From the News

Dated: December 5, 1933

SIR ARTHUR CURRIE
AN APPRECIATION

Professor Basil Williams writes:

May I add to your memoir of Sir Arthur Currie a few remarks about his tenure of office as Principal of McGill' University?

Currie's appointment to McGill was partly due to the quandary in which the University found itself when Sir Auckland Geddes resigned the office of Principal he had accepted, on his appointment as Ambassador to the United States; but chiefly to the Governors' happy idea of utilizing the great gifts of inspiring leadership and power of organization displayed by Currie in his notable command of the Canadian Corps. It seemed to many a rash experiment, as he had never been to a university himself, and his knowledge of educational questions was confined to the few years he had taught in Western schools and to his training as a militia officer, and all the more rash since the Principal of a Canadian university is far more in the position of a dictator, with wide powers for good or evil, than is the case in our universities. But Currie had the saving merits of knowing his own limitations and of being the frankest and most direct of men, as well as his own peculiar gifts of inspiration and authority. From the outset he adopted a definite policy for the University and never deviated from the broad lines of that policy; on the other hand, the details of the University's main work of teaching he left with the minimum of interference to the men responsible for that teaching.

Broadly speaking, his policy was to make McGill a power for enlightenment not only in Montreal, but in the whole of Canada. For that end he aimed at getting the best possible men for the teaching staff, and of encouraging them to supplement their purely academic duties by taking part in the affairs of the community both socially and by lecture tours from end to end of the Dominion, and also at enlisting the cooperation of the scattered alumni of McGill in support of their old University. One of his first activities was to organize a great "drive" in Montreal to secure an income for the University adequate to pay for teachers of the calibre he required; and the great success of this "drive" was principally due to his personal popularity with Canadians and his contagious enthusiasm. This success was quickly followed by a celebration of the University's centenary, whereby he got into touch with its old pupils from every corner of the Dominion and revived their interest in its concerns. Subsequently one of his characteristic appointments was of a secretary for external relations to deal especially with questions of intercourse with other Canadian and American universities, and the provision of external lectures in the City of Montreal and Canada generally; in a word, to promote the influence of McGill as far as possible beyond its own bounds.

In the choice of new teachers no trouble was too great for him. During his not infrequent visits to this country he made it his business to consult all those most fitted to judge on the choice of the best men for posts vacant at the time or likely to be in the near future. If a post fell vacant when he was in Canada he wrote for advice from the best authorities from every likely quarter in this country and America before making his decision, and, he even considered men as far afield as Australia and South Africa. Having once chosen his man, he trusted him, interfered not at all with his teaching methods or the organization of his department, and was always accessible to suggestions from him and generally adopted those it was in his power to grant. With all on the staff he regarded his relations almost in a paternal light, helping many even in their private troubles and keeping a keen eye on their welfare. On one occasion he noticed that one of his professors, among the ablest and most zealous, had taken on himself so much extra work for his students that he was on the point of a breakdown; he summoned him to his room and told him to go off at once for a trip to Greece: as for the expenses, he would arrange for the Governors to make them good.

Currie was essentially a just man, with the highest sense of his great responsibilities to learning and to the University over which he presided, and one who certainly shortened his life by his devotion to McGill.