Originally established in Edmonton in 1976, the NeWest Review was "a new magazine for the new West," promoting a "radical regionalism" and intended as an antidote and alternative to the central Canadian and U.S.-dominated mainstream culture. University of Saskatchewan professor Don Kerr moved the publication to Saskatoon in 1981. The magazine had contributing editors in all major prairie cities, four volunteers serving as an overall editorial group, and volunteer directors - 20 individuals - working as a collective based in Saskatoon.

Born in Norland, Ontario in 1904, John Stuart Mill Allely studied Economics at Queen's University, earning a BA in 1929 and an MA in 1930. He did further postgraduate study at Harvard University, receiving an AM degree in 1932. He married Phyllis Parkin in September 1934. Prior to his appointment at the University of Saskatchewan in 1939, he taught at a number of institutions including McMaster University, the Universities of British Columbia, Manitoba, and Alberta, and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He was on the staff of the Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations (Rowell-Sirois Commission) in 1937 and 1938. Allely took a leave of absence to serve in the Canadian Army in World War Two. He served in Ottawa in the Adjutant General’s Branch and the General Staff. He held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Canadian Army and was seconded to the British Army to serve as the Senior Finance Officer of the Control Commission for Germany (British Element) from 1944 to 1946. Allely returned to the University of Saskatchewan in 1947. Following the Second World War, he served as Officer Commanding of the Saskatchewan Contingent, Canadian Officers Training Corps from 1947 to 1957. Professor Allely retired from the University in 1972 and died in Saskatoon on March 23, 1986.

Mervyn Woods was born in Regina in 1909 and received his early education in Regina, Kincaid, and Moose Jaw. He attended Teachers College, graduating in 1929; and graduated from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in 1937. During World War II he served with the Royal Canadian Navy, becoming a Lieutenant Commander and winning the Order of the British Empire. Woods started practicing law in 1945 and in 1946, joined the faculty of the University of Saskatchewan. He earned a Master of Laws degree from New York University in 1959. In 1961 he was appointed to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal.

Jacob G. Rempel lost both parents and an older brother during the conflict and typhus that swept Mennonite colonies in Russia in 1919. In June 1923, Jacob (b. 1903) and his brother David (b. 1899) immigrated to Canada, arriving in Rosthern, Saskatchewan in July 1923. They spoke German, some Russian, but no English; and had the equivalent of $1.25 Canadian in funds. By 1928, however, Jacob had secured a three-year scholarship to the University of Saskatchewan, from which he graduated with the Governor General's Gold Medal and high honours in Biology in 1931. He joined the Biology department that year as an instructor and earned his MSc by 1933. He took a leave of absence in 1936 to attend Cornell, earning his PhD in 1937. He remained with the University of Saskatchewan for the rest of his career, becoming a full professor by 1953 and being named Rawson Professor in 1962. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, awarded the Centennial Medal "in recognition of valuable service to the nation," and upon his retirement in 1970, was awarded emeritus status. He was particularly known for his research on mosquitoes and equine encephalitis. He died in Victoria, British Columbia in May 1976.

Thomas L. and Albert J. Loveridge (father and son) took up land in the Primitive Methodist Colony north of Wolseley in 1884. A.J. Loveridge moved to Grenfell in 1897 where he was a member of council, Reeve, and active in the community.

Elvins Yuill Spencer was born in Edmonton in 1914. He was granted both a BSc (1936) and MSc (1938) from the University of Alberta, and a PhD (1941) from the University of Toronto. Spencer joined the faculty of the University of Saskatchewan in 1946 as Assistant Professor of Cereal Chemistry. From 1949 to 1951, he held the half-time position of Co-ordinator of Research at the Saskatchewan Research Council. Spencer resigned from the University in 1951. Spencer died on March 3, 2012 in London, Ontario.

