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(November 30, 2000, Gazette)

Remembrances of Memorial past...

30 years ago

Arctic artifacts and bird paintings presented

November 1970 — City businessman James R. Ewing donates to Memorial University his valuable personal collection of ivory carvings and other arctic artifacts, in addition to originals of his paintings of Newfoundland birds. These 48 paintings were done by Mr. Ewing 35 years ago, and reproduced in Volume II of the first edition (1937) of the Book of Newfoundland.

This month, Memorial also receives a generous gift of works of art from the collection of the late Douglas M. Duncan of Toronto. Twenty-seven works in oil, water colour, ink and other media were given to the university by Mr. Duncan’s sister, Mrs. J.P. Barwick of Ottawa. During his life, Mr. Duncan, a bookbinder and patron of the arts, assembled one of the largest private collections of Canadian art in this country. The most valuable works in the collection have been donated by Mrs. Barwick to 12 Canadian universities, including Memorial.

25 years ago

Five honorary degrees awarded at fall convocation

November 1975 — This month’s convocation sees honorary degrees awarded to George Hobbs, former chair and CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador Power commission; Norman Peters, a prospector who discovered the large asbestos deposit near Baie Verte now owned by Advocate Mines Ltd.; Luc Lacourciére, an international scholar in the field of folklore; William George Rowe, who helped develop the university’s Faculty of Education; and Dr. Hugh Wynne-Edwards, one of Canada’s most distinguished geologists. About 560 degrees were awarded during convocation.

20 years ago

Centre for Management Development opens

November 1980 — The School of Business Administration and Commerce is offering yet another service to Newfoundland’s business community. This month marks the official opening of the Centre for Management Development, which will further effective management by such means as offering short courses, seminars and conferences aimed at middle and senior managers.

In other news, the Physical Education Department will participate in a national fitness survey being funded by the federal government. About $120,0000 of the 1.6 million project will be spent in Newfoundland and the survey will be carried out in five different locations in the province. About 2,000 Newfoundlanders will be measured for blood pressure, muscular strength, body fat, and flexibility.

15 years ago

Music department now a school

November 1985 — At the official opening of the new music building this month, President Leslie Harris announces that the Department of Music has become the School of Music. This removes the department from the Faculty of Arts and makes it an autonomous school within the university system.

In convocation news, two honorary degrees and about 600 other degrees are conferred. The honorary degree recipients are Dr. Kenneth Hare, chairman of the Canadian Climate Program Planning Board and professor emeritus of geography at the University of Toronto; and Dr. Benjamin Hyde, distinguished civil servant, community activist and patron of learning.

10 years ago

Financial restraint committee set

November 1990 — In the wake of recent government announcements concerning the possibility of funding freezes for public institutions, Memorial is establishing a committee to recommend financial restraint measures the university can undertake over the next year. Newfoundland businessman Harold Wareham will head up the Presidential Advisory Committee on Financial Restraint. He will review the expenditures of every faculty, school and department and also review areas where extra revenue can be generated.

In other news, a report from the Review Committee on Affirmative Action says a concerted effort to change hiring practices at Memorial is needed to correct an imbalance between men and women on faculty. The report shows that only 23.3 per cent of faculty members are women, and only 13.3 per cent of the university’s administrative positions are filled by women. The report proposes four broad strategies to correct the imbalance.

Five years ago

Administration and faculty heading back to the table

November 1995 — Members of the administration and faculty head back to negotiations this month after a four-month stalemate. The two sides sign a jointly conceived memorandum of agreement that sets out nine provisions for negotiations and almost guarantees there will be no interruption of classes during fall semester.

At Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, the new computing and library facility is dedicated to Ferriss Hodgett, former vice-principal and acting principal of the college, who died last year. The new library has 50 per cent more floor space, with increased quiet space for study and research.