Yousef Karsh at Ryerson

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Rosalynn

Yousef Karsh, world renowned photographer best known for his portraits of the many people who shaped the 20th century, visited Ryerson on December 4, 1957 to interview third year photography students for a position as one of his assistants.

Ryerson Director of the School of Photographic Arts Reginald Soame and Yousef Karsh. (RG 95.1.72.12.01)

This visit was featured in the Ryersonian newspaper.

Story courtesy of the Ryersonian Newspaper — News story published December 5, 1957. (courtesy of the Ryersonian Newspaper)

Yousef Karsh, born December 23, 1908 in Armenia, immigrated to Canada in 1925 to live with his uncle, a photographer, in Sherbrooke, Quebec. This move would change his life. His original goal in life was to be a surgeon. In 1926 he went to work for his uncle and then apprenticed with John Garo in Boston. In 1931 he opened his own studio in Ottawa. The turning point in his career was befriending then Prime Minister of Canada William Lyon MacKenzie King. This friendship gave him the opportunity to photograph English Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1941, which Karsh felt changed his life.

He went on to do over 15 000 portrait sittings with some of the most influential people of the 20th Century. He travelled to London during WW II, photographing the Royal Family and others. In 1952 he began what would become a 17 month assignment with MacLean’s magazine documenting a post-war Canada.

He closed his Ottawa studio in June of 1992 and stopped taking commercial assignments as well. Yousef Karsh died July 13, 2002.

To learn more about Yousef Karsh visit www.karsh.org

Special Collections has two Karsh photographs:

2008.001.1498.2 Portrait of a Soldier

2008.001.1498.3 Portrait of J. Gordon Forgo

The Ryerson Library also has many books and audio visual materials including:

The Changing Campus – 66 Years of Building Ryerson

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Rosalynn

Ryerson’s campus is a work in progress. Since the school’s inception in 1948, it has been slowly increasing its footprint in the downtown core through acquisition, demolition, renovation, and original construction. From the original Department of Education Buildings the campus has pushed East to Jarvis Street, South to Dundas Street, West to Yonge Street with the new Student Learning Centre, and further West with the Ted Rogers School of Management at Bay and Dundas Streets.

The following photographs are highlights from the new Archives and Special Collections exhibit documenting Ryerson’s 66 year evolution.

Ryersonian front page news story about the start of demolition and construction for Howard Kerr Hall.The Ryersonian November 29, 1956, image — Ryersonian front page news story about the start of demolition and construction for Howard Kerr Hall.
The Ryersonian November 29, 1956

Demolition of buildings along Victoria Street, making way for Unit 1 (Jorgenson Hall) and the Podium building. The Library site has not yet been cleared.(RG 122.10.092), image — Demolition of buildings along Victoria Street, making way for Unit 1 (Jorgenson Hall) and the Podium building. The Library site has not yet been cleared.
(RG 122.10.092)

Contruction of Jorgenson Hall and the Podium Building.(RG 122.10.098), image — Contruction of Jorgenson Hall and the Podium Building.
(RG 122.10.098)

The Library building under construction. You can see the Sam the Record Man building in the bottom left hand corner of the photo.(RG 122.10.093), image — The Library building under construction. You can see the Sam the Record Man building in the bottom left hand corner of the photo.
(RG 122.10.093)

Construction of the Ryerson Athletic Centre (RAC). This was Ryerson's first green roof building.(RG 76.14.235), image — Construction of the Ryerson Athletic Centre (RAC). This was Ryerson’s first green roof building.
(RG 76.14.235)

Construction of the rotunda at the front entrance of the RAC. Patrons will eventually enter into the building through the facade of the old Ryerson Hall Building.(RG 76.14.235), image — Construction of the rotunda at the front entrance of the RAC. Patrons will eventually enter into the building through the facade of the old Ryerson Hall Building.
(RG 76.14.235)

The Rogers Communications Centre and bridge over Church Street. The bridge connects the RCC with Howard Kerr Hall.(RG 76.14.264), image — The Rogers Communications Centre and bridge over Church Street. The bridge connects the RCC with Howard Kerr Hall.
(RG 76.14.264)

Completed bridge between Howard Kerr Hall and the Rogers Communications Centre.(RG 76.14.1053), image — Completed bridge between Howard Kerr Hall and the Rogers Communications Centre.
(RG 76.14.1053)

Construction workers pouring concrete for main floor of new Student Learning Centre., image — Construction workers pouring concrete for main floor of new Student Learning Centre.

