By royal letter dated March 13, 1787, King George III instructed the Nova Scotia House of Assembly to consider establishing schools in the province. In November 1787, the Assembly appointed a committee, which reported that Windsor would be a suitable location for establishing an academy; the committee's members became the Governors of the new institution.
In November 1788, the Academy began operating from the home of Susannah Francklin in Windsor, its focus the instruction of youth in arts, literature, and the liturgy of the Anglican Church. In 1789, the House of Assembly passed an act confirming the Academy's legal status and which also founded King's College, to be governed by those already in charge of the Academy, who were to be called the Governors of King's College of Nova Scotia. The Governors purchased land in Windsor and began erecting a building for the College. After its completion in 1791, the Academy's classes were also held there.
The College and the Academy continued under joint administration in Windsor until a fire destroyed the College's main building on Feb. 5, 1920. In the wake of the fire, the College experienced financial difficulties, so in 1923, with the aid of the Carnegie Corporation, the University of King's College formed an association with Dalhousie University in Halifax. In 1930, King's opened new buildings on Dalhousie's Studley Campus. King's merged its Faculty of Arts and Science with Dalhousie's but retained its degree-granting powers in Divinity until 1974, when the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax was formally incorporated by the Nova Scotia Legislature. King's now offers degrees in Journalism and continues to play an important part in the education of undergraduates, having established itself as one of Canada's leading small institutions of higher learning, with a current student population of about 1100.
Mandate Royal Charter of King George III, 1802
King George III granted a royal charter to the Governors in May 1802, elevating the status of the College to that of a university and permitting the Governors the privilege of establishing other colleges within its auspices to form the University of Windsor. Nova Scotia legislation The Board of Governors' powers and duties arise from several Nova Scotia provincial statutes: S.N.S. 1789, c.4; 1851, c.31; 1852, c.14, s.3; 1853, c.66; 1866, c.100; 1883, c.63; 1895, c.147; 1897, c.129; 1903, c.201; 1908, c.192; 1910, c.148; 1911, c.128; 1921, c.173; 1923, c.130; 1923, c.131; 1934, c.108; 1936, c.119; 1948, c.150; 1950, c.122; 1953, c.96; 1960, c.106; 1964, c.121; 1970, c.138; 1987, c.80; and 1998, c.44. University of King's College Statutes The Board of Governors has enacted several University Statutes by which it governs and manages the University: The Statutes, Rules and Ordinances of the University of King's College at Windsor in the Province of Nova Scotia 1803, 1807, 1854, 1875, 1891, 1908 and 1913; Statutes, Royal Charter and Other Ordinances of the University of King's College at Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1930; University of King's College, Halifax, N.S. Statutes, Regulations, Articles of Agreement, 1962; and By-Laws, Rules and Regulations of the University of King's College made by the Board of Governors,1999. Predecessor bodies The Board of Governors of the University of King's College was created from the “Committee appointed to take into Consideration the Lieutenant Governor's message recommending the Establishing and Maintaining of Schools,” appointed by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1787. When the Academy at Windsor, Nova Scotia, opened in 1788, most of its Governors were members of the Committee except for the Members of the Assembly who originally sat on the Committee. In 1789, a provincial statute restructured the Governors of the Academy and adjusted their membership for the benefit of the newly-formed King's College at Windsor, Nova Scotia. Administrative relationships In 1787, the Crown commanded the Nova Scotia Assembly to establish schools in the province. The Lieutenant