association, Allied Arts Centre, and Brandon Citizens' Commitee for the Performing Arts, called for a meeting of Western manitoba citizens interested in the prospect of a Philharmonic Choir for the region. The meeting took place on 26 May 1965; the steering committee that gathered, led by Margaret Goodman, undertook the formation of the Choir. The Choir would have an Executive consistign of at least four members, and a committee consisting of a minimum seven members. Each executive member would be elected on an annual basis. The Choir's executive, in collaboration with the conductor, would determine the choir's repertoire for the year. The establishment of the Western Manitoba PHilharmonic Choir (WMPC) sought to encourage amateurs to sing for enjoyment, provide the opportunity for a choir to perform choral compositions in collaboration with a symphony orchestra and promote and sponsor the musical arts in the Western Manitoba region. Membership to the choir would be open to all citizens of the region, and members would be accepted based on the discretion of the conductor. The first meeting of prospective members took place on 27 September 1965 in St. Matthews Cathedral parish Hall where more than 90 people gathered and registered to become a member of the WMPC.
Chris Verhoef led the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir into its first season as President of the choir's Executive Committee. For the organization's first season, the WMPC hired two members of the Brandon College School of Music: Lucien Needham for the position of conductor and Louise Chapman for the position of accompanist. Brandon College, as well as other donors sponsored the choir for its first season. The Choir held its debut performance in collaboration with the Winnipeg Sympnay Orchestra (WSO) on 12 March 1966, and the Choir's performance of Vivaldi's Gloria and Handel's Dettingen te Deum attracted an audience of more than 1400 people. The performance was well received by the public. The debut performance's asuccess earned the CHoir a rcommendation for a grant from the Manitoba Centennial Corporation that would sponsor a special concert during the centennial year. Furthermore, the Canada Council supported the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, by the means of special funds, to make the Symphony's appearance witht he Philharmonic Choir possible.
For the WMPC's second season, membership rose to 111 amateur singers. Verhoef remained as President of the Executive, while the Brandon Citizens' Committee for the Performing Arts provided sponsorship. Following the Choir's performance of Schubert's Mass in Eb Major on 17 November 1966, the membership increased to 132 singers. On 20 January 1967, the WMPC's first taped broadcast was released over CBC and CKX. The broadcast's success resulted in an offer from CBC to record another broadcast for a similar release. The Kiwanis Club of Rivers invited the Choir to perform in Rivers on 25 january 1967. On 7 April 1967, the Choir performed Haydn's oratorio, The Creation, in the Brandon College Gymnasium.
The choir elected Murray Ames as President to lead it through its thrid and fourth seasons. In its third season, the WMPC, conducted by Leonard Mayoh, performed Handel's Messiah on 22 November 1967 in the Brandon University Gymnasium. The Choir's spring concert, name the "Chris Verhoef Memorial Concert," in honour of Chris Verhoef who had passed away December 1967, featured works by Bach, Brahms and Perry. Held on 9 March 1968, in the Brandon University Gymansium, the concert featured Brandon university student James Stewart as soloist and was received with great praise. In addition to the memorial concert, the WMPC also established a $500 scholarship for a Brandon University music student to honour Verhoef's substantial contribution to the community.
The first concert of the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir's fourth season was held on 10 December 1968, in the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre at Brandon University and featured selections from Handel's Messiah. A piano trio comprised of Francis Chaplin (violin), Malcom Tait (cello) and Gordon Macpherson (piano), as well as a brass trio, also performed at the chori's winter concert. In its fourth season, the WMPC performed two concerts in the second half of its season. On 15 FEbrurary 1969, in cooperation with CKX Radio and Television, the choir performed works by Mozart, Hindemith, and Mahler in collaboration with the Winnipeg Sympony Orchestra conducted by George Cleve. Later in the season, the choir performed Brahms' Requiem Mass, once again in collaboration with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. R. Parker filled the position of President of the Executive for the duration of the Choir's fifth, sixth and seventh seasons. The fifth season saw the WMPC performing four concerts. Conducted by Leonard Mayoh, it opened its season on 11 october 1969 with a performance at the Grand Finale of the Grand Opening of the Western manitoba Centennial Auditorium, performing theoverture to Mozart's The Magic Flute and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Their Christmas concert, also conduceted by Mayoh, took place on 10 December 1969. The Choir's third concert of its fifth season was held on 31 january 1970, in cooperation with CKX RAdio and Television, and featured works by Mendelssohn, Ravel, and Schubert, in collaboration with the WSO under the direction of conductor George Cleve. The season concluded with another concert in collaboration with the WSO on 7 March 1970, conducted by Leonard Mayoh. This concert featured works by Vaughn Williams, Handel and Poulenc.
Seasons six and seven consisted of two concerts each. The Choir held its fifth annual Christmas Concert on 5 December 1970. Led by Leonard Mayoh, it performed its spring concert on 10 April 1971 in collaboration with members from the Winnipeg Symphony, featuring selections by Bach and Mozart in the Western manitoba Centennial Auditorium. Into its seventh season, the Choir performed Bach's Christmas Oratorio on 4 December 1971 in the Central United Church. For its final concert of the year, the WMPC revisited a piece that had been the main focus of its second season: Haydn's oratorio, The Creation. The Choir performed this Haydn masterwork on 8 April 1972 under the direction of Piero Gamba.
Helen Riesberry led the choir through its eigth and ninth seasons as President of the Executive. In its eigth season, the WMPC held its annual Christmas concert on 12 December 1972 in collaboration with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in the style of a sing-along led by Mitch Miller. The choir's spring concert featured another masterwork, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, conducted by Piero Gamba. The WMPC and members of the WSO performed the Requiem Mass on 28 April 1973 at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. Despite the lack of attendance at rehearsals since the Christmas concert, the WMPC presented an overall effective performance of the challenging Requiem Mass.
In its ninth season, Derek Morphy took over the position of conductor from Leonard Mayoh. Morphy had his debut performance as conductor with the WMPC at the annual Christmas concert on 17 December 1973. In March 1974, in collaboration with members from the WSO, Morphy led the Choir in its performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio, Elijah, in the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. later in the season, the choir performed a concert entitled "Reflections," a choral programme for Lent and Easter, accompanied by organist Arthur Bower.
