Office of the University President Sous fonds: Dr. James A. Gibson

Dr. James A. Gibson was born in Ottawa on January 29, 1912 to John W. and Belle Gibson. At an early age the family moved to Victoria, B.C. where John W. Gibson was a director of the Elementary Agricultural Education Branch, Department of Education. Gibson received his early education in Victoria, receiving a B.A. (honours) at UBC in 1931. In 1931 he was awarded the Rhodes scholarship and received his B.A., M.A., B.Litt and D. Phil at New College, Oxford. This was to be the beginning of a long and dedicated relationship with the Rhodes Scholar Association. Upon his return to Canada, Dr. Gibson lectured in Economics and Government at the University of British Columbia. In 1938 he was married to Caroline Stein in Philadelphia, and the same year joined the staff of the Department of External Affairs as a Foreign Service officer. Within twenty minutes of his arrival he was seconded to the Office of the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs, W. L. Mackenzie King in charge of War Records and Liaison Officer. This was a critical time in the history of Canada, and Dr. Gibson experienced firsthand several milestones, including the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939. Dr. Gibson was present at the formation of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945, being part of the Prime Minister’s professional staff as well as attending conferences in Washington, Quebec and London as an advisor to the Canadian delegation. Gibson contributed many articles to the publication bout de papier about his experiences during these years. After his resignation in 1947, Gibson joined the staff of the fledgling Carleton College, as a lecturer. In 1949 he was appointed a professor and in 1951 became Dean of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Gibson acted as President from 1955 to 1956 upon the sudden death of Dr. MacOdrum. In 1963 Dr. Gibson accepted the invitation of the Brock University Founders’ Committee, chaired by Arthur Schmon, to become the founding president. Dr. Gibson guided the new University from a converted refrigeration plant, to an ever expanding University campus on the brow of the Niagara Escarpment. Dr. Gibson remained firmly “attached” to Brock University. Even after official retirement, in 1974, he retained the title President Emeritus. Gibson’s final official contribution was an unpublished ten year history of the University. In retirement Gibson remained active in scholarly pursuits. He was a visiting scholar at the Center of Canadian Studies, University of Edinburgh; continued his ongoing research activities focusing on W. L. Mackenzie King, the Office of the Governor General of Canada, and political prisoners transported to Van Dieman’s Land. He remained active in the Canadian Association of Rhodes Scholars, becoming editor from 1975 to 1994 and was appointed Editor Emeritus and Director for Life in 1995 in honour of his dedicated and outstanding service. In 1993 he was awarded one of Canada’s highest achievements, the Order of Canada. Gibson retained close ties with Brock University and many of its faculty. He maintained an office in the Politics Department where he became a vital part of the department. In 1996 Brock University honoured Gibson by naming the University Library in his honour. James A. Gibson Library staff was instrumental in celebrating the 90th birthday of Gibson in 2002, with a widely attended party in the Pond Inlet where many former students, including Silver Badgers. The attendees also included former and current colleagues from Brock University, Canadian Rhodes Scholars Association, family and friends. Gibson was later to remark that the highlight of this event was the gift of his original academic robe which he had personally designed in 1964. In 2003 Dr. Gibson moved to Ottawa to be near some of his children and the city of his birth and early career. In that year “two visits to Brock ensued: the first, to attend a special celebration of the James A. Gibson Library; his late to attend the 74th Convocation on Saturday, October 18, 2003. A week later, in Ottawa, he went for a long walk, returned to his residence, Rideau Gardens, went into the lounge area, took off his coat and folded it up, put it on the back of his chair, sat down, folded his hands in his lap, closed his eyes, and died”. With sources from: Carleton University The Charlatan, Gibson CV, and Memorial Service Programme