Governor, Bishop of Nova Scotia, President of His Majesty's Council, and Speaker of the House of Assembly founded the Academy at Windsor, Nova Scotia, and were answerable directly to the Crown, not the Assembly, until 1789, when an Act of the Assembly founded King's College, making its Governors answerable to the legislative body. This continued from 1789 until the Royal Charter of 1802, when authority over King's reverted to the Crown. Funding became the joint responsibility of the Crown and the province. Matters of religious instruction were under the authority of the Bishop of Nova Scotia, while all matters touching on daily academic instruction and regulation were in the hands of the College President and the Headmaster of the Academy, or Collegiate School. Administrative structure The Academy, founded in 1788, had two divisions: the English, and the Latin and Greek (Classics) Schools. After the College was formed in 1789, the Governors divided the University into the College and the Academy for administrative purposes. In addition to the Academy's two Schools, the Governors ran the Church School for Girls in Windsor in the 19th century. The Governors retained control over the College when it moved to Halifax to form an association with Dalhousie University. The University of King's College has had no formal affiliation with the Collegiate School since 1923, when the College left Windsor. The Board's structure is determined by Nova Scotia provincial statute. By amendments to the Statutes, the Board reorganized itself several times during the 20th century, changing the ratio of representation as well as the overall number of Governors. Membership Legislation has varied the size of the Board through the decades; it now has 30 voting members and three non-voting members. Since 1999, members of the Board have been: the Chancellor, President, and Vice President of the University; the Treasurer and the Secretary; the Bishop of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and the Bishop of Fredericton; four representatives elected by the Diocesan Synods of Nova Scotia and Fredericton; the President of the Alumni Association; three representatives elected by the Alumni Association; four Faculty representatives; the President of the King's Students' Union and two student representatives elected by the KSU; and up to eight co-opted members (elected by the Board). There is provision for a representative from Dalhousie University, and beginning with King's association with Dalhousie in 1923, the Board appointed members to sit on Dalhousie's Board of Governors. The Board meets quarterly and members serve terms of varying lengths, depending on their position, e.g., King's Students' Union representatives serve one-year terms, while co-opted members serve for four years. A historical list of Board of Governors members is available from the Archivist. Board of Governors members in early 2010 were: Chancellor: The Honourable Michael Meighen, Q.C. (2006-2011) Chairman: Dr. John Hamm (2006-2010) Vice-Chair: The Right Reverend Susan Moxley, Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (2009-2010) President and Vice-Chancellor: Dr. William Barker (2003-2011) Vice-President: Dr. Christopher Elson (2006-2010) Treasurer: Paul Bent (2008-2011) Secretary: Kevin Gibson (2009-2011) Bishop of the Diocese of Nova Scotia: The Right Reverend Susan Moxley, Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Vice Chair Bishop of the Diocese of Fredericton: The Right Reverend Claude Miller, Bishop of Fredericton Diocesan representatives: Andrew Black, Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (2008-2010) Meg Edward, Diocese of Fredericton (2007-2011) Dr. Avery McCordick, Diocese of Fredericton (2009-2011) Rev. Elliott Siteman, Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (2008-2010) Alumni Association President: David Jones (2008-2010) Alumni Association representatives: Daniel de Munnik (2008-2010), two vacancies Faculty representatives: Dr. Roberta Barker (2008-2010) Dr. Dorota Glowacka (2009-2010) Prof. Kim Kierans (2008-2010) Dr. Kathryn