Nearing the end of its ninth season, the Philharmonic Choir encountered severe financial challenges. The Choir released a notice in the newspaper that the anticipated $3000 grant from the Manitoba Arts Council had been cut to $1000, leaving the Choir $3100 in debt. The notice explained that the Choir needed funds in order to enable operation and continue hiring the WSO for concerts. The WMPC executive and committee held a Leonard Mayoh Night in an attempt to gain funds and donations. Although the Manitoba Arts Council raised thegrant to $2000 and the City of Brandon contributed $500, the Choir's financial situation remained in a dire state as its ninth season came to a close.
The Choir elected Edith Hayden to lead it through its tenth and eleventh seasons as President of the Executive. The opening of the tenth season challenged the WMPC. In addition to its financial woes, the Choir's Executive struggled to overcome the lack of attendance at rehearsals and the shortage of male voices. The WMPC had experienced membership issues in earlier seasons as well. In its third season, despite a membership of 130 individuals, the choir had struggled to create a balanced sound due to a lack of male membership and therefore a lack of lower voices. In its sixth season, the Choir opened their concert year with an appeal for members. In an effort to improve the choir's financial affairs, the Choir Executive and conductor decided against hiring the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for the time being. In an attempt to improve the situation, Derek Morphy wrote a letter to the members of the Choir outlining his concern that he may not be meeting their expectations as a conductor but hoped to generate positive and hopeful prospects for the future of music-making together.
The Choir's annual Christmas concert featured a collaboration with the Brandon School Division Music Department and Brandon School Orchestra and Band Association, as well as dancers choreographed by Barbra Enhes. The WMPC performed Haydn's Mass in D minor at its spring concert on 27 April 1975, accompanied by Arthur Bower. By the end of the season, the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir's financial situation had begun to improve.
The WMPC hired conductor peter Allen to lead the Chori through its final season of operation. The Choir held its annual Christmas concert in the Central United Church on 7 December 1975, and featured Vivaldi's Glora, accompanied by pianist Barry Anderson. The choir perfomed Deller's Psalm 148, Teleman's Cantata for the Fourth Sunday after the Feast of the Three Kings, and Dvorak's Stabat Mater at its spring concert held at the Central United Church on 25 April 1976.
Despite its best efforts, the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir's first rehearsal of its twelfth season saw just 26 members in attendance. As a result of lack of membership, the Choir Executive decided to disband the WMPC for its 1976/1977 season, with plans to reassess the situation in September of 1977 for the prospect of a 1977/1978 season. Matters were further complicated by financial considerations; by June 1977 the choir's financial situation had worsened as a result of the administrative fees that the WMPC covered for the duration of its unexpected inactive 1976/1977 season. Unlike past years, there were not any ticket sales to cover such expenses.
Following its year off, membership interest in the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir did not increase and the decision was made not to return for another season. In 1980, the WMPC revoked its registration as an organization and officially ceased to exist.
Custodial History
Records in the 8-2001 accession were donated to the McKee Archives in 2001, by three representatives of the Philharmonic Choir: Dr. Bill Paton, Botany Department, Brandon University; Mrs. Edith Hayden, WMPC President; and Mary Davidson WMPC Archives Committee. Records in accession 13-2016 were given to Terry Stamper in the School of Music by Marilyn Hayden and then transferred to the McKee Archives on September 21, 2015.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records that document the origin, activities, and ultimate disbandment of the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir. These records were created and accumulated during the eleven year existence of the WMPC.
Records include: the organization's constitution and history from 1965-1968; financial records, which include grants received from the Manitoba Arts Council, Canada Council, and City of Brandon, as well as materials documenting the organization's financeial struggles from 1974-1976; minutes from executive and committee meetings from 18 June 1973 to 24 June 1974; correspondence in the form of letters between the president of the executive and the choir members, and between the conductor of the choir and its members; membership lists from each season of the WMPC; and concert programmes from every major Christmas and Spring concert that the organization performed. Fonds also contains mewspaper notices, advertisements and reviews of various performances, as well as posters advertising perfomrances of the WMPC in the 1967/68, 1970/71, 1971/72 and 1973/74 seasons; the posters advertise the choir, collaborators, patrons and featured works.
Also included in the fonds is a scrapbook detailing the choir's history. Each page of the scrapbook is decorated with hand painted images of plants native to the southwestern Manitoba region. The scrapbook includes concert programs and photographs of the choir from all years of the organization's operation. The scrapbook also contains an assorment of informal photographs from various WMPC events. There are also six black and white group photos of the WMPC from various seasons.
Finally, the fonds contains one artifact, a leather bag/zippered file folder with "WMPC" printed on it.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by representatives of the Western Manitoba Philharmonic Choir. Copies of the history can be found in the fonds. Description by Jessi Gilchrist (October 2016).
Most of the photos are in peel and stick albums and the albums have a number of condition issues
History / Biographical
Valleyview Leisure Club (VLC) began in April 1978 as a senior's activity group in conjunction with Valleyview Community Centre. The impetus for the creation of the group was a meeting between John Svenson, Regional Director for Westman Seniors, and seniors in the Valleyview area who met to discuss the organization of a seniors club. At the time the club was established, space was limited at the Community Centre because some school classes were held there during the construction of Riverheights School. However, a New Horizons grant enabled the VLC to remodel and furnish the basement area of the Valleyview Community Centre for the Leisure Club. A Grand Opening of the space was held in May of 1980; there was a special luncheon and the offical ribbon was cut by Hon. Ed McGill.
The Valleyview Leisure Club was run by a board and its associated committees and governed by a constitution. Members were charged an annual membership fee, as well as user fees for the various activities. In the early years, the CLub had monthly membership business meetings in conjunction with an evening meal and entertainment. The use of the basement area was varied and included: cards; shuffleboard and other games; craft activities; fundraisers; raffles; dances; and luncheons, dinners and potlucks. The space was also rented out for private functions, particularly special birthdays and anniversary's of community members. The Club made annual contibutions to the parent Community Centre, as well as helping the Community Centre functions (winter carnival etc.)
In the course of time, the activities of the VLC became more focused on cribbage and bridge, with several regular groups scheduled at regular weekly time slots. At the time of the organization's disbanding, the following groups were active: Friday afternoon contract bridge - the "original" bridge group at the Centre; Tuesday afternoon cribbage; Thursday afternoon "Retired Educators" contract bridge - this group had played in vacant space at Neelin School up until around 1989. Its membership was eventually opened up to anyone who wanted to play in that time slot; Wheat City Duplicate Bridge Club - formed in the City as a sanctioned club and had a number of locations around town. When it moved to the Leisure Club, it came as a renter only, but chose in 2012 to join as VLC members; and Monday afternoon duplicate bridge - in an effort to increase the number of duplicate bridge plays, a "beginners" duplicate group was established with lessons, which proved to be a popular decision. The group thrived and most of the Thursday evening playser began to paly at this time also/or instead.
