Ruby Apperley

As the first female employee at the Museum, Ruby Apperley was highly respected. Hired originally as the secretary and registrar, collections management became her sole responsibility. As a member of the extension division, she also worked on several other projects during her long tenure.

She was involved in the development of the Saskatchewan Parks nature trails, and wrote the original trail guides for the Condie Nature Refuge, which included sketches from Fred W. Lahrman and tips like "take nothing but pictures and memories; leave nothing but footprints".

She also worked with the extension division, organizing and leading activities for children to increase awareness about natural history in the province; building birdhouses to increase the population of certain birds in the province was one such activity. She also organized events that discussed Whooping Cranes and other Saskatchewan wildlife, and managed the early Museum book store. Apperley Place, the Museum Gift Shop was named in her honour.

She won an Honourary Lifetime Achievement Award from the Museums Association of Saskatchewan in 1988.

Ruby Apperley building birdhouses with children at the Museum.

Joyce Dew sitting at her desk.

Joyce Dew was the first person hired to give gallery and field tours relating to natural history in Saskatchewan through the extension division, which was developed in 1957 as a way to communicate directly with the community through lecture tours and special programs. Under the title of Assistant Extensions Officer in charge of tours and children’s programs, Miss Dew was central to this new division. These programs marked the beginning of official education programs given through the Museum in its new home, and were the precursor for the current programs.

Ian Dyck sitting at his desk.

Dr. Ian Dyck was hired in July 1972 as Supervisor of Historic Resources, a job which included responsibility for historic parks, historic sites, archaeology and palaeontology. In 1974, he became the Supervisor of Archaeological Research, which simplified his duties somewhat. He personally argued for and received approval and funding for an additional five permanent positions for the Museum, and became Chief Curator in May 1983.

Dyck studied at the Universities of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta; in Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. The focus of his research is varied, from prehistory and ethnohistory on the plains to the history of archaeology and fur trade archaeology. He was responsible for excavations at Fort Pitt and Fort Carlton, the latter of which included production of a 22-minute film entitled Carlton's Buried Past. He left the Museum to work with the Archaeological Survey of Canada (1984-1989) through the Canadian Museum of Civilization, where he still works today.

Ian Dyck (far right) and crew at the Sjovold Site in 1979.

Margaret Hanna using traditional techniques to make pottery.

From 1970 until 1972, Margaret Hanna was a summer employee, working on excavations at locations like Fort Pelly #1, her first dig with the Museum. After completing three degrees at three different universities in Canada, she returned to the Museum in 1984 as Curator of Records (responsible for registering the private archaeological collections in the province) and Assistant Curator of Archaeology.

Her work with the Museum allowed her to explore her interest in the boreal forest in northern Saskatchewan and the First Nations people who live there. Her work included surveys and excavations at Brabant Lake, Black Bear Island Lake, Lac la Ronge, the Montreal River, and the Old Village at Stanley Mission. Her analysis depended as much on Elders’ accounts of life in “the bush” as it did on modern analytical techniques.

Hanna and Mrs. McKay at Black Bear Island Lake.

Ron Hooper examining moths in the Museum collection.

Ron Hooper was involved with the Museum long before he began his tenure here. Along with his twin brother Donald, Hooper learned basic taxidermy from Fred Bard in 1953. He went on to become a celebrated entomologist for the Museum, discovering several species of moths and butterflies. His most significant find was that of the Simius Roadside Skipper (Amblyscirtes simius) on June 27, 1968. It was the first record of this species anywhere in Canada. Although he officially "retired" several years ago, Hooper continues to contribute his substantial expertise and experience to the Museum's insect collection.

Lahrman doing taxidermy on a pelican.

His interest in nature began at a young age, when a 12-year old Lahrman received a folding telescope and a dollar box camera, and began recording the world around him at Mortlach, Saskatchewan.

He, along with R.D. Symons, painted the backdrops for the new exhibits that were prepared for the opening of the new building in 1955.

Old Life Sciences Gallery Colonial Birds exhibit background painting.

Fred Lahrman's Whooping Crane photograph.

Lahrman had a one-in-a-million chance in 1953 when he photographed three rare Whooping Cranes near Herbert, SK. The photograph was dubbed "the most exceptional photograph of the week" by the Associated Press, later named the "most outstanding wildlife picture of the year", and used as the basis for a Canadian postage stamp in 1955. The photo was widely published in Canada as well as the United States, bringing national and international attention to the role of the RSM in Whooping Crane conservation.

Lahrman at the MacKenzie Art Gallery opening in 1995.

Life Sciences Gallery eagle exhibit.

Today, many Lahrman backgrounds are still displayed in the Grasslands section of the Life Sciences Gallery. His work accounts for 33% of the diorama backgrounds (as of 2002) on display throughout the Museum. When asked which exhibit was his best work, Lahrman was always optimistic, saying that the best one was always the one yet to come.

Kehoe examining pottery at his desk.

Kehoe examining projectile points.
Photograph courtesy of Saskatchewan Archives Board.

Kehoe examining a bison skull from the Gull Lake Site.

Robert Kreba

In an editorial written in The Leader Post by Trevor Herriot, one of Bob Kreba's friends, Kreba is remembered very fondly as "one of this city's greatest naturalists-the classic man afield in his native terrain, a lively intellect and a caring soul interested in every particle of creation, from the stars overhead to the rocks and mushrooms at his feet."

Kreba (right) working with artist Paul Geraghty on labels for the Life Sciences Gallery.

Kreba recording bird songs for the Life Sciences Gallery.

McCorquodale preparing a fossil.

McCorquodale (left) with Dr. Robert Nero.
Photograph courtesy of Saskatchewan Archives Board.

