Frances Kathleen Montgomery was a Canadian academic, writer and poet. She was born in Woodstock, Ont., on Feb. 19, 1903, the daughter of Robert D. and Genevieve Montgomery. She received her early education in Woodstock and graduated from Woodstock Collegiate Institute in 1923, winning an entrance scholarship to the University of Western Ontario for French, German and History. During her undergraduate years there, from 1923 to 1927, she continued to excel in her studies, winning several awards and scholarships. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1927 and a Master of Arts degree, French and German, in 1928, after which she was awarded a provincial scholarship from the Ontario Dept. of Education for study in France. She studied for two years at the Sorbonne, and received a Doctorat de l'Université de Paris in 1930.

Upon her return to Canada, Montgomery was hired to teach at the University of Western Ontario, where she remained until retirement in 1963. During those years she continued to study, in Spain, Mexico and again in France. She interrupted her teaching career to join the Canadian Women's Army Corps and served from 1942-1945, rising in rank from private to captain. In 1963 Frances Montgomery was hired by the University of Waterloo to start a Department of French. She was appointed as a full professor in 1963, and was the first Chair of the Dept. of French. She retired to Victoria, B.C. in 1968.

Montgomery's interests and activities were many and varied. She was an accomplished musician from an early age, playing both piano and violin. She played tennis and golf and for many years engaged in camping and climbing holidays. As well, she had a reputation as an excellent cook and a witty conversationalist. Many articles and poems written by her were published in newspapers over the years. Her interest in discrimination against female academics led her to submit a brief to the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada in 1968.

Montgomery died August 23, 1989 in Victoria, British Columbia and was interred at Hatley Memorial Gardens.

Joan Molloy was an administrative secretary. She was bon June 21, 1931 in Sault Ste. Marie. She joined the University of Waterloo in 1960 as secretary for Ted Batke. Prior to retiring in 1993 she served as secretary for two Waterloo vice-presidents and four presidents, including J. G. Hagey. Outside of work Molloy enjoyed travelling and wintering in Floria. She was a member of the University Women's Club and the First United Church in Waterloo. She died at St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario on April 20, 2003 and was buried at Parkview Cemetery in Waterloo.

The Arts Building at the University of Waterloo, now known as the Modern Languages Building, was a major addition to the campus, marking the university’s expansion into liberal arts education. Plans for the three-story structure were announced on July 20, 1961, with a projected cost of $1,200,000, later revised to $1,400,000 to include furnishings, landscaping, and architectural fees. The building was designed to include a teaching wing as well as a distinctive seven-sided theatre wing including art galleries, which would serve both the university and the surrounding community as a fine arts centre.[1]

The original 1961 plans for the Arts Building at the University of Waterloo outlined a teaching wing with classrooms, seminar rooms, and specialized labs for geography, psychology, and a 54-unit language lab. The lower floor included a student coffee room, women’s lounge, and faculty lounge, all opening onto a terrace facing the theatre wing. The theatre wing was designed to feature several art galleries and a main theatre with a hydraulically operated retractable stage, allowing the space to function both as a lecture hall and a performance venue. Seating was planned for over 500 people, including 312 seats in the main area, 40 on each side of the stage, and additional temporary seating in the adjacent galleries.[2]

Construction of the Arts Building was scheduled to begin in November 1961, following a tender process in October.[3] The teaching wing was planned for completion by August 31, 1962, with the theatre wing to follow by October 31.[4] The building officially opened in September 1962, and the theatre wing was completed shortly after, in October.[5]

Designed by Shore and Moffat of Toronto and built by Cooper Construction Company of Hamilton, the Arts Building stood out on campus for its modern architectural style, featuring long, vertical V-shaped windows and dark brick. The final structure spanned approximately 55,000 square feet.[6]

A defining feature of the teaching wing was the language laboratory. By 1968, the language laboratory in Room 109 was equipped with 36 individual recording booths where students could listen to lessons, repeat them, and record their voices on a separate tape channel. This setup enabled students to compare their pronunciation with that of the instructor and re-record until they were satisfied with their progress. Instructors could monitor each booth and communicate directly with students, providing personalized feedback to support both pronunciation and comprehension.[7]

