New Homepage Design Launched
(December 18, 2002)

With the new year fast approaching, the University Archives has re-designed its homepage, focusing on improving access to the site's main sections as well as to resources in high public demand.

"Sprucing up a website, by either improving navigation or creating new graphics, is integral to this kind of medium," explains Webmaster David Kemper, adding that the new homepage has a streamlined navigation and more room to showcase materials from the University Archives' holdings.

The McGill Daily, that steadfast student newspaper, celebrated its 90th birthday in 2001. As a way to commemorate and promote the event, McGill Daily Commentary Editor Ian McKellar (U3 History) spent several weeks at the University Archives searching for material and putting them together to create an exhibit that highlights several pivotal moments in the Daily's long history. The exhibit, which is located just outside the Univesity Archives' main office (McLennan Library Building, Ground Floor, MS-60), combines photographs, editor's notes, and other Daily memorabilia to showcase the following "eras":

• Founding Years: A Campus "Boost" -- examines the role the Daily played in reporting campus news and events and boosting university spirit.
• Finding a Voice: Boosting Political Commentary -- examines the political commentary and reflection that solidified the Daily.
• The Modern Daily (1980s-) -- examines the Daily's evolution thoughtout the 80s and 90s.

More digitized images have been added to the University Archives' Photo Collection database, bringing the total amount of searchable photographs to over 9000 images. The new images include photographs taken from early to mid 20th century.

This on-going digitization project aims to preserve and improve access to the Archives' vast collection of historical photographs.

Search the photo collection.

The University Archives has added three new databases to its list of searchable databases. The three databases represent collections that are held by the University Archives.

• Visual Arts of the Archives - a collection of visual arts material belonging to the University Archives
• McGill Architectural Plans - a collection of architectural plans associated with McGill University
• Medals & Artifacts - a collection of unique medals and artifacts

McGill Daily October 2, 1919	McGill Daily February 19, 1943
Preview Image -  (3.7 x 5 @ 15KB) Large JPEG -  (8.5 x 11.3 @ 344KB)	Preview Image -  (3.7 x 5 @ 18KB) Large JPEG -  (8.5 x 11.3 @ 362KB)

photo by Owen Egan

The items on display will all be McGill memorabilia and though it's unlikely anyone will remember wearing the 1903 Royal Victoria College linen shirt, no doubt those who go for a glimpse will find something to evoke distant and recent memories. The goods include photos, clothing, sports pennants and theatre posters. Although we all know who the big figures of McGill were and what they thought, Burr says, "we don't have a lot of material documenting student life. What were the dances like in the '20s? Or the demos of the '60s?" Burr's favourite item is a "McGill Français" picket sign from the spirited '69 demo.

Burr appeals for donations from students of all eras -- he contacted Michal Zilberman, the playwright of "Gotta Luv McGill" from this year's McGill Drama Festival, for a copy of the script.

Clothing is difficult to find, but Burr has some stylish items for viewing. A 1912 Scarlet Key sweater. A snappy white wool women's jacket with red trim from the '40s. Peggy-Jean Rose's 1923 sports tunic from McGill's school of physical education. A '20s white-striped green dress from Macdonald College's school of household sciences. And a hip '70s "Dewey or don't we" library school tee (as in Dewey decimal system).

There are sobering reminders of the Great War, probably the most important external event to McGill students ever, Burr says. One 1917 poster calls for recruits for Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry -- joiners must be at least 5'4" and can earn $1.50 a day if they make sergeant.

In "Old McGill" yearbooks you learn of the Glee and Banjo club, see saucy pics of '30s gals in towels, and read about the harvesting efforts of '43. Because the war caused a shortage of farm lads, harvesting trains would take students out west to pitch in.