The VLC hosted a Spring and a Fall Bridge Tournament each year, open to anyone, with invitations going to surrounding areas. As well as cash prizes, a cash donation was given to a local charity. In latter years these donations were $500 per tournament. An annual Christmas Dinner was another popular event. It was a catered event, at least in the later years, and was offered at a subsidized price to members. The club also made a donation to Christmas Cheer at this time.
At some point in the organization's history the VLC came to be seen as a tenant of the Valleyview Community Centre, paying a rent of $3000 per year for its use of the basement space, as well as some maintenance expenses. When the Valleyview Community Centre voted to raise the rent to $12,000 per year within two years, the VLC sought other options.
The VLC settled on Prairie Oasis Senior Centre for a nubmer of reasons. First, it offered to provide space for each of the club's existing card groups at the same time slots with no membership fees. Second, the move would also eliminate the increasingly difficult task of fielding a board of directors to run the club. Finally, the Prairie Oasis location offered the advantage of level access; the basement location of the VLC had excluded several of the club's former members with mobility issues.
Effective September 1, 2014, the Valleyview Leisure Club was dissolved. The club disposed of equipment either by donating it to Prairie Oasis or to Valleyview Community Centre. Once all debts were cleared the Board voted to distribute the cash assets to the following local charities: Big Brothers and Sisters; Food For Thought; Humane Society; Prairie Oasis Senior Centre/Meals on Wheels; Salvation Army; Samaritan House; Seniors For Seniors Co-op Inc.; The Soup Kitchen; Westman Regional Hospital; Westman Hospice; and Y Kids.
Custodial History
Records were created and collected by Valleyview Leisure Club and donated to the S.J. McKee Archives by Barry Reilly following the disbandment of the club in 2015.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created and maintained by the Valleyview Leisure Club to document their activities and membership. The records detail club events, finances, insurance and meetings.
Records include meeting minutes, agendas, posters, correspondence, budget plans, grants, constitutions, newspaper clippings, membership lists, phone directories, membership rosters, financial statements, secretarial records, photo albums and other miscelleanous records.
Notes
History/Bio information was provided by the Valleyview Leisure Club. Description by Amanda Gramchuk (October 2016) and Christy Henry.
Some of the pages and photographs in the scrapbooks have become loose
History / Biographical
Southwest B "Region" Women's Institute is a regional board within Manitoba Women's Institute.
According to their website, Manitoba Women’s Institute (MWI) operates under an umbrella structure of a provincial board and regional boards as directed in the Constitution and Bylaws. The provincial board serves to co-ordinate the activities of the organization on a provincial scale and link with other provincial, national, and international organizations. Regional boards are responsible for activities within their regions and for assisting with communication between the provincial board and the membership. Local institutes serve members in local communities or local geographic areas.
The Southwest B "Region" Women's Institute covers the area south of the Trans Canada Highway and from Killarney west to the Saskatchewan border. Historically it has encompassed locals from the follwing areas: Bardal, Boissevain, Broomhill, Dand, Deloraine, Dublin, Ebor, Elgin, Elva, Hartney, Kemnay, Lauder, Lyleton, Medora, Melita, Napinka, Pierson, Regent, Souris, Springvale, Tilston, Wakada and Whitewater.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of the Southwest B Region Women's Institute until thier donation to the McKee Archives in 2014.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created by the Southwest B Region Women's Institute during the course of their activities and operations.
Records include: eight minute books (1926-1997); a small scribbler listing Convention and some Board meeting attendance (2001-2013); and two Treasurer's/cash record books (1940-1944 and 1951-1992). The photographs are portraits of the Women's Institute Leadership Class (1961 and 1962), attendees on stage at the F.W.E.C Convention, Wolfville NS (July 1964) and the Manitoba delegation to Wolfville NS (July 1964).
Notes
History/Bio information was taken from the records and from the Manitoba Women's Instutite webpage (http://www.mbwi.ca/about-mwi/local-institutes/. Accessed January 2017). Description by Christy Henry.
Finding Aid
A detailed list of meeting dates for the minute books was provided by the donor. It is located in the donation file.
Storage Location
2016 accessions
photographs in RG 5 photograph drawer by accession number
Many pages within the scrapbook are in fragile condition and some have come loose from the bindings. Several individual photographs have also become loose.
History / Biographical
Born Daniel Milton Kaufman in the Chicago area and a veteran of the Second World War, Kingsley completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago and later his M. Sc. from Northwestern University before coming to Brandon College for the 1928-1929 academic year. Hired on a temporary basis to teach chemistry to replace a Mr Elsey, Kingsley came with good recommendations from Northwestern University in both teaching and laboratory management (The Quill, Sept. 27th, 1928).
In May 1929, Kingsley returned to the University of Chicago to continue his graduate studies (Brandon Daily Sun, May 21st, 1929). Following the completion of his M.D., Kingsley taught at LSU Medical School, Tulane University Medical School and Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Centre, New York City.
Moving to Alexandria, Louisiana in 1939, Kingsley's practice thrived as he was the only bone doctor in Central Louisiana at the time. Kingsley was known for operating free clinics at Huey P. Long Hospital and served as the orthopaedist for 35 years for the Louisiana Special Education Centre. For almost 50 years, Kingsley operated on children without charging for his services.
Kingsley helped found a non-profit rehabilitation centre for post-operative therapy for children with disabilities, called the Rapides Rehabilitation Centre, and served on its board for several years. He also served as president of the Rapides Parish Medical Society, chairman of the Rapides Parish Medical Society Medico-Legal Committee for 30 years, second vice-president of the Louisiana State Medical Society and president of the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association. Other organizations Kingsley was involved with include the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Clinical Orthopaedic Society, American Association of Anatomists, American Academy for Cerebral Palsy, American Medical Association, Louisiana Orthopaedic Association, Rapides Parish Medical Society, the Southern Medical Association and as a founding member of the International Arthroscopy Association.
