Head and shoulders image of Dr. Jim Mawdsley, professor and head, Department of Geology.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. James Buckland (Jim) Mawdsley was born on 22 July 1894 near Siena, Italy, the son of British-American parents. In 1904 the Mawdsley family left Italy and settled in the village of Gainsborough, Saskatchewan. After receiving his public and high school training in Saskatchewan he entered McGill University in 1913. Dr. Mawdsley’s career, like that of many of his contemporaries, was interrupted by the First World War. Twice wounded in France, first with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry and then as a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps, he was awarded an MBE at the end of the war. In 1919 Dr. Mawdsley returned to McGill and two years later graduated in Mining Engineering. He then went to Princeton University where he obtained his DPhil in Geology in 1924. That same year he joined the Geological Survey of Canada and for the next five years applied his scientific knowledge to the problems of the regional geology of northwestern Quebec. Dr. Mawdsley accepted in 1929 the appointment of professor and head of the Department of Geology at the University of Saskatchewan, a position he held until he became dean of Engineering in 1961 and also the director of the Institute for Northern Studies. In 1963 Dr. Mawdsley retired as dean and was then able to devote all his time to the affairs of the institute. In addition to his academic duties, his professional activities included field work in northern Saskatchewan for the Geological Survey of Canada and the Saskatchewan Department of Mineral Resources, and private consulting assignments took him to other parts of northern Canada, to the United States and Great Britain. Dr. Mawdsley was the author of 51 scientific papers and his honours were many. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1933 and was chairman of Section IV for the year 1954-55. He was president of the Geological Association of Canada during 1955-56 and of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for 1961-62. In 1953 Dr. Mawdsley was awarded the Institute's Barlow Memorial Medal in recognition of his paper entitled "Uraninite-bearing deposits, Charlebois Lake area, northeastern Saskatchewan". He was a Fellow and Director of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, a member of the Society of Economic Geologists, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the Association of Professional Engineers of Saskatchewan. Dr. Mawdsley died very suddenly on 3 December 1964 at the age of 70. As director of the Institute for Northern Studies, he played a major role in its organization and development and exerted a very great influence on research in northern Canada. Named in his honour is Mawdsley Lake, located at 56° 47' north latitude and 106° 6' west longitude in north central Saskatchewan.

Aerial view of Mawdsley Lake in northern Saskatchewan, named after Dr. J.B. Mawdsley, Dean of the College of Engineering, and Director of the Institute of Northern Studies.

Bio/Historical Note: Geographical coordinates are 56°47' North and 106°07' West.

Bio/Historical Note: James Buckland Mawdsley was born on 22 July 1894 near Siena, Italy, the son of British-American parents. In 1904 the Mawdsley family left Italy and settled in the village of Gainsborough, Saskatchewan. After receiving his public and high school training in Saskatchewan he entered McGill University in 1913. Dr. Mawdsley’s career, like that of many of his contemporaries, was interrupted by the First World War. Twice wounded in France, first with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry and then as a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps, he was awarded an MBE at the end of the war. In 1919 Dr. Mawdsley returned to McGill and two years later graduated in Mining Engineering. He then went to Princeton University where he obtained his DPhil in Geology in 1924. That same year he joined the Geological Survey of Canada and for the next five years applied his scientific knowledge to the problems of the regional geology of northwestern Quebec. Dr. Mawdsley accepted in 1929 the appointment of professor and head of the Department of Geology at the University of Saskatchewan, a position he held until he became Dean of Engineering in 1961 and also the Director of the Institute for Northern Studies. In 1963 Dr. Mawdsley retired as Dean and was then able to devote all his time to the affairs of the Institute. In addition to his academic duties his professional activities included field work in northern Saskatchewan for the Geological Survey of Canada and the Saskatchewan Department of Mineral Resources, and private consulting assignments took him to other parts of northern Canada, to the United States and Great Britain. Dr. Mawdsley was the author of 51 scientific papers and his honours were many. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1933 and was chairman of Section IV for the year 1954-55. He was president of the Geological Association of Canada during 1955-56 and of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for 1961-62. In 1953 Dr. Mawdsley was awarded the Institute's Barlow Memorial Medal in recognition of his paper entitled "Uraninite-bearing deposits, Charlebois Lake area, northeastern Saskatchewan". He was a Fellow and Director of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, a member of the Society of Economic Geologists, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the Association of Professional Engineers of Saskatchewan. Dr. Mawdsley died very suddenly on 3 December 1964 at the age of 70. As Director of the Institute for Northern Studies, University of Saskatchewan, he played a major role in its organization and development and exerted a very great influence on research in northern Canada.

Head and shoulders image of Gordon McKay, Adjunct Professor, College of Pharmacy.

Two images of detail of metal work on Memorial Gates. Trees in background.
Photo A: One open gate facing west.
Photo B: Two closed gates facing north.

Looking northeast at the Memorial Union Building (MUB); road in foreground.

