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.

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 campus 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.

Standing beside a group of six computers from International Business Machines (IBM) are two unidentified [representatives], reading from a printout. Typewriter/keyboard in foreground.

Bio/Historical Note: A brief history of the early years of the Department of Computer Science until 1980: The University of Saskatchewan entered the computer age in 1959 with the installation of a Librascope General Precision LGP-30 computer. It was in the Mathematics department, located in the basement of the Crop Science Building, as it was too large to fit in the elevator in the Arts Building. The machine was designed to fit into a Steelcase office desk, and had 4096 words of 31-bit magnetic drum memory. It was jointly owned by the Saskatchewan Research Council, the National Research Council Prairie Regional Laboratory, and the University. In 1963 an IBM 1620 machine was installed on the third floor of the Engineering Building. It was a punch-card oriented machine operated by its users (one at a time). Some programming courses were given in Engineering, Commerce and Mathematics, but there was no full-time support organization for computing until 1965, when an IBM 7040 ‘mainframe’ was purchased with funding assistance from the National Research Council (NRC). The NRC at that time had a one-time program to ‘kick-start’ computing capacity and usage at Canadian universities, and for the U of S, this resulted in the acquisition of the IBM 7040, a significant step up from the model 1620. Along with the facility, the Department of Computing Services was created under its first manager, Glenn W. Peardon (1928-2018). The 7040 was installed in July 1965, also in the Engineering building. The 1620 was retired in October of that year. Only a little over a year later the demands for computing were exceeding the capacity of the 7040, and an IBM 1401 was added to handle more work. In June 1967 it was proposed that a new machine be obtained, an IBM 360 Model 50. This was a mid-sized mainframe of that era and was expected to provide sufficient capacity until October 1968. It was installed in a new location in December 1967 in Room 70 Arts Building, and although it was expected to be in service for only one year, it was still in place by July 1970.
Under the headship of Dr. Blaine Holmlund (1930-2006), the Department of Computational Science was established in 1967, and first offered classes in 1968. The computer support staff consisted of 22 operators, programmers and analysts. It was initially created as a department of the whole university, i.e., it did not belong to a particular college, as it was felt that it would have strong programs in all of Engineering, Arts and Science and Commerce. It did not join up with a college until many years later. The July 1970 purchase of the Hewlett Packard 2000A time-sharing system, which was a minicomputer capable of handling up to 16 simultaneous users (later expanded to 32). In October 1971 the Computer Advisory Committee in Saskatoon received a recommendation from the Universities Study Group (that had responsibility to the University as a whole), that the campus needs could best be handled by acquiring both an IBM 370/155 and a DECsystem 10. In 1973 the university installed a DECsystem 2050, its first time-sharing system. It served up to 32 simultaneous users, and was programmed in BASIC. In 1974 the department was renamed the Department of Academic and Computing Services. The DECsystem 2050 was installed in early 1979 and was upgraded to a 2060 in 1980. This system was called DEUS, for Data Entry, University of Saskatchewan; it consisted of a DEC PDP-11/70 minicomputer and 44 CRT stations in room 145 Arts. Following its installation, there was a rapid growth in its use, as the needs first expressed in 1970 were finally met with some adequate functionality in 1979. The DECsystem 2050 was upgraded to a 2060 in 1980.

Standing and seated amongst some of the International Business Machines (IBM) computers are two unidentified [representatives] watching some of the processes of the equipment. Keyboard at left in foreground.

