McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Sir Arthur Currie Collection
Collection
m of textual records
Born in Napperton, Ontario, Arthur Currie went to British Columbia as a schoolteacher, but eventually became a businessman in Victoria. At the outbreak of World War I, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the militia, and commanded the Vancouver Highland Battalion in the First Canadian Contingent. Thus began a highly successful military career which culminated in 1917 with his succession of Sir Julian Byng as commander of the Canadian Corps. Currie was knighted by King George V on the battlefield in 1918. Upon his return to Canada in 1919, he was appointed inspector-general of the Canadian militia. In 1920 he became Principal of McGill, a position he held until his death in 1933.
The collection consists of a selection of records reflecting Sir Arthur Currie's tenure as Principal of McGill University from 1920 to 1933. His administration was marked by the establishment of the Faculty of Music, the School for Graduate Nurses, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Constructed during this period were Moyse Hall, the Roddick Gates, a Biology Building (now the F. Cyril James Administration Building), and additions to Royal Victoria College and Redpath Library. Currie died in office on 30 November 1933. His records form a part of the McGill University's executive and administrative records, RG2: Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor. The Principal is the academic head and chief administrative officer of the University. Under the original Charter of 1821, the Principal constituted with the Board of Governors and the Fellows (now the Senate) a body politic and corporate. Later amendments to the Charter and changes in the University statutes have not significantly altered the position of Principal. Ex officio, by virtue of his office, the Principal is also Vice-Chancellor of the University, a member of the Board of Governors and Chairman of the Senate. Frequently, it has been the Principal's vision and personality which have determined the course of McGill's development; therefore, the records not only document the administrative activities of the office, but also often reflect the character of the whole institution. Currie's records fall more or less into the three general series: external correspondence, internal administration and academic matters.
Within each series, the records are arranged, for the most part, in alphabetical order. A brief explanation of the filing system, prepared by the Principal's' Secretary, Dorothy McMurray, is available.
The collection has been digitized by Canadiana and can be searched (including full-text searching) through the database http://mcgillarchives.canadiana.ca/.
The complete finding aid for the administrative records of McGill University are available as volume one of the Guide to Archival Resources at McGill.