George Edwin Britnell was born at Wimbledon, England on June 9, 1903. His family came to Canada in 1910 and subsequently took up a homestead near Macrorie, Saskatchewan in 1913. Britnell split his early education between Outlook and Prince Albert before attending the University of Saskatchewan where he won the Governor General's Gold Medal in 1924 and graduated with a BA in 1929. He went on to the University of Toronto where he earned both an MA (1934) and PhD (1938). With the exception of two brief stints at the University of Toronto, Dr. Britnell's teaching career was centred around the University of Saskatchewan. He received his first appointment in 1930 as a Lecturer in Economics. He rose to the rank of Assistant Professor of Economics in 1938, Professor and Head of Political Science in 1938 and Professor and Head of the joint department of Economics and Political Science in 1945. Dr. Britnell was known as both a fine teacher and a productive scholar. Among his areas of interest and expertise were transportation problems, dominion-provincial relations, the problems of developing countries and energy resources. Britnell was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1950. He died on October 14, 1961 after a lengthy illness.

J.F. Morgan was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. He earned a BA, BSA and MSA from the University of British Columbia, the last in 1942. Between 1943 and 1962 Morgan worked alternately at the University of Toronto's Connaught Medical Research Laboratory and the Department of Health and Welfare; during this time he also earned a PhD. He eventually was appointed Research Chief of the Department of Health and Welfare's Biochemical Laboratories in 1959. Morgan came to the University of Saskatchewan in 1962 as Director of the Saskatchewan Research Unit of the National Cancer Institute and Professor of Cancer Research. He published numerous papers in such areas as enzyme isolation, tissue cell nutrition, cell metabolism, tissue culture, and cancer research. He also served as editor of the "The Canadian Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry" and "Cancer Research." Morgan died in Saskatoon on 2 May 1976.

Donald Freeman Moore was born in Norwich, Ontario on September 18, 1911. He attended the University of Toronto, receiving his MD in 1934, a B.Sc (Med.) in 1937, and a Certificate in Pathology and Bacteriology in 1945. That same year, he received an ad eundem gradum degree from the University of Saskatchewan. He worked as a Pathologist at Vancouver General Hospital and Regina General and Grey Nun's Hospitals prior to joining the faculty at the University of Saskatchewan as Associate Professor in 1945. He was promoted to full Professor in 1947 and served as Dean of the College of Medicine from 1967-1970. Dr. Moore died on April 26, 1974.

Robert William Begg was born on December 27, 1914 in Florenceville, New Brunswick and received his early education in the Maritimes, earning a B.Sc. from King's College, Halifax (1936) and both an M.Sc. (1938) and MD (1942) from Dalhousie University. After wartime service in North America and Europe with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, Dr. Begg attended Oxford University and earned a PhD. In 1946, he returned to Dalhousie and took posts first in Biochemistry and then in Medical Research. He was at the University of Western Ontario from 1950 until 1957, when he came to Saskatoon as head of the Saskatchewan Research Unit of the National Cancer Institute of Canada, head of the cancer research department at the U of S and lecturer in Pathology. He was appointed Dean of the College of Medicine in 1962 and Principal of the Saskatoon Campus in 1967. In 1975, Begg was appointed the University of Saskatchewan's fifth President, a post he held until 1980. During his long career, Dr. Begg received many honours, including Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, honorary physician to the Queen, several honorary degrees and the Order of Canada. He also had a long career in the Canadian militia beginning in 1929 when he enlisted in the Prince Edward Island Highlanders. He eventually rose to the rank of full Colonel. During World War Two, he served in a parachute regiment. In 1961, he was appointed Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services (militia) Saskatchewan Area and in 1963 he became Commander, 21 Militia Group. Dr. Begg died in Saskatoon on March 2, 1982 after a lengthy illness.

Lorne Caswell Paul was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, on 27 October 1904, and received both his B.Sc. in Biology (1930) and his MSc. (1932) from the University of Saskatchewan. He earned a Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1940. He joined the faculty at the U of S in 1944 as Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor, and was promoted in turn to Associate Professor (1957) and Full Professor (1968). He held positions in various organizations, including that of Saskatchewan Director for the Agriculture Institute of Canada, and Director of the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. Dr. Paul retired from the University in 1972.

