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.

Dr. Choi C. (Chuck) Lee, professor, Department of Chemistry, takes readings from a machine in the Thorvaldson Building.

View of College Building, Qu'Appelle Hall, Saskatchewan Hall, Physics Building and Engineering Building with the Bowl at centre. Appended is a photograph of Chemistry Building at left of photograph.

Looking east at University Hospital and Ellis Hall in foreground, Chemistry Building; north wing of Murray Memorial (Main) Library in background.

Looking southwest at students changing classes in winter. University buildings in background (from l to r:) Saskatchewan Hall, Qu'Appelle Hall, Medical College, Murray Memorial (Main) Library, and Chemistry Building. Image taken from Administration Building.

Image of exterior of Thorvaldson Building.

View of the start of construction of the University Hospital. Included are boulders and a storage shed. Thorvaldson Building in the background.

Bio/historical note: Designed by Webster and Gilbert, architects, and built between 1948 and 1955 by Smith Bros. and Wilson, contractors, at a cost of $7,000,000.00, the 6-storey, 7-wing University Hospital was officially opened by Bentley, T.J., Saskatchewan Minister of Health on May 1955.The name was officially changed to Royal University Hospital 23 May 1990.

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