Robert Charles Wallace
Encyclopedia
Robert Charles Wallace, CMG
, BA
, BSc
, MSc
, PhD
, FRSC
(June 15, 1881 - January 29, 1955) was a Scots-Canadian geologist, educator, and administrator who served as president of the University of Alberta
(1928–1936), the principal of Queen’s University (1936–1951), and the head of the Arctic Institute of North America
(1951–1955).
of Scotland
. He completed his secondary education at the Kirkwall Grammar School in Orkney funded by a county scholarship. He went on to earn a B.A.
from the University of Edinburgh
in 1901 and a B.Sc. in geology and mathematics from the same institution in 1907, during which time he received Exhibition Scholarship. Wallace left for Germany to pursue graduate studies in geology, obtaining an M.Sc. from the University of Göttingen. He returned to Scotland to finish his graduate work, earning his Ph.D.
from Edinburgh in 1912. Later that year, Wallace married Elizabeth Harcus Smith (another Orcadian). She later became the founder and first president of the Faculty Women's Club at the University of Alberta (1933) and at Queen's University (1939). The pair had four children: Ronald, Sheila, Brenda, and Elspeth. The latter would become the last Dean of Women at Queen’s.
in 1912 to take a position as the very first head of the Department of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Manitoba
, a position he held for nearly sixteen years (from 1912 to 1928). A charismatic and erudite professor, Wallace was held in high esteem by his students and colleagues. His legacy at the University can be still be seen today. In 1986, construction of the Wallace Building was completed on the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry Campus. The building, part of what is now the Department of Geological Sciences, contains the traditional classrooms and offices, as well as a seismographic data centre and a small geological museum.
In the midst of his tenure at the University of Manitoba, Wallace also became the Commissioner of Northern Manitoba at the behest of the provincial government. He traveled the north of the province extensively via foot, dogsled, and canoe, camping out with prospectors and explorers while documenting the extensive natural resources of the Canadian north. His reports on the plentiful mineral resources of Northern Manitoba resulted in the beginnings of government resource projects and the extensive infusion of capital into that region. The Manitoban Government later promoted Wallace to the position of Commissioner of Mines in 1927. He would occupy this post for less than a year, however, as his move to the University of Alberta came in 1928.
was just beginning to establish itself as an important post-secondary institution when it offered Robert Wallace the presidency in 1928. Wallace was to succeed the university’s first ever president, Henry Marshall Tory
, who had left the institution to take a position as the President and CEO of the National Research Laboratories (later called the National Research Council of Canada
). When Wallace arrived, the University was nearing the end of its first period of significant expansion.
Wallace’s presidency was less than one year old when the global economy began to collapse into the Great Depression in the fall of 1929. Almost immediately, funding for University programs was in short supply and Wallace was forced to take action. He was to decide between shutting down existing University departments or cutting staff salaries across the board. Needless to say, Wallace chose the latter action, and no departments at the University were closed despite the desperate economic situation. The financial difficulties did, however, slow the expansion of the University. No new buildings were constructed on the Edmonton Campus until after the Second World War.
Despite the massive monetary restrictions placed on him by the Great Depression, Wallace managed not only to maintain the integrity and viability of the institution, but to improve it as well. During his period in office, the School of Nursing became an autonomous department with the ability to grant degrees. (Previous to this development, nursing students studying at Alberta had to travel to Ontario or British Columbia to complete their degrees.) Wallace also helped to establish the Banff School of Fine Arts (now called the Banff Centre
) in 1933.
Wallace’s contributions were not limited to the educational sphere. During his time in Alberta, Wallace continued with his passion for field geology and resource prospecting. He helped unearth the vast and profitable pitchblende deposits in the far north region of the province. Wallace was also among the first geologists to suggest that there may be economic potential in the development of the tar sands
on the outskirts of Fort McMurray.
, Ontario
by chancellor James Richardson. Wallace accepted the offer, and was installed as the University’s eleventh Principal on September 1, 1936. He was the first scientist to ever hold the position. (Nine of the previous 10 Principals were ministers, the other was a Classics professor.) He would hold the position until his formal retirement in 1951.