Richard St. Barbe Baker was born in Southampton, England in 1889. He immigrated to Canada and homesteaded on what is now the site of the Beaver Creek conservation area near Saskatoon, in 1909. He was one of the first 100 students to attend the University of Saskatchewan where, among other things, he operated the first student 'residence' in his barn on the campus, penned the University 'yell,' and initiated freshman John Diefenbaker. St. Barbe also attended Cauis College, Cambridge. He served during World War I, and was invalided in France in April 1918. Following the war, he worked briefly for the British Institute for Social Service, helping to establish the Ministry of Health. After completing forestry studies at Cambridge, he was appointed Assistant Conservator of Forests in Kenya where, in 1922, he founded the Men of the Trees, enlisting the help of 9000 voluntary tree planters in an attempt to arrest the invading Sahara. This society, which grew into an international organization, became the central cause of St. Barbe's life. He was called upon to advise several nations on forestry matters, and was active in promoting international cooperation in conservation. He published extensively, not only on forestry and trees but also on spiritual and religious topics and health matters. In recognition of his many accomplishments, the University of Saskatchewan conferred an honourary Doctor of Laws on St. Barbe in November 1971. In 1977, the Order of the British Empire was bestowed upon him by Queen Elizabeth II. St. Barbe died on June 9, 1982 while on a visit to the University of Saskatchewan.

John William Tranter Spinks was born in Methwold, England 1 January 1908. He attended the King's College at the University of London, recieving both a BSc (1928) and PhD (1930) in Chemistry. Spinks joined the University of Saskatchewan in 1930 as Assistant Professor. He spent the 1933-34 academic year at the University of Darmstart, Germany, where he first met Dr. Gerhard Herzberg. Spinks was promoted to Professor (1938); named Head of the Department of Chemistry (1948); Dean of Graduate Studies (1949); and became the fourth President of the University (1959). Spinks led the university through its most active period of development. He retired from the presidency in 1974 but continued to pursue his academic interests. Spinks published more than 260 scientific fonds and larger works including a study for the Massey Commission, a translation of "Atomic Spectra and Molecular Spectra," "An Introduction to Radiation Chemistry," and an autobiography, "Two Blades of Grass." His many honours include a MBE (1943), LL.D (Carleton University, 1958), D.Sc. (Assumption University, 1961), Companion of the Order of Canada (1970), and a LL.D. from the University of Saskatchewan. He died in Saskatoon in 1997.

Michael Taft was born in New York City in 1947. He received his BA from State University of New York at Stony Brook (1968), MA from York University (1971), and PhD from Memorial University (1977). A folklorist, Dr. Taft taught at the University of Saskatchewan for the 1978-1979 academic year, and returned to campus in 1983-1984 to research and write an anecdotal history of the University. Dr. Taft was Head of the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. from 2002 to 2012.

Phebe Winifred Rowles was born at Manchester, England, on 28 July 1907. She was educated at Crandall, Manitoba, and Empress, Alberta, where the family homesteaded. She graduated from Nutana Collegiate in Saskatoon and enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan. In 1926-1927, she competed in high jump at an inter-varsity meet, the first time that women had entered as a team. In other meets she competed in discus and javelin. Rowles was the jump centre on the basketball team. Rowles also was vice-president of the Student Representative Council and a member of the University Athletic Directorate and Women's Athletic Council. Rowles earned her BSc from the U of S in 1930. She was secretary to C.J. MacKenzie, Dean of Engineering, when he was consulting engineer on the construction of the Broadway Bridge. Rowles later worked in Winnipeg and Montreal before serving as Director of Women’s Personnel at the C.I.L. nylon plant in Kingston, Ontario. Phebe then joined Dorothy (Riches) Catto in operating Turkeys Deluxe at Dewittville, Quebec in the 1950s and 1960s. After two years as an official with the Vancouver YWCA, she retired to Saskatoon. Rowles was named to the U of S Athletic Wall of Fame in 1984 for her basketball and track and field exploits. She was involved with Knox Personal Theatre, Summer Players, the Dominion Drama Festival and the film “Paperback Hero.” Phebe and her sisters, Jessie Caldwell and Edith C. Rowles Simpson, were three of 100 Saskatonians honoured on the city’s 100th birthday. Rowles died 29 May 1995 in Saskatoon. The Phebe Rowles Scholarship recognizes academic achievement among U of S students pursuing a graduate degree program with a major in Political Studies.
Sister of Dr. Edith Rowles Simpson.