Bio/Historical Note: A brief history of the early years of the Department of Computer Science until 1980: The University of Saskatchewan entered the computer age in 1959 with the installation of a Librascope General Precision LGP-30 computer. It was in the Mathematics department, located in the basement of the Crop Science Building, as it was too large to fit in the elevator in the Arts Building. The machine was designed to fit into a Steelcase office desk, and had 4096 words of 31-bit magnetic drum memory. It was jointly owned by the Saskatchewan Research Council, the National Research Council Prairie Regional Laboratory, and the University. In 1963 an IBM 1620 machine was installed on the third floor of the Engineering Building. It was a punch-card oriented machine operated by its users (one at a time). Some programming courses were given in Engineering, Commerce and Mathematics, but there was no full-time support organization for computing until 1965, when an IBM 7040 ‘mainframe’ was purchased with funding assistance from the National Research Council (NRC). The NRC at that time had a one-time program to ‘kick-start’ computing capacity and usage at Canadian universities, and for the U of S, this resulted in the acquisition of the IBM 7040, a significant step up from the model 1620. Along with the facility, the Department of Computing Services was created under its first manager, Glenn W. Peardon (1928-2018). The 7040 was installed in July 1965, also in the Engineering building. The 1620 was retired in October of that year. Only a little over a year later the demands for computing were exceeding the capacity of the 7040, and an IBM 1401 was added to handle more work. In June 1967 it was proposed that a new machine be obtained, an IBM 360 Model 50. This was a mid-sized mainframe of that era and was expected to provide sufficient capacity until October 1968. It was installed in a new location in room 70 Arts Building, and although it was expected to be in service for only one year, it was still in place by July 1970.
Under the headship of Dr. Blaine Holmlund (1930-2006), the Department of Computational Science was established in 1967, and first offered classes in 1968. The computer support staff consisted of 22 operators, programmers and analysts. It was initially created as a department of the whole university, i.e., it did not belong to a particular college, as it was felt that it would have strong programs in all of Engineering, Arts and Science and Commerce. It did not join up with a college until many years later. The July 1970 purchase of the Hewlett Packard 2000A time-sharing system, which was a minicomputer capable of handling up to 16 simultaneous users (later expanded to 32). In October 1971 the Computer Advisory Committee in Saskatoon received a recommendation from the Universities Study Group (that had responsibility to the University as a whole), that the campus needs could best be handled by acquiring both an IBM 370/155 and a DECsystem 10. In 1973 the university installed a DECsystem 2050, its first time-sharing system. It served up to 32 simultaneous users, and was programmed in BASIC. In 1974 the department was renamed the Department of Academic and Computing Services. The DECsystem 2050 was installed in early 1979 and was upgraded to a 2060 in 1980. This system was called DEUS, for Data Entry, University of Saskatchewan; it consisted of a DEC PDP-11/70 minicomputer and 44 CRT stations in room 145 Arts. Following its installation, there was a rapid growth in its use, as the needs first expressed in 1970 were finally met with some adequate functionality in 1979. The DECsystem 2050 was upgraded to a 2060 in 1980.

A female Computational Centre employee sits at a new computer.