Morris (2009-2011) King's Students' Union President: David Etherington (2009-2010) King's Students' Union representatives: Liz Johnston (2009-2010), Max Ma (2009-2010) Co-opted members: David Archibald (2008-2012), Brian Burnell (2009-2013), Dale Godsoe (2007-2011), Peter Jelley (2009-2013), Emmitt Kelly (2007-2011), John Leefe (2007-2011), Mary Martin (2007-2011) Non-voting ex officio members: Advancement Director, Adriane Abbott; Bursar, Gerald Smith; and Registrar, Elizabeth Yeo. Committees Executive Committee members in early 2010 were: Dr. John Hamm (Chairman), The Right Reverend Susan Moxley (Vice-Chair), Dr. William Barker (President), Dr. Christopher Elson (Vice-President), Paul Bent (Treasurer), Kevin Gibson (Secretary), David Etherington, David Jones, Kim Kierans, John Leefe, Mary Martin and Rev. Elliott Siteman. Besides the Executive Committee, the Board has 13 standing committees dedicated to specific areas of University affairs: Accessibility Committee Audit Committee Board of Appeal and Discipline Finance Committee Honorary Degrees Committee Investment Sub-Committee Nominating Committee Occupational Health and Safety Sub-Committee Pension Committee Property, Grounds and Safety Committee Property and Grounds Committee Racial Equity Committee Sexual Harassment Committee In addition to standing committees, the Board establishes ad hoc committees for particular purposes, then abolishes them when their mandates are achieved. Committees report and make recommendations to the Board. The Board may refer matters to one of its committees and give it the power to act. The Board sanctions the actions of its committees, sometimes explicitly doing so in meeting minutes. Names of the corporate body The Nova Scotia House of Assembly formed a “Committee appointed to take into Consideration the Lieutenant Governor's message recommending the Establishing and Maintaining of Schools” in 1787, which effectively was the Board of Governors' original name. In 1788, the Committee became the Governors of the Academy by motion of the Governors themselves. A 1789 Act of the Assembly changed their name to the Governors of King's College, Nova Scotia. In 1802, the Royal Charter changed their name to The Governors, President, and Fellows of King's College at Windsor in the Province of Nova Scotia. By an Act of the Assembly in 1853, the name was altered to the Governors of King's College, Windsor. Finally, a 1950 Nova Scotia statute removed “Windsor, N.S.” from the name of the University and the Governors. Names of chief officers Because many of the Board of Governors' members were on the Board ex officio of their public positions, the Board has always had several prominent Nova Scotians among its members, including senior provincial government and Anglican Church officials. Chair of the Board of Governors In addition to the duties and responsibilities that all Board members have, the Board's Chair presides over all Board meetings; is the official spokesperson for the Board; serves as the Chair of the Presidential Search and Presidential Review Committees; assesses the performance of and approves compensation and benefits for the President annually; serves as the Board's signing officer on matters related to contracts and other legal obligations undertaken by the Board; represents the Board at official functions; and advises the President and Vice Chancellor and individual Board members. Before 1993, the Chair was the Bishop of Nova Scotia ex officio, and the Vice-Chair was the Bishop of Fredericton ex officio. In 1993, Halifax lawyer Brian Flemming became Chair, the first layperson to hold the position. Chairs of the Board of Governors Bishop of Nova Scotia (ex officio) 1787-1816 Rt. Rev. Charles Inglis, D.D. 1816-1825 Rt. Rev. Robert Stanser, D.D. 1825-1850 Rt. Rev. John Inglis, D.D. 1851-1887 Rt. Rev. Hibbert Binney, D.D. 1888-1904 Rt. Rev. Frederick Courtney, D.D., D.C.L. 1904-1925 Most Rev. Clarendon Lamb Worrell, M.A., D.D., D.C.L. 1925-1939 Most Rev. John HacKenley, B.A., D.D. 1940-1947 Most Rev. George Frederick Kingston, M.A., Ph.D., D.D. 