Photograph of a charcoal head and shoulders sketch of Alexander Campbell, director of Pharmacy from 1914-1923, and first dean from 1923-1928.

Bio/Historical Note: Alexander Campbell's association with the University of Saskatchewan began in 1913 as professor of Pharmacy. The Saskatchewan Pharmaceutical Association had been the first in Canada to request the education of its members be under the direction of a university and twenty-one students enrolled when the School of Pharmacy was first established in January 1914. By 1921 the School had become a College and in 1922 Campbell became the first dean of Pharmacy. Enrolment had increased substantially every year; and Campbell, there since the school’s inception, had taught a majority of the classes even as faculty numbers increased. The College of Pharmacy as it existed in 1927 was largely Campbell’s creation. Remarkably, he had joined the University at age 62 – but “no one,” Walter C. Murray wrote, had “ever associated age with the active veteran of the rebellion of 1885.” Indeed, Campbell had been part of the 7th Fusiliers from London, Ontario, called into active service on 1 April 1885. By the time they had made the trip west the Northwest Resistance was over: the 7th Fusiliers left for their return journey to Ontario in mid-July without ever having seen combat. Campbell had done pencil sketches at the time and later turned these into watercolours, with a narrative of his service: An Account of the Advances of the 7th Fusiliers of London to aid in the suppression of the North West Rebellion of 1885. Following his retirement in 1928 Campbell moved to Victoria, where he died in [1943 at the age of 91]. The Saskatchewan Pharmaceutical Association established the Campbell Prize in his honour.

Head and shoulders image of J.A. Coutts, M.A., LL.B., visiting professor at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1962.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. Alexander R. Greig, professor of Mechanical Engineering, 1909-1937, and superintendent of Buildings, 1909-1939.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Alexander Rodger Greig was one of the first professors appointed at the University of Saskatchewan and also served as superintendent of Buildings. Born in 1872, raised and educated in Montreal, Dr. Greig graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in 1895. After graduation he became successively chief draughtsman of the Mechanical Departments of the Canada Atlantic Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway. In 1906 Dr. Greig entered upon his career as an academic with his appointment as professor of Agricultural Engineering at the Manitoba Agricultural College in Winnipeg. In 1909 he accepted two appointments at the University of Saskatchewan: professor of Mechanical Engineering, held until 1937, and superintendent of Buildings, held until 1939. From 1939-1943 he was acting professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. Dr. Greig died in Saskatoon in 1947.

Reverend E.A. Henry, BA, member of first University Senate, 1907-1908.

Head and shoulders image of Charles W. Gibbings, lecturer, School of Agriculture.

Bio/Historical Note: Charles William Gibbings was born in 1916 near Rosetown, Saskatchewan. After earning a BSc in Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan, Gibbings taught at the University's School of Agriculture and conducted youth training programs across the province, both while continuing to farm. In 1946 Gibbings was elected as a delegate to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; within six years he was on the board of directors and three years after that made vice-president. In 1960 he became the Pool's first Saskatchewan-born president and served as such until 1969. In that capacity Gibbings hired its first general manager and reinforced the management team by hiring employees who had been trained in accounting and other management skills. During his presidency Gibbings worked hard to knit the four prairie grain elevator Co-operatives into one; it was his view that the Alberta Wheat Pool, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, Manitoba Wheat Pool and the United Grain Growers should amalgamate to better serve prairie farmers. He did not succeed in this endeavour, but there is evidence of some collaboration: all four organizations became members of X-CAN Grain Limited, a company established to market grains not covered under the Canadian Wheat Board. Gibbings advised Canadian delegations involved in the negotiation of international agricultural trade terms. He served as a commissioner on the Saskatchewan Royal Commission on Agriculture and Rural Life, and was a member of the U of S Senate. He was also chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Canadian Wheat Board. Gibbings left his position as Pool president in 1969 to become a commissioner of the Canadian Wheat Board; in this role he travelled the world helping negotiate sales of prairie grains. Among the many honours he received was the Canada Centennial Medal in 1967. He was also named a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1967 and awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree by the U of S in 1971. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1986. Gibbings died in 2009 in Kelowna, British Columbia, at age 93.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. George H. Ling, first professor of Mathematics, and first dean of Arts and Science from 1909-1939.

