The Chair in Northern Studies, established in 1986, is supported by a $250,000 endowment from the Secretary of State’s Centre of Specialization Fund and an equal amount raised through the Fund for Excellence, and is associated with Trent’s Frost Centre for Canadian Heritage and Development Studies. The first occupant of the Chair was Hon. Thomas R. Berger.
The Department of Political Studies has been in operation since the University opened in 1964.
The Department of Mathematics has been in operation since the University opened in 1964.
The Audio-Visual Department was an academic support department set up to provide audio visual equipment, projectionists, other technical services and a media library service to the University community. Audio-Visual activities were divided into four distinct categories: distribution of audio visual equipment; film/video bookings - media library; language laboratory operations; and audio-visual productions. The Audio-Visual Department fells within the umbrella of the Library, and was directed administratively by the Head Librarian.
From 1966 to 1973, John Leishman was Controller and, from 1971, also Vice-President (Finance). The office was split in 1973 and there was a Vice-President (Finance) and a Controller (Peter Lewis). John Earnshaw became Vice-President (Administration and Finance) in 1981 as John Leishman moved to the position of Executive Vice-President (External Relations and Financial Affairs). John Earnshaw held the office until August 1991. Nancy Sullivan became Vice-President (Finance and Administration), 1991-1994. For further information about the office and its leadership over the years, see A.O.C. Cole, Trent: The Making of a University, pp. 126-129; D'Arcy Jenish, Trent University: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence, 2014; and the annual course calendars (available in the Archives Reading Room).
Camp Wangoma was an overnight camp operated by East York YMCA and the Toronto Y Camping Services from 1956-1973. The Camp operated in the Madawaska Highlands thirty minutes east of Bancroft, just south of McArthur’s Mills on the north end of Wanamaker Lake. The history of the camp started in 1919 with Sunfish Camp on Sunfish Island run by Toronto Central YMCA. Due to the building of the Island Airport on Hanlan’s Point the residents of Hanlan's Point were moved to Sunfish Island (Olympic Island) in 1934. Sunfish Camp moved to a site south of Barrie on west side of Lake Simcoe operated by East York YMCA.
Due to the growth of the population on Lake Simcoe, the Y decided to move the Camp in 1955 to a former Private Camp on Lake Catchacoma. They rented the Camp for 1955 and the Camp was called Camp Woapka. The East York Y Camp Committee found during that time the site for Camp Wangoma which is the present day, Cedar Ridge Camp. The Camp started in 1956 and ran until 1973. As an Outdoor Education Centre, it ran from 1974-1978.
The Camp was sold in 1980 to the Pentecostal Church in Bancroft affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada). They ran Nature Land Bible Camp. In December 2005, the Bible Camp was sold to today’s owners of Cedar Ridge Camp which has been in operation for sixteen years.
Peter Gzowski College, named after Canadian broadcaster/journalist and former Trent Chancellor Peter Gzowski, opened to students in 2004 on the Symons Campus. Gzowski College, is housed in Enweyaang, a building located on the East side of the Otonabee River.
The Trent-Fleming Trail Studies Unit (TSU) was started in 1992 to address a lack of research into trails. TSU was a joint initiative between Sir Sanford Fleming College and Trent University. TSU was directed by Professor John Marsh of Trent University and Dr. Al McPherson of Sir Sanford Fleming College. TSU was in operation from 1992-2022 and held 3400 publications regarding national and international trails in their library. TSU also engaged in research projects, conferences, committees, and public education on trails.
The aims of TSU included:
Throughout its tenure, TSU hosted conferences, created local guides on trails, consulted on trail-related projects on a national and international level, led numerous research projects, and supported student research via graduate theses, and undergraduate course work and honours theses.
The International Camping Fellowship (ICF) is a membership organization extending worldwide to promote international cooperation and understanding through organized camping and to coordinate the exchange of news and information between individuals, camps and organizations in different countries. It was founded in 1987 by camp professionals at a meeting at Camp Tawingo in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, where Dick Chamberlain was appointed as the first ICF president . Jack Pearse served as president from 1998-2003, Jenny Bowker served from 2003-2008, Valery Kostin served from 2008-2014, John Jorgenson served from 2014-2020. Fahrettin Gozet is the sixth and current ICF president since 2020.
