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Hall Building's 50th Anniversary

Image of the Hall building under construction from 1965

The construction of the Henry F. Hall Building on Burnside Street (now de Maisonneuve) officially started on March 27, 1964. The Official Ground Breaking Ceremony was held on April 17, 1964. The Hon. Paul Gérin-Lajoie, Minister of Education at the time, layed the cornerstone on May 8, 1965.

Inaugurated on October 14, 1966, the Henry F. Hall Building is named after Henry F. Hall, who is an important figure of Sir George Williams University.

Ground Breaking Ceremony on April 17, 1964

Photo of a ground digger machine from the Ground Breaking Ceremony, 1964
View of the hall building and a photo of the engineers with a small-scale model of the Hall building from Postgrad, 1964 Postgrad, April 1964
Construction workers in suits stand aside a person in a dress in front of a scaffold
Group of construction workers in suits standing on an excavator Henry F. Hall operating the excavator.

Laying of the Cornerstone on May 8, 1965.

Group of people in ceremonial caps and growns stand behind a speaker at a podium
Hon. Paul Gérin-Lajoie laying the Cornerstone at the Laying of the Cornerstone ceremy The Hon. Paul Gérin-Lajoie laying the Cornerstone.
Excerpt from the ceremony
Cover of the PDF document about the Special Convocation for the Laying of the Cornerstone Special Convocation fo the Laying of the Cornerstone

Construction, 1964-1966

Excavator head dumping dirt at the construction site of the Hall building
Top view of the Hall building construction site
Postgrad December issue front cover showing aerial view of the construction of Hall building in progress from 1964 Postgrad, December 1964
View of the scaffolding from Hall building under construction
Construction of the Hall building showing the internal metal frames of the building
Metal scaffolding of the Hall building exposed during construction with a truck at the entrance
View of excavated dirt with trucks driving in and out of the site
View of scaffolding during construction of the Hall building
Nearly finished construction of the Hall building from Postgrad in 1965 Postgrad, Fall 1965

Inauguration on October 14, 1966

Robert C. Rae, Principal, Henry F. Hall, the Hon. Jean-Jacques Bertrand, Richard G. Thompson, President of the Association of Alumni, and Fraser Fulton at the Hall Building Inauguration, 1966 Robert C. Rae, Principal, Henry F. Hall, the Hon. Jean-Jacques Bertrand, Richard G. Thompson, President of the Association of Alumni, and Fraser Fulton, Chancellor.
Article about the Hall Building inauguration from The Georgian, October 14, 1966 The Georgian, October 14, 1966
Principal Emeritus Henry F. Hall and Minister of Education Jean-Jacques Bertrand cut the ribbon at Hall Building inauguration Principal Emeritus Henry F. Hall and Minister of Education Jean-Jacques Bertrand cut the ribbon under the watchful eye of Principal Robert C. Rae and Chancellor Fraser Fulton.
Group of people in suits watching the inauguration ceremony at the Hall Building
The official opening of the Henry F. Hall Building programme Official Opening of the Henry F. Hall Bulding programme

Images of a landmark

Black and white image of a completed Hall Building
Hall Building on the front cover of Post Grad magazine
The street name signs at the intersection of Rue Mackay and Boulevard Maisonneuve
Outside of the Hall Building with view of the lobby through the windows
View of the Hall Building with much smaller buildings in front of it
Two images within each other, one of the Hall Building exterior glass, the other of inside the Hall Building main lobby
Exterior windows of the Hall building
People entering the Hall Building from the side doors
Cover of a document in French about the development of Sir George Williams University, with Hall Building included
Hall Building from street view
View of the Hall Building from an intersection
Outside of Hall Building looking towards the sky
Person walking outside through a snowstorm next to the Hall Building
Hall Building with a university branded transport bus in front
Portrait of Henry F. Hall Henry F. Hall (1897-1971) held several positions at SGW: Student Counsellor, the first in Canada, (1926-1935), Teacher (1932-1966), Dean (1935-1957), and Principal (1957-1962). Over the course of his forty-year career he helped direct the transition of Sir George Williams College into a credited university, developed the guidance program, and encouraged curriculum development, increase of course offerings, and student and faculty growth.
Watch an excerpt from an interview he gave to Robby Kidd in 1969.
Architect's drawing of the Hall Building Architect's drawing of the building

Hall Building - The Early Years

Views of the interior
View of the interior of the Hall Building lobby with people standing around and talking
People standing around talking in front of an escalator in the Hall Building lobby
A person walking along a burgundy rug near the entranceway of the Hall Building
Multiple groups of people standing and talking in the Hall Building lobby
Person standing in front of an opened door near a stairwell
People talking with wide view of the Hall Building lobby in the background
Group of people chatting in the lobby of Hall Building close to opened doors
People looking toward the podium of an auditorium, one of them pointing as if explaining something
Students sitting in auditorium looking towards instruction at the front
Hallway with bright fluorescent light, lockers line the left and right side
Group of people talking while others walking together down a hallway
Cover of Postgrad, Summer 1966 - The Building Issue Postgrad, Summer 1966 - The Building Issue
Person giving away cake for the 20th Anniversary of the Hall Building 20th Anniversary
Cover of Postgrad, Summer 1966 - The Building Issue Principal's Bulletin, Special Issue, 1966
Before and after image of the Hall Building Before and After
Henry F. Hall at his desk Henry F. Hall fonds
 
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