Sean O'Sullivan fonds

Sean O’Sullivan was born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1952. At an early age, he demonstrated an interest in politics. A chance meeting with John Diefenbaker in 1963, when Sean was just 11 years old, marked the beginning of his involvement with the Progressive Conservative Party. Diefenbaker became a mentor to him, and the two exchanged correspondence for many years. Sean became an active member of the Party, and his political career took off quickly. In 1965, he was elected to the executive of the Hamilton Area Young Progressive Conservatives, in 1968 was elected President, and also served as Youth Director for Diefenbaker’s re-election campaign. In 1970 he was elected President of the Ontario Young Progressive Conservatives, and in 1971 became Youth Adviser to Premier William Davis. Later that year, Diefenbaker chose Sean to be his Executive Assistant. In addition to his political activities, Sean enrolled at Brock University in 1969 to study political science. In 1972, he resigned as Diefenbaker’s assistant in order to run as a candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth in the federal election that year. At just 20 years of age, Sean was the youngest MP elected to the House of Commons. While working as an MP, Sean continued his studies at Brock University part-time, graduating with distinction. After being re-elected in 1974, he rose to greater prominence when he succeeded in having a private member’s bill passed making the beaver one of Canada’s national symbols. In 1977, he resigned as MP in order to pursue religious studies and become a Catholic priest. After completing four years of studies at the Irish College of Rome’s Gregorian University, Sean was ordained a priest in Toronto in 1981. In July, 1982, he was appointed Director of Vocations (full-time recruiter) for the archdiocese of Toronto. In this capacity, he implemented a controversial and widely publicized campaign to recruit priests. The recruitment succeeded in generating interest in the priesthood, doubling the number of students in the archdiocese. He was one of the founding members of Serra House, a residence for students considering the priesthood. After his term as Vocations Director ended in 1985, O’Sullivan became publisher of The Catholic Register, a weekly church newspaper. That same year, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Brock University. In January 1987, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. Later that year, he submitted a report to the Attorney General of Ontario, titled You’ve got a Friend, after conducting an independent review of Advocacy for Vulnerable Adults in Ontario at the request of the government. In 1983, O’Sullivan was diagnosed with leukemia. The disease went into remission after treatment, but was incurable. In 1989, he had a bone marrow transplant at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, but died shortly afterwards. He was 37 years old. A memorial fund was established in his name, and included contributions from prominent business, church and political leaders such as Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Toronto Sun Chairman Doug Crieghton and His Eminence G. Emmett Carter. The O’Sullivan family requested that Brock University be the beneficiary of the proceeds of the campaign.

Colin Duquemin fonds, 1935, 1968-2001, n.d.

Colin Duquemin was born in 1932 in Guernsey, British Channel Islands, and came to Canada as a young adult. He attended McMaster University (B.A.), the University of Toronto (B.Ed.), the State University of New York at Buffalo (M.A.) and the University of London, London, England (M.Sc.). He began his career as a tea taster and tea buyer in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), but later became a teacher. He spent most of his teaching career as a manager of the St. Johns Outdoor Studies Centre, north of Fonthill, Ontario, developing environmentally related programmes for elementary and secondary school students. He was also active in many local organizations, serving as Associate Director of the St. Catharines Grape and Wine Festival Board, Chairman of the St. Catharines Historical Museum Board, President of the Niagara Military Institute and President of the Canadian Canal Society. In addition to the numerous curriculum materials he authored, Colin wrote the Driver’s Guide Series, highlighting the many points of interest in the Niagara region, including the Welland Canal, battlefields of the War of 1812, and the Niagara Parkway. He also wrote A Guide to the Grand River Canal (1980) with Daniel Glenney, The Fur Trade in Rupert’s Land: Opening up the Canadian Northwest (1992), Stick to the Guns! A short history of the 10th field battery, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery (1996), Niagara Rebels: the Niagara Frontier Incidents in the Upper Canada Rebellion, 1837-1838 ( 2001), and edited and contributed to A Lodge of Friendship: the History of Niagara Lodge, No. 2, A.F. & A.M, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, 1792-1992 (1991). He died in December 2012.

