Honorary degree citation - St. Clair Holland*

By: Douglass B. Clarke, June 1971

Mr. Chancellor:

I have the honour to present to you an outstanding member of our community, and one who has for over a quarter of a century been a close and valued friend and member of this university, St. Clair Holland.

Born, bred and educated in Montreal, he has risen to eminence in his native city, and to its life he has contributed greatly to its industry, to its hospitals, to its athletics, and to its many community serving organizations ranging from the Boy Scouts to the Board of Trade.

A leader in industry, he is President and Managing Director of four leading firms, and serves as director on several more. He has found time in a busily constructive career to serve, as he continues to serve as Governor, five of our leading hospitals, the United Red Feather Services, The Quebec Rugby Football Association, and the Quebec Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association. As if this were not enough, he has also served with distinction and held high positions in a large number of other associations whose remarkable range indicates his wide interests and his capacity for giving greatly of his self. They are too many to list, but they range from the Presidency of the Canadian Rugby Union to District Governorship of Rotary International.

From 1914 1918 he served in the heavy artillery with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, retiring as Lieut. Colonel. In World War II, Colonel Holland had charge of officer training for the Royal Canadian Artillery in the Montreal district, and commanded the 2nd Medium Regiment, R. C. A. (R). It was then that he first came to the aid of this University, taking charge of our compulsory military training. When the Sir George Williams University contingent of the C.O.T.C. was formed, Colonel Holland became its Honorary Colonel, and retired from that post only when the unit was disbanded.

At the close of the war, Colonel Holland became a member of our Board of Governors, and served faithfully on that Board until 1969. During his last eight years, he was Vice Chairman of the Board, and was later appointed Honorary Chairman.

Mr. Chancellor, for his services to the community and to this University, I am honoured to present to you, on behalf of the University Council and by authority of the Board of Governors, a distinguished citizen and a gallant gentleman, St. Clair Holland, that you may confer on him the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.

* deceased