McCorquodale preparing fossils in the field.

McCorquodale drawing archaeological artifacts.

H. H. Mitchell

H.H. Mitchell was hired in March 10, 1913 as the Museum's first full-time employee.

He pioneered a new method of exhibitry at the Museum in 1916, building habitat groups. Rather than having mounts just sitting in a cabinet, Mitchell put birds and animals together in an exhibit that mirrored their natural habitat in Saskatchewan, including plant life and a painted backdrop. This method is still used by the Museum in exhibitry, though on a much larger scale, especially in the new Life Sciences Gallery, where all of the exhibits reflect an actual location in Saskatchewan.

Early exhibit preparation by H.H. Mitchell.

Dr. Robert Nero

These initiatives became Nero's focus for the professionalization of the Museum, as Archaeology as a discipline would be necessary for establishing the professional reputation of the Museum. In order to further develop his initiative, Nero risked his job by bypassing his direct supervisors, including the Director, Fred Bard, and wrote a letter outlining the necessity for a curator of Archaeology. His request was granted in 1959, when Tom Kehoe was hired.

Dr. Nero working on a bird specimen in his office.

Nero examining birds in the Museum collection.

Nero participated in the education programs as well, teaching an adult education class on birds in Saskatchewan in October 1960, and spearheading the Prairie Nest Record Scheme in 1958.

His sense of humour was appreciated by many visitors to the Museum, especially in 1956, when he made a display case of lost and found items, including professional, museum-quality labels. Entitled "What's New," the display included items like gloves, mittens, earrings, belts and scarves. A collection of mittens was labeled "Gloves From Several Tribes," and a collection of keys was designated by a tag that reads "Use of Metallic Minerals." A lone pair of earmuffs received the honour of being designated a "Ceremonial Headdress."

Don Pingert

Roney preparing a European Starling in 1972.

Keith Roney completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Sciences, at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus (now the University of Regina), and was working towards a Bachelor of Education degree when he was first hired by the Museum as a Park Naturalist at the Condie Nature Refuge. Since that time, Roney has worked on several different projects, all within the Life Sciences area of the Museum. Extensive work on conservation marked the early years of his time at the RSM, as he worked on conservation projects developed for both the White Pelican and the Double-crested Cormorant.

As well, Roney worked on the Provincial Park Interpretive Program (developing trails, exhibits, and programming for provincial parks) while that project remained a responsibility of the Museum. Most recently, Roney has been involved in the development of the new Life Sciences Gallery and as a Life Sciences curator was responsible for the entomology collection at the RSM, not a small feat, as the collection includes approximately 100,000 arthropods (spiders, moths, etc).

Curators Glen Sutter and Keith Roney (right) examining Meadowlarks.

Swanston preparing a fossil.

Swanston participated in many significant field expeditions during his time with the Museum. He was present at what was most likely the first Earth Sciences/Palaeontology dig in Saskatchewan, along with Bruce McCorquodale, in 1951, and at several others. He was responsible for preparing the Mosasaur fossil found in 1961, and discovered a nearly complete freshwater turtle in the Frenchman Formation. He also assisted in uncovering a kitchen midden near Mortlach in 1949, which represented three distinct levels of settlement, and collected fossils from the Hunter Quarry in 1951.

Swanston preparing a fossil mammal tooth.

Excavation at Spruce Rapids (GdMo-5) by Kehoe (front) and Watson (back).

Gil Watson was hired by Tom Kehoe to assist in the Archaeology unit, and as part of those duties, performed extensive archaeological surveys around Saskatchewan. Initially hired part-time in 1961, he was given the permanent full-time position of Archaeological Technician when it was created in 1963. When Kehoe resigned in 1965, Watson was given unofficial control of Archaeology by Fred Bard, though Bard retained direct control and official planning duties for the section.

After the 1966 season, however, excavation work was limited by Bard in order to allow Watson to concentrate on lab work, educational programs, and development of the new Hall of Man gallery. His work in the educational programs was extraordinary. In 1969 alone, he gave 93 lectures to schools all over the province!

In 1983, Watson was transferred to the newly created Archaeological Resource Management branch of what was then the Department of Culture and Youth, where he worked until his retirement in 1987.

Gil Watson at his desk.

Boyd Wettlaufer at the Lake Midden site (EfNg-1) in 1951.

In 1951, Boyd Wettlaufer conducted the first professional archaeological survey in Saskatchewan. His report on this survey identified 202 possible archaeological sites and 324 active collectors in the province. This, and his subsequent excavations at the Mortlach and Long Creek sites, laid the foundation for knowledge of northern plains First Nations history.

His work at the Long Creek site found artifacts that extended the archaeological chronology of the northern plains to 3000 BCE (1500 years longer than it had been). The excavation also produced 15,000 specimens from nine cultural layers. He was one of the first archaeologists in Canada to use radiocarbon dating, soils analysis, and faunal analysis as part of his scientific investigations.

Excavation at the Long Creek site (DgMr-1).

Initially, the Museum was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture. The Museum's one staff member was T.N. Willing, who was also the Chief of Weeds and Game, the same position later held by Fred Bradshaw. He was instrumental to the establishment of a museum collection, accepting the donation of the Beaver Hills Petroglyph, the first item owned by the Museum.

The collection was housed in his office above the Regina Trading Company Department Store (at the corner of Hamilton and South Railway). Even at this early date, Willing desired permanent display space for the museum, and was frustrated by the decision to keep it in temporary cases within his office. Willing had a background in botany and entomology, and had been Territorial Weed Inspector of the North West Territories in the 1890s. He left his post as Chief of Weeds and Game in 1910 when he was offered a position at the newly created College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan, where he took a job as Professor of Natural History.