Prior to Wallace’s arrival, growth at Queen’s University had stagnated significantly (as it had with most other institutions during the depression years). Under Wallace, however, Queen’s would undergo an extended period of massive expansion. During his reign, Wallace added a large number of new departments and institutes including a School of Nursing and a School of Fine Arts (just like Alberta), a School of Physical Education and Health, a Board of Graduate Studies, and a Biological Research Station (at Lake Opinicon). Three new buildings were erected during his tenure, and the Students' Union building was torn down and rebuilt—it had been seriously damaged in a fire in 1947. Wallace also worked hard to improve the quality and quantity of academic staff. Faculty and staff salaries were increased four times during his time as Principal. Wallace also defended so-called “left wing” professors during the intense anti-communist atmosphere of the cold war, refusing to fire those staff members despite heated calls for their dismissal.
It was during his tenure at Queen’s that Wallace became highly regarded nationally (and internationally) as an extremely effective and efficient academic administrator. He was one of just three Canadians chosen to represent the country at the United Nations
Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) held in London in November 1945. It was at this conference that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Educational Organization (UNESCO
) was created. Additionally, Wallace received honorary degrees from twenty different universities.
In 1951, Wallace formally resigned his position as the Principal of Queen’s. His time at the institution was marked by tremendous growth, in terms of both facilities and enrollment. Under his leadership, Queen’s University had become a premier post-secondary institution, and it is no surprise that his time at Queen’s is looked upon fondly by staff, students, and alumni. To many close friends, he was known as “Wallace of Queen’s”. Wallace Hall, a large medieval style meeting hall (that is now part of the John Deutsch University Centre Complex), was named in his honor. The portrait collection of Queen’s Principals and Chancellors can be also be found in Wallace Hall.
and selective breeding programs, particularly during his time in Alberta. In an address to the Canadian Medical Association
entitled “The Quality of the Human Stock” in Calgary in June 1934, Wallace asserted the following:
Wallace, along with fellow University of Alberta faculty member John MacEachran, was a frank supporter of Alberta’s eugenic legislation, including the 1928 Sexual Sterilization Act, which permitted the forcible sterilization of “undesirables” in the province. Alberta was one of only two provinces (the other was British Columbia) to pass such legislation. The Act was not repealed until 1972.
(AINA), which at that time was housed at McGill University
in Montreal. (In 1976, the institute transferred to the University of Calgary
, becoming a full, multi-disciplinary Arctic research institute in 1979.) Wallace signed on as the institute’s executive director. Having spent many years exploring the vast Northern regions of Manitoba and Alberta, Wallace was ideally suited to the task. Though many were surprised that he would accept such a position in his twilight years, Wallace’s passion for discovery and his love for the northern landscape meant the position was a perfect fit.
Wallace’s tenure at the Institute ended with his sudden death on the 29th of January, 1955. His death was mourned not only at the AINA, but at Queen’s and Alberta as well. Wallace Hall, in the John Deutsch University Centre at Queen's, is named in his honour.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
, MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
, PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
(June 15, 1881 - January 29, 1955) was a Scots-Canadian geologist, educator, and administrator who served as president of the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
(1928–1936), the principal of Queen’s University (1936–1951), and the head of the Arctic Institute of North America
Arctic Institute of North America
The Arctic Institute of North America is mandated to study the North American and circumpolar Arctic in the areas of natural science, social science, arts and the humanities. In addition, it acquires, preserves and disseminates information on environmental, physical, and social conditions in the...
(1951–1955).
Early Life and Education
Robert Charles Wallace was born on June 15, 1881 in the Orkney IslandsOrkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He completed his secondary education at the Kirkwall Grammar School in Orkney funded by a county scholarship. He went on to earn a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1901 and a B.Sc. in geology and mathematics from the same institution in 1907, during which time he received Exhibition Scholarship. Wallace left for Germany to pursue graduate studies in geology, obtaining an M.Sc. from the University of Göttingen. He returned to Scotland to finish his graduate work, earning his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Edinburgh in 1912. Later that year, Wallace married Elizabeth Harcus Smith (another Orcadian). She later became the founder and first president of the Faculty Women's Club at the University of Alberta (1933) and at Queen's University (1939). The pair had four children: Ronald, Sheila, Brenda, and Elspeth. The latter would become the last Dean of Women at Queen’s.
