Dr. john H. Archer, Professor of History and Principal of Regina Campus, taking an oath of office from Stephen Worobetz, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, during Installation ceremony. John G. Diefenbaker, University Chancellor, seated in background.

Bio/Historical Note: Born just south of Broadview, Saskatchewan in 1914, Dr. John Hall Archer was a rural school teacher from 1933 to 1940. During World War II, he served with the Royal Canadian Artillery and was discharged with the rank of captain in 1945. In 1973 he was made an honorary colonel. Dr. Archer received a BA in 1947 and an MA in 1948 from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1949 he received a Bachelor of Library Science degree from McGill University. From 1951-1964 Dr. Archer was the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan librarian and from 1956-1961 he was the assistant clerk of the Legislature. From 1957 to 1962 he was the provincial archivist. From 1962-1964 Dr. Archer was chairman of the Committee on Continuing Education in Saskatchewan. From 1964-1967 Dr. Archer was the director of libraries at McGill University. From 1967-1970 he was an archivist and associate professor of history at Queen's University. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Queen's University and completed his Ph.D. dissertation, entitled "Administration of Archival Institutions in Canada," in 1969. In October 1969 Dr. Archer was appointed Principal of the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, and when the University of Regina was established on 1 July 1974, he became its first President, serving until the end of 1975. Dr. Archer wrote and edited numerous articles and books on Saskatchewan's history. As an archivist and librarian, Dr. Archer participated in a number of professional associations, particularly the Canadian Library Association of which he was president (1967). He served on the Saskatchewan Constituency Boundaries Commission (1972-1974), the federal Royal Commission on Government Organization (1961), and participated in a study of Brandon University's financial problems for the Universities Grants Commission of Manitoba. Dr. Archer died in Regina in 2004 at age 89.