荔枝视频

When the 荔枝视频 officially became an autonomous institution in 1966, it marked the end of a long journey 鈥� and the beginning of a bold new era.

But U荔枝视频 didn鈥檛 become independent overnight. The story of the university鈥檚 independence stretches back decades before that landmark year.

We sat down with Curtis Frederick, a university records archivist within team, to explore the milestones, memories and little-known details behind one of the city鈥檚 defining moments in higher education: the creation of a university.

Community pride and persistence

Frederick says the push for a university in 荔枝视频 dates back to the province鈥檚 founding.

鈥淲hen Edmonton was named the capital in 1905, many Calgarians thought the university would come here,鈥� Frederick says with a smile.

鈥淧remier Alexander Rutherford promised it would be south of the North Saskatchewan River 鈥� and technically it was, in Strathcona, which didn鈥檛 make 荔枝视频 very happy.鈥�

Even after that disappointment, Calgarians kept the dream alive.

鈥淭he university traces its roots back to the Alberta Normal School that was founded in 1905 to train teachers,鈥� Frederick says. 鈥淚t started in the McDougall Centre downtown before moving to the SAIT campus in 1922.鈥�

But there was a desire early on for a local post-secondary school that covered a much wider field.

鈥淚n 1910, citizens tried to start a private institution called 荔枝视频 College. They raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and even secured land,鈥� Frederick recounts, adding that at one point, the school was even unofficially dubbed "The 荔枝视频."

鈥淏ut, when the province refused to grant it the power to award degrees, the college eventually closed during the First World War.鈥�

Before autonomy: a branch in bloom

Before autonomy, 荔枝视频鈥檚 post-secondary story was one of slow, but steady growth. 

In lieu of a full local university, a branch of the University of Alberta operated here instead. 

For many years, students in 荔枝视频 could only complete the first portions of their degrees locally. 

鈥淵ou had to go to Edmonton to finish your final years at the University of Alberta,鈥� says Frederick. 

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until the early 1960s that students could complete full degree programs here.鈥�

The push for independence

The path to autonomy was gradual and fuelled by determination. 

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 a single event 鈥� it was a movement that built over time,鈥� says Frederick.

Key milestones include:

• 1947: Dr. A.L. Doucette becomes the first director of the 荔枝视频 Branch of the University of Alberta.
• 1951: A citizen-led 荔枝视频 University Committee begins lobbying for autonomy.
• 1960: The new campus officially opens under Principal Malcolm G. Taylor.
• 1963: Students and staff hold protests and awareness campaigns pushing for a fully local university. 鈥淎 student referendum that year had nearly 80 per cent voting in favour of autonomy,鈥� Frederick says.
• 1965: Financial and academic autonomy is granted.
• 1966: Full independence is achieved, and today鈥檚 荔枝视频 is born.

Frederick highlights the leadership that made it possible.

鈥淒r. Doucette, Malcolm Taylor and Herb Armstrong, the first President of the 荔枝视频, were all major figures in pushing for autonomy. Each helped shape the vision of what an independent university in 荔枝视频 could be,鈥� Frederick says.

There were other key events, too: by 1955, the city of 荔枝视频 had transferred a parcel of prairie land to the university for a new campus 鈥� the land that would soon become the heart of the modern U荔枝视频. 

鈥淭he first buildings opened in 1960: the Administration Building, which also housed the library and cafeteria, and Science A,鈥� Frederick says.

鈥淔rom there, it just took off.鈥�

Early years of growth and growing pains

After autonomy was officially achieved in April 1966, the campus 鈥� and student body 鈥� expanded rapidly. 

鈥淲e went from about 3,200 students in 1965-66 to more than 9,000 by 1973-74,鈥� says Frederick. 

鈥淢any of the core buildings we still use today were built in those years 鈥� Education Tower, MacEwan Hall, Math Sciences, Social Sciences and more.鈥�

But, with rapid growth came challenges. 

鈥淥vercrowding was a big issue,鈥� Frederick says. 

鈥淟ecture halls were too small, and we were racing to build facilities to keep up with demand.鈥� 

The oil bust of the early 1970s also brought financial strain. 

鈥淔unding dried up, and some buildings were left partially finished for years,鈥� Frederick says.

Still, the university鈥檚 academic identity evolved. 

鈥淧ost-1966, we really shifted from being focused on undergraduate education to becoming a full research university,鈥� says Frederick. 鈥淕raduate studies expanded dramatically in the 1970s.鈥�

Hidden histories and unexpected finds

When asked about his favorite U荔枝视频-related item in the archives, Frederick grins. 

鈥淒efinitely the autonomy buttons. They were made by students to promote independence, and what鈥檚 neat is they show an early version of a dinosaur as a mascot. It鈥檚 not quite our Rex, but it鈥檚 the first dinosaur connection I鈥檝e found in U荔枝视频 history!鈥�

Not every artifact is so lively, though. 

鈥淭he weirdest thing I鈥檝e come across is a Ziplock bag full of dirt,鈥� Frederick laughs. 

鈥淚t turns out it鈥檚 the first shovelful of soil turned during the 1958 sod-turning ceremony for the new campus. We also have the silver spike and shovel used that day 鈥� they鈥檙e some of our most unique early artifacts.鈥�

Remembering the roots

Frederick hopes more students take pride in understanding how deep U荔枝视频鈥檚 roots go. 

鈥淓ven though we became autonomous in 1966, our story started long before that,鈥� he says. 

鈥淎nd, even in the early days, people recognized how important it was to preserve our history. Faculty, staff and students were already sending materials to the library for safekeeping years before the official archives were founded in the 1980s.鈥�

A legacy of determination

From borrowed classrooms and borrowed authority to a thriving independent campus, U荔枝视频鈥檚 autonomy story is one of persistence, community and ambition.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to think of U荔枝视频 as a young university, but our history is full of resilience and vision,鈥� Frederick says. 

鈥淭he drive to create something distinctly Calgarian has always been at the heart of who we are.

鈥溊笾κ悠� has always been incredibly supportive of its university. That community passion is part of our DNA.鈥