Persona

Brown, Arthur Richardson, 1890-1961 (alumnus)

Arthur Richardson Brown, the CBC's Prairie Gardener, was born in Ontario in 1890. After qualifying for elementary and secondary teaching at Queen's University, Brown came west and taught in Alberta and Saskatchewan rural schools. He attended the University of Saskatchewan while teaching at Nutana Collegiate, completing the B.S.A. degree course in 1922. He served as instructor, principal, and finally superintendent in the province's education system until his superannuation in 1947, on account of ill health. Brown joined the CBC as the Prairie Gardener, an award-winning radio program that aired until 1961. During this 14-year period, he produced some 800 scripts related to the growing and produce of flowers in the West. The popularity of the program and the contribution made by Brown was recognized by the University when it conferred on him an honourary law degree in 1956. Brown died at Woodstock, Ontario, in 1961.