Bio/Historical Note: George Herbert Ling (1874-1942) was born in Wallacetown, Ontario and obtained BA, (Toronto), PhD (Columbia), and ad eundem (Saskatchewan) degrees. He was the lone professor of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Saskatchewan from 1910-1915. During this time he also took on secretarial duties. Ling was Dean of the College of Arts & Science from 1912-1939, director of summer school from 1919-1937, and remained with the mathematics department until 1939. Ling also served as Acting President of the University in 1919-1920. He helped make the summer school one of the best in Canada. Ling taught in summer sessions at Columbia, Cincinnati, New York, and California. He served as a Chairman of the Saskatchewan Educational Council, and was a member of many academic societies American Mathematical Society, Mathematical Association of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science. Ling co-wrote a book on projective geometry, and contributed to scholastic journals. Well respected and much loved by students and associates, Ling believed that the Faculty of Arts & Science was the root of any university, and strived to strengthen these roots. Ling retired in 1938 was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree by the University in 1939. Ling died in Toronto in 1942.

Head and shoulders image of Edith J. McKenzie, lecturer in English.

Bio/Historical Note: Edith Jessie McKenzie earned a BA from the University of Saskatchewan. She taught and later served as principal at Kindersley, Saskatchewan, where the school was named for her after her death. McKenzie was an instructor in English at the University of Saskatchewan by 1922; she also was Dean of Women. Later in her career she taught English at the University of British Columbia. McKenzie died in Vancouver General Hospital in 1965.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. John Allan Macdonald, first Professor of French, 1910-1939.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. John Allan Macdonald was born at Rock Barra, Souris, Prince Edward Island. He was educated at Prince of Wales College at Charlottetown, PEI. He earned a BA at Laval (1898) and an MA at Harvard (1907). Dr. Macdonald was the first professor of French at the University of Saskatchewan (1910-1939).
After World War I a plague descended on the University in the form of the Spanish influenza pandemic. In response, when the city took the step of turning Emmanuel College into an emergency hospital, a number of university women immediately volunteered to nurse the sick. They did so under the direction of Mrs. John Allan Macdonald, a nurse.
In April 1926 a group of Saskatoon Catholic laity, including Dr. Macdonald, formed a group called the Newman Society, to work actively for the creation of a Catholic college for the recently established University of Saskatchewan. Through a land transfer in the 1920s, four building lots on campus owned by Dr. Macdonald were resold to the Roman Catholic Church. In due course, these lots became the home of St. Thomas More College. Dr. Macdonald authored the book Introduction to French. ‘Macdonald Crescent’ in Greystone Heights in Saskatoon is named in his honour.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. C.J. Mackenzie, first Dean of Engineering, in uniform of the 196th Western Universities Battalion during World War I.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Chalmers Jack (CJ) Mackenzie was born in 1888 in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and earned a BEng at Dalhousie University in 1909. In 1912 he was hired to develop an engineering program at the University of Saskatchewan. During World War I Dr. Mackenzie served with the 54th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (1915-1918). After the war he continued at the U of S until 1932, when he took a leave of absence to supervise public works projects. In 1939 he left Saskatchewan for Ottawa to become president of the National Research Council. Dr. Mackenzie served as president of the National Research Council, first president of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, first president of Atomic Energy Control Board and instrumental in the development of science and engineering education in Canada. In 1949 he sat on the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, the so-called "Massey Commission", one objective of which was developing Canada's system of publicly funded research. Among many honours Dr. Mackenzie received an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the U of S in 1945. In 1967 Mackenzie was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. CJ Mackenzie died in Ottawa in 1984 at age 95. The U of S College of Engineering’s annual Distinguished Lecture Series was started in 1976 to honour alumni who have achieved positions of eminence in the profession. On its 10th anniversary the event was renamed for Dr. Mackenzie, to recognize the contribution he made to the college, the university and the engineering profession. By 2022 the series was named the C.J. Mackenzie Gala of Engineering Excellence.

