Head and shoulders image of Dr. Arthur S. Moxon, first professor of Classics.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Arthur S. Moxon was born in 1881 in Truro, Nova Scotia. He received a BA from Dalhousie University in 1906. He then attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, earning both a BA in jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Common Laws degree. Dr. Moxon was appointed professor of Classics for the new University of Saskatchewan in 1909 and was one of the five original faculty members. Dr. Moxon became a lecturer of Law in 1911 and was promoted to professor of Law in 1913. He was dean of Law from 1919-1929. Dr. Moxon was named King’s Counsel in 1927. He was with the law firm of McLean, Hollinrake and was estates manager of the National Trust Company before he became dean of Law. Dr. Moxon held many positions, including on the University Senate (1934-1937) and was a member of the Board of Governors (1937-1953), serving as chair for four of those years. In 1953 Dr. Moxon received an honourary Doctor of Civil Laws degree from the U of S. Dr. Moxon died in Saskatoon in 1963. He was the last survivor of the band of five pioneers who constituted the original faculty of the University: Bateman, Ling, Moxon, Murray and Oliver. At the time of his death he was University Solicitor. The College of Law Alumni Association established a scholarship fund in his honour for post-graduate study. Moxon Crescent in the Greystone Heights neighborhood of Saskatoon also honours him.

Image of the original architectural sketches of the "College of Agriculture" Building including finished building, viewed from the northwest, and landscaping.

Bio/Historical Note: Designated as a provincial heritage property in 1982 and as a National Historic Site in 2001, the University of Saskatchewan's first building has long served as the architectural, intellectual and emotional cornerstone of the campus. Designed by Brown and Vallance, the College Building was originally intended ultimately to house the College of Agriculture; but from the start, served numerous purposes. As early as April 1910, the floor plan included space for milk testing, butter making, cheese making, grain work; a gymnasium; several classrooms; offices for the registrar, dean of Agriculture, director of Extension, and president; the original "faculty club"; laboratories; the library; and quarters for the janitor. After a sod-turning ceremony on 4 May 1910, the cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier on 29 July 1910. It was constructed between 1910-1912 by Smith Bros. and Wilson general contractors. The building was officially opened by Walter Scott, Premier of Saskatchewan, on 1 May 1913. The College Building serves as a memorial to much of the university's history: numerous plaques to individuals and organizations can be found in its interior, including memorial ribbons honouring members of the university community who served in the First World War. In 1997 the university created "Nobel Plaza" in front of the College Building, honouring two Nobel Laureates associated with the University: Gerhard Herzberg and Henry Taube. As the university grew, the College Building gradually became the administrative centre for the university. By the 1950s most of the original teaching facilities were taken over by new or expanded offices including those of the registrar, controller, alumni and news services, and presidential staff. The building became known as the Administration Building at this point, and later the "old Administration Building" to distinguish it from the new wing. This expansion continued through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with the appointment of a university secretary and vice-presidents. While Convocation Hall became too small for regular Convocation ceremonies by 1930, it maintained its original, broader function as a venue for concerts, meetings, lectures, and other events. Parts of the building were declared to be unsafe in 1979, which led to the construction of the new wing of the Administration Building, opened in 1987. Most of the original building was closed, but Convocation Hall remained in use until 1997. The building was reopened and officially rededicated as the College Building in September 2005 after a major rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation was reported to be "one of the largest heritage conservation projects in Canada - second only to the work being done on Parliament Hill." In addition to senior administrative offices and Convocation Hall, it became home to the Museum of Antiquities and new gallery space for the University Art Collection. Upon completion in 2012 the University Board of Governors renamed the Administration Building the Peter MacKinnon Building, in honour of Peter MacKinnon, retiring University President and a driving force behind the project.

Image of a Doukhobor man and woman in their field with their dog and cows.

First floor of the College Building being poured; framing for second story underway.

