Willson Woodside
Encyclopedia
Charles Willson Woodside (1905 — May 29, 1991) was a Canadian
journalist
well known for his World War II
reporting, author, and a professor of political science
at the University of Guelph
.
and raised in the prairies of Canada. He attained a bachelor's degree in engineering at the University of Toronto
just prior to the Great Depression
; following this he worked briefly as an engineer and then taught at the University of Toronto from 1929 to 1934.
During this time he travelled extensively during the summers in Europe and particularly in Germany
, although he was barred from the country by the Nazis
after several visits.
During this period Woodside became a journalist and prominently predicted the outbreak of war in Europe. During the Second World War, he was a member of the Allied press corps and reported nightly on the radio for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. Following the war, he became Foreign Editor at Saturday Night
.
Woodside also served in the post-war period as the executive director of the United Nations Association in Canada
. In 1954, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
as a Tory
in a by-election in the Toronto riding of Trinity
, losing to Liberal
Donald Carrick
by 1352 votes. He wrote a book entitled The University Question which discussed the funding and use of higher education in Canada. He then joined the political science department of the University of Guelph, Ontario, as a founding member of the faculty and also chair. He was a professor of the university from 1966 to 1974. His archives are presently held in the university's library.
Woodside was the great-nephew of Henry Joseph Woodside
, an entrepreneur and soldier known for his photography during the Boer War and the First World War.
Canada
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...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
well known for his World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
reporting, author, and a professor of political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
.
Biography
Willson Woodside was born in Portage la Prairie, ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and raised in the prairies of Canada. He attained a bachelor's degree in engineering at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
just prior to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
; following this he worked briefly as an engineer and then taught at the University of Toronto from 1929 to 1934.
During this time he travelled extensively during the summers in Europe and particularly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, although he was barred from the country by the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
after several visits.
During this period Woodside became a journalist and prominently predicted the outbreak of war in Europe. During the Second World War, he was a member of the Allied press corps and reported nightly on the radio for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. Following the war, he became Foreign Editor at Saturday Night
Saturday Night (magazine)
Saturday Night was a Canadian general interest magazine. It was founded in Toronto, Ontario in 1887.The publication was first established as a weekly broadsheet newspaper about public affairs and the arts, which was later expanded into a general interest magazine. The editor, Edmund E. Sheppard,...
.
Woodside also served in the post-war period as the executive director of the United Nations Association in Canada
United Nations Association in Canada
The United Nations Association in Canada engages the Canadian public in the work of the United Nations and the critical international issues which face us all. Canada has been an integral part of the UNA and continues to do so in the future....
. In 1954, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as a Tory
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
in a by-election in the Toronto riding of Trinity
Trinity (electoral district)
Trinity was an electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons 1935 to 1988. It covered a portion of the western Toronto. Its name comes from the Trinity-Bellwoods area that was once home to Trinity College....
, losing to Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Donald Carrick
Donald Carrick
Donald Day Carrick was an Ontario lawyer, political figure, Olympic boxer, and Canadian national golf champion. He represented Toronto Trinity as a Liberal member from 1954 to 1957....
by 1352 votes. He wrote a book entitled The University Question which discussed the funding and use of higher education in Canada. He then joined the political science department of the University of Guelph, Ontario, as a founding member of the faculty and also chair. He was a professor of the university from 1966 to 1974. His archives are presently held in the university's library.
Woodside was the great-nephew of Henry Joseph Woodside
Henry Joseph Woodside
Henry Joseph Woodside was a Canadian businessman, journalist, writer, and photographer.Born in Arkwright, Ontario, Woodside attended school at Owen Sound and Prince Arthur's Landing...
, an entrepreneur and soldier known for his photography during the Boer War and the First World War.
External links
- Stalin's Biggest Headache, 9 Feb 1950 speech by Willson Woodside to the Empire Club of CanadaEmpire Club of CanadaThe Empire Club of Canada is a Canadian speakers' forum. Established in 1903, the Empire Club has provided a forum for over 3,500 speakers.Through a variety of presentation formats, the Empire Club invites local, national and international leaders and other change-agents to address the topical...
- http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-112-678/conflict_war/korea/Radio clip from the CBC on the Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, June 30, 1950] (he begins at time index 4:32)