Dr. Daniel Kingsley passed away in June 1992 in Alexandria, Louisiana, and was survived by his wife, Mrs. Helen Wilson Kingsley, their two daughters Ann Lange and Katherine Kingsley, and their son Lawrence Kingsley.
Custodial History
Records were created and collected by Dr. Daniel Kingsley during his time at Brandon University and then later during his travels, and subsequently stored by him after their completion. Following his death, the records were stored by his daughter Ann Lange at her home near Dallas until their donation to the McKee Archives in 2017.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one scrapbook which contains photographs of Dr. Daniel Kingsley's time as a temporary faculty member during the 1928-1929 academic year at Brandon College. Many of the photos are labelled; They depict many events at Brandon College, including activities at the Brandon College Rink (outdoor) and a faculty hike. Others records show images of the City of Brandon at this time, including various street images, Dr. Kingsley's accommodations, the Brandon Mental Hospital and the Assiniboine River. The photographs provide insight into the life of a temporary faculty member at Brandon College during this period.
The scrapbook also contains many assorted photographs and clippings from his travels and life following his departure from the College. The majority of the fonds contains photographs and clippings from 1928-1932, with others being undated.
Notes
History information provided by Ann Lange, daughter of Dr. Daniel Kingsley. Supplementary information provided by The Brandon Daily Sun and The Quill. Description by William Grant Jackson (September 2018).
Music in the Brandon Community was created by Brandon University student Richard Bee for the course Advanced Topics in Oral History. The project was conducted under advisement from Dr. Rhonda Hinther, BU History Department. Interviews were conducted by Bee with members of the Brandon community - Bill Campbell, Elizabeth Grant, Bill and Sue-On Hillman, Ian Robinson and Bill Turner - between June 9-July 7, 2015, about their experences in the local musical community.
Following the completion of the interviews, Bee created a transcript of the Hillman interview, at their request. Interview logs were created for all other interviews. Bee used the interviews to write an essay titled "Oral History and Community Music: A Case Study of Brandon, MB," which he submitted to Hinther to meet course requirements.
Custodial History
As part of the ethics approval for the project, records created were slated for donation to the SJ McKee Archives. Bee donated the materials to the McKee Archives in July 2015.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of consent forms, interview logs, one interview transcript, a copy of Bee's case study and the six audio recordings of interviews conducted with community members.
All of the interviews detail the interviewee's experiences in and around Brandon regarding music in the community: Brent Campbell’s interview discusses his life as a music teacher in Brandon, his life, and his participation in Brandon Jazz; Dr. Elizabeth Grant’s interview discusses her life, her teaching career at Brandon University and her musical career, including the Brandon Conservatory Chorale, which she founded; Bill and Sue-On Hillman’s interview discusses their lives individually and together, their careers, and how music influenced their lives; Ian Robinson’s interview discuses the operation of Ted Good Music, his life and performances in Brandon; and Bill Turner’s interview discusses his life, radio career, and the Brandon community.
Bee's case study primarily covers first-person accounts of people in the Brandon Community involved in music. It includes topics such as faculty at BU's School of Music, performance experiences, and personal experiences of interviewees in and around Brandon and Canada.
Notes
Description by Hope Penner (September 2018) and Christy Henry
Finding Aid
The interviews and interview logs are available in Branond University's institutional repository, IRBU at: https://irbu.arcabc.ca/islandora/object/irbu%3ARBeeC
Introduction
Information on archaeological materials in this locale first came to the attention of Dr. Nicholson through Doug Jackson, a local artifact collector from Souris. Doug had observed archaeological materials that included bone, ceramics and lithic material that had been exposed by municipal road building activity, northwest of Lauder Manitoba
Environment
The Makotchi-Ded Dontipi locale is located among stabilized sand dunes in the Lauder Sandhills in Southwestern Manitoba, northwest of the village of Lauder. The area is a mosaic of medium grass prairie and copses of aspen poplar and aspen-oak, together with intermittent sedge grass marshes and small ponds. These wetlands are bordered with balsam poplar, water birch, willows and red osier dogwood.
The well-drained upland forest also contains saskatoon, chokecherry, wild current, hazelnut bushes and occasional wild plums. Lowland areas have nannyberries and high-bush cranberry. Wild strawberries grow in lightly shaded areas along trail margins and in open patches in aspen forest.
History of Excavations
The Makotchi-Ded Dontipi locale is a virtual "island" of forest and marshlands in a vast expanse of mixed grass prairie. This archaeologically and environmentally rich area was given the Dakota name Makotchi-Ded Dontipi, meaning "the place where we live".
Summation
Prior to European settlement, the area was a rich environment for hunter-gatherer people. Archaeological investigations from 1992 to 2002 have revealed numerous sites within the locale. Some of these sites have been extensively excavated while others have been identified or tested.
Seven sites that have been identified in this locale range in age from the historic through protohistoric periods and extend into the middle precontact period. The major sites are the initial Middle Missouri Duthie site, the late precontact Jackson, Bradshaw sites and the protohistoric Twin Fawns, Schuddemat and Hollow B sites. The multi-component Vera site includes historic Métis, late precontact Vickers Focus, and middle precontact Besant, Pelican Lake, McKean Complex and Oxbow occupations. Over 230 units were excavated as well as numerous test pits and several extensive surveys.
Scope and Content
Scope and Content
The Series has been divided into seven sub-series, including (1) Duthie site (2) Jackson site (3) Twin Fawns site (4) Vera site (5) Schuddemat site (6) Bradshaw site (7) Hollow B site.
An oversized photograph is any photograph that exceeds 8" x 11". In some cases the photograph itself is of regular size but the matting makes it oversize.
Scope and Content
Series consists of the oversize photographs in the Brandon University photograph collection. Many of the oversize pictures are class photos from the early years of Brandon College (1900-1930). The series also includes oversize portraits of important figures in the history of Brandon College and University, such as John R. Brodie, A.E. McKenzie, and J.R.C. Evans.
JOHN CRAWFORD AND PRAIRIE COLLEGE:
Although Brandon College was officially created in 1899, its roots go back much further to the late 1870’s and early 1880’s. It was during this time that Reverend John Crawford built Prairie College which was located in Rapid City, Manitoba .
Rev. John Crawford was born in Castledawson, Ireland. While he was at boarding school in Belfast he was converted to the Baptist faith. His later education took place at Edinburgh University, Stephany College, and Regent Park Baptist College, all of which are located in Great Britain. He became a pastor in London, England, which is where he met his wife, a prominent and cultured lady.