Bio/Historical Note: Designated as a provincial heritage property in 1982 and as a National Historic Site in 2001, the University of Saskatchewan's first building has long served as the architectural, intellectual and emotional cornerstone of the campus. Designed by Brown and Vallance, the College Building was originally intended ultimately to house the College of Agriculture; but from the start, served numerous purposes. As early as April 1910, the floor plan included space for milk testing, butter making, cheese making, grain work; a gymnasium; several classrooms; offices for the registrar, dean of Agriculture, director of Extension, and president; the original "faculty club"; laboratories; the library; and quarters for the janitor. After a sod-turning ceremony on 4 May 1910, the cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier on 29 July 1910. It was constructed between 1910-1912 by Smith Bros. and Wilson general contractors. The building was officially opened by Walter Scott, Premier of Saskatchewan, on 1 May 1913. The College Building serves as a memorial to much of the university's history: numerous plaques to individuals and organizations can be found in its interior, including memorial ribbons honouring members of the university community who served in the First World War. In 1997 the university created "Nobel Plaza" in front of the College Building, honouring two Nobel Laureates associated with the University: Gerhard Herzberg and Henry Taube. As the university grew, the College Building gradually became the administrative centre for the university. By the 1950s most of the original teaching facilities were taken over by new or expanded offices including those of the registrar, controller, alumni and news services, and presidential staff. The building became known as the Administration Building at this point, and later the "old Administration Building" to distinguish it from the new wing. This expansion continued through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with the appointment of a university secretary and vice-presidents. While Convocation Hall became too small for regular Convocation ceremonies by 1930, it maintained its original, broader function as a venue for concerts, meetings, lectures, and other events. Parts of the building were declared to be unsafe in 1979, which led to the construction of the new wing of the Administration Building, opened in 1987. Most of the original building was closed, but Convocation Hall remained in use until 1997. The building was reopened and officially rededicated as the College Building in September 2005 after a major rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation was reported to be "one of the largest heritage conservation projects in Canada - second only to the work being done on Parliament Hill." In addition to senior administrative offices and Convocation Hall, it became home to the Museum of Antiquities and new gallery space for the University Art Collection. Upon completion in 2012 the University Board of Governors renamed the Administration Building the Peter MacKinnon Building, in honour of Peter MacKinnon, retiring University President and a driving force behind the project.

Head and shoulders image of F. Hedley Auld, Director of Extension.

Bio/Historical Note: Francis Hedley Auld was born in 1881 in Prince Edward Island and attended Prince of Wales College at Charlottetown. Upon graduation in 1899, he taught public school briefly. In 1902 Auld moved to western Canada, intending to settle in Edmonton, Alberta. He visited his brother who taught in Abernethy, Saskatchewan, and met the Honourable William R. Motherwell. A general store job did not last long, as Motherwell secured employment for him in the provincial government's Dairy Branch. Auld was the first director of Extension at the University of Saskatchewan (1910–1912). On 31 January 1911 Auld met with 42 women in Regina, and the Saskatchewan Homemakers clubs were initiated. These clubs provided networking on homemaking, temperance issues, gardening, health, and poultry raising. Auld returned to the province's civil service in 1914, rejoining the Provincial Department of Agriculture. In 1916 Auld became Deputy Minister of Agriculture, serving until 1946. He was elected to the University of Saskatchewan Senate in 1944. He became the fifth Chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan from 1947-1965. From 1950-1951 Auld was Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Past Grand Masters. Auld was also a member of the Board of Governors of St. Andrew's College. In 1936 an honourary Doctor of Laws degree was awarded to Auld by the U of S. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), was awarded to Auld in 1946. Auld died on 15 February 1967 at age 95. In 1973 he was inducted posthumously into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Four men standing in a field, possibly a construction site [on campus]; buildings, trees, horses, and people in background.

Three men standing by a horse-drawn cart on the construction site for Power House.

Bio/Historical Note: Excavation for the Power House was completed in May 1910, and the building itself was completed in 1912 at a cost of $118,000. It was built quickly so that it could provide heat to the other buildings under construction, allowing work to continue throughout the winter months. The building was constructed of red brick in keeping with the architecture of the neighbouring Engineering Building. A spur track was laid to the building so coal could be dumped from railcars into pockets in the ground near the boilers. A steam tunnel measuring six feet wide by seven feet high was built from the Power House to the College Building. From this main branch lateral branches ran to the Engineering Building and to the Livestock Pavilion, and from the south end of the College Building to the Residence, later named Saskatchewan Hall. These tunnels carried steam mains, return pipes, hot and cold water pipes and electric cables to the various buildings. An addition to the Power House was completed in 1923 by Smith Brothers Construction for $58,300. As part of the project two coal chutes were installed at a cost of $35 each. The addition featured a new concrete foundation and reinforced slabs, solid brick walls and partitions, a metal sash and skylights made with wired glass, and a tar and gravel roof. A contract was awarded to Shannon Brothers Construction on 3 September 1930 to perform alterations to the Power House for a sum of $21,849. The alterations were completed by New Year’s Eve of that year for $23,073.36. The Power House was demolished in 1977.

