Ralph Dill, Saskatoon's first resident photographer, was born in Huntsville, Ontario, and lived in Iowa, USA with his parents until 1884 and then in Huntsville again. He was soon orphaned and went to work as a clerk and then a photographer's apprentice. In 1896, he moved to Manitoba, and to Battleford, Saskatchewan the next year. For a number of years he worked on farms and ranches. In 1901, he clerked in a Battleford store and the next year in Saskatoon. In 1902, he opened a photography studio and from then until 1914 concentrated on commercial work documenting the economic boom in Saskatoon. Many of his photos were sold as postcards for the public and as promotional material by the city's board of trade. After the war, Ralph concentrated on studio and interior work. He had a number of assistants over the years including Len Hillyard, Vern Tomlinson and Jack Porter. The downturn in business brought on by the Depression and Ralph's poor health caused him to close the studio and retire in 1938. He married Helen Elizabeth Morgan of Regina in 1905 and they had two sons, George and Morgan.

Born in Nottingham, England, Joseph H. Thompson received his early education in Saskatoon. Enlisting for service in the Great War, he joined the RAF overseas. Badly injured in a crash he lost the sight of one eye and the other was seriously impaired. He later became an accountant with his own practice in Saskatoon until 1938 when he became an accounting instructor at the university. Thompson became dean of the School of Accounting in May 1940 and also took over command of the COTC that same month. He continued as dean of the newly named College of Commerce from 1944-1951. Thompson’s command came to an end 21 March 1947 having served with the COTC since 1921 (with the exception of Active Service in Regina from 1939 to 1940). In addition to being Dean of Commerce he was chairman of the Board of Governors of Emmanuel College. He had retained his military affiliations as aide-de-camp to lieutenant governors J. M. Ulrich and William J. Patterson and was also Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the COTC. Thompson died suddenly on 9 March 1952 at 55 years of age.

Walter Charles Murray, first president of the University of Saskatchewan, was born in Kings County, New Brunswick, in 1866 and received his BA with honours in 1886 from the University of New Brunswick. Having won the Gilchrist Scholarship for Canada, for continued studies overseas, he attended the University of Berlin and the University of Edinburgh, where he received his MA with first class honours in 1891. Later that year he joined faculty at the University of New Brunswick as Professor of Philosophy and Economics. In 1892 he was appointed Professor of Philosophy and lecturer in Education at Dalhousie, where he remained until joining the University of Saskatchewan as president in 1908. Murray served as president for 26 years, retiring in 1937. Murray was successful in building a progressive university of high standards with a beautiful campus. His own work was in education and education history, but he was also a supporter of art and music. Murray served on numerous councils and commissions, including the National Research Council from 1916-1932. Murray married Christina Cameron (1866-1947), born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in 1895. They had three daughters: Christina Cameron Murray, Lucy Hunter Murray and Jean Elizabeth Murray. Murray died in Saskatoon in 1945. The city of Saskatoon honours Murray with several landmarks: "Murray Place" in the Dundonald area; Walter Murray Collegiate Institute, opened in 1965 and located near Market Mall; the Murray Building on the University of Saskatchewan campus; and President Murray Park, located in the Varsity View neighbourhood.

Jean Gordon Bayer joined the staff of the university in 1909 as President Walter Murray's secretary. Bayer previously had been his secretary at Dalhousie University. She arrived in Saskatoon in time to witness the registration of the first students. She was the President’s secretary, university librarian, and unofficial adviser to students. Bayer helped choose the university colours and motto, and was one of the founders of the Pente Kai Deka Society. In 1915, due to staff shortages caused by the Great War, Bayer was appointed Instructor in English. She proved so effective she was encouraged to continue, and took a year of study at Bedford College, London, prior to being formally appointed to the faculty. Like Murray, “she possessed a wide vision of the function of a university and, like him, she…dedicated herself to Saskatchewan.” “A most kindly guide” to her students, “many caught their first glimpse of what a literary ‘salon’ of the great days might have been in the genial atmosphere of tea and literature in her book-lined suite. She was a most loyal and cooperative colleague….She made it seem an easy thing to be happy and brave.” When Bayer returned from London in 1921 she was named Assistant Professor of English, a rank rarely held by women in that period. Bayer retained the post until her death in 1945. A scholarship in her name is available to a student who has completed at least two years of university studies

Born in 1902 in Nova Scotia, Lucy Hunter Murray was the second daughter of Walter C. Murray, the University of Saskatchewan's first president, and Christina Cameron Murray. Lucy Murray received her BA at the University of Saskatchewan in 1923 and her MA from the University of Toronto in 1925. Then followed a B.Ed. degree in 1933 at the University of Saskatchewan where she received the McColl scholarship in 1933. Murray earned a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago in 1935. She joined the Regina College's department of English in 1936 and was an Associate Professor there at the time of her death in 1967. Murray was given the Cliff Shaw Memorial Award for her contributions to the Blue Jay, the journal of the Saskatchewan Natural History Society.