Robert (Bob) Troy Blair was born on March 11, 1930 in Brandon, MB. His first six years were spent in Alexander, MB, where his father and uncle operated a grocery store. In 1936, his family moved to Souris, MB, where his father ran a grocery store. Blair received his primary and high school education, with the exception of Grade 12, in Souris.
Blair remembers his school years in Souris as mainly happy years. He was involved with both piano and organ music lessons. he was never interested in physical sports with the exception of golf. World War II broke out in September of 1939. Souris became the site of #17 SFTS and home base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Many of the service men came from England, Australia and New Zealand. Blair's mother always entertained at least two for dinner every Sunday. Rationing of sugar, tea and coffee, butter and meat became a way of life. Blair had the job every Saturday of pasting the ration coupons into booklets. It was also when he was in Grade 6, that Blair realized he was more attracted to boys than to girls. Perhaps it was because so many attractive airmen surrounded him!
In November of 1947, the Blair family relocated to Alexander where Bob Blair finished his Grade 11. This was not a good year due to bullying. In September of 1948, Blair moved to Winnipeg to attend United College for his Grade 12. Upon completion of Grade 12, Blair remained in Winnipeg until June 1950. he worked at a number of businesses - Gestetner, Eaton's Mail Order shoe department, Maple Leaf Milling, and the drug store in the Medical Arts Building. In September 1950, he entered Brandon College. Blair was very active in extra-curricular affairs while at Brandon College; particularly drama. Following his B.A. he enrolled in the Education Faculty, having decided to become a teacher.
Blair's teaching career spanned 34 years. All but one year was spent in the Brandon School Division. On his first day of teaching in the Division he met the man with whom he would spend the next 46 years. He was primarily a teacher of English and Music. A highlight of his career was exchange teaching in Sacramento, California in 1961. Orientation for exchange took place in August in Washington, D.C., where Blair had the opportunity to meet President J.F. Kennedy. He vividly recals the morning that JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. In September 1965, Blair assumed the principalship of Park School and in September of 1969, the same position at George Fitton School where re remained until his retirement in 1989. He was a member of the Brandon Picnipals' Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and servedas President of the Brandon Teachers' Association. Among his major accomplishments during his time as principal were the introduction of a centralized school library in both Park and George Fitton Schools and the integration of special needs students into regular classroom situations wherever possible. He was made a Life Member of the Manitoba Teachers' Society (Brandon) in June 1990. Following his retirement Blair worked as a Library Automation Consultant (1989-1993).
Blair also had numerous community involvements during his time in Brandon. he was active in the Brandon Little Theatre (Best Actor Award, Manitoba Drama Festival for One Act Plays in 1963), the Brandon Festival of the Arts, the Eckhardt-Gramatte National Music Competition, and Arm Industries to name a few.
Following the death of his partner in 2001, Blair moved to Saskatoon to live with a younger gay couple. He has been active in volunteerism: as an Ambassador for the Saskatoon Airport Authority, assistant with the Saskatoon Health Region's Immunization Clinics, information clerk for the Festival of Trees, data entry clerk for the Saskatoon Music Festival, on the Board of the Saskatoon Jazz Society, and Hospitality Coordinator for the Saskatoon Jazz Festival.
As of October 2013, Bob Blair continues to live in Saskatoon, SK.
Custodial History
Records were in Blair's possession until he donated them to the Mckee Archives on Homecoming weekend October 2013.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of two scrapbooks containing 145 photographs and ephemera (play and graduation programs, tickets, pins, newspaper clippings) documenting Bob Blair's days at Brandon College. Social events and extra-curricular activities are heavily featured in the two scrapbooks. Also included are graduation portraits for the Classes of 1951, 1952 and 1953. Of the 145 photographs all are black and white except for two photos of the Class of '53 reconvocation (May 1993), and one from the Class of '53 reunion (2003).
