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Victoria University (Toronto, Ont.). President's Office fonds
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Victoria University (Toronto, Ont.). President's Office fonds

  • CA ON00357 2021
  • Fonds
  • 1897-2022

Fonds includes records from the terms of:
Nathanael Burwash (1887-1913), Richard P. Bowles (1913-1930), Edward Wilson Wallace (1930-1941), Walter Theodore Brown (1941–1949), Harold Bennett (1949-1950), A. B. B. Moore (1950-1970), John Edwin Hodgetts (1970-1973), Goldwin S. French (1973-1987), Eva Kushner (1987-1994), Roseann Runte (1994-2001), and Paul Gooch (2001-2015).

It consists of the following series:
General correspondence, 1907-2005; General subject files, 1897-1970; Records relating to the Board of Regents, 1912-2008; Records relating to the Senate, 1954-2008; Records relating to the Victoria College Council, 1928-2008; Records relating to the academic administration, 1915-2013; Records relating to the financial administration, 1905-2000; Records relating to awards, 1918-2005; Records relating to student assistance, 1916-1976; Records relating to students, 1915-2007; Records relating to alumni, 1928-2008; Records relating to functions, 1913-2010; Records relating to the University of Toronto, 1929-2011; Records relating to the United Church of Canada, 1928-2001; Records relating to gifts, 1897-1973; Records relating to the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, 1981-2006; Records relating to fund raising, 1974-2008; Records relating to Emmanuel College, 1968-2008; Records relating to Victoria College, 1975-2012; Records relating to Victoria University, 1968-2008; Records related to the Chancellor and Chancellor's Council of Victoria University; and Records relating to Senior Administrative Meetings (SAM), 2001-2007.

Victoria University (Toronto, Ont.). President's Office

Records relating to functions

Series consists of correspondence, minutes, citations, addresses and other records, 1913-2022, relating to functions and events such as public lectures including the Davey Lectures and Ide Lectures, convocations and honorary degree ceremonies, centenary celebrations, honorary dinners, openings, events held at the Bader Theatre, and installations of Principals, Presidents and Chancellors.

General correspondence of Nathanael Burwash

This series consists of a copybook of Burwash's outgoing correspondence arranged chronologically and indexed by surname of correspondent at the beginning of the volume. The letters deal with a variety of financial and academic matters relating to Victoria University, most notably the raising of funds for the new Birge-Carnegie Library.

General correspondence

Series consists of general correspondence in the following subseries:
Nathanael Burwash, 1907-1912
Richard P. Bowles, 1913-1930
Edward Wilson Wallace, 1930-1940
Walter T. Brown, 1941-1948
Walter T. Brown and Harold Bennett, 19491950
A.B.B. Moore, 1956-1963
A.B.B. Moore, John E. Hodgetts, Goldwin S. French, and Eva Kushner, 1963-1991
Eva Kushner and Roseann Runte, 1987-1999
Roseann Runte, 1999-2001
Paul Gooch, 2001-2009

General correspondence of Richard P. Bowles

The letters in this series touch upon virtually every aspect of university life and illustrate the wide-ranging nature of the President's duties during this era. In addition to being concerned with financial and administrative matters such as the sale and rental of property, the creation and maintenance of physical plant, staff appointments and salaries, scholarships and bursaries, changes in the internal governing structure of the University and, of course, fund-raising during a time of economic stringency, Richard Bowles was responsible for both the creation and implementation of educational policy in light of Victoria's on-going relationships with the United Church of Canada and the University of Toronto. There is considerable material relating to curriculum, especially the shape of theological education.

While Bowles provided strong leadership to the Victoria community, he was sometimes frustrated by the demands of his office: "'The more I write theology and read books, the bigger the grudge I develop toward executive and administrative duties of the kind which necessarily fall upon the President of this institution.'" [Sissons, 295] Yet, despite rising enrolment figures, one cannot help but be struck by the intimacy which still characterized the President's relationship with Victoria students and alumni. Bowles frequently gave both personal and academic advice to students and wrote detailed and knowledgeable letters of recommendation for graduates. While both the First World War and Church Union are referred to in the letters in this series, the tremendous impact of these two events on life at Victoria does not emerge as clearly as one might have expected.

General correspondence of Edward Wilson Wallace

The subject matter of the letters in this series reflects both the administrative and ceremonial duties performed by Wallace in his dual role as President and Chancellor.