The theatre wing, home to the Theatre of the Arts, served all departments within the Faculty of Arts. The Theatre of the Arts functioned as the university’s largest lecture hall and a cultural venue. Michael Langham, artistic director of the Stratford Festival, contributed to the design of the amphitheater, which could seat over 400 people.[8]

The theatre quickly became a cultural hub, with a debut performance Wintersong on January 26, 1963, featuring folk singers Judy Orban and Cedric Smith that was part of Winterland ’63 celebrations.[9] The first play hosted in the theatre was The Miser, directed by Dr. A.I. Dust that opened on March 14, 1963.[10] The venue welcomed the general public for the first time with a performance by the University of Toronto Orchestra on February 2, 1963.[11]

The first exhibit in the gallery was a display of 32 paintings and sketches by 8 Canadian artists including A.Y. Jackson, Sir Frederick Banting, J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Lawren Harris, F.H. Varley, Thoreau MacDonald, and Tom Tomson. The artworks were from the private collection of N.D. Young of Toronto.[12]

The Arts Building marked a significant milestone in the university’s building development, initiating the arts cell of the campus and complementing the existing science and engineering facilities.[13]

In the early mid-1960s, there was some uncertainty surrounding the official name of the Arts Building. While it was originally referred to simply as the Arts Building, the name "Modern Languages" appears to have been formally adopted by university administrators, including William Lobban, Director of Physical Plant and Planning, likely between 1965-1966. However, signage on the building continued to read, "Arts and Theatre Building" until at least 1967.[14]

Roy Matthews Mitchell was born in Fort Gratiot, Michigan, in 1884. Mitchell attended the University of Toronto and received a BA in journalism, a career he worked in for 13 years. He later founded the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto where he was involved in staging dramatic productions. In 1919, he became the first director of the Hart House Theatre, leaving in 1921 to return to New York where he worked in the theatre, and later as a professor of Drama at New York University. He died in 1944.

"The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing was established in 1981 from the amalgamation of the Ministry of Housing (1973-1981) with the municipal affairs functions of the Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs (essentially the Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister - Municipal Affairs and the Local Government Division).

Administratively, the Ministry consisted of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Deputy Minister, and four Assistant Deputy Ministers. The four areas over which the Assistant Deputy Ministers were responsible were: Land Development (renamed Real Estate in 1983); Community Planning; Municipal Affairs; and Community Development.

Agencies which reported to the Ministry included the Ontario Land Corporation, the Ontario Mortgage Corporation, and the Ontario Housing Corporation.

The Ministry existed until 1985, when it was divided to form the Ministry of Housing (1985-1995) and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs." (Source: Archives of Ontario: Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 1981-1985)

"The branches of the Ministry were grouped together under the administration of either the Deputy Minister or one of three Assistant Deputy Ministers. The divisions over which the Assistant Deputy Ministers presided were the Corporate Resources Management Division, the Housing Policy Division (renamed the Housing Planning and Policy Division in 1993), and the Housing Operations Division (originally named the Social Housing Division).

In addition, several agencies reported to the Legislature through the Minister of Housing. These included the Ontario Housing Corporation, the Ontario Mortgage Corporation, the Residential Tenancy Commission, the Residential Rental Standards Board, and the Rent Review Hearings Board.

The Ministry continued to exist until 1995, when it was re-joined with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to form the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (1995- )." (Source: Archives of Ontario: Ministry of Housing 1985-1995)

The post was created by the 1940 War Measures Act. The post was merged into the current post of the Minister of National Defence (Canada) in 1946.

Dr. Anne Millar completed her PhD in history at the University of Ottawa and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo, where she conducted oral histories of women in engineering.

Alexander M. Millar was born November 4, 1835 in Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario to Frederick Gourlay Millar and Isabella Henderson. He became a solicitor, was called to the Bar in 1863, and practised in Berlin. He was appointed Q.C. in 1889. During the course of his career, he served in many official roles, including as solicitor for the town of Berlin from 1869 to 1884 and as Mayor of Berlin in 1884-1885. He married Margaret Warren in 1865 and had three children. Alexander Millar died December 11, 1918.

Major General Sherman Miles was the Assistant Chief of Staff G-2 (the head of the Military Intelligence Division) in the time leading up to World War II.

Miss Oktoberfest 1977