Image of William C. McNamara, honourary Doctor of Laws degree recipient; possibly taken at time of presentation.

Bio/Historical Note: William Craig McNamara was born in 1904 in Winnipeg, Manitoba but raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. In 1923, McNamara found work with the Standard Bank of Canada but left in 1924 to become an office boy with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. McNamara joined the Canadian Wheat Board in 1942 and was appointed commissioner in 1955 becoming assistant chief commissioner in 1947 and then chief commissioner in 1958. McNamara held that position until 1970 when he was appointed to the Senate where he sat as a Liberal representing Manitoba. McNamara retired from the upper house in 1979. McNamara died in 1984.

Head and shoulders image of George E. McCraney, member, University Board of Governors.

Bio/Historical Note: Born in Bothwell, Ontario, George Ewan McCraney was educated at the University of Toronto where he graduated a B.A. in 1892 and an LL.B. in 1895. He was first returned to the House of Commons at a by-election held in February 1906 for the riding of Saskatchewan, after the resignation of the sitting MP, John Henderson Lamont. A Liberal, he was re-elected in 1908 and 1911 for the riding of Saskatoon. He did not stand for re-election in 1917. He died in 1921 at age 52.

Head and shoulders image of Duncan P. McColl, first University Registrar.

Bio/Historical Note: The first University employee was Duncan P. McColl, Registrar. This was one of two administrative positions named in the University Act of 1907. The other was President, which would not be filled for another year. McColl had been appointed Deputy Minister of Education in 1905 and would remain so until 1912. When he was named Registrar, the university was a concept — there were no buildings, faculty or staff. McColl was seen as an able administrator and quickly began the work of establishing convocation. This, in turn, elected the Senate which would create the Board of Governors. McColl resigned as Registrar in 1914 and was immediately named Secretary of the Board, where he served for another two decades. McColl was awarded an honourary degree from the U of S in 1928. Duncan McColl died in Vancouver in 1949.

Head and shoulders image of Malcolm F. Munro, professor, St. Andrew's College.

Bio/Historical Note: Rev. Malcolm Fraser Munro (1875-1955) M.A., B.D. (Queen’s). Honourary Lecturer on Hebrew, became Bursar and Lecturer in Practical Theology. He died in Saskatoon in 1955.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. John Mitchell, head, Department of Soils, College of Agriculture.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. John Mitchell was born in 1897 at Bradwardine, Manitoba, and moved with his family to a farm near Marsden, Saskatchewan. He enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan in 1915, interrupting his studies to serve in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces from 1916-1918. He saw action in France as an officer in the artillery division and, wounded in 1917, he returned home. Dr. Mitchell completed his BSA in 1924 at the U of S and joined the Saskatchewan Soil Survey that same year. While a student he had worked summers with the Soldiers Settlement Board, assisting returning veterans to become farmers. In 1925 Dr. Mitchell became an instructor in the College of Agriculture and continued his work mapping soils and measuring their chemical and physical properties. He did graduate work at the University of Wisconsin, then one of the leading universities in soil science, completing an MSc in 1929 and a PhD in 1931 before returning to the U of S. Dr. Mitchell was appointed professor and head of the Department of Soils in 1935, positions that he held for the rest of his career. He was regarded internationally as a distinguished scientist. He was the first president of the Saskatchewan Agricultural Graduates Association; he also was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame. The John Mitchell Building, once the Soils and Dairy Building and presently the home of the Department of Drama, recognizes his contribution to the U of S. Dr. Mitchell died suddenly while in harness in 1955. Mitchell Street in Greystone Heights honours Dr. Mitchell.