It was during Wallace's tenure that the daily administration of Victoria and Emmanuel Colleges became the province of their Principals (called Deans between 1944 and 1951), leaving the President responsible for "general oversight with special emphasis on finance and relations with the Church and the public." [Sissons, 307] The financial difficulties engendered by the depression are manifestly evident in the correspondence--in terms of both long-range planning and the daily running of the University. Letters deal with property, salaries, appointments, curriculum, the granting of honorary degrees, scholarships and bursaries, convocations, and other functions of both a social and academic nature, the nature of Victoria's relationship with the United Church, the University of Toronto and other educational and church-related institutions.

Like Bowles' correspondence, Wallace's letters demonstrate a strong personal commitment to the students at Victoria--letters of advice and recommendation are common. Again, the letters provide considerable insight into the spiritual, educational and philosophical views of the President. Because Wallace had spent twenty-three years in missionary and educational work in China before taking on the Presidency, the series contains a great deal of material relating to overseas missions, particularly the West China Union University. Wallace's term was plagued by his ill-health: in 1933 he developed cancer and was forced to take an extended leave; a recurrence of the disease in 1940 led to a second leave and his resignation the following year.

During both these periods, his duties were assumed by the Principal of Victoria College, Walter T. Brown. As a result, some correspondence relating to the President's Office for 1939-1940 is located with the correspondence of the Victoria College Principal, 1932-1941 (Accession No. 1987.067V).

General correspondence of Walter T. Brown

While it contains material very similar to that found in the general correspondence files of Brown's predecessors, the series is smaller in size than the previous two, reflecting the fact that the bulk of Brown's correspondence is to be found in the general and specialized subject files which form separate series. The letters discuss fund-raising and finances, as well as more academic matters such as appointments and curriculum. Under the Victoria University Act of 1944, the offices of President and Chancellor were separated for the first time since 1884, reflecting the increasingly onerous administrative duties of the President. Brown and his successors as President relinquished some of their ceremonial functions in favour of the title of Vice-Chancellor. Brown's presidency was ground-breaking in another sense as well: although trained in theology, he was the first layman to hold the position. Victoria's relationship with the United Church, nevertheless, continued to be of vital importance. Brown's term of office was a stressful one, encompassing as it did severe financial deficits requiring careful economy and aggressive fund-raising, the disruption of the Second World War, and then the strain placed upon Victoria's physical and human resources by booming enrollment in the immediate post-war years. Despite these heavy demands, Brown continued the policy of his predecessors in becoming personally acquainted with every student at Victoria and Emmanuel.

Records relate to fund raising, finances, curriculum, appointments, and the disruption of the Second World War

General correspondence of Walter T. Brown and Harold Bennett

Sub series consists of correspondence, 1949–1950, which deals with a range of academic and administrative matters, and includes material relating to the illness of Walter T. Brown, which led to Harold Bennett acting on an interim basis as President.

A severe cerebral hemorrhage in January 1949 so impaired Brown's general health and, specifically, his power of speech that he was unable to perform his duties and consequently retired at the end of June. Until the appointment of a new President in 1950, the office was held on an acting basis by Harold Bennett, then Dean of Victoria College. The series, while very small, resembles the general correspondence of other Presidents in the range of its subject matter, with the addition that much of it deals with Brown's illness.

General correspondence of A.B.B. Moore

Sub series consists of correspondence, 1956–1963, which includes letters of recommendation for Victoria students and graduates, personal letters, and invitations.

Unfortunately, Moore's general correspondence files for the years from 1950 to 1955 and from 1964 to 1970 are not in this series; this gap is somewhat compensated for by the fact that the bulk of the correspondence generated during Moore's term of office was stored in the general and specific subject files which form separate series. Perhaps because of the more specialized filing system, most of the letters in this series are somewhat more personal in nature than was the case in the general correspondence of Moore's predecessors. The correspondence consists largely of letters of recommendation for Victoria students and graduates; inquiries regarding admission or funding; letters to parents, personal friends, university officials and ministers; invitations to university or church-related events; requests for names of suitable candidates for ministerial and academic postings. Moore's interest in overseas missions is also apparent.

General correspondence of A.B.B. Moore, John E. Hodgetts, Goldwin S. French, and Eva Kushner

Sub series consists of correspondence, 1963–1991, predominantly from the term of Goldwin S. French (1973–1987), including personal letters, letters of recommendation, invitations, and correspondence re miscellaneous issues and events. Includes general correspondence of A.B.B. Moore, John E. Hodgetts, Goldwin S. French, and Eva Kushner.

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