1950
University History 1950s
The campus moves from Windsor Street to Robie Street on the former Enos Collins estate. Saint Mary's College becomes Saint Mary's University, and several new departments and faculties are added. The first women join the staff and begin to take part-time and evening classes.
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Look at covers of Saint Mary's publications from this time period. Visit the for many |
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March 30, 1951 |
Nov. 28, 1952 |
Feb. 12, 1958 |
Timeline:
1950
Reverend Frederick Lynch, S.J. is named President of Saint Mary's.
1950-1951
The Halifax School of Journalism (operated by Saint Mary's, Mount Saint Vincent University, King's College and four city dailies), offers Public Relations and Advertising courses to its curriculum.
1951
The College opens for Arts and Commerce students at the new McNally Building.
1951
The Arts Department obtains Faculty status.
1951
The Science Department obtains Faculty status.
1951
Non-credit courses for adults ("Adult Studies") begin.
1952
Relocation from the Windsor Street campus is complete, with the new McNally Building housing science, engineering and high school students; the high school occupied 3 rooms on the 2nd floor.
10 April, 1952
"An Act Respecting St. Mary's University" is passed in which the school is referred to as a University for the first time.
September 1952
Credit and non-credit evening classes are offered for male and female part-time students; Father William Stewart, S.J, teaches the first course.
19 November, 1952
Archbishop McNally dies.
1953
The Engineering Division is officially established.
2 February, 1954
Gerald Berry is installed as Archbishop.
September 1954
Enrolment climbs from 224 to 328. This is attributed to the post-war boon in Halifax, as well as the appeal of evening courses.
1956
Reverend Patrick Malone, S.J. is named President of Saint Mary's.
May 1956
Thomas More and Thomas Smith receive the first Masters of Social Work in a program offered between Saint Mary's and the Maritime School of Social Work.
1957
School of Education opens.
1957
Saint Mary's begins an affiliation with Ignatius College in Guelph and Regis College in Willowdale
1957
Mildred Harrington becomes the first woman ever appointed to the staff or faculty of a Jesuit school or university in Canada. She retires from the Saint Mary's faculty in 1972.
1957
The Faculty of Education opens.
1959
Very Reverend C.J. Fischer, S.J. is named President of Saint Mary's.
1959
The varsity sports teams change their name from Saints to Huskies.
1959
Saint Mary's acquires the Royal McBeeLGP-30 electronic digital computer - the first in Atlantic Canada - valued at $55,000.
200th Anniversary Oral History Interviews
Subject: Kevin J. Cleary
Interviewer: Angela Baker
File Size: 342k
Time: 1 minute 28 seconds
(note: audio player may open in new window)
Student Activities in 1952
"…the first year we didn't do a great deal of things because we didn't have any facilities…the gym wasn't finished, we used to play our basketball over at Saint Francis School. We used to swim up at Stadacona…and where the football field is, that was all woods or two beautiful fields...
"You had debating societies and things like that. The gym opened the next year, I guess, in '53, because then we rejuvenated our Drama Society. It was called the Play Shop…We played our hockey at the Forum…and the football was good, it was a good intramural football league because there was only the senior football and high school football, and the senior football was the Army, Navy, and Dalhousie, and that was it."
(Kevin J. Cleary, former Saint Mary's student and Secretary to the Senate. Recorded as part of the Summer Research Interviews, June 10, 1993. Archives Record 1999.21)
Student Council Events, 1957
"The Initiation Dance, sponsored by the Council, was a huge success. To celebrate the occasion of our football team winning the Maritime Junior Title, a victory dance was held. The annual outing was sponsored again this year by St. Mary's and Mount St. Vincent. Early in November the Council spearheaded an appeal for funds to assist those who suffered as a result of the Springhill Mine Disaster. The response to this appeal was very generous. The annual "Bring Christ Back to Christmas" campaign was conducted. The Council, in conjunction with the faculty, organized a Hungarian Relief Committee, and as a result two scholarships are being offered to Hungarian students to attend St. Mary's."
("Student Council", Santamarian Yearbook, 1957, p.50. Author uncredited.)