Drama instructor at podium and students seated in bleachers in the new Arena Theatre, Hangar Building.

Students rehearsing on stage; bleachers and stage lights visible in the new Arena Theatre, Hangar Building.

Murray Edwards (left), Frances Hyland, and two students in costume pose in front of a forest themed backdrop.

Bio/Historical Note: Frances Jean Hyland was born in 1927 in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. She was raised by her mother's family in Ogema, Saskatchewan. Her mother put herself through teacher's college to support her daughter's acting career. Hyland graduated in 1948 from the University of Saskatchewan with a BA in English. She earned a scholarship to and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. After graduation Hyland made her professional debut in London in 1950, as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. In 1954 she returned to Canada to perform as Isabella in the Stratford Festival production of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. She became a regular at the festival, performing in ten seasons. Her roles there included Isabella (in Measure for Measure), Portia (in The Merchant of Venice), Olivia (in Twelfth Night), Perdita (in The Winter's Tale), Desdemona (in Othello) and Ophelia in (in Hamlet). Hyland directed the Stratford Festival's 1979 production of Othello. She also performed with the Shaw Festival and on Broadway (opposite Tony Perkins in Look Homeward, Angel). On television Hyland co-starred on The Albertans and played Nanny Louisa on Road to Avonlea. Hyland was considered a champion of Canadian actors' campaign for higher status and pay. In 1970 Hyland was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1994, Hyland received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, for her lifetime contribution to Canadian theatre. Frances Hyland died of respiratory failure following surgery in 2004.

Top image is a scene from Candida, starring Frances Hyland and directed by Emrys Jones. This play, the inaugural production of the Department of Music, was performed in Convocation Hall in March 1946. Bottom image is a scene from Picnic, was performed at Greystone Theatre in December 1965. Actors (l to r): Don Evanishen, Helen Burton and Eric Peterson.

Actors Ron Williams as Willie Loman, Marjorie Gilbart as Willie's wife Linda, Dale Hicks as Biff, and Lloyd Widenmaier as Happy.

Actors in the play "Marigolds," are Linda Leigh (top); Wendy Smith, Julianne Labreche (second row); Sharon Bakker, Deborah Anderson (bottom row).

Group of actors in costume sitting on a set that appears to be a train station. Possibly a photo from the production "Royalty is Royalty" which was written by W.O. Mitchell and performed for the University of Saskatchewan's Golden Anniversary in 1959.

Numerous actors in togas.

Various scenes from Tartuffe, featuring Elizabeth Rodger as Madame Pernelle, Donna Crasley as Flipote, Dawny Scarfe as Elmire, Reed Brown as Tartuffe.

Elevated view of six students rehearsing on set.

Head and shoulders image of John G. Rayner, director of Extension, 1918-1952.

Bio/Historical Note: John George Rayner was born 1 Oct. 1890 in London, England. At age 2 his family came to Canada, settling on a farm near Virden, Manitoba. After completing his high school education there, he attended the Manitoba College of Agriculture in Winnipeg and graduated with a BSA in 1913. In 1914 Rayner was employed as agricultural representative with the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture, his district taking in a large portion of the northwest part of the settled area of the province. With an appointment in 1918 as director of boys' and girls' club work at the Extension Department at the U of S in Saskatoon, Rayner began a 34-year association with the rural young people of Saskatchewan. He was dedicated to the principle of development of the individual, and was one of the founders of the Canadian Council of Boys' and Girls' work in 1933. Rayner served as the council's president in 1937 and 1947, and was instrumental in getting the name "4-H" applied to rural youth clubs in Canada. He served as director of the Extension Department from 1920 until the time of his death in 1952. Rayner was a charter member of the Canadian Society of Technical Agriculturists (now the Agricultural Institute of Canada) of which he became a fellow. He was also a charter member of the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. In 1965 the 4-H Foundation's Camp Rayner was named in Rayner’s honour, and in 1973 he was posthumously named to Saskatchewan's Hall of Fame. John Rayner died in Saskatoon on 30 June 1952.

Images from the theatre production of Blossom Time showing the pit band and Murray Adaskin, conductor. Also actors in costume, on stage and off stage.

Rupert Ramsay, professor and head of Extension, seated at his desk.

Bio/Historical Note: Rupert Ramsay arrived in Saskatchewan with his father in 1905 to homestead at Bladworth. Ramsay entered the University of Saskatchewan and obtained a BSA in 1929. Three years later he obtained an MSc degree from the University of Minnesota, specializing in animal nutrition. From 1929 to 1944, except for a year at Minnesota and another year with the Industrial and Development Council of Canada Meat Packers, Ramsay was a livestock specialist with the Extension Department. From 1944 to 1949 he was leader of the Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative Party. His chief concern was with agriculture and the advancing of farming methods and the development of young people into becoming good farmers. Ramsay left politics in 1949 to take charge of the Memorial Union Building Fund at the U of S. From 1951-1953 he served in Ottawa as general secretary of the Agricultural Institute of Canada. He then returned to the U of S to succeed the late John Rayner as director of the Extension Department, a post he held until his death in 1962.

Head and shoulders image of John G. Rayner, director of Extension, 1918-1952.

Bio/Historical Note: John George Rayner was born 1 Oct. 1890 in London, England. At age 2 his family came to Canada, settling on a farm near Virden, Manitoba. After completing his high school education there, he attended the Manitoba College of Agriculture in Winnipeg and graduated with a BSA in 1913. In 1914 Rayner was employed as agricultural representative with the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture, his district taking in a large portion of the northwest part of the settled area of the province. With an appointment in 1918 as director of boys' and girls' club work at the Extension Department at the U of S in Saskatoon, Rayner began a 34-year association with the rural young people of Saskatchewan. He was dedicated to the principle of development of the individual, and was one of the founders of the Canadian Council of Boys' and Girls' work in 1933. Rayner served as the council's president in 1937 and 1947, and was instrumental in getting the name "4-H" applied to rural youth clubs in Canada. He served as director of the Extension Department from 1920 until the time of his death in 1952. Rayner was a charter member of the Canadian Society of Technical Agriculturists (now the Agricultural Institute of Canada) of which he became a fellow. He was also a charter member of the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. In 1965 the 4-H Foundation's Camp Rayner was named in Rayner’s honour, and in 1973 he was posthumously named to Saskatchewan's Hall of Fame. John Rayner died in Saskatoon on 30 June 1952.

Head and shoulder image of author and playwright W.O. Mitchell. Greystone Theatre in celebration of the University's Golden Jubilee in 1959 presented the world premier of the W.O. Mitchell play "Royalty is Royalty".