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I want to make a minor clarification to an At Guelph article dated Jan. 8, 2013, called “Cannon’s Paint Chips Become Art.” This article refers to Dawn Johnston’s work to restore the cannon a couple of years back, taking away “decades worth of accumulated paint layers.”  This is not quite accurate. Ms. Johnston removed only about one decade worth of material, as the cannon was entirely stripped of paint by a group of engineers in March 1998 after they had moved it to the front of the engineering building as part of a prank. I enclose a photo of Chris Jones, who zealously guarded the naked cannon against those who wished to paint it, as well as a photo of the move itself.

I refer you to the 2010 blog post Elemental View: “iPhone Diaries #200: The Cannon: Old Jeremiah,” which recounts a story originally written for the Engineering Alumni Association newsletter:

“One of the biggest pranks in recent memory occurred in 1998. Members of the classes of 95, 97, 98, 99, 00, and 01 combined their skills to relive an old tradition – moving the cannon. While Old Jeremiah had historically been re-located around campus on occasion, this practice became significantly more onerous in 1973 when it was concreted into its current position in Branion Plaza. Onerous, yes, but not impossible for a group of imaginative engineers.

Applying the principles of mechanics as learned in their studies, the group constructed a sturdy wooden cart complete with car axle and pivoting castor wheel. On a cold March night, the cannon barrel (weighing in at 6000 lbs) was slid from its existing base to this new base using only two hydraulic jacks, several hundred feet of rope, and the elbow grease of about a hundred students. Once the gun was on its new base, the cart was wheeled down to the front of the engineering building (just outside Bill Verspagen’s shop), and the wheels were removed.

At the same time, close to 80 other engineers created a snowball-fight distraction amongst the residences at the north end of campus, while a second unit released fireworks on the rugby pitch – activities designed to divert the attention of any law enforcement personnel who may have desired to intervene in the Branion Plaza activities. The prank was completely successful and employed no motorized device of any kind.

The following morning, several large lecture halls were diverted to the vicinity of Engineering 100 at the same time, to show off the relocated cannon. Over the next few days, rotating teams of engineering students worked to remove the numerous layers of paint from the cannon as it sat in front of the engineering building, eventually succeeding in getting right down to the cast iron.

During this time, the cannon and base were repeatedly vandalized by groups of students who were apparently of the opinion that the engineers had no business moving the cannon as they did. This culminated about a week later, when some representatives from the OAC student body attempted to drag the cart, without its wheels, back to Branion Plaza. It is rumoured that they destroyed two truck transmissions in so doing, while leaving the cannon dangling several feet from its old home. As this situation was somewhat dangerous, the University brought in a crane to put the cannon back onto its base.

It is with some degree of pride to note that the specific mechanics and design process behind the cannon prank of 1998 are annually taught to the frosh class in the first year mechanics course.”

Tej Gidda, B.Sc. ’96, M.Sc. ’97 and PhD ’04

Waterloo, Ont.

Former student editor John Flegg reviewed his collection of back issues of The Ontarion to remind us about the publication’s short-lived Ghibelline supplement.

The Ghibelline made its first appearance in the Jan. 19, 1967, issue of The Ontarion. There are two pictures/references to Mary Hofstetter (the Ghibelline’s literary editor), where she peers out between library shelves in the first issue and discusses future plans for her editorial board in the March 16 issue.

The explanation of this campus voice is interesting: the name “Ghibelline” is derived from the Medieval Italian. In those days, the German emperors ruled northern Italy. Their supporters were known as the Guelfs. The opposing factions were known as the Ghibellines and were often supporters of the papacy. The editorial staff of the Ghibelline supported their opposition of (sic) the Guelfs.

Sadly, we only published four issues of this great supplement committed exclusively to the arts. The paper died with my resignation as general editor in May 1967, the result of a flare-up in the normal conflict between press and politicians over budget and freedom of the press. The Ghibelline, as far as I can tell now, made a brief two-issue resurrection in January 1970 as a Union Council info sheet under editors Bob Bawtinhimer and David Inwood.

Another arts supplement appeared later known as Pablo.

The memory over which I chuckle the most was the March 9, 1967, issue of The Ontarion in which not a printed word of truth was to be found on the cover page:

An astrodome, tall enough to be seen from Hamilton, was announced to replace War Memorial Hall. (It is interesting to speculate on how that dome might have altered the 2013 CFL season.)

The administration also announced that students were to be advised by phone the night before what exam was scheduled, and

The South Residence named their champion male stud for the year.

The President’s Office was besieged by faculty upset about the dome, and the Registrar’s Office was deluged by students wanting to update their phone numbers – but not the engineers, because their exam subject was to be drawn from a hat right in the examination room.

Unfortunately, that issue came out College Royal weekend; while it added to the fun, it also caused unnecessary embarrassment.

I also remember The Ontarion cartoon showing me jumping from the Johnston

Hall tower with the caption “Flegg’s resigning again.” I think because I was in the first class of arts students at Wellington College, the majority of my Federated College colleagues regarded me as a radical, thus the nickname “Rasputin.”

I was not a radical; I was a young man of principle.

I could also discuss the mud everywhere that led us to call our school “Goo U;” the golf tournament using boiled eggs from Creelman Hall; the faculty Mini parked sideways on the path to the “new residence;” the off-campus student lounge; the conscientious objector I allowed to sleep over in the president’s apartment for two days; our reaction to the U.S. massacre of students protesting the Viet Nam War; the posting of bail for those busted for drug possession; our protests under Don Langford (Student Union president), which led to the 10 miles-per-hour speed limit reduction on Highway 6; the bridge games in the Massey Coffee Shop, which caused so many to “graduate” early; or the sentimental friendships built up both in the political and social arenas of campus life.

