Readership Survey
Plaques offer self-guided tour of campus and insights into University's past
BY REBECCA KENDALL
As you walk down Winegard Walk past the buildings that have become campus landmarks, you might remember meals you've had at Creelman Hall or the day you arrived on campus and moved into Mills, but do you know who Creelman and Mills were? If you don't, you're not alone.
“The individuals whose names adorn buildings on campus have done remarkable things,” says three-time U of G chemistry graduate Martin Bosch, “but many of the people who've been connected to the University over the years don't know who those individuals were. I decided that needed to change.”
For the past eight years, Bosch has been working with Alumni Affairs and Development to develop the U of G Historical Plaque Project, a 27-stop self-guided campus tour that explains the significance of those individuals and their contributions to the University. The tour also includes a handful of buildings that don't bear anyone's name but are notable campus landmarks.
“U of G is a proud embodiment of its heritage,” says Joanne Shoveller, vice-president (alumni affairs and development). “The University's commitment to community, to the individual and to innovation is due to the foundation that was set through the building of the campus and its academic leadership. This tour that Martin has spearheaded provides a visible, continuous reminder of the spirit on which this University was built and challenges students, alumni, staff and faculty to carry these values forward with passion and vision. We are grateful to Martin for his dedication and commitment.”
The tour, which will be available in a web-based version on the U of G website beginning June 25, starts between Creelman Hall and Johnston Hall with a plaque that describes the founding of U of G. From there, people can take in as much of the tour as they like, says Bosch, who notes that it takes between two and three hours to hit all 27 sites.
“It takes time, but it's well worth it. This campus has some really interesting stories. U of G is steeped in history. We've been here since 1874, and by learning about the remarkable people who helped bring U of G to the place it is now, we get a heightened understanding of those who came before us and the legacy they've left.”
Mills Hall is named for James Mills, the first president of the Ontario Agricultural College, who negotiated degree-granting status with the University of Toronto in 1888. He also launched the Farmers' Institutes of Ontario as an experiment in adult extension education and orchestrated the establishment of Macdonald Institute, the province's first college for women.
In 1892, his eldest daughter married George Creelman, who succeeded his father-in-law as president of OAC from 1904 to 1920. Creelman oversaw reorganization of the college staff and curriculum and ushered in a new era of specialization and research that more accurately reflected Ontario's needs.
He also championed the growth and work of the Ontario Women's Institutes and encouraged students and faculty to participate in international agriculture competitions and academic exchanges.
The President's House, which is now located north of College Avenue, was originally built on the site of Creelman Hall. The house was moved in 1912 using blocks, rails, skids, cables and three teams of horses, with the furniture and dishes still in place, to make way for Creelman Hall.
“Not a dish was cracked, and the pendulum clock in the living room wall never missed a beat during the move,” reads the plaque that stands near the walkway to the house, which had been the home of the professor of agriculture since 1882.
As a condition of his employment, George Irving Christie was the first president to live there. “Before that, all the presidents and their wives and children lived in an apartment in Johnston Hall,” says Bosch.
Those are just a few examples of the many interesting bits of campus history to be learned on the tour, he says, adding that Drew Hall, Raithby House, Watson Hall, the Hoodless Gardens and the MacLachlan Building are also among the stops.
“This project has been years in the making, and I hope people take the opportunity to stop by or go online to learn a little something about this great campus and the remarkable people who helped create this amazing institution. It's a unique way to say ‘thanks' and to keep their spirits alive.”