Niagara churches collection, 1937, 1968-1994

This collection contains 7 church programs and brochures, ranging in date from 1937 to 1994. There are programs for church services at Knox Presbyterian Church, St. Catharines (May 9, 1937); St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral, St. Catharines (July 28, 1968) ; Memorial United Church, Ridgeway (October 15, 1972); Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Catharines (November 30, 1986); and Ridley College Memorial Chapel, St. Catharines (December 3 & 4, 1994). There is also a brochure of activities offered at St. Paul Street United Church, St. Catharines (1986), and a development fund appeal brochure for the Cathedral of St. Catherine, St. Catharines (1985).

Arthur A. Schmon fonds

Arthur Albert Schmon was born in 1895 in Newark, New Jersey. During his studies at Barringer High School in Newark, he met Eleanore Celeste Reynolds who was to become his wife in August of 1919. Mr. Schmon studied English literature at Princeton and graduated with honours in 1917. That same year, Mr. Schmon joined the United States Army where he served under Colonel McCormick as an adjutant in field artillery in World War I. In 1919, he was discharged as a captain. Colonel McCormick (editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune) offered Schmon a job in his Shelter Bay pulpwood operations. Mr. Schmon accepted the challenge of working at this lonely outpost on the lower St. Lawrence River. Schmon was promoted to Woodlands Manager in 1923. In 1930, he became the General Manager. This was expected to be a seasonal operation but the construction of the mill led to the building of a town (Baie Comeau) and its power development. All of this was accomplished under Schmon’s leadership. In 1933, he was elected the President and General Manager of the Ontario Paper Company. He later became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Arthur Schmon made his home in St. Catharines where he played an active role in the community. Schmon was a member of the Founders’ Committee at Brock University and he was a primary force behind the establishment of a University in the Niagara Region. The Brock University Tower is named after him. He also served as Chairman of the St. Catharines Hospital Board of Governors for over 15 years, and was responsible for guiding the hospital through a 3 million dollar expansion program. He was a Governor of Ridley College and an Honorary Governor of McMaster University in Hamilton. Mr. Schmon died of lung cancer on March 18, 1964. He had been named as the St. Catharines’ citizen of the year just one week earlier. Mr. Schmon had 2 sons Robert McCormick Schmon, who was chairman of the Ontario Paper Co. Ltd., St. Catharines, Canada, and the Q.N.S. Paper Co., Baie-Comeau, Canada. He was also director of a Chicago Tribune Co. He died at the age of 61. Another son, Richard R. Schmon, was a second lieutenant in the 313th Field Artillery Battalion, 80th Infantry Division in World War II. He was listed as missing in action on November 5, 1944.

Gènere i lideratge a l'administració pública de Girona [versió html]

L'objectiu de la publicació és mostrar els resultats obtinguts en l'anàlisi dels trets bàsics de l'estudi dintre l'Administració Autonòmica de Girona, que són: identificació de la població directiva pel que fa a la quantitat i al perfil; vies d'accés a la direcció; obstacles per assolir i desenvolupar el càrrec; dificultats per conciliar família i treball; característiques i estils de lideratge. Alhora, es pretén donar una visió global del desenvolupament de polítiques i de la seva aplicació a les administracions. El projecte s'ha desenvolupat en el marc de la convocatòria de subvencions per a treballs de recerca sobre Administració pública (2005) promoguda per l'Escola d'Administració Pública de Catalunya i la publicació ha estat editada gràcies a l'ajut per a activitats de projecció del Consell Social de la Universitat de Girona (ref. EPP2/06 )

La Girona restauracionista [Ressenya del llibre Política municipal a la Girona de la Restauració, 1874-1900, de Joan Puigvert i Busquets]

Ressenya del llibre de Joan Puigbert 'Política municipal a la Girona de la Restauració'. L’autor assenyala que l’obra és molt útil per a la comprensió de la societat gironina en el darrer quart de segle XIX