The International Camping Congress, organized by ICF, is a worldwide assembly of camps and camp professionals who share their knowledge and commitment to the camp and outdoor experience. This event occurs every third year in different locations around the world to provide an opportunity for camp education professionals, students and friends of camping to meet, network, and discuss ideas and views. This includes a research forum, study tours, continuous keynote speakers and a variety of workshops.
The Trent Student Union (TSU) was created in 1972. The objectives of the Union were to "...represent the interests of the students to the administration of the University; to give recognition and financial support to student clubs, organizations, and societies within the University; to study the academic and physical growth or decline of the University and to make suitable recommendations to the appropriate bodies; to represent the TSU to other student governments, to the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government, and to other organizations outside the University; and to foster in students an awareness of community, provincial, national and international issues and to promote action in relation to these issues." The TSU executive was composed of one elected representative from each college and the remaining members were elected by the general membership of the TSU. It was comprised of 13 members in total: Chairperson, Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Commissioner for External Affairs, Commissioner of Finance, Commissioner for Academic Affairs, the Recorder, five College representatives, and two TSU senators. (Taken from the TSU Constitution). In 1995 the TSU ceased to exist. Students voted in the Trent Central Student Government (TCSG). During the application of Incorporation as a non-profit corporation the new TCSG was informed that they could not be a government and therefore a new name was chosen. The new name was the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) and the TCSA is now responsible as the representative of the students of Trent University.
The Secretarial and Office Staff Advisory Committee (SOSAC), the Trent Staff Council (TSC), and the Trent Staff Association (TSA) were the forerunners of the Trent Local of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). SOSAC was formed as an standing committee to advise the Vice-President on general policy concerning the terms and conditions of employment, classifications and salary scales for members of the University’s secretarial and office staff. (taken from SOSAC News, Vol. 1, No.2, October 1978). In 1978, an organization representing university staff was established under the name of Trent Staff Council. The TSC was organized to represent the needs of staff in matters of common concern. The council was made up of scientific support staff, library support staff, services and buildings, housekeeping, secretarial and office staff, and administrative staff. In the spring of 1980, in response to a mandate from staff to Trent Staff Council to form an association to seek formal recognition by the University of the Association as the bargaining agent for all positions which are occupied by any member of the Association, in all matters related to terms and conditions of employment, the Trent Staff Association was created. (taken from Trent Staff Association Newsletter, Vol.1, No.1, August 19, 1980). In 1993, staff members voted to become unionized under the Trent Local of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
The Ashley Fellowship was established at Trent University in 1976 with a bequest from the late Charles Allan Ashley. Proceeds from the endowment are used to bring a visiting scholar to reside in one of the university’s five colleges in order to participate in lectures, seminars and informal contacts with students and faculty. Those eligible to receive the fellowship are persons who have made significant achievements in their field. They do not necessarily hold an academic appointment, but are required to contribute broadly to the academic and collegiate life of the University.
"Early Canadian Life" was published 12 times a year in Oakville, Ontario. It was distributed nationally through a distributing company which was a subsidiary of MacLean-Hunter Ltd. It was published by Goldenglow Publications Ltd. and had a large readership throughout Canada.
Camp Illahee was established in 1946 in Cobourg, Ontario. It began as a children's camp run by the Toronto Y.M.C.A. for diabetic children and later began catering to children with other diseases including heart and kidney conditions, haemophilia, and controlled epilepsy. The camp was later taken over by the Family Service Association of Metropolitan Toronto, an agency of the United Way. The name of the camp was changed to Illahee Northwoods Camp and its location was moved from Cobourg to Drag Lake in Haliburton, Ontario.
Camp Pine Crest is a children's camp run by the Toronto YMCA. It was first opened in 1910, and moved to its current location in 1911. The first camp director was E.D. Otter. The camp is comprised of 650 acres (originally only 300 acres) and it is situated on the shores of Clear Lake, Gull Lake and Echo Lake, near Torrence in the Muskokas. Originally, Camp Pine Crest was established as a boys only camp, but in 1980 it became a co-ed camp.
