Opening of Quance Theatre, Education Building, seating 325 people. Mary Spinks visible at centre.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Francis Melville Quance was born in 1883 in Elimville, Ontario. He attended Normal School in Regina before going on to the University of Alberta, where he earned both a BA (1914) and MA (1915). He received his PhD from Columbia University in 1926. Dr. Quance first taught in rural and secondary schools in Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan between 1901 and 1916, and became an inspector of schools in 1916-1917. In 1917 he joined the staff of the Normal School in Regina as an assistant; by 1927 he had been appointed principal. That same year Quance came to the University of Saskatchewan to organize the School of Education, and the following year was appointed the first dean of the newly-created college. Under his leadership the College of Education developed from a one-year postgraduate certificate course to an undergraduate degree program. Dr. Quance retired in 1947 and was named Dean Emeritus. That same year he established the annual Quance Lecture Series. During his career Dr. Quance gained a reputation as a leading Canadian educator, and was particularly well-known for developing the first spellers in Canada based on research. The University of Saskatchewan awarded him an honourary Doctor of Laws in 1959. Dr. Quance died in Saskatoon on 10 September 1968.