Crawford felt that his calling was in the backwoods of Canada, so he soon moved his wife and family to a farm near Toronto where he continued to preach. He was asked to join the faculty of the Canadian Literary Institute, a Baptist institution located in Toronto. He accepted the position and taught there for several years. The CLI, as it was commonly known, was a Baptist theological college. It was renamed Woodstock College in 1883.
In 1879, Crawford saw the need for Baptist preachers in the newly opening territories of Western Canada. He felt that a self-sustaining college was the answer. Young men could work the land and gain religious education to prepare them for the ministry at the same time. He chose Rapid City, Manitoba as the site for his new college, because it was then recognized as an integral hub of the Northwest. It was also on the proposed transcontinental railway route. The students would build the college and cultivate the land. The Ontario Baptist Convention, while shying away from giving him official approval for the proposed college, did allow Crawford the liberty to canvass the Baptist churches in order to raise up to $2000 for the venture.
Crawford secured the help of Reverend G.B. Davis, a student at Woodstock and a graduate of Morgan Park College, Chicago, to teach and help train the students. In the summer of 1879, Davis and nine students reached Rapid City. During that summer they cultivated the land and built a two-story college building out of local stone. The following spring, Rev. John Crawford sold his house in Toronto for an estimated $4000 and moved with his family to Rapid City to take up residence at the new college.
The newly formed Prairie College opened in the fall of 1880 with 15 missionary students. Rev. Crawford was the Principal, Rev. Davis was the Vice-Principal, while Misses Emily and Fanny Crawford were teachers. Although the school was a success missionarywise, it did not do well financially. In 1883, Prairie College closed, partly due to financial troubles and partly due to the Ontario Baptists deciding that one Baptist Theological College in Canada was enough, and it was located in Toronto. The students at Prairie College were urged to finish their education in Toronto . This college would soon be known as McMaster University.
S.J. MCKEE AND RAPID CITY ACADEMY:
After the closing of Prairie College, Rev. Crawford left for the United States. However, Rev. Davis still saw a need for education in Rapid City and began to build another school. The Rapid City Academy opened in 1884. Because Davis accepted a pulpit in Moose Jaw soon after, he prevailed upon his brother-in-law, S.J. McKee , to come and take charge of the academy. McKee accepted the position, and the school flourished under his guidance.
In 1890, McKee decided that the school would do better and reach more people if it was located in Brandon, Manitoba, where the railway had eventually gone through. He moved the Academy, and it was housed in various buildings in the city, until he found a permanent resting spot on the third floor of the Stewart Block on Rosser Avenue and Ninth Street .
BRANDON COLLEGE:
During the 1890’s the Baptists began to reconsider their decision of having just one theological college. With the settlement of the West, the Baptists were looking to increase their congregation. It was thought that higher education for potential ministry students would greatly help the Baptist cause. Rev. A. J. Vining, who was the Baptist Superintendent of Missions for Manitoba and the Northwest at the time, strongly advocated a Baptist College in Manitoba.
In 1898, Vining interviewed Mr. William Davies, a prominent Baptist, in Toronto. Davies agreed to pledge $3500 a year for five years towards the establishment of a college in the West. His sister, Mrs. Emily Davies agreed to add $1500 to this amount. These pledges encouraged the 1898 meeting of the Manitoba Convention in Winnipeg to begin organization of a Baptist College to be located in Manitoba. A five member committee was chosen to consider the benefits of a Baptist college in Manitoba. Their report was to be read the following summer at the Portage La Prairie Convention.
At the 1899 meeting of the Convention, the five member committee recommended:
1. “That we proceed to inaugurate a movement for the establishment of a denominational school at once.
2. “That we extend a call to Dr. A.P. McDiarmid to act as Principal.
3. “That we appoint a committee of twenty-one directors.
4. “That at present the question of the site be left with the President and Board of Directors but that no site be considered permanent till endorsed by this Convention at a regular or special meeting.
On July 21st, 1899 it was resolved:
1. That we proceed to establish and develop an educational school at Brandon.
2. That the school be known as “Brandon College”.
3. That the quorum of the Board of Directors be fixed at eleven .
Because S.J. McKee already had a thriving academy in Brandon, and he was a staunch Baptist, it was decided to merge Professor McKee’s Academy with the newly formed Brandon College. The classes would take place in the Stewart Block, the site of the Academy. S.J. McKee was hired as professor in Classics, Mental Science and French, while also acting as the unofficial vice-principal. He also had a position on the Board of Directors. Arthur W. Vining, Howard P. Whidden, J.B. Beveridge, and Miss Annie Beveridge rounded out the first faculty of Brandon College.
The 1900 Brandon College Calendar states:
The College aims at not only the mental culture of its students, but at the development of right character. It recognizes the supreme importance of surrounding the student during the period of college life with positive Christian influences, and to keep before him distinctively Christian ideals. The transcendent worth of character is kept in view in molding the life of the College, while the best possible intellectual training is sought. Though Christian, the College is in no sense sectarian. Students of all denominations will enjoy equal privileges. In every department the professors and teachers must be members of some evangelical church; in the Theological Department alone it will be required that they shall be members of the Baptist denomination. The College in all its departments is open to students of both sexes. The faculty will have watchful regard to the best interests of the students in every respect. Those whose conduct and influence are found to be injurious to the welfare of the College will be dismissed if milder disciplinary methods fail to effect reform .
While the school would be run by the Baptists, it was always non-sectarian and co-educational. Students of all denominations were invited to attend Brandon College. The development of a person with the right character was as important as the mental culture of the students. Classes commenced on October 2, 1899. There were 110 students, 81 men and 29 women. Thirteen of these students had plans to enter the ministry. It soon became apparent that the building Brandon College occupied was far too small for its increasing numbers. Plans were drawn up in early 1900 to build a spacious college on the west edge of Brandon. Hugh McCowan was hired as architect and T.M. Harrington of Winnipeg was asked to build the school.
A charter creating Brandon College was written. This Act briefly defined the purposes, jurisdiction, and administrative framework of the College. The “Act to Incorporate Brandon College” was approved by the Province of Manitoba and assented to on June 1, 1900. It granted the Baptist Convention authority over all College affairs. This authority included the appointment of the College Directors and professors, the creation of rules and bylaws, as well as control over the school’s curriculum. While the Board of Directors had control over financial matters, all Board decisions had to be approved by the Convention .
