James L. Popowich, Mining '66, shakes hands with Dr. J.B. Mawdsley, Dean of Engineering,

Bio/Historical Note: James Buckland Mawdsley was born on 22 July 1894 in Italy to British-American parents. In 1904 the family left Italy and settled in Gainsborough, Saskatchewan. He entered McGill University in 1913, but in 1915 joined the 1rst University Company reinforcing the Princess Patricia Light Infantry, and in 1916 transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He was awarded an MBE at the end of the war, returned to his studies at McGill, and in 1921 earned a degree in Mining Engineering. In 1924 he earned a PhD in geology from Princeton. He joined the University of Saskatchewan in 1929, as professor and head of the Geology Department, a position he held until 1961, when he was named Dean of Engineering. He resigned as Dean in 1963 to devote more time to the Institute of Northern Studies, of which he had been appointed Director in 1961. He died suddenly on 4 Dec. 1964.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Frederic Harrison (Harry) Edmunds was born on 27 January 1898 in Hawarden, Flinshire, North Wales. After having served in the Special Brigade of Royal Engineers (Sappers) of the British Army from 1917-1919, he went to the University of Liverpool where he obtained his BSc, followed by his MSc in 1923a c, taking a combined course in chemistry and geology. After graduation Dr. Edmunds started out as a chemist and geologist for a firebrick company, but in 1925 left the British Isles to settle in Canada, where he joined the Department of Soils at the University of Saskatchewan. Four years later he was transferred to become the first professor in the newly created Geology Department. Dr. Edmunds achieved renown for his part in the early development of the Lloydminster oil field. His studies led to a better understanding of the Cretaceous System, and oil accumulations in rocks of that age. Dr. Edmunds was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the Geological Society (London), a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, a member of the Councils of both the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Geological Association of Canada. The provincial government appointed Dr. Edmunds to the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Conservation Board when that body was established in 1952, a post he held until his death. In his spare time, his passion was drama. He was president of Saskatoon’s Little Theatre Club and an officer of the Saskatchewan Drama League. It was largely through Dr. Edmunds’ efforts and influence that the U of S established the first department of drama in the Commonwealth. He was also active in the administration of the Saskatoon Archaeological Society. He became head of the Department of Geological Sciences in 1961. Dr. Edmunds died in February 1965, three months before he was due to retire.