1948-1958 Rt. Rev. Robert Harold Waterman, B.A., D.D., D.C.L. 1958-1975 Most Rev. William Wallace Davis, B.A., B.D., D.D. 1975-1980 Rt. Rev. George Feversham Arnold, M.A, B.D., D.D. 1980-1984 Rt. Rev. Leonard Fraser Hatfield, M.A., D.D. 1985-1993 Rt. Rev. Arthur Gordon Peters, B.A., B.S.T., B.D., D.D. Lay chairmen 1993-2001 Brian Flemming, Q.C., LL.B. 2001-2007 George Cooper, Q.C., LL.B. 2007-present Dr. John Hamm, M.D. University of King's College President (ex officio) 1789-1804 Rev. Dr. William Cochran 1804-1805 Rev. Thomas Cox 1805-1836 Rev. Dr. Charles Porter 1836-1875 Rev. Dr. George McCawley 1875-1885 Rev. Dr. John Dart 1885-1889 Rev. Dr. Isaac Brock 1889-1904 Rev. Dr. Charles Willets 1904-1909 Dr. Ian Hannah 1906-1909 Rev. Dr. C. J. Boulden 1909-1914 Rev. Dr. T. W. Powell 1914-1916 Rev. Dr. Charles E. Willets (acting) 1916-1924 Rev. Dr. T. S. Boyle 1924-1937 Rev. Dr. A. H. Moore 1937-1953 Rev. Dr. A. Stanley Walker 1954-1963 Rev. Dr. Herbert Lavallin Puxley 1963-1969 Dr. Harry D. Smith 1969-1970 Dr. F. Hilton Page (acting) 1970-1977 Dr. J. Graham Morgan 1977-1989 Dr. John F. Godfrey 1987-1993 Dr. Marion G. Fry 1993-2003 Dr. Colin J. Starnes 2003-present Dr. William Barker Governor of Nova Scotia and Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia (ex officio 1789-1853) 1786-1791 John Parr 1792-1808 Sir John Wentworth 1808-1811 Sir George Prevost 1811-1816 Sir John Sherbrooke 1816-1820 Earl of Dalhousie 1820-1828 Sir James Kempt 1828-1834 Sir Peregrine Maitland 1834-1840 Sir Colin Campbell 1840-1846 Viscount Falkland 1846-1852 Sir John Harvey 1852-1858 Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant Chief Justice of Nova Scotia (ex officio 1789-1853) 1778-1785 Hon. Bryan Finucane 1785-1788 Hon. Isaac DesChamps (acting) 1788-1789 Hon. Jeremy Pemberton 1789-1797 Hon. Sir Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange 1797-1833 Hon. Sampson Salter Blowers 1833-1860 Hon. Sir Brenton Halliburton Provincial Secretary of Nova Scotia (ex officio 1789-1853) 1789-1792 Richard Bulkeley 1792-1796 James Michael Freke Bulkeley 1796-1808 Benning Wentworth 1808-1813 Samuel Hood George 1813-1848 [information not found] 1848-1854 Joseph Howe Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly (ex officio 1789-1853) 1789-1789 S. S. Blowers 1789-1793 Richard John Annecy 1793-1799 Thomas Henry Barclay 1799-1805 Richard John Annecy 1805-1806 W. Cottnam Tonge 1806-1818 Lewis M. Wilkins 1818-1824 S. B. Robie 1824-1840 S. W. G. Archibald 1840-1843 Joseph Howe 1843-1853 William Young Attorney General of Nova Scotia (ex officio 1789-1853) 1784-1797 Sampson Salter Blowers 1797-1831 Richard John Uniacke 1831-1841 Samuel G. W. Archibald 1841-1848 James W. Johnston 1848-1854 James Boyle Uniacke Solicitor General of Nova Scotia (ex officio 1789-1853) 1778-1779 James Brenton 1777-1781 Richard Gibbons 1781-1797 Richard John Uniacke 1797-1798 Jonathan Sterns 1798-1815 James Stewart 1815-1826 Simon Bradstreet Robie 1826-1831 Samuel George William Archibald 1831-1834 Charles Rufus Fairbanks 1834-1841 James William Johnston 1841-1843 James Boyle Uniacke 1844-1848 Edmund Murray Dodd 1848 William Frederick DesBarres 1848-1854 Alexander McDougall Treasurers - Board of Governors - 1798-2008 1798-1803 Bennington Wentworth 1803-1807 Brenton Halliburton 1807-1816 Crofton Annecy 1816 James Cochran (acting) 1817-1831 James Cochran 1818-1827 James Walton Nutting (acting) 1828-1830 Rupert Denis George (acting) 1831-1875 John C. Halliburton 1875-1882 B. G. Gray 1882-1889 T. Ritchie (secretary-treasurer) 1889-1905 J. Y. Payzant 1906-1912 W. L. Payzant 1912-1921 Reginald V. Harris 1921 Rev. E. B. Spurr 1922-1923 W. H. Roach (acting) 1924-1925 F. A. Bowman (acting) 1925-1945 F. A. Bowman 1945-1946 R. L. Nixon 1946-1954 William Wood, C.A., A.M.I.R.E. 1954 R. L. Nixon (acting) 1955-1965 F. A. Lane 1965-1968 G. S. Unwin 1968-1974 R. Francis 1974-1977 H. MacKinley, C.A, B.A., B.Comm. 1977-1984 Allan Conrod, C.A. 1984-1989 C. William Gurnham, F.C.A. 1989-1991 Allan G. Conrod, C.A. 1991-1993 Paul Meier, B.Comm, M.B.A., C.A. 1993-present Paul Bent, B.Comm, C.A.