Bio/Historical Note: A brief history of the early years of the Department of Computer Science until 1980: The University of Saskatchewan entered the computer age in 1959 with the installation of a Librascope General Precision LGP-30 computer. It was in the Mathematics department, located in the basement of the Crop Science Building, as it was too large to fit in the elevator in the Arts Building. The machine was designed to fit into a Steelcase office desk, and had 4096 words of 31-bit magnetic drum memory. It was jointly owned by the Saskatchewan Research Council, the National Research Council Prairie Regional Laboratory, and the University. In 1963 an IBM 1620 machine was installed on the third floor of the Engineering Building. It was a punch-card oriented machine operated by its users (one at a time). Some programming courses were given in Engineering, Commerce and Mathematics, but there was no full-time support organization for computing until 1965, when an IBM 7040 ‘mainframe’ was purchased with funding assistance from the National Research Council (NRC). The NRC at that time had a one-time program to ‘kick-start’ computing capacity and usage at Canadian universities, and for the U of S, this resulted in the acquisition of the IBM 7040, a significant step up from the model 1620. Along with the facility, the Department of Computing Services was created under its first manager, Glenn W. Peardon (1928-2018). The 7040 was installed in July 1965, also in the Engineering building. The 1620 was retired in October of that year. Only a little over a year later the demands for computing were exceeding the capacity of the 7040, and an IBM 1401 was added to handle more work. In June 1967 it was proposed that a new machine be obtained, an IBM 360 Model 50. This was a mid-sized mainframe of that era and was expected to provide sufficient capacity until October 1968. It was installed in a new location in room 70 Arts Building, and although it was expected to be in service for only one year, it was still in place by July 1970.
Under the headship of Dr. Blaine Holmlund (1930-2006), the Department of Computational Science was established in 1967, and first offered classes in 1968. The computer support staff consisted of 22 operators, programmers and analysts. It was initially created as a department of the whole university, i.e., it did not belong to a particular college, as it was felt that it would have strong programs in all of Engineering, Arts and Science and Commerce. It did not join up with a college until many years later. The July 1970 purchase of the Hewlett Packard 2000A time-sharing system, which was a minicomputer capable of handling up to 16 simultaneous users (later expanded to 32). In October 1971 the Computer Advisory Committee in Saskatoon received a recommendation from the Universities Study Group (that had responsibility to the University as a whole), that the campus needs could best be handled by acquiring both an IBM 370/155 and a DECsystem 10. In 1973 the university installed a DECsystem 2050, its first time-sharing system. It served up to 32 simultaneous users, and was programmed in BASIC. In 1974 the department was renamed the Department of Academic and Computing Services. The DECsystem 2050 was installed in early 1979 and was upgraded to a 2060 in 1980. This system was called DEUS, for Data Entry, University of Saskatchewan; it consisted of a DEC PDP-11/70 minicomputer and 44 CRT stations in room 145 Arts. Following its installation, there was a rapid growth in its use, as the needs first expressed in 1970 were finally met with some adequate functionality in 1979. The DECsystem 2050 was upgraded to a 2060 in 1980.

An unidentified man works at a HOTT system keypunch; blackboard visible in background.

A man operates an IBM 1620 computer, installed in the Engineering Building in 1963.

Bio/Historical Note: "An IBM 1620 computer was purchased in 1963 for the special university price of $89,120. Soon after, as well as the previous instructional and research uses, the administration began taking advantage of the Computation Centre, with the introduction of preparing payroll "by IBM punched cards." Taken from: The First Decade of Computing at the U of S, by Tim Hutchinson; published in On Campus News, November 26, 1999; Volume 7, Number 7.

Note on back: "A multi-million dollar agreement with government and industry (Digital Equipment of Canada Ltd.) will enable the University to take a major step toward eeting its long-term computing needs. Robert N. Kavanagh (left), Associate Professor of Computational Science, and Director, Academic Computing Services; Dr. Blaine A. Holmlund, vice-president, Special Projects, and Professor of Computational Science; and Joseph F. Angel, Professor of Biochemistry, look at print-out from a computer".

L. Adimychuk standing at the computer watching the printer machine.

Dr. Rick Bunt, professor and dean of Computer Science (standing at far left) with staff.

Members of Crop Science hockey team that won an unidentified championship. Members: Bruce Hodgins, Mike Morrow, Wayne Goerzen, Steve Piche, Mike Robinson, Don Martens, Dallas Kessler, Keon Sproule, Marty Erlandson, Garry Jones, Bohdan Pylypec, Gary Entwistle, Dave Mandzuk, Rick Schryer, Trent Bollinger.

Bio/historical note: Appeared in 9 Apr. 1998 issue of OCN.

Note on back: "Prof. Ken Kirkland (left), of the Crop Science Department, and Bill Cooper, a director of the Rapeseed Growers' Association of Sask., discuss the operation of a specially developed research sprayer. Built in the Crop Science Department and Crop Development Centre, the sprayer ensures precisely controlled applications of herbicides to University research plots".

Prof. C. Jenkins and students of the Masters class are standing in a group and consulting. Scene is inside the plant breeding greenhouse. Students are E.O. Kenaschuk, C. Hayes, J.B. Goplin, K. Clark.

View of Crop Science Building.

View of Crop Science Building before construction of the north addition.