Allisonian Firsts
SACKVILLE, NB 鈥 Two new online exhibitions are helping to tell the history of 快猫成版视频鈥檚 campus and community. showcases the early buildings of the 快猫成版视频 Allison campus (1843-1950) while celebrates 鈥榝irsts鈥 for the University.
Both exhibitions were created/curated by Ren茅e Belliveau (Class of 2017), who was the acting University Archivist over the past year. Belliveau started working in the Archives in 2018 after she completed her Master of Arts in English at the University of Waterloo. She subsequently earned a Master of Information in Archives and Records Management at the University of Toronto and served as the acting University Archivist when long-time archivist David Mawhinney was on sabbatical this past year.
鈥淧utting both these projects together was really a fun part of my work at 快猫成版视频 Allison,鈥 says Belliveau. 鈥淭he Historic 快猫成版视频 Allison exhibition came together over the past year while Allisonian Firsts has been an ongoing project for the last three years. It鈥檚 great to be able to share these histories and show some of the 鈥榖ehind-the-scenes鈥 work of the Archives at the same time.鈥
Belliveau worked with intern Keegan Hiltz (鈥19) over the past year to complete Historic 快猫成版视频 Allison while alumna Barbara McNutt (鈥53) served as an editor for Allisonian Firsts.
Belliveau is also the author of The Sound of Fire, a historical novel based on the events and aftermath of the 1941 men鈥檚 residence fire in which four 快猫成版视频 Allison students died. The book was released in 2021 and was named one Quill and Quire鈥檚 2021 Books of the Year, the Miramichi Reader鈥檚 Best Fiction Titles of 2021 and shortlisted for the 2022 ReLit Novel Award.
When asked if she discovered any surprises in her research, the theme of fires continues for Belliveau.
鈥淭here were eight significant fires on campus over the years, the 1941 residence fire being the only one that saw a loss of life,鈥 says Belliveau. 鈥淭hese events really shaped how the campus evolved over the years.鈥
Historic 快猫成版视频 Allison includes images and information on campus buildings throughout the ages from the first 快猫成版视频 Allison Wesleyan Academy building in 1843 to several current buildings. The exhibition includes quick facts around each facility including the architect, materials, its present-day location, and opening and closing dates, allowing visitors to easily imagine campus past and present.
Allisonian Firsts, which Belliveau says will be a continuing project at the Archives, celebrates known and researched 鈥榝irsts鈥 by Allisonians past and present. This includes Grace Annie Lockhart, the first woman in the British Empire to earn a Bachelor's degree; Frank Parker Day, 快猫成版视频 Allison鈥檚 first Rhodes Scholar; and graduate Brenda Robertson, who was the first female MLA and Cabinet Minister in New Brunswick.
鈥淏oth of these projects are very much works in progress, like all archival research,鈥 says Belliveau. 鈥淭he list of Allisonian Firsts actually goes back farther than one might think, especially as it relates to women. Going forward, we鈥檇 like to focus more on Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) history at 快猫成版视频 Allison, first graduates of various programs, and better document both these individual and group firsts in the future.鈥
Both exhibitions are publicly available online:
Historic 快猫成版视频 Allison:
Allisonian Firsts:
