BRANDON COLLEGE BUILDING
The construction of the Brandon College Building, also known as the Original Building, was primarily financed by Mr. and Mrs. William Davies, a Toronto based Baptist meat packer, and his sister Mrs. Emily Davies, also of Toronto, who pledged $5,000 a year for five years to the new Baptist College. Four city blocks between 18th and 20th streets were purchased for the College campus and the tender of Messrs. T.M. Harrington of Winnipeg was accepted in the spring of 1900; Mr. Hugh McCowan of Winnipeg appointed as architect. Mrs. Davies laid the cornerstone for the Brandon College Building on July 13, 1900.
The Brandon College Building was conceived as a substantial five story brick structure with a stone basement. The Tyndall Manitoba quarries, located thrity miles northeast of Winnipeg, supplied the stone and presented the College with the stone steps at the main entrance. The basement contained the dining room, kitchen, laundry, furnace room, a science laboratory, and maids' rooms. The first floor housed the reception room, office, library, four classrooms and the teachers' cloak rooms. The second floor had five classrooms, a reading room, five rooms for resident students and a resident teacher. Teachers' rooms and seventeen rooms for students comprised the third floor; and additional thirteen rooms for residents took up the fourth floor. The residence was to house 70 men. The total cost of the building and furnishings was $44,000. The Brandon College Building was ready for occupancy by October 1, 1901.
CLARK HALL
The cornerstone of Clark Hall was laid by Mrs. A.P. McDiarmid, wife of the Principal of Brandon College, on May 24, 1906. The residence was officially opened on Thanksgiving Day, October 18, of the same year. The construction of the building grew our of a demand for a ladies' college. A canvass made in Eastern Canada had resulted in subscriptions totaling $10,000. When Dr. McDiarmid reported the results of the canvass to the Chairman of the Board, Dr. C.W. Clark of Winnipeg, Clark proposed that he and his wife be allowed to provided the balance of the funds, some $30,000. While presenting the building at the opening ceremony, Clark stated that the reason for his donation was his belief in the power of cultured womanhood - he believed "that refined and Christian mothers were the strength of a nation and that he wished to see in Brandon a chool of learning for women in which every Christian virtue and grace might be illustrated."
Clark Hall was built immediately north of the Brandon College Building and was connected to it by classrooms and the iron door with its door bell, which was rung by gentlemen before being admitted. It is a five story brick building, with fittings of imported Georgia pine. In the basement was the gymnasium, studios and maids' rooms. On the main floor was a spacious reception room furnished by the Honorable A.C. Rutherford, the Premier of Alberta and the Lady Principal's suite, furnished by Mrs. N. Wolverston, wife of the treaurer of the College Board. Music studios and the offices of the resident matron were also on the main floor. The second and third floors were dormitories. The fourth floor was meant to be art studios, but due to registration demands, it was divided into students' rooms. The residence was designed to house fifty students and seven teachers. Piano practice areas were also designated on the west side of the building and on the groundlevel half way between the basement and the first floor.
BRANDON COLLEGE BUILDING AND CLARK HALL RESTORATION PROJECT
By the early 1990s, it was clear that major reconstruction work on the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall was necessary if the buildings were to remain in use. The alternative was to demolish both buildings and construct a new central administrative structure for the campus. Because of the historic character of the two original campus buildings, the decision was taken to mount a complete restoration of the structures that involved a complete removal of everything except for the surrounding brick fascade and the construction of new buildings within the old external walls. This project was financed by the Provincial government of Manitoba, who granted the University approximatley 10 million dollars. The Chief Architect for the restoration was George Cibinal. Work began in 1996 and was completed by the fall of 1997. In addition to the restoration of the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall, a new entrance was built on the west side of the buildings, as well as an addition to Clark Hall, which included a skywalk connecting it to the A.E. McKenzie Building.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall.
Notes
History/Bio information was taken from Brandon College: A History, 1899-1967 by C.G. Stone and F. Joan Garnett (Brandon, Manitoba: Brandon University, 1969), chapters 2 and 3. Tom Mitchell provided history/bio information on the restoration project.
Aerial photographs of the campus were generally commissioned by the College/University to record important milestones, such as centennials, changes in status, and building projects. The general campus photographs were placed in this sub-series because the composition of the images made it difficult to place them with individual buildings.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of the Brandon College and Brandon University campus.
Inscription: b. 1929 in England, d. 1906 in Toronto. Laid cornerstone of Brandon College, 1900.
Dimensions
70 X 54 cm
Size Overall
114 X 98 cm
Medium
oil
Condition
Some accretions on surface, especially in BL areas, c.. 0.5 X 1.5 cm. Foreign paint speck in BR corner of painting. Frame has cracks in plaster in many areas.
Primary Support
canvas
Secondary Support
no backing board for canvas; frame - wood and plaster with gild
Inscription: William Davies, Industrialist. b.1831 in England, d. 1921 in Toronto. Generous benefactor of Brandon College.