La Percepció republicana del carlisme: Una aproximació a propòsit de Valentí Almirall i Pere Coromines

Repàs de la relació entre el republicanisme i el carlisme a través de la mirada de Valentí Almirall i de Pere Coromines

Consens i revolució: Poble i nació a la Barcelona de la Revolució Liberal, 1835-1843

Anàlisi dels deferents discursos de moderats, progressistes i republicans i els usos dels mots “poble” i “nació” durant els anys 1837-1843. L’autor considera que aquesta perspectiva és important per entendre el període, tot i que els recents debats sobre els orígens del nacionalisme a Espanya ho han deixat en un lloc secundari

El Consell de Cent durant l’Edat Mitjana

En el context del número monogràfic dedicat al Consell de Cent de Barcelona durant els segles XIII-XIV, l’autor fa una aproximació a la hist��ria del municipi barceloní a l'època medieval, centrant-se sobretot en la historiografia

LA COOPERACIÓN BILATERAL EN MATERIA MILITAR ENTRE EE.UU. Y EGIPTO Y SU INCIDENCIA EN LA SEGURIDAD FRONTERIZA CON ISRAEL (2002-2008).

Este estudio de caso se realiza con el ánimo de analizar la cooperación militar existente entre Estados Unidos y Egipto durante el periodo de 2002 a 2008. De esta manera, se busca conocer la incidencia que dicha cooperación tuvo en la seguridad fronteriza de Egipto e Israel. Para tal fin a lo largo del trabajo se procederá a exponer los principales aspectos del programa de cooperación analizado, se identificaran las principales amenazas a la seguridad fronteriza de Egipto y de Israel y se describirán las principales acciones que en el marco de dicho programa de cooperación militar se han tomado para hacerles frente a estas.

Universidad, pol??tica y gobierno : vertientes de interpretaci??n y perspectivas de an??lisis

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Josep Pallach, vist des del Govern Civil de Girona (1967-1976)

Fa dotze anys l'autor d'aquest article va donar a conèixer la documentació dels anys 1944-1946 que, procedent dels arxius governatius i de les presons gironines, feia referència a la vida clandestina i de represaliat del polític i professor Josep Pallach (Figueres 1920-l’Hospitalet de Llobregat 1977), antic militant del Bloc Obrer i Camperol i del Partit Obrer d’Unificació Marxista (POUM). Aquest article del 2005 complementa aquella recerca amb la recuperació d’una documentació similar, relativa al temps final del franquisme i al període inicial de la transició, els quals es corresponen també amb els darrers anys del periple vital del protagonista d’aquestes pàgines

La Falange a Girona [Ressenya del llibre El Partit únic : la Falange i el Movimiento a Girona, 1935-1977 de Josep Clara]

Ressenya del llibre de Josep Clara 'El Partit únic : la Falange i el Movimiento a Girona, 1935-1977', publicat pel Cercle d'Estudis Hist��rics i Socials l'any 1999. En aquest llibre es tracta un dels aspectes centrals del regim (antiparlamentari) franquista: l'exist��ncia d'un partit únic oficial (la Falange), configurat com a Movimiento Nacional, i la seva concreció en la demarcació provincial de Girona

Impact of the 1980 election on ideological liberal organizations

Throughout this section, I sought to establish a nexus between interest group theory and empirical observations. This in turn, would provide the framework from which I would set forth a series of hypotheses concerning the impact of the deviating 1980 elections on ideological liberal organizations. What I found in fact, was not just a link but a near perfect correlation between theory and practice, each reinforcing the other and pointing to the same ineluctable conclusion: The upshot of the Reagan/New Right landslide of 1980 was a dramatic renaissance of American liberalism. A renaissance so pervasive that ideological liberal organizations stand to benefit tremendously in terms of sustaining membership and raising funds. Moreover, it promises to facilitate the formation of liberal lobbying coalitions and enhance their capacity to cultivate grass roots support.