98
records
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Alma College fonds
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1877-2019
- Accession Number
- 2002-11
- 2002-22
- 2002-23
- 2003-31
- 2005-07
- 2006-40
- 2006-46
- 2007-05
- 2007-23
- 2011-09
- 2018-53
- 2019-10
- 2019-29
- 2020-04
- 2021-01
- Storage Location
- R6 S4 to 2
- M6-M7
- M5 S1 Sh3 B1
- M5 S2 Sh3 B8
- C1 Sh4 9-11
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Creator
- Alma College
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Number
- 2002-11
- 2002-22
- 2002-23
- 2003-31
- 2005-07
- 2006-40
- 2006-46
- 2007-05
- 2007-23
- 2011-09
- 2018-53
- 2019-10
- 2019-29
- 2020-04
- 2021-01
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 107
- Archives Storage Rm. 105
- Archives 4th Floor Storage Room
- Storage Location
- R6 S4 to 2
- M6-M7
- M5 S1 Sh3 B1
- M5 S2 Sh3 B8
- C1 Sh4 9-11
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1877-2019
- Physical Description
- 14.9 m of textual records
- ca. 4500 photographs
- 3 art works
- 2 audio tapes
- 1 video tape
- History / Biographical
- Alma College was established as Alma Ladies College by the General Council of the Methodist Church in 1877. The charter was granted by an Act of Legislature on March 2, 1877. Alma College was owned and operated by the Methodist Church. The school was known as St. Thomas Ladies College until early in 1877 when the responsibility of naming the school was bestowed upon Sheriff Colin Munroe. He named the school Alma after his daughter and recently deceased wife.
Alma College officially opened as a liberal arts school for young women on Thursday October 13, 1881. The college colours were chosen to represent the three original departments: red for music, gold for art and blue for literature. The school became recognized for the training it provided in music, drama, and the arts. It also became well-known for the strong representation of international students throughout school history.
Between 1881 and ca. 1930 the College’s post-elementary level curriculum gradually evolved from that of a traditional liberal arts finishing school to private university prep school to Ontario Department of Education-sanctioned secondary school.
Alma College was open to day students as early as 1907. A junior school for girls under 13 years of age was also opened in the same year, offering elementary or public school-level education (although as early as 1899 the College was enrolling students in its “Preparatory Department,” whose course of study included “Public School” grammar, arithmetic and geography).
The ownership and operational management of Alma College was transferred from the Methodist Church of Canada as a result of the formation of the United Church of Canada in 1925.
In 1950 the College limited instruction in its elementary-level Junior School to grades seven and eight, and beginning with the school year commencing September 1959, the College ceased operating its Junior School altogether, limiting academic instruction to grades 9-13.
In 1974 the College began offering a course in Family Studies. To provide practice teaching opportunities for the secondary school students taking this course, the College re-established its Junior School for the 1975-76 school year as a co-educational day school encompassing pre-school, junior kindergarten and kindergarten. Also in 1975, a portion of the new residence was opened as Valleyview Satellite Home, a residence for female seniors. Alma College was designated as a provincial historic site on October 28, 1976 in commemoration of the school’s centennial.
In 1989 the secondary school closed as a result of a labour dispute. However, the primary and music school continued. Following the closure, two companies were formed: Alma College St. Thomas and the Warner Endowment Fund. The two new corporations were chartered federally in November 1990 to separate the operations of Alma College from the trusteeship of the Warner Endowment Fund. The Warner Endowment Fund was created by the ex-students of Alma College on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of their Alma Mater and in memory of past principal Doctor Warner and his wife Mrs. Warner. Alma College separated from the United Church of Canada in 1991.
Alma's Music School, Junior School and Kindergarten were scheduled to re-open on September 6, 1994, but were permanently cancelled on September 2. The secondary school was also scheduled to re-open as a co-ed facility in September. However, low enrolment was cited as problematic and the school did not re-open. Alma College finally closed in September 1994.
Alma College was sold by approval of the Ontario court to Royal Cambridge Corporation, who intended to reopen the college as a co-educational institution, in January 1996. However Royal Cambridge Corporation defaulted on their mortgage payments and the college was offered up for sale once again. In August 1996 the Alma College International Alumnae Association reached an agreement with the receivers Price Waterhouse Ltd. to purchase Alma College. However in December the alumnae’s offer was rejected by the court in favour of a third offer from Royal Cambridge Corporation. Royal Cambridge Corporation again received court approval to purchase Alma College in order to open a co-educational college. By December 1997 Royal Cambridge Corporation defaulted on their mortgage payments and never succeeded in opening the school. In May 1998 a judicial sale of the buildings was conducted and aborted because all bids fell short of the reserve bid. Alma College was finally sold to a London development company led by Mr. Brian Squires in August 1998.