The cornerstone for the new building was laid on July 13, 1900 by Mrs. William Davies. The College commenced classes in the new building, located at 270-18th street, on October 2, 1901. It cost approximately $44 000 to build. There was residence for 70-80 men as well as a dining room, kitchen, science laboratory, reception room, office, library and nine classrooms. The College consisted of an Academic Department, and Arts Department, a Theological Department, and a Business and Stenographic Department.
The Commercial courses were discontinued in 1916 due to financial difficulties during the war. In 1922, the Business Department of Brandon College was discontinued because the College could no longer afford to keep it operating.
The Academic Department consisted of Grades 9 through 12. Although it was a large and popular aspect of Brandon College, it began to decrease in size with the advent of secondary schools. Up until the early part of the twentieth century, most public schools stopped at around grade eight. After that, there were Normal schools that students could go to to become a teacher. Many students wishing to attend secondary school came to Brandon College, where a full secondary course was offered. By the 1920’s and 1930’s however, collegiates were becoming more commonplace. Students often didn’t have to travel as far to receive a higher education. By the early 1930’s most of the Academic Department had been discontinued because of lack of need and finances. By 1932, only the Grade Twelve course was still in operation.
Although one of the main intents behind building Brandon College had been to prepare students for the Baptist ministry, the Theological Department was always one of the smaller departments. By 1915, the Board of Directors had assumed authority over all College operations. However, the Baptist Union still maintained control over theological education, through the Committee on Ministerial Education created in 1908. In 1916, the department was curtailed considerably because of the war. An Educational Secretary, hired in 1919, managed the teaching of theology at Brandon College. The Educational Secretary also controlled the College Maintenance Fund, which was specifically set aside to ensure the financial health of theological education. The Baptist Union’s residual power over theological education led to the creation of the Brandon College Commission in 1923. This joint commission of the Baptist Union and College Senate examined several instructors, including Harris MacNeill, for alleged improper Biblical interpretations. These claims stemmed from Fundamentalist Baptists, who believed that the theological students at Brandon College were being taught by Modernists. The Commission found little evidence to support these allegations, and the instructors were later exonerated of all charges. Even with this decision, the College had to discontinue the Theological Department in 1927 due to lack of funds.
The College’s financial situation was very poor when Dr. Evans assumed control in 1928. The support from the Baptists was shaky, especially since the Fundamentalist-Modernist argument during the early 1920s. The Baptist Union Educational Committee recommended the Arts department be maintained as a significant training course for Christian leadership. The Committee wanted the re-establishment of the Department of Theology. In 1933, in an attempt to regain Baptist support, Rev. Ross C. Eaton was hired as Lecturer in Bible to help bring religious study back to the College. In 1934, John B. McLaurin was hired as Acting Professor in Theology. Dr. F.W. Pattison gave a Practical Theology course, while Dr. Evans made plans to increase the religious department even more. In 1935 Dr. C.B. Lumsden was appointed Professor of Theology, and in 1936, Rev. E.M. Whidden was appointed Head of the Department of Theology.
In 1905, plans commenced for the building of a Women’s Residence to adjoin Brandon College. On May 24th, 1906 Mrs. A.P. McDiarmid laid the cornerstone for what was to become known as Clark Hall. The building was named for C.W. Clark, a Winnipeg doctor who gave $30 000 of the $40 000 dollars needed to build the residence. Dr. Clark gave the money to Brandon College because he believed that women should have every chance to receive higher education. On October 18th of the same year, Clark Hall was officially opened, with room for 50 women.
With the expansion of the women’s department came programs that were geared towards young women of the era. A Music and Art Department was added to the College as was an Expression and Physical Culture Department. The heads of these departments were Abbie Helmer Vining, H. Hancock, and Gertrude Trotter. Miss Ernestine R. Whiteside was hired as Lady Principal and teacher of German and English.
With the rise in immigration during this time came the chance of expansion at Brandon College. There were large numbers of Scandinavian settlements in Manitoba, and it was thought that introducing a Scandinavian Department at the College would entice prospective Swedish missionary students. The students would return to their settlements after being educated by the Baptists, and it was hoped that they would spread the Baptist word among the Scandinavian settlers. Mr. Emil Lundquist was hired in 1907 to head the newly formed Scandinavian Department.
Physical fitness was stressed at Brandon College. Students were encouraged and expected to exercise. It was thought that a healthy body helped to create a healthy mind. There was more behind this ideal than simply healthy minds though, at least for the women students. During this period in history, it was often believed that women were not physically capable of learning to a great extent. It was thought that studying created too much of a stress on the female body, often leading to illness or permanent invalids. Before a girl was accepted to Brandon College, she had to furnish a letter from her doctor stating that she was physically able to go to school and study. As well, women were subjected to the “Clark Hall Line”, a daily two mile walk which was mandatory to all women. No matter what the weather was like they would pair up and, in a long line, walk down the streets of Brandon to the edge of the city. This line was often the cause of much amusement for the men of Brandon College. There were plenty of other sports offered at Brandon College for both men and women in an effort to keep the students physically active. This belief in physical fitness led to the development in 1908 of what was to become an annual College Field Day.
In 1908, the Baptist Convention of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories became the Baptist Union of Western Canada. This change reflected a restructuring of the Baptist organization. The Union had a meeting every three years that consisted of delegates sent from Baptist churches throughout western Canada. The Baptist Union Board carried on the affairs of the Union and met semi-annually. Each year the Board created a budget based on the needs of the Union, then allocated funds to Provincial and Conference Boards. These other Boards had the responsibility of financing their local institutions and projects. The Baptist Union was not in direct control over these expenditures. If the budget was not raised, the Union had to incur the provincial deficits. This situation of mounting debts continued for several years.
Principal McDiarmid’s title was changed to President McDiarmid in 1910. There is no document explaining this change, but it follows a trend in other colleges and universities during that period when the head of the school was known as the president.
Up until 1910, the College had been loosely affiliated with the University of Manitoba. The Baptists refused to accept the University of Manitoba model of a higher institution, and they continuously sought to get a separate University charter that would give Brandon College degree-granting privileges. It was because of the Baptists firm belief in the separation of church and state that they could not accept the University of Manitoba model, as it would place the College under state control. The college could not secure a charter of its own, so it was decided in 1910 that Brandon College would affiliate with McMaster University.