Dimensions
70 X 54 cm
Size Overall
114 X 98 cm
Medium
oil
Condition
Scratch on surface in area c.. 5cm from BL corner. Minor scratches on R side of image. Frame has cracks in many areas, as well as a loss of plaster in lower R area, c.. 3.5cm. Mild loss of paint on the right inside frame arm, next to the painting sur
Primary Support
canvas
Secondary Support
no backing support for canvas; frame - wood and plaster with gild
Inscription: Samuel J. McKee, D.D., LL.D. b. 1849 in Ontario, d. 1937 in Vancouver. Principal Literary Academy in Rapid City and Brandon, 1883-1899. Vice Principal, Brandon College, 1899-1924.
Dimensions
113 X 85 cm
Size Overall
158 X 130 cm
Medium
oil
Condition
Small loss of paint in area c.. 21cm TL X 27cm L. Minor abrasion of paint in area lower R, as well as along the left edge of image. Varnish cracks all over image. Canvas should have back protection to prevent further damages. The frame has a broken p
Henrietta Hancock taught visual arts at BU from approx.1906-1912 on the 4th floor of Clark Hall/Original Building. Her husband was on faculty and when money got tight the wives resigned. Arts moved into the community and was carried on as the Brandon Arts Club; probably initiated by Henrietta. (1996 inventory)
Description
Inscription: Charles Whitfield Clark, M.D. b. 1845 in New Brunswick; d.1939 in Toronto. Educated in Ontario, and in American Universities. Practiced Homeopathy in Aylmer, Ontario, 1866-82; in Winnipeg, 1883-1912, then in Toronto. An active Baptist layman and advocate of higher education for women, hence Clark Hall. Portrait by Henrietta Hancock.
DARRACH HALL
Darrach Hall is the men's residence and was completed in 1961. It is named after Robert and Sarah Darrach.
FLORA COWAN HALL
Flora Cowan Hall is the women's residence and was completed in 1962. It is named after Flora Cowan.
MCMASTER HALL
McMaster Hall is the co-ed residence and was completed in 1971. It is named in honour of Brandon College's association with McMaster University
DINING ROOMS
The Main Dining Room was completed in 1961 and is connected to all three residences either by a link (Flora Cowan Hall), the McMaster main concourse (McMaster Hall) or a hallway (Darrach Hall). Within the Main Dining room is the Louis Riel Room. The Louis Riel Room was previously the Small Dining Room, and later the Private Dining Room. It was renamed the Louis Riel Room in 2008 in honour of the Métis leader’s contribution to Manitoba history and heritage, as well as in honour of ongoing contributions to the University made by the Manitoba Métis Federation and the Louis Riel Institute. The room is often used to host dignitary dinners, awards and recognition ceremonies, seminar and conference sessions and other special events.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of Brandon College/University's three residences: Darrach Hall, Flora Cowan Hall and McMaster Hall, as well as images of the dining rooms.
Notes
History/Bio information for the Louis Riel Room was taken from the Brandon University website, available at: http://www.brandonu.ca/news (February 2008).
The J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre and the A.E. McKenzie Building were both completed in 1960. The Evans Theatre is named for John Robert Charles Evans, who served as president of Brandon College from 1928 to 1959. The A.E. McKenzie Building was originally the Library and Arts building, and was named for A.E. McKenzie, a local businessman and supporter of the College. The George T. Richardson Centre, which includes the Evans Theatre and the John E. Robbins Library, was completed in 1993.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of the A.E. McKenzie Building, the George T. Richardson Centre, the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre, the John E. Robbins Library and the link between the Evans Theatre and the McKenzie Building.
The Citizens' Science Building was built in 1922 and financed by Brandon citizens. It was renamed the Knowles-Douglas Student Union Centre c. 1984 in honour of Brandon College graduates Stanley Knowles and Tommy Douglas, both of the Class of 1930. The Knowles-Douglas Addition was completed in 1987.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of the Citizens' Science Building and the Knowles-Douglas buildings, which include the Knowles-Douglas Student Union Centre and the Knowles-Douglas Addition.
The John R. Brodie Science Centre was completed in 1971, with the official opening on May 7, 1972. It is located in the southeast corner of the campus and houses the Faculty of Science. The Brodie Building was named for John R. Brodie, a Brandon man who donated $250,000 to Brandon College in 1963 with the stipulation that the money be used for a Science Centre.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of the John R. Brodie Science Centre.
Notes
Additional biographical information on John R. Brodie is available in his bio file in the Reading Room.
H-Huts refer to structures built to house military personnel at the Commonwealth Air Training Program just north of Brandon during World War II. The name H-Hut derives from the layout of the structures, which were built in an "H" formation. The original H-Huts were moved onto the Brandon College campus in 1956 to house the library and arts classrooms.. Additional H-Huts have been located in various places and used for various departments and services on campus including Student Services, Continuing Education, and the carpenter's workshop. Only the Physical Plant H-Huts, located to the west of the Knowles-Douglas Student Union Centre, remain on campus in 2007.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of photographs of various H-Huts on campus.
