J. Harold ‘Hal’ Manning, Class of 1920, wrote those remarkable words under the title “Peace” in his editorial for the student newspaper. He knew war well. His brother, Frederick, died of wounds received at Vimy Ridge. Hal himself was severely injured in the Vimy attack and returned home on a hospital ship. He continues the editorial with, “The war seemed likely to continue through another winter...
Elliott stood in the shadow of the stone structure. Both he and the building were the same age, but only one of them would withstand time. Although Elliott was losing this battle of advancing years, he was determined not to lose the war. In his hand, he held a list of names—the men and women from Acadia’s three institutions who died in conflict for their country. He could easily envision what must...
The day was cool and crisp. Sitting in the lee of the slight breeze, Annie smiled broadly. For weeks she had been waiting to come outside and capture this scene on canvas, but the moment was never quite right. Today, the sunlight was perfect. Annie worked slowly, enjoying the feel of the brush in her hand. The colours of the day formed by her command. Engrossed in her art, Annie didn’t notice as a...
Delicately gripping their pencils, Seminary students Emma and Pearl examined their subject across the Art Studio. The morning light was perfect, creating playful shadows on the wings of the plaster model while highlighting parts of her garment. In the centre of the room stood the Winged Victory, about two feet tall. The large art class encircled the statue, enthralled by her authoritative beauty....
S.S. OLYMPIC, Oct. 14, 1916. HERE I am fourteen hours at sea and not sick yet! Very few of us have been sick and everything is all serene. I left home on Tuesday. Wednesday morning we were up at one o’clock, had our breakfast by moonlight and spent our time in being checked for the voyage. Each man wore his check on his top button ; this was our identification as we went on board. At five-thirty...
Housed in the west wing on the second floor of College Hall, the Museum space was adorned with ash and walnut display cabinets of all sizes and shapes. The area had expanded twice since its inception in 1879. When the Carnegie Science Hall was built in 1908, the large geological collection was taken away from College Hall and set up in the new...
It had been hard work, taking many weeks, but the rewards were great. The dyke held. Jean Melanson and his boys spent hours between the tides, piling earth and sods in exactly the right configuration. A wooden sluice near the base of the mound, controlling the sea water like a drain plug, would help the family claim fertile salt marsh. Soon, he would grow hay here, seizing his new farmland from...
As I rode today, I caught glimpses of Castle Frederick gleaming against the lush green fields and forests of Falmouth. It only increased my anticipation of arriving at the mansion. But nothing prepared me for the surprising, round observatory on the hill opposite the large house. Its glass eye pointed to the horizon, awaiting the full moon’s rise. Drawing nearer, I wondered what splendours we...
As he did every day, Acadia’s Dr. Horace Greely Perry headed up the steep hill, entered the Observatory, and took measurements. He wrote comments in the ledger for September 16, 1934. “Fair & warm” “Light N, NE winds” Dr. Perry gathered these readings twice daily, at 8am and 8pm. Today’s notes specified “54F” (or 12C) in the morning and “60F” (or 15C) in the evening. The day’s extreme...
Since fall 2022, Archives & Special Collections has been digitizing issues of Acadia’s student newspaper, the Athenaeum, making decades of student perspectives on campus life fully searchable and accessible to the public from anywhere in the world. More than 500 issues are now available online on the Archives & Special Collections digital collections website. We need your help to finish the...
