U of T History - University of Toronto Magazine

Canada’s Information Era Began at U of T

A room-sized machine that could do calculations faster than humans first took shape here 75 years ago

The Einstein Camera

A century ago, a U of T astronomer led a small group of Canadians on a daring expedition to remote Australia. Their mission? To prove the Theory of General Relativity

How Robarts Library Got Its Distinctive Look

A huge, concrete triangle wasn’t an obvious design, but there were reasons for it

Ode to Ingenuity

U of T’s collection of scientific artifacts shows how researchers pursued discovery – and sometimes made history

Of Pies, Nuclear Plants and the Early Days of Co-op Education at U of T

Co-op started by launching grads into government – exactly as the program’s founders intended

Concrete Magic

U of T Scarborough’s Andrews Building has become a Canadian landmark

Nite of Nights

An annual revue, written and performed by engineering students, lampoons its way into a second century

Three Ways Canada Celebrated Insulin’s 100th Anniversary

The game-changing treatment for diabetes patients was marked with a special stamp and coin – and a Heritage Minute

The Miracle of Insulin

A century after U of T scientists discovered the life-saving extract, researchers are finding new ways to improve the lives of people with diabetes

On Watkins’ Pond

Who built U of T Mississauga’s most picturesque spot?

Walk on the Wild Side

In 1976, a strange band of characters jostled their way up St. George Street with beat-up blackboards and battered chairs

Hart House Turns 100

U of T’s beloved student centre once had a flying trapeze. A century later, that spirit lives on

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know Were Invented by U of T Alumni

These include everything from life-saving innovations to everyday conveniences

It Was 50 Years Ago Today

Ken Luckhurst first set foot at UTM at the height of the hippie era. Touring a transformed campus with a recent grad, he finds not everything has changed

Margaret Addison Hall

This grad devoted much of her career to supporting young women at U of T, so Victoria University named a residence after her

Warrior for Peace

U of T physicist Ursula Franklin staunchly opposed weapons of mass destruction. As Cold War tensions rise, her work remains as relevant as ever

This “Bomber” Actually Saved Countless Lives

U of T alumnus Harold Johns pioneered a new kind of cancer treatment dubbed the “cobalt bomb”

Skule

Where did this misspelled moniker come from?

This Side of Paradise

U of T grads and guests enjoy a University College garden party during Convocation 1930

Some Enchanted Evening

How the Canadian Officer Training Corps Ball brought sparkle to Hart House

Seeking Refuge from Nazi Persecution, the MS St. Louis Was Turned Away at Every Port

U of T community members sought to help Jewish refugees during the Second World War

Farmerettes Help at Home

In 1917 and 1918 hundreds of U of T women spent the summers picking and packing fruits and vegetables, filling in for farmers who were away at war

There’s Nothing Buttery About It

The Trinity College cafeteria draws its name from the French word for "cask" or "barrel"

In Pictures: U of T’s Top 10 Beards and Moustaches

Beards are having a 2014 fashion moment! Still, U of T professors of the past could go chin-to-chin with even Toronto Blue Jay Adam Lind. Presenting: U of T’s Top 10 in facial hair.

In Pictures: Varsity Blues Men’s Swim Team Through the Years

The Varsity Blues men’s swimming crew are U of T's most decorated sports team. They have taken 62 provincial titles since 1920 and are the current champ. Their history, in pictures.

Teefy Hall

John Read Teefy was the driving force behind the affiliation of St. Michael's College with U of T

Blasts from the Past

Fascinating characters populate a new history of the Faculty of Arts and Science at U of T

A Club for Women

Canada’s first university women’s club sought to improve the lives of women and children

Ontario’s First Female Architect

After convocating, Esther Marjorie Hill went on to design rooms of her own

Poculi Ludique Societas

U of T's medieval drama group gives tell-all history on their Latin name

Concrete Jungle

How the Medical Sciences Building got its stripes

Revolutionary Road

Forty years ago, an intrepid group of professors and students sparked progress for women across U of T

Antarctica’s Intrepid Explorer

U of T grad Charles Seymour Wright was a member of Robert Scott's ill-fated antarctic expedition

Beaux-Arts Beauty

Alumni and friends support Convocation Hall’s construction

Marshall’s Laws

Fifty years after the publication of his most famous works, we’re still making sense of all Marshall McLuhan had to say

Sewing for Solidarity

From bedding to kit bags, U of T women make items for the war effort

Training Days

Cadets get ready to serve in the First World War, on St. George Campus

Beijing Diary

Claude Bissell’s visit to China, at a time of political isolation between the West and China, foreshadowed the spirit of international exchange at U of T today

The Great Good Place

U of T's eighth president recognized the importance of the university's global reputation

Claude Bissell’s final term as U of T president ended almost 40 years ago, but his remarkable contribution as a scholar, administrator and leader is recognized on the St. George Campus today, with buildings, portraits and other tributes honouring Bissell’s legacy