People standing and walking down the front steps of the Memorial Union Building (MUB).

G.G. Patrick (third from left), Saskatchewan Heart Foundation representative, presents a cheque for $18,500 for research to Dr. John E. Merriman, Assistant Professor of Medicine. Looking on are Dr. R.E. Grindeland (far left), Assistant Professor of Physiology, and Dr. Borden Kitchen (far right).

Head and shoulders image of R.S. Miller, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology.

Posed indoor image of Tim Molnar, Huskie football player, in uniform.

Bio/Historical Note: Timothy Molnar, a graduate of Thom Collegiate in Regina, enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan (BSc 1980; BEd 1981) in 1974. He was a member of the football team for five years, playing linebacker, defensive back and fullback. Molnar was selected to the WIFL all-star team in 1974 as a defensive back and in 1978 as a linebacker. He also competed on the Huskies wrestling team for five years, winning Canada West conference gold and CIAU silver. While a student, Molnar represented Canada at the Canada Winter Games, the Canadian Senior Championships and the Olympic trials. In 1978-1979 he was awarded the E. Kent Phillips Trophy as male athlete of the year at the U of S.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. Donald F. Moore, professor of Pathology, Department of Medicine.

Head and shoulders image of James A. Munroe, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering.

Walter C. Murray, first University President, standing in front of some bookcases in his office.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. Eric M. Nanson, Professor and Head, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, 1954-1969.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Eric Musard Nanson was born 4 January 1915 in Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand, and took his early education in Christchurch. He was awarded the University National Scholarship of New Zealand in 1934 and in that year went to Canterbury University College before proceeding to Otago University in Dunedin the following year for medical studies. In 1937 he was awarded the senior university scholarship of New Zealand and he qualified in 1939. Dr. Nanson’s early appointment was as house surgeon at Christchurch Hospital from 1939-1941. During part of this time he also served as demonstrator in anatomy in the University of Otago. Dr. Nanson then joined the New Zealand Medical Corps as a captain from 1941-1945, serving with the second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Middle East, North Africa and Italy as Officer Commanding an ambulance train and medical officer in both a field ambulance and a base hospital. After demobilisation in 1945 he was initially surgical registrar at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, and later surgeon superintendent at Buller Hospital, Westport before deciding to come to England. Within a few months of arriving he had passed the FRCS and was surgical registrar at St. James' Hospital, Balham, and later assistant in the surgical professorial unit at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Dr. Nanson spent a year as senior surgical registrar at St Peter's Hospital, Henrietta Street, before going to work as Rockefeller Foundation Fellow in the department of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, for nine months. He returned to England in 1951 and worked in Bristol as lecturer in surgery at the university for just over a year before being invited to return to Johns Hopkins as Associate Professor of Surgery. Dr. Nanson was elected Hunterian Professor on two occasions. In 1954 he was appointed as the Foundation Professor of Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan and served as consultant surgeon to City Hospital, St. Paul's Hospital and Saskatoon Sanatorium. He remained in this post for fifteen years and played an important role in the development of the undergraduate medical curriculum. Dr. Nanson also pursued a policy of continuing medical education and postgraduate education which enabled Saskatchewan to rely on its own graduates rather than immigrant doctors from other provinces and countries. Dr. Nanson was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada in 1954 and of the American College of Surgeons in 1956. In 1970 he was appointed Foundation Professor of Surgery in the School of Medicine at the University of Auckland and held this post for ten years. His enthusiasm persisted and in addition to introducing the concept of a trainee internship to the department of surgery, he was co-author of the Handbook for Clinical Students which is a constant companion to undergraduate medical students. Dr. Nanson continued to perform administrative duties in addition to his clinical and teaching commitments. He carried out a prodigious amount of research work throughout his life which was published in over 100 papers in Canadian, British, American and New Zealand journals. These covered a wide range of subjects and reflected his extensive knowledge and experience in surgery. After retiring in 1979 from the Chair of Surgery at Auckland, he was awarded the Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) award. His interest in academic work was such that after retiring from clinical work he taught anatomy at the Auckland Medical School. His enthusiasm for clinical work persisted and he continued to attend surgical meetings until shortly before his death. Dr. Nanson died 27 September 1988 in Auckland.

Image of students receiving instruction during the Native Teachers' Course, held at the University of Saskatchewan. Students are standing and seated around tables.

Head and shoulders image of James Neilson, first Dean of Accounting, 1937-1940.

Bio/historical note: James Neilson was born in Millbank, Ontario, in 1871. He came west to Saskatoon in 1909 at which time he joined the staff of Nutana Collegiate Institute. In 1914 he was made bursar of the University of Saskatchewan. Neilson was appointed Professor of Accounting in 1915, and Dean of Accounting in 1936, a position he held until retirement in 1941. He was past president and life member of Saskatchewan Institute of Chartered Accountants. Neilson died in Saskatoon on 20 March 1949.