Looking east at the Chemistry Building.

Looking northeast at Chemistry annexes; the three smokestacks of the Power House in background.

Bio/Historical Note: The limitations of the original Chemistry Building became apparent with the massive influx of students at the end of World War II. The rise in enrollment put a strain on the resources of universities across the country. In response the federal government offered military surplus equipment and buildings to educational institutions at bargain prices. The University of Saskatchewan purchased nine surplus huts used at the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airport at Dafoe, Saskatchewan, for $46,000 and joined them together to form Chemistry Annex One and Two. This “temporary” solution remained in place for two decades. The annexes were reconfigured in 1964-1965. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. The annexes were removed by spring 1977.

Looking west at Chemistry annexes; Thorvaldson Building and Arts Tower in background.

Bio/Historical Note: The limitations of the original Chemistry Building became apparent with the massive influx of students at the end of World War II. The rise in enrollment put a strain on the resources of universities across the country. In response the federal government offered military surplus equipment and buildings to educational institutions at bargain prices. The University of Saskatchewan purchased nine surplus huts used at the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airport at Dafoe, Saskatchewan, for $46,000 and joined them together to form Chemistry Annex One and Two. This “temporary” solution remained in place for two decades. The annexes were reconfigured in 1964-1965. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. The annexes were removed by spring 1977.

Elevated view looking north at Chemistry annexes at far right.

Bio/Historical Note: The limitations of the original Chemistry Building became apparent with the massive influx of students at the end of World War II. The rise in enrollment put a strain on the resources of universities across the country. In response the federal government offered military surplus equipment and buildings to educational institutions at bargain prices. The University of Saskatchewan purchased nine surplus huts used at the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airport at Dafoe, Saskatchewan, for $46,000 and joined them together to form Chemistry Annex One and Two. This “temporary” solution remained in place for two decades. The annexes were reconfigured in 1964-1965. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. The annexes were removed by spring 1977.

Chemistry equipment in lab of Dr. Art Knight, professor of Chemistry.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Art Knight was born in St. John's, Newfoundland. He attended Memorial University, earning both a BSc and an MSc before moving on to the University of Alberta for his Ph.D. He came to the University of Saskatchewan in 1964, progressing through the ranks becoming a full professor in 1972. Dr. Knight was appointed head of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in 1976, dean of Arts and Sciences in 1981 and associate vice-president (Academic) in 1990. In 1993 he joined SIAST Saskatoon Campus as president, where he remained until his retirement in 2003. Through the years Dr. Knight served his community as president of the Saskatoon Rotary Club, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic School Board, member of the Knights of Columbus, and as a volunteer with his church and community association. His passion in retirement was to work as chair of the Board of the Mendel Art Gallery and toward the creation of the new Art Gallery of Saskatoon. Dr. Knight died in Saskatoon in 2011.

Crowd gathered in front of the Chemistry Building; [F.W.G. Haultain, University Chancellor], addressing the crowd.

Image of students sitting in the Chemistry Lecture Hall, Room 271, also known as the airplane room.

Bio/Historical Note: The most enduring legend surrounding the Chemistry Building states that the paper airplanes lodged in the 68-foot domed ceiling of Thorvaldson Room 271 were flung there by Second World War pilots-in-training. When the pilots went to war, the legend says, their family members would periodically visit the Airplane Room—as it became known—to see if their loved one’s plane remained stuck. If a plane fell from the ceiling, it meant that the man who put it there would not be coming home. Wartime pilots did receive training at the U of S through cadet programs and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, although there is no record as to whether they trained in Room 271, now called the Henry Taube Lecture Theatre. The University Air Training Corps was one of the military training units located on campus during the Second World War. This 1944 yearbook photo shows cadets training in an unspecified classroom. (University Publications, Greystone 1944)
For many years, students have attached messages or objects to paper planes and flung them up to the ceiling, where the planes stick in the material lining the dome. Student graffiti on the wooden desks of Room 271 dates back as far as 1933, but the paper airplanes are a different story. During the removal of asbestos from the ceiling in 1995, the original planes were taken down. Wayne Eyre, editor of On Campus News at the time, carefully unfolded each of the 366 airplanes but found nothing relating to the war; instead he just found what he calls “a lot of pranky and dopey comments.” The oldest date written on any plane was 1961. Other planes appeared older as they were brittle and yellow with age, but lacked dates.

Image of crowd filing inside Chemistry Building during official opening. Crowd standing on sidewalk on front of building.

Dignitaries on the steps of the Chemistry Building include Walter C. Murray, University President; F.W.G. Haultain, University Chancellor; Steward Basterfield, professor of Chemistry; Sir David Bruce, president, British Association for the Advancement of Science; William R. Motherwell, Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture; Samuel J. Latta, Saskatchewan Minister of Education; and Charles A. Dunning, premier of Saskatchewan.

Crowd gathered in front of the Chemistry Building; [F.W.G. Haultain, University Chancellor], addressing the crowd.

Chemistry Building addition model.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Looking north at Chemistry Building; trees in foreground.

Students from l to r: Manolopoulo (Greece); Takahashi (Japan); Micetich (India); Giam (Singapore); Ahmed (India).