Sports teams and leagues have existed at the University of King's College since it's early days in Windsor, Nova Scotia. However, a formal Department of Athletics did not exist until around 1971, when the position of Athletics Director was created. Prior to this, sports were organized mainly by student societies, such as the King's College Amateur Athletic Association (K.C.A.A.A, sometimes called CUBE or C.U.B.E). The first student sport-related society was the Three Elms Cricket Club, which was founded in the 1850s. The King's Board supported these organizations by sometimes giving them money, which eventually progressed to an annual grant, but sports were still largely students' responsibility. In Windsor, a field was mainly used for sporting events, though there is mention of a gym on the lower side of the Collegiate School in 1912; when King’s moved to Halifax, a gymnasium was built underneath the chapel; finally, a purpose-built gymnasium opened in 1963, called the Muir Gymnasium, which is still in use to this day.
In 1950, the Board considered hiring a Sports Director, but this never came to fruition. They considered it again in 1959, but it wasn’t until 1971 that an Athletics Director position was created and hired. The President's Report of 1971 said that the Athletic Director's duties were to organize the athletic and recreational program in consultation with the K.C.A.A.A. and the K.C.G.A.A.A. (King’s College Girls Amateur Athletic Association): "He monitors the conditions of the pool and gym and is in contact with the Bursar who oversees maintenance of the facilities.” They also formed an Athletics Council, consisting of the Director, a member of the Board of Governors, the administration, the alumni association, and the faculty, as well as four representatives from the student body, bringing the council to a total of nine members. This council was responsible for setting policy on athletics and recreation, preparing an athletic budget, supervising athletic and recreational programs, creating policy for and organizing supervision of the gym and swimming pool, and reporting annually to the Board of Governors. In 1978, the King’s College Calendar finally included a separate section on athletics, and in 1985, this section became more detailed, describing varsity sports and the structure of King’s athletic programme. The position of Athletics Coordinator was established in 2003, but was abolished in 2009 due to budget cuts.
Today, the Department of Athletics consists of the Athletics Director, the Athletics Administrator, and the Varsity Assistant. Varsity sports include soccer, basketball, rugby, badminton, and volleyball (women’s only). Intramural sports are still open for those at King’s who wish to compete recreationally, and the King’s gym is used by students for fun and fitness. The athletics department at King's is described in the 2024/2025 calendar thus:
The Department of Athletics is an integral part of campus life at King’s. We provide an all-inclusive facility and offer both competitive and recreational sporting outlets.
The King’s gymnasium boasts one of the best hardwood surfaces in the province, a state of the art dance studio, a cardio room and a weight room. The dance studio is ideal for a range of activities, including yoga, dance and self-defence courses. The weight room has a variety of free weights to suit all needs and the cardio room offers all the standard machines. Students have access to all of these amenities whenever they are available.
King’s students also have access to the newly renovated and rebuilt Dalplex, Dalhousie’s sports complex. They also have access to Dalhousie’s intramural and club activities, with a few minor exceptions. A detailed list of what is offered each year is available on the King’s website at www.ukings.ca. UKC Athletics also provides employment opportunities for close to thirty students through gym staff, minor officials, and webcast broadcasting opportunities.
For the varsity athlete, King’s offers one of Nova Scotia’s best opportunities for those who wish to combine the pursuit of academic excellence with an equal commitment to their chosen sport. King’s affords the student athlete a unique environment in which to enjoy a close-knit community atmosphere coupled with challenging athletic competition. The University is a member of both the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. Varsity teams compete in soccer, rugby, badminton, basketball and volleyball (women’s only).