- Custodial History
- The Alma College Archives was established in 1985 to preserve both the records of the college and the Alma College International Alumnae Association. The college retained custody of the records on site until the Alma College Board of Management filed for bankruptcy in September 1994. On October 19, 1994 Price Waterhouse Inc. of London was appointed interim receiver and therefore obtained custody and responsibility for the records of Alma College. By permission of the court the alumnae association purchased the records in November 1997. Soon after, the alumnae association moved the records to Central United Church in St. Thomas where the records were sorted. The business and personal records were subsequently transferred to the United Church of Canada Archives. Student transcripts were transferred to the Ontario Ministry of Education.
The alumnae originally intended to donate the remaining records to the Elgin County Pioneer Museum. However, Mr. Steve Peters, the Mayor of St. Thomas at the time and past volunteer Archivist for Alma College, offered an empty office at City Hall for storage of the remaining records in November 1998. Subsequently, the alumnae then moved the records to Raven's Shoe Store in St. Thomas. In March 2000 the records were furthermore moved from the shoe store to the Elgin County Administration Building. At the 2002 Alma College International Alumnae Association Reunion, the alumnae voted to transfer the records to the Elgin County Archives. The alumnae donated the records to the Elgin County Archives later the same year.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of the records of the Alma College Board of Management, Council, Senate and Students' Council and includes correspondence, accounts, minutes, photographs, negatives, scrapbooks, student newspapers, yearbooks, programs and invitations to special events, blueprints and plans, and prospectuses. Scrapbooks, photograph albums and memorabilia kept by students and staff are also included.
The fonds will be of particular interest to historians seeking information about Alma College in particular and about the administration, staffing, curriculum, academic standards and student life of Canadian and international women’s private boarding schools in general. The fonds will also interest students of denominational educational institutions in Canada, particularly those administered by the Methodist/United Church. Historians will also find the fonds useful for investigating the social history and commercial development of the city of St. Thomas and Elgin County, as the records provide voluminous information about local events, institutions, businesses and individuals through their interaction with Alma College and its students and staff. Genealogists seeking information about particular students and staff will find the student records and staff registers invaluable.
Fonds is divided into the following series:
1.Scrapbooks
2.Alma
3.The Almafilian
4.Board of Management records
5.Board of Management Executive Committee
6.Senate minutes
7.Alma College Council minutes
8.Prospectuses
9.Special Events
10.Student records
11.Mary Powell MacKellar records
12.Miss Bone records
13.Staff records
14.Student grades
15.The Alma Mater
16.Record and log books
17.Kate Johnson MacTavish records
18.Contents of the Cornerstone
19.General Correspondence
20.Miscellaneous records
21.Accounts
22.Fundraising records
23.Photographs
24.Blueprints and building records
25.Student Council minutes
26. Alma College Alumnae Bulletin
27.Alumnae index cards
28.The Alma Buzzer
29.The Doughnut
30.Marriage Registers
31.May Day
32. 50th Anniversary
33. 75th Anniversary
34. 100th Anniversary
35. Graduation records
36. Diplomas
37. Advertisements and posters
38. Music building records
39. Academics at Alma
40. Alma Students' Guides and A-B-C
41. Alma College Directories
42. Alma College Address lists
43. Student lists
44. Staff lists
45. Student profiles
46. Letters of permission
47. Student grades
48. Alma College Session Calendars
- Name Access
- Alma College
- Alma Ladies College
- St. Thomas Ladies College
- Subject Access
- Education
- Historic Sites
- Schools
- Women
- Access Restriction
- Requests for Alma College official student records should be directed to the Student Records Field Services Branch at the Ministry of Education by email at student.records@ontario.ca, or by phone at 416-212-8462.
- Finding Aid
- Finding Aids are available in Reference Room- REF 34 and beside the collection- Storage Rm. 107- R6 S2 Sh6
Less detail
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 117
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 116
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 118
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 119
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 120
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 121
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 123
Alma College - Historic Site Ceremony - Duplicate
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Alma College fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1977
- Storage Location
- R6 S3 Sh4 B4 122
Correspondence, Malahide House Public Visits
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- John Ker fonds
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1976-1983
- Accession Number
- 2012-13
- Storage Location
- W5 Sh3 B2 F8
Elgin County
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Reference Room Collection
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- textual records
- Storage Location
- REF 10
Estate History
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- John Ker fonds
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1976-1977
- Accession Number
- 2012-13
- Storage Location
- W5 Sh3 B1 F4
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- John Ker fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Accession Number
- 2012-13
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 110
- Storage Location
- W5 Sh3 B1 F4
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1976-1977
- Series
- John Ker fonds- Talbot Estate Historical Files series
- Physical Description
- 4.5 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains:
- -An essay on the life of Col. Thomas Talbot, by Rosemary McCallum, 1977.
- -A catalogue from an auction held at Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin, Ireland, May 1976.
- "Historical Notes on the Malahide House Estate and Port Talbot - St. Thomas Region," by George Thorman and Ralph Parker.