John Flegg, BA ’68

U of G’s award-winning Peer Helper program began in the 1984 winter semester when 12 students signed up to run the Connection Desk. In the 30 years since, more than 2,400 students have held Peer Helper placements across campus – students helping students. . Because that’s worth a celebration, the Peer Helper Program is asking all its alumni – peers and supervisors alike – to share their stories, photos and memories. Contact Daniel Poulin at [email protected]. Maybe you even know who’s who in this 1990s photo.

The first U of G students invited to address the University’s Board of Governors were 1968 Student Union president Graham Hart and members Don Langford and John Flegg. At the time, Flegg was the left-leaning editor of The Ontarion: “The fight for representative government was indeed long and arduous,” he says, suggesting the student leaders were demonstrating a united front in opposition to a proposed $140 increase in residence fees and the introduction of graduated tuition fees. “We unsuccessfully pressed the board to reject the administration’s proposal,” says Flegg.

Rising education costs have been on the agenda for every student government since then. Student leaders have earned a permanent position on Board of Governors, Senate and all major U of G committees but have also taken more radical approached to try to engage the student body and sway the administration.

Demonstrations, sit-ins, protest walks and vigils have been held at various times on campus and with student groups from other universities at Queen’s Park.

When Marty Williams was elected president of the Central Student Association (CSA) in 1989, students were concerned about “the high cost of going to school, the high cost of living, the high cost of beer.” His contemporary and 1991 CSA president Nona Robinson says students were also vocal about the shortage of off-campus housing and the University’s disagreement with the Campus Co-op Bookstore. These student leaders helped negotiate Guelph’s universal bus pass.

A decade later, Andrew Noble was CSA local affairs commissioner when key issues were the cost of on-campus meal plans and the need for better outdoor lighting to increase safety on campus.

The new millennium brought a renewed focus on financial accessibility – student loans and scholarships. “Students were also quite loud about sustainability issues on campus,” says David Hornsby, who spent six years on Senate. “The focus was on promoting reduction in waste and recycling.”

Curtain Call Productions began in 1957 as a theatre troupe that performed satirical shows written by students and based on campus events. The company has been producing full-scale musicals annually since 1993. Pictured are cast members in the 1997 production of Hair.

I was telling friends the other day about the time I invited Elton John to the University to speak. They looked at me with a wary eye. How could I prove this?  I “Googled” the words “Guelph” and “Elton John”. Sure enough there are two or three vague references to the visit. I thought I would drop The Portico a note telling the full story behind his visit.

It was the mid-1970s, late March, two weeks before exams, still coolness in the air. My long time friend Nancy Jarrell had just returned from applying for summer work at the Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto. The hotel staff told her that Elton was living there for two months to record a new album. He was already a rock star with hits like “Rocket Man” and “Yellow Brick Road.” Nancy said we could go, stand in the hotel lobby and, if he came through, we might get an autograph. I said lets invite him here instead.

Thus the plan started. How to get hold of Elton was easy; the harder question was how to confirm he would come. Time was short as school was ending soon.

We enlisted my friend Kevin Kennedy. Kevin had graduated a year earlier and was working at the new University Centre. Back then – with no cell phone, answering machines or voice mail – where or to whom would Elton reply? Kevin said we could use his office phone number for the RSVP, so we drafted a letter.

Nancy went to the city the next weekend and had hotel staff slip it under Elton’s door.

A few days later, Kevin came running up to me on campus and said, “You won’t believe this: he’s coming. Elton John is coming to Guelph.”

We asked the University if they would set up Peter Clark Hall, but they wouldn’t spend the time for a couple of students with a wild story about a rock star dropping by. Kevin and his boss, John Wilkes, made lunch reservations for four at the Wippletree. The next Wednesday at 12:15 p.m., the black limousine rolled up the partly finished driveway to the University Centre and out jumped Elton with four of his buddies. The lunch reservation ballooned to 14 with a few (now believing) University personnel joining in.

Kevin was able to scramble and get two microphones set up, but who would come? Who knew he was here and able to speak? No twitter, no texts, no Facebook – but good old word of mouth was enough to get the word out. The parked limo didn’t hurt the buzz.

By the time a raucous lunch was done, Peter Clark Hall was packed and anticipation was in the air. For almost two hours, Elton answered a variety of questions, then promptly said thank you, got up and left.

No photo ops, no personal camera pics, no autograph, no saved copy of the letter we sent …just memories. Exams started two days later and, within a week, I left Guelph a graduate.

The Toronto Star wrote an article about the visit and when asked “Why speak at Guelph?” Elton merely said, “They were the only ones that asked me to come.”

Flash Forward 37 Years

Nancy Jarrell worked that summer at the Harbour Castle and finished her BA in 1977.  She now lives in Oakville with her family.

Allan Scott graduated that spring (1976) and went to complete an MBA at York University. He has worked in hotels and owned restaurants, but has been a commercial real estate agent in Toronto for the last 25 years.

Kevin Kennedy BA ’75 spent several more years with the University and then moved to Toronto.  He now runs a successful communication marketing firm. He and Allan have a beer together from time to time.

Allan Scott, B.Comm. ’76

Toronto, Ont.

The University Centre has doubled as a concert hall since the building opened in 1974. Some of the headliners who have performed there include a young stand-up comic from Hamilton named Jim Carey, Loreena McKennitt, K.D. Lang, Great Big Sea, the Tragically Hip, and the Barenaked Ladies in the 1990s. More recently, the University Centre has rocked to the bands Metric, Serena Ryder, Corb Lund and the Sheepdogs.