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York is the kind of university that's never looked back, even though we don't mind taking a backward look to see how we've done and where we're going. We did just that on March 26, 1999 - our own "red-letter day". It marked the 40th anniversary of one of Canada's best educational success stories. We look forward to looking back on another great 40 years.
Officially, March 26, 1999 marked the 40th anniversary of York's founding, and the beginning of year-long celebrations.
Banners announcing York's anniversary had gone up the day before on Toronto city streets surrounding the University's Glendon, Keele and downtown campus. And The Toronto Star carried a special eight-page section on our growth from a handful of students, to becoming Canada's third-largest university.
Festivities kicked off on March 24th with professor emeritus D. McCormack Smyth's lecture on York's creation. Smyth, a senior scholar, was the first Dean of Atkinson College.He recounted York's early years, recalling its original emphasis on liberal arts, and recollecting the personalities, problems and potentials of those days.
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On March 25, at the York Senate meeting, members of faculty took time to celebrate as well, and witnessed the induction of the first member of the York Founders Society - former York Vice-President Bill Small. Small, who was the University's first comptroller and secretary of the Board of Governors, served as secretary at York's first Senate meeting on November 14, 1960.
The 40th anniversary was also marked by a special ceremony in Vari Hall led by Dr. Murray G. Ross, York's first president, current President Lorna R. Marsden and Chancellor Avie Bennett. Those who attended included student leaders, alumni, "pioneers" from the first class of students, staff, faculty and physical plant workers. Marsden and Ross unveiled the 40th anniversary banner and called for the 40th anniversary flag to be raised.
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