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This artificially created sub-series consists of indexes to bodies of MPE records created by MPE itself. The records include the following:
Pool Packers Ltd. Record of Indexing 1947-1968
MPE Record of Indexing A-C 1925-1986(created 1986)
MPE Record of Indexing D-L 1925-1986(created 1986)
MPE Record of Indexing M-Z 1925-1986(created 1986)
Transfer Index Sheets A-K 1925-1980s
Transfer Index Sheets L-Z 1925-1980s
MPE Minute Book Index
Annual Meeting Index 1932-1994
MPE Miscellaneous Index
1. MPE Legal File Index 1925-1986
2. Index to the Scoop Shovel Vol. 3 1931
3. Documents Index 1981-1988
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of summaries of elevator operations. The records include the following:
Box 1:
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Alexander-Gretna
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Hamiota-Morris
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Napinka-Woodnorth
Box 2:
Association Financial and Debt Repayment Summary 1925-1963
Association Financial and Debt Repayment Summary 1925-1963
Box 3:
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Box 4:
Summary of Operations A-K 1925-1996
Summary of Operations L-Z 1925-1996
Elevator Points Closed A-L 1926-1987
Elevator Points Closed M-Z 1926-1987
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This artificially created sub-series consists of documents and correspondence pertaining to MPE's acquisition of private companies. The records include the following:
1. Kenmore Industries 1959-1977
2. Seed Plant 1945-1971
3. Northern Canadian Seed Sales Ltd. 1947-1971
4. Fairway Milling and Grain Co. 1970-1971
5. Terminal #2 – Horne Elevator 1937-1977
6. Douglas Depot 1968-1972
7. Ogilvie – Lake of the Woods Purchase 1955-1961
8. Western Canada Elevators 1940
9. Northern Canadian Seed Sales Ltd. 1965-1970
10. Westland Elevators Limited
11. Kenmore Industries Share Certificates 1959-1975
12. Gillespie Grain Company Ltd. 1935-1944
Kenmore Industries Minute Book 1959-1975
13. Burns Foods Ltd. (Pool Packers Ltd. Purchase) 1969-1971
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of MPE's involvement in four different inter-provincial committees: Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers, Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd, Inter-provincial Pool Board, and Canadian Pool Agencies. The records include the following:
Box 1:
Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers Minute Book 1924-1944
Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers / Prairie Pools Minute Book 1945-1983
1a. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. 1966-1979
1b. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. 1965-1979
1c. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. meeting in Toronto Sept 25 1979
1d. Inter-provincial Co-operative Ltd. By-laws 1960-1963
2a. Inter-provincial Pool Board Minutes 1971-1983
2b. Inter-provincial Pool Board Minutes & By-laws 1971-1983
2c. Inter-provincial Co-operative Limited Board and Annual Meeting Minutes 1980, 1982
3a. Co-operative Union of Manitoba Organizing Documents and Minutes 1953-1964
3b. Co-operative Union of Manitoba Minutes March 31 1959 - June 16 1966
4. POS Pilot Plant 1973 - 1975
Box 2:
Inter-provincial Pool Board Minute Book 1945-1984
Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers Limited / Canadian Pool Agencies Limited Minute Book 1924-1944
Canadian Pool Agencies Limited Minute Book 1945-1980
5. Co-operative Crop Development Group Constitution and Annual Reports 1984-1993
6. Prairie Pools Inc. Directors Reports 1985-1986
Notes
Description by Jillian Sutherland (2009)
Documents for the Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers can be found in MPE B.2
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of historical topics created by MPE:
1. P.F. Bredt Invovement with MPE and death 1935-1940
2. MPE history 1941-1973
3a. Manitoba Wheat Pool and MPE history 1930-1939
3b. Manitoba Wheat Pool and MPE history 1925-1929
4. Manitoba Wheat Pool history 1924-1971
5a. On to Ottawa and Manitoba Delegation Committee 1958-1960
5b. MPE Miscellaneous history 1934-1959
6. Manitoba Wheat Pool history 1925-1929
7. Manitoba Wheat Pool 1925-1931
8. Pool Grain Marketing after 1929 Overpayment 1928-1936
9. Historical Review of Grain Trade and MPE
10. MPE Library 1948-1952
11. Coarse Grain Handling 1948-1953
12. Canadian Wheat Board 1935-1960
13. Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 1949
14. 1929 Overpayment and Williams/Stamp Commission Newspaper Clippings 1929-1931
15. Leonard Harman 1972
16. Historical Publications 1995-1996; no dates
17. Miscellaneous Historical
18. Western Agricultural Conference and Farm Bureau 1963-1965
19. Canadian Co-operatives 1961-1969
20. Miscellaneous Historical Topics 1930
21. Miscellaneous Historical Topics 1934-1936
22. International Wheat Agreement 1941-1948
23. World War Two 1939, 1944
24. Canadian National Railway System
25. Overpayment Aftermath 1932-1938
26. Miscellaneous Pool History 1925-1931
27. Miscellaneous History
28a. MPE History (Acquisitions, Philosophy) up to 1979 1931-1979
28b. MPE History (Acquisitions, Philosophy) up to 1979 1931-1979
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.