Brandon College was in debt following the construction of their first two buildings, and it became increasingly clear to the College Board that they could no longer rely solely on funding from the Baptist Union. In order to carry out their financial campaign and increase their administrative efficiency the Board felt it should control the College. In 1911 the Baptist Union was confronted with a proposal from Brandon College stating:
...in our confirmed judgment the work of the College should be under the immediate and unfettered direction of its own Board of Directors and Senate--that its Board of Directors, subject to the expressed general policy of the Baptist Union, control its business administration, and that its Senate should have direction of its education policies and work, viz., the determination of its courses of study, its curricula, its instruction, its examinations, etc.
It appears after this date that Brandon College was much more in control of its curricula and courses of study. However, the school still relied almost completely on the Union for financial support.
World War One began in 1914 and affected Brandon College greatly. Students were very patriotic to England, reflecting the ideals and propaganda of the time in their thoughts and actions. Classes shrunk as men enlisted, and military drilling in front of the College buildings became a commonplace scene. This was due to the fact that in 1915, a Canadian Officers Training Corps unit was established at Brandon College. A Brandon College platoon was organized as part of the Western Universities Battalion, the 196th.
Over thirty Brandon College men were killed during World War One. After the cessation of hostilities in Europe, the students at Brandon College began fundraising to build a memorial gymnasium to honor their classmates who died during the war.
Brandon College began to consider expansion in 1920, when an extension fund campaign was started in an effort to raise money to build a science building. Meanwhile, Dr. Whidden was involved in a continuous effort to maintain the College financially. That year, Mr. William Davies died, and in his will he left $100 000 dollars to Brandon College, on the condition that people in the west could match the amount dollar for dollar.
Contributions to the College increased substantially with the 1923 arrival of Dr. Sweet, the new College President. He quickly gained the confidence of the Board of Directors, the faculty, the students, the community, and the Baptists. The motto of Brandon College up to this point in time seemed to have been “Speaking the Truth in Love”. But with the arrival of Dr. Sweet the motto appears to have been changed to “Education Crowned by Reverence”.
After the Stock Market crash in 1929, the financial situation of the College grew even worse. The Great Depression severely limited charitable contributions for both Brandon College and the Baptist Union during the 1930’s.
In 1931, the Baptist Union indicated by resolution that Brandon College would be closed at the end of the 1930-1931 school year unless the College could find a way to pay its own maintenance bills. The final announcement from the Baptist Union Board stated:
‘RESOLVED that the Board of Brandon College be requested to endeavor to continue the College in operation until the close of the current College year, and that in view of the inability of the Baptist Union to make provision for adequate financial support, that the College cease to operate at the end of the current College year .’
It was at this time the businessmen of Brandon, through the Brandon Board of Trade, began to get involved in the College situation. An organization called the Brandon College Citizens Campaign submitted a by-law that would raise $20 000 for the College for at least five years. The by-law had to be accepted by 60% of the ratepayers before it would be instituted. Despite a huge campaign effort, the by-law was rejected, mainly by the large working-class society in the city who did not see the need for higher education and who resented not being hired to do contract work there. After the by-law failed Brandon citizens raised $20 000 on their own to keep the school open for at least another year.
By 1937, the College was still financially unstable, and although the Western Baptists supported the institution, they could no longer afford to help with the costs. In 1938 the Baptist Union passed a resolution withdrawing completely from any financial responsibility for Brandon College.
BRANDON COLLEGE AS A NON-DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL:
The citizens of Brandon began to look for ways to keep the College open. A delegation of 60 representatives from towns in southwestern Manitoba asked Premier John Bracken and the Minister of Education for assistance to help keep Brandon College open as a Western Manitoba Arts College under the direction of an independent Board and on a non-denominational basis. The Brandon Board of Trade created a Brandon College Committee. Its members looked into ways the College could be saved. A.E. McKenzie was one of the central figures in this fight to save Brandon College .
In July, McKenzie put up an offer of a $100 000 endowment for Brandon College. Shortly after that he upped the endowment to $300 000. The provincial government agreed to give the College $15 000 annually on the condition that the city of Brandon raise that amount as well and the $300 000 endowment was accepted. In September, McKenzie increased the endowment to $500 000 dollars, $100 000 of which would be revenue-bearing at 3%, which would raise $3000 a year for twenty years. Brandon was disappointed that the provincial government only offered $15 000, as they had originally asked for quite a bit more. However, they set about on a campaign to raise their share of the funds so that Brandon College could open for the fall term .
In September of 1938, Brandon College reopened under the affiliation of the University of Manitoba. A provisional Board of Directors, consisting of Dr. J.R.C. Evans, Mayor F.H. Young, A.E. McKenzie, N.W. Kerr, K.C., E.M. Warren, H.O. McDiarmid, M.D., A.G. Buckingham, K.C., F.R. Longworth, and R.B. Alexander, was responsible for the administering of the affairs of the college. These men were all prominent Brandon citizens who had been involved in the fight to save Brandon College. They tried to complete the campaign to cover financial obligations and assure permanency of the college. The provincial government said that they would raise their support from $15 000 to $22 500 per year if Brandon could pass a by-law guaranteeing support of the college.
On April 17, 1939, Bill 104 received assent as an Act of the Provincial Legislature incorporating Brandon College Incorporated. On June 6, a Brandon Bylaw was passed that approved the levying of one mill on the dollar from taxpayers for the next twenty years to help support Brandon College. This Bylaw assured that Brandon taxpayers would raise $5000 during the first year that it was levied, and this amount would increase during subsequent years as Brandon grew and prospered. On June 13, the Board of Directors approved recording of the Bill as the Charter of Corporation. The A.E. McKenzie endowment was authorized by Bylaw #5 of the corporation on December 19.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939 came the resurrection of the C.O.T.C. at Brandon College in 1940. Enrollment went down as young men and women joined the Armed Forces to go overseas. In order to keep the college out of debt, Dr. Evans created the War Emergency Fund in 1941. This fund raised $15 000 from 1941 to 1946. Scholarships were restarted at the college to help boost enrollment. Many of the scholarships were contingent on the recipient being a resident student in order to help raise residence numbers.