The changing corner of Yonge and Gould Streets., image — The changing corner of Yonge and Gould Streets.

The exhibit runs from April 11 to June 30th and is located on the 4th floor of the Library in the Special Collections windows.

A campus reborn: The Roy Horney photographic collection

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Rosalynn

The Ryerson campus is in a constant state of growth and change. The last several years have been exciting ones with the re-opening of the Image Arts Building, The Mattamy Athletic Centre, and the construction of the Student Learning Centre. But what about the first major change to the Ryerson campus – the construction of Howard Kerr Hall?

Through the donation of a scrapbook of photographs and some of the hundreds of slides, taken by former faculty member Charles Roy Horney to the Ryerson Archives, we see the transformation that began with the demolition of the Toronto Normal School buildings and the construction of Howard Kerr Hall.

C. Roy Horney seated at his desk.(May 1957)(F 536.15.01.06), image — C. Roy Horney seated at his desk.
(May 1957)
(F 536.15.01.06)

Charles Roy Horney started teaching math and physics at Ryerson in 1952, and worked here until his retirement in 1983. During his time at Ryerson he acted as departmental head, assistant chairman and even the Registrar. He was also the coach of the Ryerson Zebras – the early men’s soccer team.

His photographs allow us to piece together a timeline of demolition and construction that was previously unknown to Archives staff. Here is a sample of the images:

Front of the Ryerson Hall Building. Egerton Ryerson statue is in its original location. This photo is one of the only colour photographs of the original Normal School buildings in the Archives’ collections. (April 26, 1961) (F 536.16.06)
Home Economics “Dream House” where students lived and studied. (April 1961) (F 536.15.04.05)
South gates for original campus out onto Gould Street. Parking lot that became Lake Devo and O’Keefe Breweries Head Office which became Heaslip House are visible in the background. (August 1961) (F 536.15.08.02)
South East corner of Unit I – Howard Kerr Hall. (September 1961) (F 536.15.01.02)
Clearing of lot in front of Ryerson Hall. Egerton Ryerson Statue and end of Howard Kerr Hall visible on the left and Oakham House and O’Keefe House visible on the right. (1961) (F 536.15.13.03)
The Egerton Ryerson statue and plinth undercover during construction. (October 1961) F 536.15.14.01
Last section of Howard Kerr Hall. The section featuring the clock and carillon tower. This section would eventually house the Principal’s office and the Board Room. (1962) F 536.15.24.01
North end of campus along Gerrard Street. Gorrie’s Motors is visible in the background. (July 1961) F 536.15.03.06
Excavation for foundation of the North and West section of Howard Kerr Hall. Partially demolished building appears to be sitting on an island. (1961) F 536.15.13.04
Same view as picture above – but building is completely demolished allowing for further foundation excavation. (October 1961) F 536.15.16.01
Construction of the steel framework on the North West corner of Howard Kerr Hall at Victoria and Gerrard Streets. (March 1962) F 536.15.17.05
Same view of building as photographed above – but with exterior brick work complete, staircase in place and “Athletes” bas-reliefs above the doors and between the windows. (1962) F 536.15.24.02
Demolition of the heating plant building. (1963) F 536.15.30.03
Looking South along East road inside Howard Kerr Hall. A juxtaposition of old and new. (1963) F 536.15.26.03
A poignant photograph – one of the last taken of the old cupola on the Ryerson Hall building. Visible underneath it is the date of construction, 1842. (1963) F 536.15.32.02
Main entrance into Ryerson Hall with the name sign visible on the right side. The facade is is the only section of the original building that still stands – as the entrance to the RAC in the Howard Kerr Hall quad. The Ryerson Hall sign is now on display in the Ryerson Archives. (1963) F 536.15.32.05
Aerial view of Howard Kerr Hall and the almost completed quadrangle. The facade is visible on the right. Construction continues on the fountain and walkways that intersected the quad. Before the construction of the RAC – there was parking around the outside circle of the quad. (c. 1964) F 536.14.206