The King’s Athletics Department strives to create a dynamic opportunity for the student who wishes to remain involved in athletics and fitness after completing high school. From Varsity to recreational programs, the College offers a surprisingly wide range of exciting and enjoyable activities from which to choose. UKC Athletics aims to provide an inclusive environment for all.
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(Description taken from here: https://academiccalendar.ukings.ca/20242025calendar/part/athletics/ Accessed: April 16, 2025)
The Alexandra Society was founded in 1902 by a group of at least fifty Anglican women as a Women’s Auxiliary to the University of King’s College in Windsor, NS. These women were primarily not students, and were rather community members invested in the Divinity School at the College as “mothers, wives and sisters of Church of England men.”1 In 1910, the group renamed themselves the Alexandra Society after Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII.2 The society’s foundation as an Anglican group is reflective of the close relationship between the Church and King’s. The College remained a religious institution until 1971, and to this day incorporates many Christian practices into its traditions.3 Though the Alexandra Society was composed of mainly Anglican women, the group began accepting any woman interested in the welfare of King’s soon after their formation.
The Society initially set their membership fee at 25 cents annually, in the hopes of being financially accessible to as many women as possible. Their initial objective was to ask the university to hire an additional Chair of Divinity which would be called the Queen Alexandra Chair. They petitioned the administration with this request in 1903 along with the promise that they would fundraise to supply the Chair’s salary ($1000 annually) for the first five years.4 That is the equivalent of approximately $26000 today.5 Once the society was successful in funding this position, they worked towards other initiatives that they believed would support the College, Church, and greater community.
In 1914, the society became responsible for furnishing the newly constructed women’s residence. After the Windsor campus burned down in the fire of 1920, the society turned their efforts to rebuilding the women’s residence and the Chapel. In the 1930s, once the rebuilding projects were mostly complete, they turned their focus to fundraising for supplies for the women of Alexandra Hall and bursaries for women and Anglican students at King’s. One of their largest fundraising campaigns happened in the early 1960s, as they organized to assist in the funding of the new women’s residence, Alexandra Hall.6 After the Faculty of Theology at King’s was disbanded and amalgamated into the new Atlantic School of Theology (AST) in 1971, the society began fundraising for scholarships for Anglican students there as well. The women of the Alexandra Society primarily fundraised through bake sales, auctions, dances, and other forms of grassroots advocacy.7 As the years went on, the society financially supported Alexandra Hall, the Divinity School, the Library, the Chapel, and scholarship funds.8 It is estimated that they raised well over $500 000 for scholarships and other initiatives.9
It is important to contextualize their volunteer work through the lens of women’s unpaid and often invisible labour, understanding that the group worked behind the scenes to keep the College and its students thriving. The Alexandra Society is part of a tradition of women’s social clubs that sought to better themselves and their communities in an altruistic manner.10 As former Alex Hall resident and Assistant Librarian Patricia Chalmers (BAH ‘80) explains: “[The Alexandra Society members] were working quietly behind the scene providing us with the things we needed.”11 Accounts like this one remind us that though the vast majority of the Alexandra Society members were not alumni of King’s,12 they spent countless hours and weeks and days working to ensure young women would have access to education, and that King’s as an institution would continue.
The Alexandra Society inspired the creation of the Young Alexandra Society, founded in 1989 by a group of women King’s students and dons. The group supported the Alexandra Society and organized an annual ball at the Lord Nelson Hotel to raise money for scholarships.13 After members of the Young Alexandra Society graduated, they were encouraged to join the Alexandra Society, though this was uncommon as the landscape of volunteering changed over the years. Simply put, women had more mobility, opportunities, and access to workplaces than years prior, making volunteer groups like the Alexandra Society an unsustainable thing of the past.14 As Dr. Henry Roper explains: “Charitable organizations are increasingly professionalized and geared to a world of working couples… the Alexandra Society came into being in another world, and its work has helped King’s College to survive and bring a new world of female equality.”15 Roper’s remarks capture the context of the Alexandra Society’s creation, and ultimately their end.