A group of men and a woman sitting at a dining table set with a teapot and other dinnerware. From back of photo: "A corner of the dining hall. Rev. J.T. Tuckey, Miss Tuckey and students, 1910".

Reverend E.A. Henry, BA, member of first University Senate, 1907-1908.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. George H. Ling, first professor of Mathematics, and first dean of Arts and Science from 1909-1939.

Bio/Historical Note: George Herbert Ling (1874-1942) was born in Wallacetown, Ontario and obtained BA, (Toronto), PhD (Columbia), and ad eundem (Saskatchewan) degrees. He was the lone professor of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Saskatchewan from 1910-1915. During this time he also took on secretarial duties. Ling was Dean of the College of Arts & Science from 1912-1939, director of summer school from 1919-1937, and remained with the mathematics department until 1939. Ling also served as Acting President of the University in 1919-1920. He helped make the summer school one of the best in Canada. Ling taught in summer sessions at Columbia, Cincinnati, New York, and California. He served as a Chairman of the Saskatchewan Educational Council, and was a member of many academic societies American Mathematical Society, Mathematical Association of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science. Ling co-wrote a book on projective geometry, and contributed to scholastic journals. Well respected and much loved by students and associates, Ling believed that the Faculty of Arts & Science was the root of any university, and strived to strengthen these roots. Ling retired in 1938 was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree by the University in 1939. Ling died in Toronto in 1942.

Head and shoulders image of Duncan P. McColl, first University Registrar.

Bio/Historical Note: The first University employee was Duncan P. McColl, Registrar. This was one of two administrative positions named in the University Act of 1907. The other was President, which would not be filled for another year. McColl had been appointed Deputy Minister of Education in 1905 and would remain so until 1912. When he was named Registrar, the university was a concept — there were no buildings, faculty or staff. McColl was seen as an able administrator and quickly began the work of establishing convocation. This, in turn, elected the Senate which would create the Board of Governors. McColl resigned as Registrar in 1914 and was immediately named Secretary of the Board, where he served for another two decades. McColl was awarded an honourary degree from the U of S in 1928. Duncan McColl died in Vancouver in 1949.

Oval-shaped head and shoulders image of Douglas J. Thom, Regina lawyer and member of University Senate.

Bio/Historical Note: Douglas J. Thom was born in 1879 and educated in Ontario. He received his BA from the University of Toronto and studied law at Osgoode Hall. Thom was admitted to the bar in 1903 and was appointed King's Counsel in 1917. He served on the Regina Collegiate Board from 1913-1926 and was a member of the Board of Governors of Regina College from 1910-1934. He was president of the Civic Relief Fund and the first president of the Regina Community Chest. Thom was author of The Canadian Torrens System, a treatise which has since become a standard text in law libraries across Canada. A high school in Regina was named “Thom Collegiate” in 1963. Douglas Thom died in 1964.

Image showing the first sod turning for the College Building on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Dignitaries in attendance: E.L. Wetmore, University Chancellor; Archibald P. McNab, Thomas Edwin Perrett, James Clinkskill, Walter C. Murray, University President; George H. Ling, W.J. Bell, Augustus H. Ball, Joseph Wright Sifton, Ethan B. Hutcherson, William Rolston Sparling, Rev. Colin G. Young, A.H. Smith, Alexander R. Greig.

