On June 15, 2001, the Ontario Veterinary College hosted a Symposium on Canadian Veterinary History to honor the contributions to this field by Dr. C.A.V. Barker. The event was held in conjunction with the Alumni Weekend at the University of Guelph, and it attracted over 80 participants, including several of Dr. Barker's classmates and collaborators. The year 2001 was the 60th anniversary of Dr. Barker's graduation from the Ontario Veterinary College.
The participants were welcomed to the symposium by Dr. Alan Meek, dean of the College, and an appreciation of Dr. Barker's contributions to Canadian veterinary history was given by Dr. Brian Derbyshire. He pointed out that Dr. Barker was a maker of history by virtue of his pioneering work in theriogenology and by his professional involvement, having served as council member, president, and life member of both the Ontario Veterinary Association and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Barker coauthored 3 outstanding books on Canadian veterinary history — on the history of the Ontario Veterinary Association, with Dr. Margaret Evans; on the history of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, with Dr. Terry Crowley; and on the history of the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, with Dr. Ian Barker. He also published 10 historical research papers. These included research on the Ontario Veterinary College during the Temperance Street era in Toronto; biographical studies of John Rutherford, M.A. Cuming, Edward Grange (with Zbigniew Wojcinski), Walter Boswell (with Jay Isa) and Robert Robinson; and research on the early history of preceptorships at the Ontario Veterinary College and on the Royal Veterinary College centennial medal. Dr. Barker's outstanding historical work was recognized by grants and awards from the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian government, the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Council of Canada, the Ontario Arts Council, the British Council, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. In response, Dr. Barker paid tribute to his collaborators for their contributions to his work.
Speakers at the symposium included Dr. Philip Teigen, who traced the development of veterinary education in the United States and Canada between 1866 and 1930, and Dr. Thomas Dukes, who presented important new findings on the history of the Queen's University School of Veterinary Science. Dr. Ole Nielsen spoke about the history of veterinary medicine in Canada as it related to the environment, focussing on such early contributors as Dr. Seymour Hadwen. Dr. Donald Barnum, a classmate of Dr. Barker, traced the development of veterinary bacteriology in Canada during the 60 years of his career. The final paper was by Dr. Ian Barker, on the evolution and demise of the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps.
The symposium concluded with a visit to the C.A.V. Barker Museum of Canadian Veterinary History, which was named in 1990 by the University of Guelph in honor of Dr. Barker's long service as director of the Museum, and as the College Historian and Archivist. Dr. Ian Barker outlined the history of the museum and acknowledged the support of the Ontario Veterinary College Alumni Association in its development.
(by Dr. Brian Derbyshire, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Ontario)
Dr. Barker with some of the symposium speakers. From left: Dr. Ole Nielsen, Dr. Ian Barker, Dr. C.A.V. Barker, Dr. Philip Teigen and Dr. Thomas Dukes. Photo credit: Trina Koster.