The Duthie site is the first site identified in the Makotchi-Ded Dontipi locale. It was reported to Dr. Bev Nicholson by Doug Jackson, a local collector who had observed archaeological materials that had been exposed during the construction of Maple Hill Road northwest of Lauder. The site is named after the landowner, Randy Duthie.
The initial inspection of the exposed materials indicated that the eastern half of the site had been severely impacted by raising a road grade using an elevating grader. However, an undetermined amount of the site remained to the west, flanked by a low sand dune. Testing and preliminary excavations were conducted in 1992-93. In 1994 a field school added to the excavated sample. The undisturbed portion of the site, west of Maple Hill Road was situated at the base of a low sand dune and had an aspen and willow forest cover. The water table was approximately one meter below surface at the time of excavation. A rising water table has since prevented further excavations.
Two dates on bone collagen were obtained during excavations. These were 880+/-80 B.P. (Beta 62705) and 970+/-40 B.P. cal. 1030 A.D. (TO 13366). These dates are consistent with an Initial Middle Missouri cultural assignment. The site occupation is identified by the distinctive ceramics found there. Ceramics at the Duthie Site are tool impressed with incising and lip modeling with fabric impressions on most vessels. Jill Taylor analysed the ceramics from the site for a Specialist thesis, Brandon University (1994) and a Masters of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan. (Taylor 1995).
Analysis of residue from Duthie site pottery by Matthew Boyd recovered corn (Zea mays) phytoliths and bean (Phaseolus sp.) starch grains indicating consumption of these domesticates at the Duthie site. (Boyd 2006)
The occupation of this site indicates a migration of people from the south who were well acquainted with horticultural farming. These people had previously migrated to South Dakota following river valleys into the central plains from the eastern woodlands during late Hopewell times. It appears that they later migrated well to the north into southern Manitoba but there is no evidence that they remained there for more than a single year.
Boyd, M., C. Surette and B.A. Nicholson. 2006 Archaeobotanical Evidence of Prehistoric Maize (Zea mays) Consumption at the Northern Edge of the Great Plains. Journal of Archaeological Science 33: 1129-1140.
Taylor, J. 1994 An analysis of the ceramics recovered during 1992 and 1993 at the Precontact Duthie Site (DiMe-16). Specialist thesis, Brandon University.
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.
