Maritime Forest Ranger School

Other Names:

Location: The school was built on a seventy acre property adjacent to the university forest.

Sod Turning: 8 November 1945

Cornerstone Laying:

Opened for Use:

Official Opening: 1 April 1946

Architect(s):

Named for:

Facilities: The original facility consisted of several buildings. A dormitory large enough for all registered students and faculty, included a kitchen, dining room, lounge, and reading room. An administration building provided offices, a library, an assembly hall with a capacity of one hundred and fifty, and four large classrooms. The property also included a well-equiped workshop, garage, and sawmill.

History: The Ranger School was the result of a brief on "Forestry and Post-war Reconstruction in New Brunswick," which was drawn up by the New Brunswick Products Forest Association and the New Brunswick section of the Canadian Forestry Association. It recommended that projects be undertaken to promote the development of industrial enterprise suited to the province.

The construction of the school was jointly funded by the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia governments, as well as several large players from private Maritime industry. The pulp and paper industry was highly invested in the institution of such a program, as many of the men trained in the program were expected to be absorbed into the forestry industry.

The curriculum focused on technical instruction. Training consisted of four two-month sessions of class-based lessons, interspersed with periods of practical training in the field totalling twelve months. The university forest was used by the school for its supply of raw materials to the school plant and as an environment for practical instruction. Training in scaling, cruising, logging, milling, and other related subjects were given using modern techniques so that, upon graduation, students would have the skills to perform these jobs without further training through an apprenticeship.

Notes: The first class of fifty persons entering the program in 1946 was comprised entirely of ex-servicemen.

The first classes at the school were held at Alexander College because the facility had not been completed by the start date of the program.

Sources:

• UNB Scrapbooks (UA RG 100), January 1946 - November 1946. The Daily Gleaner, "Maritime Forest Ranger School to Open at Fredericton April 1," 1 March 1946.
• UNB Scrapbooks (UA RG 100), January 1946 - November 1946. Telegraph Journal, "Maritime Forest Ranger School Opens Classes at Capital," 1 April 1946.

© UNB Archives & Special Collections, 2014