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Ian W. Brown fonds

Description
Start Date: 
1854
End Date: 
2008
Date Range: 
1854-2012; predominant 1950-2012
Creator: 

Brown, Ian W., 1932-2015

Physical Description: 

.40 m of textual records; 12 photographs

Arrangement: 
Fonds is arranged in subject files.
History Biographical: 

Ian Wilson Brown (1932-2015) was born on January 29, 1932 in Montreal, Quebec. He took his first two degrees, BA (Hist), 1953 and MA (Hist), 1959, at McGill University and his PhD (History) at Lehigh University in 1965. Brown taught History at Prince of Wales College, Prince Edward Island (now the University of Prince Edward Island) and served as its Chair of the Social Sciences Division until 1968. Brown served as Acting Principal at Algoma University College (AUC) for five years (1968-1973) and taught History at AUC until his retirement in 1990.

Brown was instrumental in moving AUC from its first site at Sault College (then known as Cambrian College) to its current site on Queen Street East. He sent countless letters to the Provincial Government and the ministry agitating for the former Shingwauk Indian Residential School site, after the residential school closed its doors in 1970. In 1971, thanks in part to his efforts, Algoma University College secured the location.

During his tenure as Principal of AUC, Dr. Brown also helped create the tradition of Homecoming. In its earliest years, Homecoming was scheduled between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The first Homecoming was held on December 28, 1969, coinciding with the beginning of his time as Principal. His tenure also coincided with the first-ever graduating class. Brown also was instrumental in securing second- and third-year programming for Algoma University College in May of 1971, which allowed Algoma University College to become a degree-granting institution in Bachelor of Arts programming. He also helped secure revenues for the construction of the East Wing, where the Wishart Library was once located.

Beloved by his peers and especially by his many students from Prince of Wales College and Algoma University College for both his administrative and teaching skills, "Doc Brown" has a classroom (East Wing 205) dedicated in his honour at Algoma University. Ian Brown passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2015, at Prince County Hospital, Summerside, Prince Edward Island,.

Scope Content: 

Fonds comprises records that document Brown's activities as a graduate student and as a member of Algoma University's faculty. Includes research materials and some drafts for various book length projects including "The Ermatinger Family of Sault Ste. Marie," "50 Years of Labour in Algoma," a "History of Science in Relation to the Development of Western Society", as well as his 1965 Lehigh University dissertation, "The Anglican Evangelicals in British Poltics, 1780-1833;" correspondence, course syllabi, quizzes, tests and exams, documentation for Brown's 1988 OCUFA Teaching Award, information concerning the closure of Prince of Wales College and its amalgamation into UPEI, as well as Brown's report to Frontier College on teaching English to displaced European war refugees in the early 1950s.

Repository: 
aua
Admin
Access Restriction: 

No restrictions on access. Researchers must sign an “Access and Use form”. Privacy legislation applies to access requests. For access, please contact the Library Director, Arthur A. Wishart Library for more information.

Repro Restriction: 

Permission of the donor is required for reproduction. Archives staff must make reproductions. Reproductions are dependent on the fragility of the originals. Researchers must adhere to applicable copyright law and privacy legislation and permission of the copyright holder is required to publish from the fonds. Contact the Library Director, Arthur A. Wishart Library for more information.

Conservation: 

Basic conservation performed.

Description Level: 
Geographic Access: