Fonds consists of largely off-prints and clippings of articles on education and politics, particularly in relation to Poland (1916-1932). There are also printed copies of testimonials for his applications for the chairs of philosophy at Aberdeen (1900) and St. Andrew's (1903), an annotated programme for the London Conference on Re-Affirming the World's Moral Ideal (1922), at which he represented Canada, and a poster for his 1896 Shaw Lecture at Edinburgh, on Schopenhauer.
Three scrapbooks document Birks' involvement with McGill, particularly with the Theological Colleges and the Faculty of Divinity. One contains newspaper clippings and correspondence (1912-1913) concerning the United College of Theology. The second scrapbook contains newspaper clippings and correspondence (1912-1948) on the establishment of the Faculty of Divinity at McGill. The third contains telegrams concerning the appointment of Sir Auckland Geddes as Principal in 1919, as well as newspaper clippings regarding the McGill Fund Campaign (1911) and the Patriotic Fund, (1914-1917). There is also correspondence about church matters and the Joint Theological Colleges and brief accounts of the establishment of the latter, correspondence, minutes, reports, reminiscences and notes document the establishment of the Faculty of Divinity in 1948. There is also a builder's contract and accounts for the Birks building on University Street and a draft fragment of a historical story or novel set in the 14th century about a Richard Birks.
This archive contains letters and copies of letters, from the Wisdom sisters to one another, describing their experiences at Royal Victoria College, 1900-1908. There is also a letter from Stephen Leacock, accepting an invitation to deliver an address, and two from Hilda Oakeley to Mrs. Wisdom. Programmes (particularly of R.V.C. plays and sports events), clippings, and photographs are also included. There are also course notes for C.W. Colby's Renaissance history and William Caldwell's history of modern philosophy.
The World War I Clippings Collection consists of approximately 635 newspaper clippings and articles related to the First World War. Most of the clippings in this collection consist of daily reporting on troop movements and events that occurred during World War I, with some editorial and commentary pieces. Also included are clippings of maps, most from unidentified newspapers, and clipped recruitment ads. Specific topics include the sinking of the Lusitania, McGill participation in the war, the siege of Przemysl, Canadian troop deployments and casualties, and the Pope. The majority of the clippings come from the Montreal Gazette (approximately 140 clippings) and the Philadelphia Public Ledger (approximately 120 clippings). Around 50 clippings are from the The Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia) and a handful are from The Times (London). Also included are some articles from the D. A. W. War Tracts (numbers 5-7), Berlin, and the Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin (New York). The fonds also contains a copy of the War Gazetteer, compiled by Charles McD. Puckette and Carrington Weems, issued by the New York Evening Post in 1914. The earliest article appears to be reporting on England's declaration of war on Germany, dated 5 August 1914.