Exploring Manitoba (1912-1928)
Increasingly renowned for his vast knowledge of rocks and minerals, Wallace moved to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1912 to take a position as the very first head of the Department of Geology and Mineralogy at the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, a position he held for nearly sixteen years (from 1912 to 1928). A charismatic and erudite professor, Wallace was held in high esteem by his students and colleagues. His legacy at the University can be still be seen today. In 1986, construction of the Wallace Building was completed on the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry Campus. The building, part of what is now the Department of Geological Sciences, contains the traditional classrooms and offices, as well as a seismographic data centre and a small geological museum.
In the midst of his tenure at the University of Manitoba, Wallace also became the Commissioner of Northern Manitoba at the behest of the provincial government. He traveled the north of the province extensively via foot, dogsled, and canoe, camping out with prospectors and explorers while documenting the extensive natural resources of the Canadian north. His reports on the plentiful mineral resources of Northern Manitoba resulted in the beginnings of government resource projects and the extensive infusion of capital into that region. The Manitoban Government later promoted Wallace to the position of Commissioner of Mines in 1927. He would occupy this post for less than a year, however, as his move to the University of Alberta came in 1928.
Further West: The Move to Alberta (1928-1936)
The University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
was just beginning to establish itself as an important post-secondary institution when it offered Robert Wallace the presidency in 1928. Wallace was to succeed the university’s first ever president, Henry Marshall Tory
Henry Marshall Tory
Henry Marshall Tory was the first president of the University of Alberta , the first president of the Khaki University, the first president of the National Research Council and the first president of Carleton College...
, who had left the institution to take a position as the President and CEO of the National Research Laboratories (later called the National Research Council of Canada
National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
). When Wallace arrived, the University was nearing the end of its first period of significant expansion.
Wallace’s presidency was less than one year old when the global economy began to collapse into the Great Depression in the fall of 1929. Almost immediately, funding for University programs was in short supply and Wallace was forced to take action. He was to decide between shutting down existing University departments or cutting staff salaries across the board. Needless to say, Wallace chose the latter action, and no departments at the University were closed despite the desperate economic situation. The financial difficulties did, however, slow the expansion of the University. No new buildings were constructed on the Edmonton Campus until after the Second World War.
Despite the massive monetary restrictions placed on him by the Great Depression, Wallace managed not only to maintain the integrity and viability of the institution, but to improve it as well. During his period in office, the School of Nursing became an autonomous department with the ability to grant degrees. (Previous to this development, nursing students studying at Alberta had to travel to Ontario or British Columbia to complete their degrees.) Wallace also helped to establish the Banff School of Fine Arts (now called the Banff Centre
Banff Centre
The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
) in 1933.
Wallace’s contributions were not limited to the educational sphere. During his time in Alberta, Wallace continued with his passion for field geology and resource prospecting. He helped unearth the vast and profitable pitchblende deposits in the far north region of the province. Wallace was also among the first geologists to suggest that there may be economic potential in the development of the tar sands
Tar sands
Bituminous sands, colloquially known as oil sands or tar sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit. The sands contain naturally occurring mixtures of sand, clay, water, and a dense and extremely viscous form of petroleum technically referred to as bitumen...
on the outskirts of Fort McMurray.
The Queen’s Principalship (1936-1951)
After nearly eight years as the President of the University of Alberta, Robert Wallace was offered the Principalship at Queen’s University in KingstonKingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
by chancellor James Richardson. Wallace accepted the offer, and was installed as the University’s eleventh Principal on September 1, 1936. He was the first scientist to ever hold the position. (Nine of the previous 10 Principals were ministers, the other was a Classics professor.) He would hold the position until his formal retirement in 1951.
