Dr. Leo F. Kristjanson, University President, walking in line with other head table guests to their places. Guests give standing ovation, including [J. Pringle] on far right.

R.W. Begg, University President, talking with Dr. Balfour W. Currie at the banquet.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Balfour Watson Currie was born in 1902 in Montana and grew up at Netherhill, near Kindersley. He came to the University of Saskatchewan as a student and received a Bachelor-level degree in Physics (1925) and a Master-level degree in Physics (1927). Dr. Currie’s Ph.D. program at McGill University was completed in 1930. He was a staff member of the Department of Physics at the U of S (1928-1981), was Professor of Physics (1943-1970), Head of the Department (1952-1961), founder of the Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies (1956-1966), Dean of Graduate Studies (1959-1970) and Vice-president, Research (1967-1974). Early in Dr. Currie’s career, he spent two years in the Canadian Arctic. He and Frank Davies worked together at Chesterfield Inlet during the Second International Polar Year (1932-1933). An online archive of Currie's work on 2nd IPY studies of the Polar Year data continued under his direction at the U of S after World War II. Upon his retirement as vice-president, he was appointed by the President of the University to be Special Advisor in Research Matters (1974-1978). Later in 1974 he became Canadian Coordinator of the International Magnetospheric Study, and gave it his fullest attention until its completion at the end of 1979. During this period Dr. Currie also pursued an earlier research interest in the possible influence of solar activity on prairie weather and rainfall. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to his fields of study, Dr. Currie was elected a Fellow of the Royal Meteorology Society of Great Britain in 1940, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1947. In 1967 he received the Patterson Medal from the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. Dr. Currie retired from the U of S in 1970. In 1972 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada "for his services to science and education especially in the fields of meteorology and climatology". He was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the U of S in 1975. Dr. Currie died in Saskatoon in 1981.

R.W. Begg, University President, seated with retired faculty members Hester Kernan (Nursng); T. Taylor; Gerald J. Langley (Education); M. Leeseberg and B. McCorkell.

Roger C. Carter, Professor of Law, congratulating Dr. Morley .P. Toombs, Professor, College of Education, at annual faculty retirement dinner. Allan A. Tubby, member, University Board of Governors, in background.

The Saskatoon Boys' Choir sings at the Engineering 50th Anniversary celebrations at the Bessborough Hotel.

Lieutenant Colonel John S.M. Allely, dressed formally and wearing his medals, addresses the banquet guests. J.W.T. Spinks, University President, among the guests.

Bio/Historical Note: "One of the chief prices which Canada paid in the last war for her lack of preparation was the tragic waste of thousands of her best young men killed while fighting in the ranks because they had not been previously trained for a more useful career as officers. It is to prevent such a waste in any possible future war that every Canadian University is now giving facilities to its students to qualify as officers during their undergraduate course. Our own contingent of the C.O.T.C. came to life in January of this year and is already recruited up to a strength of 170." (The Spectrum, 1921) The Canadian Officers' Training Corps was a unit in the Active Militia of Canada. The Corps prepared university students for the examinations for a Lieutenant's or Captain's Commission and the universities granted course credit for COTC work. Senior commissions were held by faculty while all junior commissioned and non-commissioned ranks were open to undergraduates. Interest in the Corps declined in the 1950s and came to an end in 1964.