Photograph is looking southwest from the back steps of the Education Building and shows the northeast corner of the A.E. McKenzie Building, which housed the Library and Faculty of Arts.
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.
Photograph is looking either north or south into the A.E. McKenzie Building (Library and Arts Building) during construction. A number of the members of the construction crew are visible.
Photograph is looking east northeast and shows the construction of the A.E. McKenzie Building (Library and Arts Building). Clark Hall is in the background.
Photograph is looking southwest and shows the A.E. McKenzie Building under construction. In black lettering above the building are the words: "Brandon College Cornerstone Laying." In white lettering below the building are the words: "Sat. May 28 - 3 pm CKX TV"
Notes
The Winnipeg Tribune is stamped on the back of the photograph.
Photograph was taken at the opening of the A.E. McKenzie Building (including the Evans Theatre) and shows the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre doorway. L to R Dr. John E. Robbins, Mrs. Olive (Freeman) Diefenbaker (Class of 1923 and wife of Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker)
Notes
The opening of the A.E. McKenzie Building took place the same day as the installation of John E. Robbins as President of Brandon College.
Brandon College looking south from 19th Street. Photograph was taken after Flora Cowan Hall was built but before construction of the Education Building.
Image is looking east northeast from approximately the 300 block of 23rd Street between Lorne and Louise Avenues. Photograph shows the Brandon College campus after the opening of the original Music Building in 1963, but before the construction of the Education Building in 1966. A number of house on the 300 blocks of 22nd and 21st Streets are visible in the foreground, with the A.E. McKenzie Seed Co., the Prince Edward Hotel and various grain elevators on the horizon.
Image shows the Brandon College campus from 17th Street looking southwest. The photo was taken after the completion of the original Music Building in 1963, but construction of the Education Building. Also visible are a number of properties on the 200 block of 18th Street and the 200 block of 20th Street.
View is southwest from approximatley 16th Street between Princess and Rosser Avenues. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, as well as surrounding residential blocks, including Flemming, J.R. Reid and Vincent Massey schools.
View is west southwest from approximatley 16th Street between Princess and Lorne Avenues. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, as well as surrounding residential blocks between 16th and 23rd Streets, Princess and Louise Avenues..
View is west from approximatley 17th Street between Lorne and Louise Avenues. Photograph shows a portion of the Brandon University campus (excluding the Education Building and anything north of it), as well as surrounding residential blocks from approximatley 17th Street to 22nd Street.
View is west northwest from approximatley 16th Street and Louise Avenue. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, prior to the Library Extension, and a large portion of the city to the west of the campus.
View is northwest from approximatley 16th Street and Louise Avenue. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, prior to the Library Extension, and a large portion of the city to the west of the campus.
View is southwest from approximatley 16th Street between Lorne Avenue and Princess Avenue. The view extends to approximately 26th Street. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, Kinsmen Stadium, Fleming School, Coronation Park and residential blocks.
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.
Photograph shows the Bird Construction Company Limited trailer located on the driveway of the Brandon University campus during the renovations to the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall.
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.