At a meeting in 1998, the Alexandra Society decided that they would plan to disband the society at a final meeting in 2002, so they would be able to celebrate their centennial.16 This final meeting and ceremony was held on May 13, 2002 at the King’s College Chapel. Various members of the King’s and AST community attended to give them an appropriate send-off.17 A new Bible was dedicated to the society in the Chapel, and various mementos and records were on display in the Library. Members of the society planted a forsythia bush in the quad as one of their last acts. Former president Joy Smith explained the decision by stating: “it’s one of the first plants to flower in the spring. It’s such a beautiful, bright flower. It’s always been in bloom when we met here each year.”18 This sentiment shows that though they were sad to be disbanding, the general consensus among society members was that they were content with the legacy they were leaving. The reason we can discuss all of these events in such detail is due to the fantastic
record-keeping of the Alexandra Society. From 1902 to 2002, they kept extensive minutes from every meeting they held. The group also curated several scrapbooks and photo albums that span decades, a task they took so seriously that every year the role of scrapbook “custodian” would fall to a different member to ensure proper documentation.19 Keeping this method of preservation in mind, it is important to understand that this was not just a single collective of women, but many small groups scattered throughout the Maritimes. The Alexandra Society had 29 branches across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island throughout its existence.20 These branches fostered community among themselves and among the people they served. Together, these branches raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the King’s campus and for student welfare. For an entire century, Alexandra Society members came together to safeguard and advocate for the King’s we know today. It is important to remember them, and to understand how our institution has been cared for over the years.
1 Alexandra Society minutes from their first meeting, 17 June 1902, p. 5.
2 Reflected in Chronicle Herald article from 8 May, 2002.
3 This may be best reflected in the community surrounding the Chapel at King’s, https://ukings.ca/campus-community/chapel-choir/.
4 Henry Roper, homily read at the last Alexandra Society meeting, 13 May, 2002, 2.
5 This is an estimation using the Bank of Canada’s inflation calculator, https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/related/inflation-calculator/. Please note that the oldest data available is from 1914.
6 Karl Turner, “Alexandra Soc. bids farewell,” Tidings (Halifax, NS), Summer 2002, p. 21.
7 Reflected in Alexandra Society minutes spanning from 1902 to 2002.
8 Reflected in Alexandra Society minutes from their last meeting, 13 May, 2002.
9 Reflected in Chronicle Herald article from 8 May, 2002.
10Consult Arlene Kaplan Daniels’ Invisible Careers: Women Civic Leaders from the Volunteer World for more information on the role of unpaid women volunteers in Western society.
11 Karl Turner, “Alexandra Soc. bids farewell,” Tidings (Halifax, NS), Summer 2002, p. 21.
12 Reflected in Chronicle Herald article from 8 May, 2002.
13 This information has been preserved through oral history and can also be seen in the King’s College Record.
14 Reflected in Chronicle Herald article from 8 May, 2002.
15 Henry Roper, homily read at the last Alexandra Society meeting, 13 May, 2002, p. 4.
16 Reflected in Chronicle Herald article from 8 May, 2002.
17 Reflected in Alexandra Society minutes from their last meeting, 13 May, 2002.
18 Karl Turner, “Alexandra Soc. bids farewell,” Tidings (Halifax, NS), Summer 2002, p. 21.
19 This is reflected in Alexandra Society minutes from 1990 onwards.
20 Henry Roper, homily read at the last Alexandra Society meeting, 13 May, 2002, p. 2-3.
In 1883, the office of Collector, or Agent w~s created by the Board.76The Collector canvassed for the College around the Maritime provinces. He kept subscription books recording all the donors and pledges collecting during their work. The position of Agent was later known as Traveling Secretary.77 None of the agents hired were particularly successful. The position was abolished in 1911, to be resurrected only on the direction of a Committee.
