All True Things is a critical history of the genesis and evolution of the University of Alberta and a splendid way to mark the University's centennial. Professor Emeritus of History and alumnus, Rod Macleod, relates the University's coming of age against the parallel history of the Province of Alberta's remarkable growth. All True Things-a variation on the University of Alberta's motto, Quæcumque Vera, or, "Whatsoever Things Are True"-uncovers times of triumph and trouble by examining key people, circumstances, and decisions of that first century. What emerges is an enduring narrative of an institutional will to thrive and become a vibrant centre of learning. As the University embarks on its second century, this definitive source of information and reflection on institutional history and governance will inspire future leaders and policy makers and delight the University of Alberta's many friends far and wide.
Rod Macleod, Professor Emeritus, was professor of History and Classics at the University of Alberta from 1969 until he retired in 2005. During his tenure he served as Chair of the Department of History and later as Associate Dean of Arts. He has written extensively on the history of Western Canada as well as Canadian legal and military history. His books include The Mounties and Prairie Fire: The 1885 North West Rebellion as well as The North West Mounted Police and Law Enforcement 1873-1905. Rod is the official historian for the University of Alberta. In that capacity he researched and wrote All True Things: A History of the University of Alberta, 1908 - 2008, published by the University of Alberta Press. He served two terms as the Alberta representative on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Rod Macleod lives in Edmonton.
"This book is a critical history of the university. In it my concern has been to understand how it differed from other universities and why it evolved the way it did. In doing the research and writing it became apparent that the history of the university was entwined with the political history of the province. For the first half century it completely dominated the intellectual and cultural history of Alberta. From its inception the university has had a powerful sense of mission, summed best in founding president Henry Marshall Tory's dictum 'the uplifting of the whole people shall be its final goal.' The university's remarkable extension activities led to the founding of CKUA radio and the Banff Centre." Rod Macleod, April 2008
"Loyal alumni can choose from a handful of tomes honouring the University of Alberta on this, its 100th anniversary year. All True Things places the U of A in the larger context of our province's history, revealing a dynamic learning centre influenced by a diverse and fast-growing population." Edmonton Journal, Christmas Gift Guide, November 19, 2008
"In the early years of the province's history, the location of the yet-to-be-built University of Alberta was one of the most hotly contested issues of the day. ... The controversy surrounding the U of A's location is one of the pivotal moments discussed in Macleod's new book All True Things, which traces the evolution of the university from a fledgling Prairie school to one of Canada's most powerful academic institutions. ... "I wanted this (book) to be a real history, not a public relations exercise ... I wanted to look in a serious way at how the institution developed, how was it different from other Canadian universities and what were the down parts of the experience as well as the ups." Macleod thinks much of the U of A's success can be traced back to the first president, Henry Marshall Tory, who laid out an ambitious vision that essentially remains intact today. ... For example, female students were admitted from Day 1, and Tory insisted the first faculty be arts and science rather than an agricultural school many in the province wanted. In hiring the first group of professors, he demanded they all have PhDs and went as far as Harvard and McGill to recruit them." Keith Gerein, Edmonton Journal, Sept. 17, 2008
"... a terrific little institutional history..." -- Alex Usher, The Higher Ed Reading List -- 20191212
