The Retirees' Newsletter Page 7

The Faculty and Librarian Retirees' Association, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada

Vol VII, Issue No.2 -- April, 1997



A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE

By George McMahon

DR. RON IANNI, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY, once asked me what I would like to do upon retirement. I replied that I would very much like to preserve, in some way, the history of the University. He immediately challenged me to "do it now", and so I took an early retirement and began my quest.

I HAD ALREADY HAD SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION with Rev. N. J. Ruth, C.S.B, about his own memoirs. Father Ruth had been Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at Assumption College from 1952 to 1963, and at the University of Windsor from 1963 to 1971. My acquaintance with Father Ruth dated to the early fifties, when he had taught me Grade XIII Chemistry; and later he had hired me as his assistant, effective July 1st, 1963, the very day that the University of Windsor came into existence.

Father Ruth agreed to collaborate with me, and he produced four audio tapes which were typed and then edited into a manuscript. That first manuscript was reviewed by him and by me in some ten sessions, in which we produced a revised manuscript, which in turn was amended, revised and finalized for publication.

THE BOOK, entitled The Dean's Story: From Assumption College to the University of Windsor, will be published by Assumption University and will be available this Spring. Rev. U.S. Paré, President of Assumption University, acknowledges Father Ruth's contribution to the development of the University, in his Preface:

As we read these pages we can surmise that this development was not always smooth nor devoid of controversy. Father Ruth's account, however, displays the finesse and diplomacy that stood him in such good stead in his long tenure as Dean.

MY MAIN RESPONSIBILITY, HOWEVER, WAS TO ORGANIZE AND PUBLISH THE PAPERS OF DR. J.F. LEDDY. I moved into his office in the Leddy Library and, at first, thought the challenge overwhelming. The various files in his desk and scattered around his office had to be organized. In addition, there are some 70 boxes of papers on the shelves, and that does not include the holdings in the University's archives. The office contains some 3700 books.

The office also contained a vast collection of Dr. Leddy's memorabilia. With Dr. Ianni's permission, and with the assistance of the University's Campus Art Project chaired by Mrs. Sue Lesa, these treasures are now on display in the 2nd floor corridor connecting Library Main with Library West.

I have received many compliments on the display. On Sept 4th,I arranged a visit by Dr. and Mrs. Leddy to the campus to see the display. They were very pleased. On Oct. 21st, after Mrs. Leddy's funeral service, Dr. Leddy's brother Murray and his wife Rita, and his sister Patricia and husband Rudy, also visited the display and office and expressed delight at these and at what we are attempting to do.

I ESTIMATE THAT I HAVE REVIEWED HALF OF THE MATERIAL in Room 204, and have established over 80 subject areas reflecting Leddy's extraordinary range of interests, including World Federalism, C.I.D.A., Rhodes Scholars, Exeter College Oxford, correspondence, and so on. I have now completed four papers which are in draft form but are bound and printed, to be supplemented with material still to be discovered.

THESE FOUR PAPERS COVER:

1) The founding of the Canada Council. Leddy was an original member appointed by Prime Minister St. Laurent in 1957-1960, representing Saskatchewan. He was Vice Chairman of the Council in 1964-1969.

2) The founding of C.U.S.O. (Canadian University Students Overseas). He arranged for the "founding" meeting at McGill University in 1961, and was National Chairman from 1962 to 1965.

3) His nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

4) His appointment as a Member of the Papal Household. He was appointed A Gentleman of His Holiness in 1969, one of only two in Canada.

The fifth paper is nearing completion. It covers Dr. Leddy's correspondence with (for lack of a better word) V.I.P.s. These included Governor-Generals Massey, Vanier, Michener, Léger, Sauvé; Prime Ministers Pearson, Diefenbaker, Trudeau, Turner, and Mulroney. Among other distinguished Canadians in this category were Sidney Smith, Alvin Hamilton, Senator John Connolly, Otto Lang, Davie Fulton, Clarence Estey, Mitchell Sharp, and Hugh Faulkner.

THIS IS PROVING TO BE A FASCINATING PROJECT and it will be, in my view (as biased as that is) a worthwhile contribution to the history of the University of Windsor.

George McMahon was Associate Vice President for Alumni Affairs. He retired in August, 1996.

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