The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
Inventory prepared - not available
University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
(prior 1978)
Finding aid encoded by Vladimira Zvonik (2005)
Finding aid written in English.
Table of Contents
Biography of Graham Lawson Shanks
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Biography of Graham Lawson Shanks
Graham Lawson Shanks was born on November 15, 1889 in Pettapiece, Manitoba. Shanks and his wife Mildred had one son named John Edward. In 1909, Shanks enrolled in the Manitoba Agricultural College (which would later be amalgamated into the University of Manitoba in 1929) and three years later, in 1912, graduated as member of the first graduating class of three in Agricultural Engineering. After graduating, Shanks held a position as an instructor of farm mechanics at the School of Agriculture in Vermillion, Alberta. In 1917, he accepted appointment at the Manitoba Agricultural College as a lecturer in Agricultural Engineering. A year later, he did service in the First World War with the Royal Flying Corps as a Cadet where he returned from duty on December 1918. At the age of 32, in 1921, he then went on to accept a position as Head of the Agricultural Engineering section where he continued to work until his retirement in 1955. Later on in 1930, Shanks would go on to receive an M.S. at the Iowa State College. His position was secure until 1933, when the Department of Agriculture closed its doors due to the depression. During that time Shanks remained on staff as a member of the Department of Civil Engineering but once the Department of Agricultural Engineering was re-established in 1947, Shanks reclaimed his title as Head of the department. In addition to teaching, Shanks also held many memberships in societies. He was member of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the Agricultural Institute of Canada. On December 15, 1951, Shanks took a leave of absence to serve as an advisor in farm mechanization to the government of Pakistan under the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations until December 15, 1952. G.L. Shanks has also made many more contributions by heading investigations into farm affairs and farm machinery problems in Manitoba that contributed to the formation of business and government policy. On June 15, 1983, Shanks passed away at the age of 93.
For more information please see PC-4 (Collection of photographs that pertains to Shanks’ essay).Some of his publications include: - Shanks, G.L. UM, Manitoba Agricultural College. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering. Dugouts for Water Storage. #61 (Jan. 1922) - Shanks, G.L. et al. UM Faculty of Agriculture. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering. Storing Grain on the Farm. # 166 (June, 1941) - Shanks, G.L. and Paterson, J.J. The Riley Sprayograph. (Agricultural Engineering, July, 1952) - Shanks, G.L. & Paterson, J.J. Effects of Wood and Insect Sprays on Spraying Equipment Materials. (Scientific Agriculture, April, 1952)
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The fonds consists of twenty four diaries written by G. L. Shanks and a collection of photographs pertaining to Professor Shanks' essay "Philip Grove - His Ability to Describe the Rural Scene."
This collection is arranged into two series
No restriction on access.
No restriction on use.
The manuscript was donated by the Faculty of Agriculture prior 1978 and the photograph collection by F.F. Parkinson in 1981.
Mss 6 (A.81-16)
Detailed Description of the Collection
| Box | Folder | |
| 1 | 1 | 1952-53 |
| 2 | 1954-55 | |
| 3 | 1956-57 | |
| 4 | 1958-59 | |
| 5 | 1960-61 |
| Box | Folder | |
| 2 | 1 | 1962-64 |
| 2 | 1965 | |
| 3 | 1966-67 | |
| 4 | 1968-69 | |
| 5 | 1970-71 | |
| 6 | 1972-73 | |
| 7 | 1974-76 |
| Box | |
| 1 | 1. "Overshot Stacker, O.S.A." Built by F.F. Parkinson and Howard Armstrong. |
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2. Overshot haystacker, built and used in Lethbridge, Saskatchewan A view of the Lethbridge overshot stacker in use |
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| 4. "Litchfield stacker" - used portable frame to build stack in. Stacker operated by take-off of small tractor." | |
| 5. "O.S.A. Sweep (Betsy) unloading beside feeder" | |
| 6. "Betsy in hay", 1943. Shows the "sweep" in action | |
| 7. Haystacker, complete except for steering and push arms | |
| 8. Close-up-method of attaching wheels to side of sweep | |
| 9. "This 14 year old boy kept a 28" separator going. His two older brothers did the pitching to feeder." | |
| 10. Seven partrially completed sweeps in from the O.S.A. shop | |
| 11. Edgerton, 1920. View of haystacker in use, drawn by horses | |
| 12. Edgerton, 1920. Another view of haystacker in use | |
| 13. A third view of #11-12 | |
| 14. Lloydminster area - "On a rod haul this outfit could make a round trip in 6-7 minutes" - haystacker, n.d. |