Camp Tamarack was established in 1922 as a Jewish Boy Scout's camp. The camp was situated on 350 acres of land in the Muskoka Lake District near Bracebridge, Ontario. The camp aimed to provide a camp setting where each boy counted. The boys were divided into small groups with two staff members to five boys. This allowed the boys to have individual attention instead of being part of a mass group of people. This Jewish Boy Scout Camp was owned by the Tamarack (59th) Association which was a member of the Ontario Camping Association. The camp was first located in the Lake of Bays area. The first Director was Mr. Edgar Reason, also first Scoutmaster of the 59th Scout Troop. In 1957, Stanley G. Wild was appointed Director. Activities at the camp included swimming, canoeing, water skiing and horseback riding as well as numerous other special events like baseball games, fishing, campouts, gymnastics and handicrafts. The campers lived in cabins while they were in the camp. In 1972 the camp closed.
Census taking in Canada was divided into enumeration districts which were usually located around cities and counties. The districts were divided into sub-districts which were usually located around towns, townships and city wards. Villages, small towns, parishes and seigneuries were generally enumerated as part of the township in which they were located. Census and county boundaries did not always coincide since boundaries and town names changed or disappeared. The first census in Canada was undertaken in 1666 by Intendant Jean Talon. Census taking was not required until it was put into the Constitution in 1867. Before 1867 census taking was sketchy and it was not until 1851 that it became established as a way of assessing population and colonial needs for the government. (Taken from: "Census Returns, 1666-1891." Public Archives, Canada, 1987.) In 1792, the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham were officially created in a proclamation made by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe. The proclamation divided Upper Canada in 19 counties for representation purposes. The United Counties are bounded by Lake Ontario in the south, Hasting County in the east, Ontario County in the west and Peterborough and Victoria Counties in the north. The town line between Hope and Hamilton Townships divide the two counties. Durham County consists of the Townships of Cartwright, Manvers, Cavan, Darlington, Clarke and Hope. Northumberland County consists of South Monaghan, Hamilton, Haldimand, Alnwick, Percy, Cramahe, Seymour, Brighton and Murray Townships. (Taken from: "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Northumberland and Durham Counties, Ontario." Belleville: Mika Silk Screening Limited, 1972.)
John Bertram & Sons was a business in Dundas, Ontario in the early Twentieth Century.
The first meeting of the Brighton Women's Auxiliary was held in January, 1895 at the Anglican Parsonage. The President was Caroline M. Westmacott, presumably the wife of A.G.E. Westmacott, Church of England clergyman in Brighton at the time.
The Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee (F.C.P.R.C.) was created in August 1980 by the Honourable Francis Fox, Secretary of State and Minister of Communications, to review Canadian cultural institutions and cultural policy. This was the first such commission since the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences of 1949-1951. The F.C.P.R.C. grew from an Advisory Commission on Cultural Policy which had been established in November 1979 by the Honourable David MacDonald. The committee held public hearings and developed its own recommendations. Known as the Applebaum-Hebert Commission after Louis Applebaum and Jacques Hebert, the Final Report was released in 1982.
The land which is now Peterborough County was originally part of Newcastle District before 1841, and the Colbourne District until 1850. At this time the United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria was created. In 1861, Victoria County was given independence from Peterborough. Peterborough County is made up of the following townships: Galway, Cavendish, Anstruther, Chandos, Harvey, Burleigh, Methuen, Ennismore, Smith, Douro, Dummer, Belmont, North Monaghan, Otonabee, and Asphodel. (taken from "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Peterborough County 1825-1875." Peterborough: The Peterborough Historical Atlas Foundation Inc., 1975.)
The Canada Company which was created by John Galt, was established in late 1824, and incorporated by the British Parliament on July 27, 1825. The purpose of the Company was to obtain land in Upper Canada and to promote the sale of such land to prospective settlers. In 1826 the Company purchased 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) from the government for $295 000. Approximately half of the land lay within the Huron Tract and the rest of the land consisted of scattered crown reserves. The company was dissolved on December 18, 1953.