Bio/Historical Note: Designated as a provincial heritage property in 1982 and as a National Historic Site in 2001, the University of Saskatchewan's first building has long served as the architectural, intellectual and emotional cornerstone of the campus. Designed by Brown and Vallance, the College Building was originally intended ultimately to house the College of Agriculture; but from the start, served numerous purposes. As early as April 1910, the floor plan included space for milk testing, butter making, cheese making, grain work; a gymnasium; several classrooms; offices for the Registrar, Dean of Agriculture, Director of Extension, and President; the original "faculty club"; laboratories; the library; and quarters for the janitor. After a sod-turning ceremony on 4 May 1910, the cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier on 29 July 1910. It was constructed between 1910-1912 by Smith Bros. and Wilson general contractors. The building was officially opened by Walter Scott, Premier of Saskatchewan, on 1 May 1913. The College Building serves as a memorial to much of the university's history: numerous plaques to individuals and organizations can be found in its interior, including memorial ribbons honouring members of the university community who served in the First World War. In 1997 the university created "Nobel Plaza" in front of the College Building, honouring two Nobel Laureates associated with the University: Gerhard Herzberg and Henry Taube. As the university grew, the College Building gradually became the administrative centre for the university. By the 1950s most of the original teaching facilities were taken over by new or expanded offices including those of the registrar, controller, alumni and news services, and presidential staff. The building became known as the Administration Building at this point, and later the "old Administration Building" to distinguish it from the new wing. This expansion continued through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with the appointment of a university secretary and vice-presidents. While Convocation Hall became too small for regular Convocation ceremonies by 1930, it maintained its original, broader function as a venue for concerts, meetings, lectures, and other events. Parts of the building were declared to be unsafe in 1979, which led to the construction of the new wing of the Administration Building, opened in 1987. Most of the original building was closed, but Convocation Hall remained in use until 1997. The building was reopened and officially rededicated as the College Building in September 2005 after a major rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation was reported to be "one of the largest heritage conservation projects in Canada - second only to the work being done on Parliament Hill." In addition to senior administrative offices and Convocation Hall, it became home to the Museum of Antiquities and new gallery space for the University Art Collection. Upon completion in 2012 the University Board of Governors renamed the Administration Building the Peter MacKinnon Building, in honour of Peter MacKinnon, retiring University President and a driving force behind the project.

Eleven two-horse teams hitched to ploughs break the sod as work commences on construction of the College Building.

Bio/Historical Note: Designated as a provincial heritage property in 1982 and as a National Historic Site in 2001, the University of Saskatchewan's first building has long served as the architectural, intellectual and emotional cornerstone of the campus. Designed by Brown and Vallance, the College Building was originally intended ultimately to house the College of Agriculture; but from the start, served numerous purposes. As early as April 1910, the floor plan included space for milk testing, butter making, cheese making, grain work; a gymnasium; several classrooms; offices for the registrar, dean of Agriculture, director of Extension, and president; the original "faculty club"; laboratories; the library; and quarters for the janitor. After a sod-turning ceremony on 4 May 1910, the cornerstone was laid by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier on 29 July 1910. It was constructed between 1910-1912 by Smith Bros. and Wilson general contractors. The building was officially opened by Walter Scott, Premier of Saskatchewan, on 1 May 1913. The College Building serves as a memorial to much of the university's history: numerous plaques to individuals and organizations can be found in its interior, including memorial ribbons honouring members of the university community who served in the First World War. In 1997 the university created "Nobel Plaza" in front of the College Building, honouring two Nobel Laureates associated with the University: Gerhard Herzberg and Henry Taube. As the university grew, the College Building gradually became the administrative centre for the university. By the 1950s most of the original teaching facilities were taken over by new or expanded offices including those of the registrar, controller, alumni and news services, and presidential staff. The building became known as the Administration Building at this point, and later the "old Administration Building" to distinguish it from the new wing. This expansion continued through the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with the appointment of a university secretary and vice-presidents. While Convocation Hall became too small for regular Convocation ceremonies by 1930, it maintained its original, broader function as a venue for concerts, meetings, lectures, and other events. Parts of the building were declared to be unsafe in 1979, which led to the construction of the new wing of the Administration Building, opened in 1987. Most of the original building was closed, but Convocation Hall remained in use until 1997. The building was reopened and officially rededicated as the College Building in September 2005 after a major rehabilitation project. The rehabilitation was reported to be "one of the largest heritage conservation projects in Canada - second only to the work being done on Parliament Hill." In addition to senior administrative offices and Convocation Hall, it became home to the Museum of Antiquities and new gallery space for the University Art Collection. Upon completion in 2012 the University Board of Governors renamed the Administration Building the Peter MacKinnon Building, in honour of Peter MacKinnon, retiring University President and a driving force behind the project.