Accession 75-14 - John H. Archer

This collection contains the personal and professional papers of Dr. John H.
Archer, the first president of the University of Regina. Dr. Archer was appointed principal of the
University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus in October 1969, and was appointed acting president from
July 1, 1974 to December 31, 1975. He was Associate Professor of History and University Archivist at
Queen's University from 1967 to 1970, prior to which he was Director of Library Services at McGill
University from 1964 to 1967. A native of Broadview, Saskatchewan, Dr. Archer served with the
province as Legislative Librarian and Provincial Archivist prior to 1964.
Dr. Archer has written and edited numerous articles and books on Saskatchewan's history. The John H.
Archer papers contain files relating to a few of these publications. The papers also include files from
Committees and Commissions; material from Dr. Archer's Ph.D. thesis entitled "Administration of Archival
Institutions In Canada"; personal files including drafts of speeches and papers; files of professional
organizations, most notably the Canadian Library Association of which Dr. Archer was president for one
year; and university records from Brandon University, McGill University, Queen's University (and the
Queen's University Archives), and the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these papers is the correspondence files which include letters to
Alice Archer from John while on active service in Europe during World War II. Family correspondence,
and correspondence from various politicians and civil servants, some of whom left the province after the
election of Ross Thatcher's Liberal government in 1964, include Roy Borrowman, T.C. Douglas, AI
Gillmore, C.B. Koester, Woodrow Lloyd, Clary Mitchell, Charles Schwartz and George Stephen.
The collection generally covers the years 1940 to 1975.