- Name Access
- Talbot, Thomas
- Talbot Estate
- Malahide
- Ireland
- Subject Access
- History
- Historic Sites
- Auctions
Less detail
Guestbooks, 1954-1988
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- John Ker fonds
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1954-1988
- Accession Number
- 2012-13
- Storage Location
- W5 Sh3 B2 F10
Guestbooks, 1959-1982
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- John Ker fonds
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1959-1982
- Accession Number
- 2012-13
- Storage Location
- W5 Sh3 B2 F9
Heritage Aylmer
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Township of Malahide fonds
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1986-1990
- Accession Number
- 2006-27
- Storage Location
- R13 S4 Sh2 B2 F4
Historical Atlas of Elgin County (1877) Reprinted, 1972
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1972
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Location
- R4 S6 Sh5 B1 F36
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Creator
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Description Level
- Item
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 105
- Storage Location
- R4 S6 Sh5 B1 F36
- GMD
- graphic material
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1972
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.2 x 9.2 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.4 x 13 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 14.2 x 18 cm
- 1 p. textual records
- Scope and Content
- One black and white photograph of an illustration of "The Congress Hall, formerly the Maple Leaf Hotel in Aylmer", taken from the atlas, and used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published April 1, 1972. (36a)
- One black and white photograph of an illustration of "The James Morgan residence on the Lake Road, Southwold Township", taken from the atlas, and used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published April 1, 1972. (36b)
- One black and white photograph of an illustration of the residence of George E. Casey, MP, in1877, taken from the atlas, and used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published April 1, 1972. (36c)
- Article, St. Thomas Times-Journal, published April 1, 1972, "Historical atlas reprinted: Elgin County of century ago". (R4_S6_Sh5_B1_F36)
- Name Access
- St. Thomas (Ont.)
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Elgin (Ont.: County)
- Subject Access
- Newspapers
- Atlas
- Buildings
- Historic Sites
Less detail
Historical "Cave"/Cellar on Property of Cyril McCaig, Sunset Drive, RR 5, St. Thomas at Base of Farley Hill - Probably Part of Early Brewery, 1850s
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1966
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Location
- R4 S6 Sh5 B1 F53
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Creator
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Description Level
- Item
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 105
- Storage Location
- R4 S6 Sh5 B1 F53
- GMD
- graphic material
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1966
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 14 x 13.2 cm
- 1 p. textual records
- Scope and Content
- One black and white photograph used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published September 29, 1966, with caption:
- "Examine historical cave - Mrs. Cyril McCaig (left), and Mrs. Ian Leask examine the superb craft[s]manship which produced this brewer's cave about 10 feet below the ground on Sunset Drive near the base of the Farley Hill. The cave was discovered several years ago by Mr. McCaig, owner of the property." (53a)
- "Entrance to a dungeon? - The heavy stone entrance to the underground room is typical of the arched construction throughout the entire 15-foot by 25-foot structure. Located on the site of a brewery which operated in the 1850s, the cave is believed to have been used for the storage of beer." (53b)
- Article, St. Thomas Times-Journal, published September 29,1966, "Underground Cellar Believed To Be Part of Old Brewery". (R4_S6_Sh5_B1_F53)
- Name Access
- St. Thomas (Ont.)
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Brewers' Retail
- Subject Access
- Newspapers
- Historic Sites
Less detail
Historical Clippings
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- John Ker fonds
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- textual records
- Date Range
- 1927-1986
- Accession Number
- 2012-13
- Storage Location
- W5 Sh3 B1 F3
Historical Photographs of St. Thomas - Elgin County Court House and Grounds
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- ca. 1930
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Location
- C9 Sh2 B4 F14 26
Historic Homes, St. Thomas
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1981
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Location
- R4 S6 Sh5 B1 F18
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds
- Creator
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Description Level
- Item
- Accession Number
- 2008-01
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 105
- Storage Location
- R4 S6 Sh5 B1 F18
- GMD
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1981
- Publication
- September 29, 2020: F18f (1 Wellington Street) published to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.2 x 13.3 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 9.1 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.5 x 13.6 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.2 x 9.2 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9.2 x 9.2 cm
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.6 x 13.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- One black and white photograph of 46 Walnut Street used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published June 27, 1981 in the 1981 Centennial Edition. (18a)
- One black and white photograph of 73 Metcalfe Street used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published June 27, 1981 in the 1981 Centennial Edition. (18b)
- One black and white photograph of 95 Metcalfe Street used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article published June 27, 1981 in the 1981 Centennial Edition. (18c)
- One black and white photograph of 108-108 1/2 Metcalfe Street used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article on June 27, 1981 in the 1981 Centennial Edition. (18d)
- One black and white photograph of 6 St. Anne's Place used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article on June 27, 1981 in the 1981 Centennial Edition. (18e)
- One black and white photograph of 53 William Street and 1 Wellington Street used in St. Thomas Times-Journal article on June 27, 1981 in the 1981 Centennial Edition. (18f)
- Name Access
- St. Thomas (Ont.)
- St. Thomas Times-Journal
- Subject Access
- Newspapers
- Heritage Buildings
- Historic Sites
- Buildings
- Architecture
Less detail
98
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