Two men unloading books from the old Library into the new Murray Library.

Bio/Historical Note: Though the first recorded withdrawal from the University Library occurred in October 1909, nearly five decades passed before the Library had its own building. The early collection was housed either on the second floor of the College Building (later known as the Administration Building) or was scattered among a number of small departmental libraries. Plans for a new library building in the late 1920s were ended by the start of the Great Depression; but a dramatically reduced acquisitions budget was offset by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in 1933. In 1943 the University hired its first professional Librarian. A combination of provincial grants and University fundraising financed the construction of the Murray Memorial Library. The library was named after the University’s first President, Walter C. Murray. Designed by noted Regina architect Kioshi Izumi working under H.K. Black, Architect, it marked a change in campus architecture away from the more angular and elaborate Collegiate Gothic style to that of the less expensive cube. Building materials included granite at the entrance and Tyndall stone as a wall cladding and window trim. In addition to the library, the building housed the College of Law, an office of the Provincial Archives and a 105-seat lecture theatre equipped with the latest in audiovisual teaching aids. The most dramatic transformation took place between 1970 and 1976 when a six floor south wing was added along with an extensive renovation of the 1956 structure. Designed by BLM, Regina, the south wing was unlike any other building on campus. Clad in Tyndall stone panels made to look like concrete (through a "bush hammered" finish), the grey almost windowless building is industrial and utilitarian in appearance. The University's master plan required buildings in the core of campus to be clad in stone. However, the "bush hammered" finish was used since the Library addition was built during a period that saw the flowering of "Brutalist" Architecture, so called because of the wide use of exposed concrete. The new (south) wing, originally called the Main Library, was officially opened on 17 May 1974, and also became the home of the Department of Art and Art History, the College of Graduate Studies and the University Archives.

Looking northwest at the Administration Building; overhanging tree branches in foreground.

Books being moved from the old Library in the College Building via a slide from the second storey window to a moving truck, destined for the new Murray Library.

Bio/Historical Note: Though the first recorded withdrawal from the University Library occurred in October 1909, nearly five decades passed before the Library had its own building. The early collection was housed either on the second floor of the College Building (later known as the Administration Building) or was scattered among a number of small departmental libraries. Plans for a new library building in the late 1920s were ended by the start of the Great Depression; but a dramatically reduced acquisitions budget was offset by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in 1933. In 1943 the University hired its first professional Librarian. A combination of provincial grants and University fundraising financed the construction of the Murray Memorial Library. The library was named after the University’s first President, Walter C. Murray. Designed by noted Regina architect Kioshi Izumi working under H.K. Black, Architect, it marked a change in campus architecture away from the more angular and elaborate Collegiate Gothic style to that of the less expensive cube. Building materials included granite at the entrance and Tyndall stone as a wall cladding and window trim. In addition to the library, the building housed the College of Law, an office of the Provincial Archives and a 105-seat lecture theatre equipped with the latest in audiovisual teaching aids. The most dramatic transformation took place between 1970 and 1976 when a six floor south wing was added along with an extensive renovation of the 1956 structure. Designed by BLM, Regina, the south wing was unlike any other building on campus. Clad in Tyndall stone panels made to look like concrete (through a "bush hammered" finish), the grey almost windowless building is industrial and utilitarian in appearance. The University's master plan required buildings in the core of campus to be clad in stone. However, the "bush hammered" finish was used since the Library addition was built during a period that saw the flowering of "Brutalist" Architecture, so called because of the wide use of exposed concrete. The new (south) wing, originally called the Main Library, was officially opened on 17 May 1974, and also became the home of the Department of Art and Art History, the College of Graduate Studies and the University Archives.

Two men move boxes of books through a window of the old Library in the College Building, destined for the new Murray Library.

Bio/Historical Note: Though the first recorded withdrawal from the University Library occurred in October 1909, nearly five decades passed before the Library had its own building. The early collection was housed either on the second floor of the College Building (later known as the Administration Building) or was scattered among a number of small departmental libraries. Plans for a new library building in the late 1920s were ended by the start of the Great Depression; but a dramatically reduced acquisitions budget was offset by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in 1933. In 1943 the University hired its first professional Librarian. A combination of provincial grants and University fundraising financed the construction of the Murray Memorial Library. The library was named after the University’s first President, Walter C. Murray. Designed by noted Regina architect Kioshi Izumi working under H.K. Black, Architect, it marked a change in campus architecture away from the more angular and elaborate Collegiate Gothic style to that of the less expensive cube. Building materials included granite at the entrance and Tyndall stone as a wall cladding and window trim. In addition to the library, the building housed the College of Law, an office of the Provincial Archives and a 105-seat lecture theatre equipped with the latest in audiovisual teaching aids. The most dramatic transformation took place between 1970 and 1976 when a six floor south wing was added along with an extensive renovation of the 1956 structure. Designed by BLM, Regina, the south wing was unlike any other building on campus. Clad in Tyndall stone panels made to look like concrete (through a "bush hammered" finish), the grey almost windowless building is industrial and utilitarian in appearance. The University's master plan required buildings in the core of campus to be clad in stone. However, the "bush hammered" finish was used since the Library addition was built during a period that saw the flowering of "Brutalist" Architecture, so called because of the wide use of exposed concrete. The new (south) wing, originally called the Main Library, was officially opened on 17 May 1974, and also became the home of the Department of Art and Art History, the College of Graduate Studies and the University Archives.

Looking south at Administration Building; road and landscaping in foreground.

Trees framing the Administration Building; southeast view. Pathway across the Bowl intersects image.

Summer school students sitting in the grass and under trees on the south side of the Administration Building.

A large group of students are gathered outside of the administration building.

Group photo of convention participants taken in front of the Administration Building.

Bio/Historical Note: The Homemakers' Clubs of Saskatchewan were created at a "special conference for women" initiated by the University of Saskatchewan in 1911. The objectives as stated in the constitution, were "to promote the interests of the home and the community". It was organized virtually as part of the university. The director of Agricultural Extension, F.H. Auld, was the ex officio secretary and managing director until 1913, when these duties fell to the newly appointed director of Women's Work, Abigail DeLury. From that time until reorganization in 1952, women's extension remained as a separate unit, reporting directly to the president of the university. After 1952, its work was still carried on independently, but with a greater degree of integration with agricultural and adult education services. Unique in Canada was the Club's official association with the University, which provided the provincial secretary, secretarial staff, and extension department resources to aid the development of the club and its programs. In 1971, the name was changed to the Saskatchewan Women's Institute and the University reduced its role to supplying free office space on campus.

Looking across the Bowl at the Administration Building. Cars parked in front; people walking towards building at far right.

Dignitaries parading from the Administration Building to the convocation ceremonies in the Bowl during the Learned Societies Conference, U of S, 22 May-8 June 1979.

Bio/Historical Note: A special convocation was held 2 June 1979 to celebrate the "Learned Societies Conference." It was 20 years since the last conference was held at the University of Saskatchewan. Honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degrees were conferred on four outstanding scholars; Jean Sutherland Boggs, Sir Moses I. Finley, Amartya Kumar Sen, and Arthur Whalley.

Dignitaries parading from the Administration Building to the special convocation ceremonies in the Bowl during the Learned Societies Conference, U of S, 22 May-8 June 1979.

Bio/historical note: A special convocation was held 2 June 1979 to celebrate the "Learned Societies Conference". It was 20 years since the last conference was held at the University of Saskatchewan. Honourary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt.) degrees were conferred on four outstanding scholars: Jean Sutherland Boggs, Sir Moses I. Finley, Amartya Kumar Sen, and Arthur G.C. Whalley.

Bio/Historical Note: Learned Societies, a term applied in Canada to the large group of scholarly organizations that hold conferences annually from late May to mid-June at a different university location each year. Society members come not only to hear and discuss scholarly papers on the latest work in their fields, but also to renew contacts and share common concerns. The gathering of these associations in one place over one period is distinctively Canadian and owes more to practical evolution than to planning power. Selecting one site with suitable university accommodation was an answer to Canadian distance that allowed scholars more economical joint arrangements, let them attend meetings of societies besides their own, and encouraged them to visit varied geographical areas. The older Royal Society opened the way by moving from its Ottawa base to annual conferences at Montréal, Kingston or Toronto. Younger, more specialized associations - such as those in history, political science and economics - joined in, holding their own meetings along with, or just following, the senior scholarly society. By the 1930s the practice of holding an annual learned-conference period at a different site each year was well established, though such sites were usually in central Canada, where most larger universities were located. But in 1949 "the Learneds" went to Halifax, and soon afterwards to Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver. In April 1996, the conference name was changed to the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Elevated view of Administration Building; trees in foreground, students walking in the Bowl.

Architect's colour sketch of the Administration Building addition.

Bio/Historical Note: In 1979 portions of the Administration Building (College Building) were declared unsafe. The building that had been at the heart of University life for seven decades was showing its age. A weak roof structure and deteriorating cement precipitated action on the part of the University’s administration. From a number of options available, the choice was made to build a new building adjacent to the original structure. The Administration Building Addition (East Wing) was opened in October 1987, construction having began in the fall of 1985. Designed by Wiens Johnstone Architects of Regina and built by Penn-Co Construction of Calgary, the $6.6 million three-story stone-clad building contained 4,646 square metres of floor space, approximately the same office space as the College Building. The two buildings were directly linked with some of the College Building’s exterior walls in the addition’s interior space.

Looking northeast as students walk on pathway. The Bowl at far left; Administration Building in background.