The University of King's College was founded in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1789. Construction of the main building was completed in 1791. King George III granted a Royal Charter to King's in 1802. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, King's offered instruction in arts and science, divinity, medicine, law and engineering at various times.
The University and King's Collegiate School operated under joint administration until fire destroyed the College's main building on 5 Feb 1920. In financial difficulty after the fire, King's, with assistance from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, entered into an association with Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Articles of Association between the Governors of King's College and the Governors of Dalhousie College (1923) provided that King's would hold in abeyance its power of granting degrees except in Divinity (s.11). In 1928, King's commenced building its new campus in its present location and opened its new buildings, designed by Andrew Cobb, in 1930. King's merged its Faculty of A1is and Science with Dalhousie's, but continued to grant divinity degrees until King's School of Divinity became part of the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax that was incorporated in 1974.
King's now offers undergraduate liberal arts and science programs in interdisciplinary humanities, including four-year degrees given jointly with Dalhousie in Early Modem Studies, Contemporary Studies, and History of Science and Technology. King's also offers Journalism degrees: a four-year undergraduate honours degree (B.J.H.), a one-year post-baccalaureate B.J.; and a master's degree (M.J.) that commenced in 2011. A minor in Journalism Studies is available as a complement to other fields of study.
King's, with a student population of 1,100, has established itself as one of Canada's leading institutions of higher learning. Its mission is to remain a small undergraduate college working in the humanities, social sciences, science and journalism, while maintaining the special character of the University, due in part to the concentration of scholarly interest in the western intellectual and cultural tradition, in part to the interdisciplinary approach involving team teaching, and in part to the counter-balancing presence in the University of the School of Journalism and its intensely practical mission of preparing students to work in contemporary print and broadcast media.
John Tracy was a reporter for the Halifax Herald and the Canadian Press in the 1930s and 1940s.
Third Bishop of Algoma; Second Metropolitan of Ontario (and Archbishop of Algoma).
George Thorneloe was born in Coventry, England in 1848, and was educated in Birkenhead, England, and Granby, Quebec. He attended the University of Bishop's College, Lennoxville, Quebec, obtaining a B.A. in 1872. He was ordained deacon in 1874, and priest a year later. He was incumbent of Stanstead, Quebec from 1874 to 1885, and obtained an M.A. from the University of Bishop's College in 1877. He then became rector of Sherbrooke, Quebec, from 1885 to 1896. During this time, he was made a canon of Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Quebec, until 1896. From 1895 to 1896, he was clerical secretary of the Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada. He was consecrated Bishop of Algoma in 1897, and married in 1898. He was an excellent governor of his diocese, travelling throughout to perform his duties to his people. His reputation was such that he was, in fact, nominated or even elected to multiple dioceses over the years, including Ontario, Ottawa, Toronto, and Nova Scotia (the latter two of which he was not elected). He declined both the Ontario and Ottawa elections, thought Ottawa caused some discomfort, as the synod refused to accept his decision and pressured him to accept. The House of Bishops, however, aided him in not allowing him to resign the See of Algoma, making it impossible for him to accept the See of Ottawa. He was eventually elected President of the House of Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario in 1915, the same year he became the Metropolitan of Ontario and Archbishop of Algoma. He resigned in 1926, and passed away in 1935 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
First Bishop of Brandon.
Born in Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1875, Wilfred William Henry Thomas was educated in Burgh and Canterbury, and ordained deacon in 1898. He was then curate of Christ Church Cathedral, Hamilton until 1899, when he was ordained priest in Smith's Falls. He became rector of St. Luke's Church in Winnipeg until 1901, when he moved to Selkirk, Manitoba to be rector there. He remained in this post until 1916. That year, he became archdeacon of Eastern Manitoba. He was consecrated bishop of Brandon in 1924, which he held until his resignation in 1950. He passed away in 1953. Thomas received an honrourary D.D. from St. John's College, Winnipeg, in 1923.