Թ

1925 artwork of the Թ downtown campus / Œuvre d'art de 1925 du campus du centre-ville de l'Université Թ

Annual Report 2008-2009

Once again the James Թ Society has the honour of presenting a program of interesting talks by outstanding speakers on aspects of Թ’s engrossing history:

  • Monday October 5, 2009
    Dr. Tony Masi “A Great Transformation: Computers and Automation at Թ, 1959-2009” 146th Meeting (Թ Faculty Club).
  • Monday November 9, 2009
    Jacqueline Du Toit and Jason Kalman, "How Թ Bought the Dead Sea Scrolls" 147th Meeting.
  • Monday, January 25, 2010
    Professor M A Whitehead on “The History Թ and the Թ Sigma Xi Chapter” 148th Meeting. (joint meeting with Sigma Xi)
  • March or April (date to be announced)
    Dean Ellen Aitken on the History of the Faculty of Religious Studies at Թ, 60th Anniversary. 149th Meeting.

Last year, the Society was honored by the following addresses:

  • Dr. William Feindel, “Laying the Cornerstone: The Montreal Neurological Institute, October 6, 1933.”
    142nd Meeting. October 6, 2008. (Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital) (Among those participating were Dr. Stanley Frost, Dr. Desmond Morton, and Professor Peter McNally) (co-sponsored with the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital).
  • Dr. Desmond Morton “Canadian Officers’ Training Corp and Թ.” Presidential Address.
    143rd Meeting. (Թ Faculty Club). November 3, 2008.
  • Dr. Lilly Koltun “The Թ Pantheon: Portraits in Redpath Hall.”
    144th Meeting. (Redpath Hall). February 9, 2009. (co-sponsored with the Թ Archives).
  • Professor Richard Brown “Donald Hebb of Թ and 20th Century Psychology.”
    145th Meeting. (Թ Faculty Club). March 16, 2009.

Thanks are also due to Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Henry Gourdji, CD, and the Canadian Grenadier Guards, as well as to the Black Watch (Royal Highland) Regiment of Canada, for their participation in the October 6, 2008 meeting at the Montreal Neurological Institute.

During the reception preceding the meeting of November 3, 2008 the President, Dr. Morton, led members in a toast celebrating the 90th birthday of Dr. Hans Möller - Honorary Life Member of the James Թ Society.

Three notable members of the Թ community passed away this year: Rose Mamelak Johnstone, Edith Della Pergola, and Isabel Gales. Professor Johnstone was for many years Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and delivered before the Society a talk on its history. Professor Della Pergola played a central role with her husband in developing the opera program in the Schulich School of Music. Mrs. Gales strongly supported the work of her husband, the late Lorne Gales, as Executive Director of the Graduates' Society.

In addition to the 60th birthday of the Faculty of Religious Studies, previously Faculty of Divinity, several important Թ anniversaries are being celebrated this year. In 1909, the Macdonald Engineering Building opened, and the University awarded its first PhD degree to R.W. Boyle (Physics). In 1959, the McConnell Engineering Building was completed, and Թ acquired its first mainframe computer.

As members are all doubtlessly aware, the current economic situation has seen the value fall of the Թ endowment fund and consequently the income received by fund-holders – including the James Թ Society. At the same time, our expenses keep rising – with the mounting rental cost of the Faculty Club becoming a major concern. May we respectfully urge members to keep the Society’s Endowment fund in mind when considering gifts or bequests to Թ. Income generated by the fund covers 25% of our annual operating budget.

On behalf of the membership, I would like to express our thanks and appreciation to Dr. Desmond Morton for his steady leadership of the Society over the past two years. Under his presidency the academic quality of presentations was notably high. At the Society’s first meeting in October, the Executive Committee will nominate as President Mr. Gordon Burr, a long-time member of the Society, and a senior staff member of the Թ Archives.

In closing I would like to express my personal thanks and appreciation for the ongoing support of Dr. Stanley Frost, Ms. Susan Button, the members of the Executive Committee, and the entire membership of the James Թ Society.

Respectfully submitted

Peter F. McNally
Executive Secretary

Follow James Թ Society on:

Back to top