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One-hundred-years young Macdonald College gets birthday stamp

Sept. 21, 2006

On September 26, Canada Post will issue a single domestic rate (51¢) stamp to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the official opening of Macdonald College at McGill University.

Since its founding, Macdonald College has positioned itself as a leader in agricultural and environmental studies nationally and internationally. In the years leading up to its centenary, Macdonald College has met the changing needs of agricultural production, including activities such as preparing livestock feeds, developing fertilizers, creating equipment, and other farm-related services. Its graduates are recognized worldwide as capable and competent scientists, who care not only for the land but also for the people who make their living off it, thus fulfilling the wish of the school's founder.

Originally from Prince Edward Island, William Christopher Macdonald moved to Montreal where he made his fortune in tobacco. A man of vision, he believed that the three most fundamental institutions of the nation were the farm, the home, and the school. He also held the conviction that an agricultural college must be constructed within the framework of a great university, thus ensuring the means by which high standards could be set and sustained in the future.

The land where the college now stands was purchased in 1904. Construction began the next year, and in 1906 the deeds were turned over to McGill University's Board of Governors along with a $2 million endowment. Over the past century, McGill's Macdonald campus has been a leader in agricultural studies. The College also once housed the School for Teachers, later the Institute and Faculty of Education of McGill University. The school was an integral part of Macdonald College, with many of its thousands of graduates and staff going on to become leaders in the field of education.

Canada Post entrusted the stamp's design to Denis L'Allier, who worked in partnership with photographer Guy Lavigueur to create the stamp. L'Allier has been the designer behind the Canadian higher education stamp series for the past three years. The stamp presents the same elements as the previous issues, including the main building of the campus, the faculty's crest, and a vertical ribbon, all in the college's colours-red, green and gold.

This 51¢ stamp measures 36 mm x 45 mm (vertical). Lowe-Martin printed 2.5 million stamps in booklets of eight stamps. The self-adhesive stamp will be printed using lithography in six colours on Tullis Russell Coatings paper. They are general tagged on all four sides. The Official First Day Cover will read: Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.

Additional information about Canadian stamps can be found in the Newsroom section of Canada Post's website, and a downloadable high-resolution photo of the Macdonald College commemorative stamp is in the Newsroom's Photo Centre. Stamps and Official First Day Covers will be available at participating post offices, and can be ordered online by following the links at Canada Post's website www.canadapost.ca, or by mail-order from the National Philatelic Centre. From Canada and the USA call toll-free: 1-800-565-4362 and from other countries call: (902) 863-6550.