In 1945, the A.E. McKenzie Trust of 1939 was canceled, and 90% of A.E. McKenzie’s stockholdings were transferred to the control of the Province of Manitoba. The A.E. McKenzie Foundation was established using the annual declared dividends from the 90% of the stock. This foundation was administered by the Minister of Education of Manitoba, the President of Brandon College, and a third person to be decided on by both parties. The annual grant of $10 000 from the foundation would be increased by $4000 if a Social Science Chair was established at the college.
In 1946 that Brandon College hired its first Director of Public Relations. This man was Walter G. Dinsdale, a 1937 Brandon College graduate. A Guidance Committee was created in 1948. It was also during this year that Brandon College became an associate member of the National Conference of Canadian Universities. A Social Science Department was added in 1948, and the Biology Department was reorganized. In 1949 a Department of Political Science was created.
The Board of Directors passed a resolution in 1949 to create a committee to hire a director for a financial campaign. The campaign went poorly. Brandon College, although not in the same position as it had been a decade earlier, was still not secure financially. The citizens of Brandon, having been through the Depression and the war years, did not have much left to give to the College.
In 1951, the Federal Government provided the first of an annual fund of $8 000 000 to be divided between Canada’s universities and colleges based on enrollment figures. During this first year, Brandon College received $18 000 from the government.
Education was first offered at Brandon College in 1952 with the co-operation of the Department of Education and the University of Manitoba. In 1953, Brandon College became an associate member of the Association of Universities of the British Commonwealth.
The mortgage that had been assumed from the Baptists in 1939 was paid off in 1954. It was also during this year that Brandon College received its first new building since the 1922 Science Building. An “H-Hut” was moved onto the property and placed behind the Science Building. It was redecorated and used for student functions, a library, and a recreation area.
The Board of Directors increased from twenty one to thirty six in 1955. The provincial grant of $22 500 was raised to $50 000.
In 1957 the Brandon College Faculty Association was formed. This marked the beginning of the end of the ‘family’ structure of the college. A salary schedule was created in 1957 for the Arts and Science Departments. In November of 1958, the Expansion Committee of the Board of Directors was authorized to proceed with all aspects of expansion. By 1959, a new Arts and Library building was being planned.
On Thursday, July 23, 1959, Dr. Evans died suddenly while on holiday in Robson, British Columbia. Before he died he had managed to secure funding and plans for the new Arts and Library building and Lecture Theatre. The Manitoba Government granted $500 000 and the Canada Council $102 000 towards the building of a new Arts and Library Building and Lecture Theatre.
The new Arts and Library Building and the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre were officially opened on January 6, 1961 by Mrs. John G. Diefenbaker (Olive Freeman, Class of 1923). It was also during 1961, that Brandon College welcomed its first overseas student. As well, J.E. Brodie, the former president of Great West Coal made a $200 000 gift to Brandon College, and gave $50 000 to the Expansion Fund.
The next several years were full of expansion for Brandon College. The Men’s Residence, Dining Hall and Heating Plant were opened in 1962. In 1963, a Women’s Residence and the Music Building were opened. A Gymnasium was opened in 1965.
The Board of Directors changed dramatically in the early 1960’s, becoming more influenced by the distribution of funds from government sources. Legislation in 1966 revised the Brandon College Act to reduce the number of members on the Board of Directors from thirty-six down to twelve. Seven of these twelve would be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council, and three would be appointed by the Brandon College Corporation. One member would be elected by the Alumni Association, and the College President would be a member ex-officio.
BRANDON COLLEGE BECOMES BRANDON UNIVERSITY:
1967 was an important year for Brandon College. Not only was a new Education Building opened, but the College ceased to exist. This was because a university charter had been granted to Brandon College. On July 1, 1967, Brandon College became Brandon University. Dr. John E. Robbins was appointed to be its first president. The university would enjoy a certain amount of freedom from the financial hardships it had endured over the past 68 years. As well, the university would no longer have its curriculum dictated to it from other institutions as it had during affiliation with McMaster University and the University of Manitoba.
Custodial History
The records have been located in a number of areas around the University including Clark Hall, the old Science building, the A.E. McKenzie building, and “the trailer”, which was a very old addition to Clark Hall and has now been removed from campus. The records are now in the S.J. McKee Archives located on the Brandon University campus.
Scope and Content
The fond consists of minutes, reports, correspondence, invoices, printed material, clippings and photographs. The collection spans from S.J. McKee’s personal papers from Rapid City Academy in the 1880’s through to the decision to grant university charter to Brandon College in 1967. It is a very interesting source for the history of Western Canada.
Several different themes emerge in the fond. A very central theme concerns Baptist higher education in Western Canada, higher education in general, the development of curriculum in Canada, and the Baptist Western Movement. The development of religious higher education, especially Baptist training, is well-documented.
Areas such as student associations, student life on campus, and women’s education are detailed in the collection. There is a very detailed look at the social aspects of college life, especially the difference between the genders in the realm of higher education. These themes can be found in the various Clark Hall scrapbooks and “Saturday Books” written by the lady principal.
An economic theme is prevalent for much of the early history of Brandon College due to various financial restraints that the College and Western Canada faced. These themes are especially noticed in the Bursar and Registrar records.
The administration of the corporation can be followed closely through the minutes and certain correspondence from the Board of Directors. A more in-depth look at the people involved in the running of an institution of higher learning can be found in the various personal papers of the presidents of the College.
There are also several military files, dealing with the creation and operation of a C.O.T.C. regiment on campus during both the First and Second World Wars. The fond also provides a glimpse of how the wars affected daily life on campus and their after-effects on the College.
The fonds also examines the effects that affiliation with other universities can have on curriculum, regulations and other aspects of College life.
Notes
The RG 1 Brandon College fonds description and finding aid were prepared by Karyn Taylor (nee Riedel) in August 1998.
McKee Archives: RG 6 Brandon University fonds. The Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster University contain the following records related to Brandon College: Correspondence (1911-1936); McMaster Chancellor's Correspondence (1895-1926); McMaster Chancellor's Reports; History (1962); Stone & Garnet History (1969); Calendars (1899-1938); Report of Commission 1923 (pamphlet); Fact Concerning 1922 (pamphlet); Jesuit Methods (pamphlet); an incomplete set of the Quill; and exams. They also have The Western Baptist and the Yearbooks of the Baptist Union of Western Canada (1907-1996). (Source: Correspondence between Judith Colwell, Archivist, Canadian Baptist Archives and Thomas H. McLeod. Date: October 8, 1996).
Arrangement
The fonds is divided into fifteen series and two associated fonds.