Edwin Association Minutes 1928-1981; Sub-district #101 Minutes Oct 6 1969-July 18 1978; Agent's Letters Dec 24 1928-July 15 1947; Cirrculars Spet 19 1969-August 15 1978; Correspondence Nov 7 1960-Sept 8 1978; Memo of Association and By-laws 1928-1953; Member Certificates 1947-1953; Newsletters Jan 1976-August 1978; Attendance records 1946-1962; Financial 1929-1983; Miscellaneous (correspondance, Grain Handling Commission, Crop Development and Seed Clubs, publications) 1951-1978; Membership Lists 1955-1978
Notes
Description by Jill Sutherland (2010)
The records for Edwin Association are unique in that more that just minute books were sent to the McKee archives
Forrest Association Minutes 1927-1991; Circulars April 21 1965-Oct 19 1981; Correspondance May 22 1927-May 25 1981; Documents Feb 11 1927-July 31 1969; Financial 1928-1968; Membership 1948-1969; Miscellaneous 1952-1980
Notes
Description by Jill Sutherland (2010)
The records for Forrest Association are unique in that more that just minute books were sent to the McKee archives
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of financial records of the central office of MPE:
1-7 Audited Financial Statements 1968-1997
8-9 Capital Budgets 1979-1997
10. Annual Returns
11. Miscellaneous Financial
12. General Expenses 1930-1977
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of records produced by MPE meeting and workshops:
1-7b Spring and Annual Meetings 1988-1998
8 Annual Meeting Agendas 1931-1967
9a-9e Resolutions 1988-1998
10 Information for New Delegates
11 Board and Management Meeting 1997
12 Local Association Meetings 1998 (regarding transition to Agricore)
13. Sunrise / Sunset (transition to Agricore) 1998
14. Spouses Program 1995
15. Miscellaneous Meetings 1993-1995
16. New Committee Members Workshop March 2-3 1998
17. Report of Committee Appointed by Meeting of Representatives of the Provincial Pools & the Farmers Companies February 2 1925
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of records concerning the organization, democratic structure and various policies of MPE:
1 Branch Line Abandonment March 1970
2 Rail Line Abandonment 1978-1979
3 Grain Transportation 1969-1975
4 Elevator Statistics by Rail Line 1971-1973
5-7b Democratic Structure Review
8 Amalgamation 1988
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of records from various clubs and departments of MPE:
1 Minto Canola Club 1986
2 4-H Careers
3 Pool Co-operative Seed Association 1966-1967
4a Field Pea and Oat Variety Development Annual Reports 1988-1990
4b. Field Pea and Oat Variety Development Annual Reports 1991, 1992, 1994
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of miscellaneous MPE records:
Box 1:
1a-5. Miscellaneous files March 5 1925-Nov 19 1973
Box 2:
6. Membership Lists
7. Training and Development
8. Member Complaints
9. MPE Employee Handbook
10. Plebiscite Nov 24 1951
11. Quiz Programs 1940, 1948
Canadian Wheat Pool Visitors Book 1930-1956
12. Delivery Ledger 1967-1968
13. Information re: Wheat Export Shipments 1924-1930
14. Important Issues by Association June 2 1944
15. Grain Booklets
The structure of the Manitoba Pool Elevators from its beginning in 1925 until its restructuring in 1968 placed importance in the principle of democracy. The company was run from the local associations, the central office acting as a hub that facilitated communication between all the locals and between the locals and the selling agencies. The central office was not powerless, but important decisions or by-laws could not be made with out the consent of the majority of the locals.
After the restructuring of MPE in 1968 the central office took on more responsibilities. It became the top of the administrative structure and instead of members belonging to their local elevator, they were now direct members of MPE. This administrative structure continued until the 1998 merger with the Alberta Wheat Pool to form Agricore.
Scope and Content
Series B consists of an artificially assembled collection of Central Office records. It has been divided into the following sub-series: (1) Central Office minute books; (2) Documents; (3) Local Association Minutes; (4) Local association finacial statements; (5) District and Sub-district records; (6) Circulars; (7) Annual reports; (8) Speeches & Addresses; (9) Correspondence; (10) Broadcasts; (11) General Reports; (12) Indexes; (13) Summary of Association Operations; (14) Acquisitions; (15) Inter-provincial Committees; (16) Historical Topics.
The Manitoba Wheat Pool and Manitoba Pool Elevators kept and preserved a chronological record of the meetings of the MPE Board of Directors and annual delegate meetings. The minutes were typed and bound, then placed in the MPE reference library so that employees and members could access them.
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of minutes of organizational meetings and later meetings held by the Central Office of the Manitoba Wheat Co-operative Producers, Ltd (later known as the Manitoba Wheat Pool) from 1923 until it went under in 1934, and of meetings held by the central office of Manitoba Pool Elevators from 1925 until 1997.
