The Manitoban at 100: Other writers and editors

The Manitoban at 100 series: 
Part 1: W. B. Hurd, first chief editor 

Part 2: Isabel Turnbull Dingman, first female chief editor 
Part 3: Other notable editors

Over the century there have been nearly a hundred editors and thousands of writers at The Manitoban. Here's a selection of some notable names mixed it with a selection of stories. Feel free to add more names in the comments section !

In Memoriam 1914 - 1918, November 11, 1930

Reverend John Edwards was editor ca. 1920 but became better known to generations of U of M students as the manager of the university bookstore from 1923 to 1961. After retiring, he went to theological school and became an associate minister at Knox Church for a decade.

Graham Spry was an editor ca. 1919, then a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1930, worried that Canada was being left behind with the proliferation of private U.S. radio stations, he co-founded the Canadian Radio League. The group lobbied for a national radio broadcaster which culminated in the founding of the CBC. (To read a 1972 interview about his Winnipeg days.)

Maxwell Cohen was editor ca 1930. After graduating from law, it was on to a research fellowship at Harvard then then teaching international law at McGill. He was a chair of the Canada-United  States International Joint Commission and the Canadian judge ad hoc on the International Court of Justice.

New Arts (Tier) Building, November 4, 1930

Marhsall McLuhan was a Manitoban writer from 1930 to 1934. He went on to become an internationally known professor, writer and lecturer on the subject of communications and media. The University of Manitoba Library and Archives has a website dedicated to his Manitoban essays.

In the late 1940s Bob Halparin was a reporter and sports columnist for The Manitoban. (Also was brother of UMSU president Monte Halparin, who later became known as Monty Hall.) Halparin got up the nose of veteran reporter Jack Matheson, who wrote in his Winnipeg Tribune column on October 25, 1948: "Bob Halparin, official mouthpiece of the University Moaning Society, penned several hundred words of ‘wisdom’ in the student newspaper last week regarding University athletic policy. Bob, who weights 180-odd pounds, would possibly be some help to the team. He’s no help to The Manitoban."

In the mid 1940s Art Foster was sports editor and a member of the Bisons' basketball team. His true calling was tennis and he went on to become the provincial men's singles champion six times.

October 18, 1939

Harold Buchwald was editor in the early 1950s. After graduating from law, the firm he co-founded merged in 1998 to form Pitblado. Buchwald served on the boards of dozens of charitable organizations and was a Member of the Order of Canada and is in the Winnipeg citizens hall of fame.

Hon. Francis Muldoon was an editor in the early 1950s. He graduated from law and served as the chair of the Manitoba Law Reform Commission in the 1970s and was appointed a Justice to the Federal Court of Canada in 1983. 

Israel "Izzy" Asper was an editor in the early 1950s. He graduated from law in 1957 and became leader of the Manitoba Liberal party in 1970. Later that decade, he and some business partners purchased KCND-TV of Pembina, North Dakota, which was the seed from which he grew the Canwest Global media empire.

Halparin (Monty Hall) elected UMSU President, March 1, 1944

Reg Skene was editor ca. 1956. After obtaining his Masters of Arts, it was on to the U of T for a Doctor of Philosophy. He returned to become a faculty member at the U of W in 1965 and became driving force behind the creation of its Department of Theatre and Drama. 

Photographer and journalist Christopher "Kip" Park was an editor in the late 1950s. His fonds is the basis for the online collection entitled  Libraries, Landmarks and Built Heritage of the West at the U of M Library.

 Norrie Elected UMSU President, February 20, 1951

Heather Robertson was the editor in the early 1960s and went on to have a fifty-year career as a writer and journalist. In 2006 she won a decade long legal battle against the Globe and Mail, fighting for the right of freelance writers to protect their copyright when their work was digitized to an online database.(Also.)

Peter Herndorff was an editor ca. 1962, along with Heather Robertson. Later attending Dalhousie and Harvard Business School, he became a producer with the CBC, editor of Toronto Life magazine, chairman of TVOntario and is now the CEO of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

James Lorimer was an editor along with Robertson and Herndorff in the early 1960s. After graduating with a degree in economics, he went to the London School of Economics for his PhD. In the early 1970s he created James Lorimer and Company publishers in Toronto.

UMSU coup by med students, March 19 1954

David Saunders was a recent mayoral candidate but in the mid 1960s was a law student and editor of The Manitoban. From there, it was on to journalism before joining the public service with the province of Manitoba. 

Matt Bellan was a co-editor in the early 1970s. He went on to journalism school and, after a brief stop in Regina, returned to Winnipeg where he was the editor of The Jewish Post for over 25 years. 

Andrew Coyne was just 19 years-old when he was editor, ca. 1979. In one edition The Manitoban included an ad with the "c" word in it, which caused outrage that spilled over into the mainstream media, (read more about that here.) After graduating from law, it was on to the London School of Economics, then a career in journalism that has included being a columnist and editorial writer for National Post and national editor for Maclean's.