Prior to Wallace’s arrival, growth at Queen’s University had stagnated significantly (as it had with most other institutions during the depression years). Under Wallace, however, Queen’s would undergo an extended period of massive expansion. During his reign, Wallace added a large number of new departments and institutes including a School of Nursing and a School of Fine Arts (just like Alberta), a School of Physical Education and Health, a Board of Graduate Studies, and a Biological Research Station (at Lake Opinicon). Three new buildings were erected during his tenure, and the Students' Union building was torn down and rebuilt—it had been seriously damaged in a fire in 1947. Wallace also worked hard to improve the quality and quantity of academic staff. Faculty and staff salaries were increased four times during his time as Principal. Wallace also defended so-called “left wing” professors during the intense anti-communist atmosphere of the cold war, refusing to fire those staff members despite heated calls for their dismissal.
It was during his tenure at Queen’s that Wallace became highly regarded nationally (and internationally) as an extremely effective and efficient academic administrator. He was one of just three Canadians chosen to represent the country at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) held in London in November 1945. It was at this conference that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Educational Organization (UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
) was created. Additionally, Wallace received honorary degrees from twenty different universities.
In 1951, Wallace formally resigned his position as the Principal of Queen’s. His time at the institution was marked by tremendous growth, in terms of both facilities and enrollment. Under his leadership, Queen’s University had become a premier post-secondary institution, and it is no surprise that his time at Queen’s is looked upon fondly by staff, students, and alumni. To many close friends, he was known as “Wallace of Queen’s”. Wallace Hall, a large medieval style meeting hall (that is now part of the John Deutsch University Centre Complex), was named in his honor. The portrait collection of Queen’s Principals and Chancellors can be also be found in Wallace Hall.
The Human Stock: Wallace and Eugenics
Controversially, Robert Wallace was a prominent and outspoken advocate of eugenicsEugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
and selective breeding programs, particularly during his time in Alberta. In an address to the Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Medical Association
The Canadian Medical Association , with more than 70,000 members, is the largest association of doctors in Canada and works to represent their interests nationally. It formed in 1867, three months after Confederation...
entitled “The Quality of the Human Stock” in Calgary in June 1934, Wallace asserted the following:
- “Science has done very much to raise the quality of the stock in the domesticated animals which man has reared for his service; it has done virtually nothing to raise the quality of the human stock.”
- “The time has come to make eugenics not only a scientific philosophy but in very truth a religion.”
- “These are steps to a still far distant goal—that of a fitter, healthier, intellectually more capable people to do the world’s work, which through its increasing difficulty calls for better quality of brain and brawn that has yet been given to the task.”
Wallace, along with fellow University of Alberta faculty member John MacEachran, was a frank supporter of Alberta’s eugenic legislation, including the 1928 Sexual Sterilization Act, which permitted the forcible sterilization of “undesirables” in the province. Alberta was one of only two provinces (the other was British Columbia) to pass such legislation. The Act was not repealed until 1972.
The Arctic Institute of North America (1951-1955)
Following his retirement from Queen’s in 1951, Wallace joined the newly formed Arctic Institute of North AmericaArctic Institute of North America
The Arctic Institute of North America is mandated to study the North American and circumpolar Arctic in the areas of natural science, social science, arts and the humanities. In addition, it acquires, preserves and disseminates information on environmental, physical, and social conditions in the...
(AINA), which at that time was housed at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal. (In 1976, the institute transferred to the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, becoming a full, multi-disciplinary Arctic research institute in 1979.) Wallace signed on as the institute’s executive director. Having spent many years exploring the vast Northern regions of Manitoba and Alberta, Wallace was ideally suited to the task. Though many were surprised that he would accept such a position in his twilight years, Wallace’s passion for discovery and his love for the northern landscape meant the position was a perfect fit.
Wallace’s tenure at the Institute ended with his sudden death on the 29th of January, 1955. His death was mourned not only at the AINA, but at Queen’s and Alberta as well. Wallace Hall, in the John Deutsch University Centre at Queen's, is named in his honour.
External links
- Orcadian Birth Data (from Orkney Genealogy Online)
- The Quality of the Human Stock (from the CMAJ Archives)
- Robert Charles Wallace (Queen's University Biography Page)
- History Trails - R.C. Wallace (Edmonton Journal Obituary)
- University of Alberta - Historical Sketch (U of A 2006 Calendar)
- The History of the AINA (from the Arctic Journal)
- University of Alberta (Official Website)
- Queen's University (Official Website)
- Arctic Institute of North America (AINA) (Official Website)