Collection search - John Alexander Stiles fonds [textual record, graphic material, sound recording]

Record information – Brief
1
John Alexander Stiles fonds [textual record, graphic material, sound recording]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1901-1986, predominant 1938-1949.

Reference:

R15960-0-2-E

Type of material:

Photographs, Sound recordings, Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

5013522

Context of this record:

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John Alexander Stiles fonds
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Record information – Details
Date(s):

1901-1986, predominant 1938-1949.

Bilingual equivalent:

Click here

Place of creation:

Canada

Added country of publication:

Italy, United States

Extent:

10 cm of textual records.
25 photographs : b&w.
1 audio disk (16 min.).

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Fonds consists of speeches, photos and memorabilia accumulated by Dr. John Stiles while serving as a senior figure in the Canadian Boy Scout movement; as well as correspondence, a diary and works of fiction documenting his interests and relationships outside of scouting. Scouting-related material consists of photos of Stiles at various events; a program for the dedication of a Texas Eagle Scout class; an exchange of letters pertaining to an Inter-American conference on Scouting planned for Bogota, Colombia in 1946; and speeches and motivational texts penned by Stiles in the 1940s, often in the form of parables, in which he expounds on the values of the scout movement and his views on child development (includes one audio recording of a speech titled "The Arches of Life"). The correspondence consists of one letter documenting a 1948 visit to Texas and four letters Stiles wrote to his daughter (Caroline), in 1927, in which he comments on his parenting philosophy and his participation in scout camps in various parts of the country. The diary, spanning September-November 1901, contains a daily account of Stiles' experiences while living in Sicily. The fonds also includes a file of biographical information (news clippings, articles, etc.) describing the life and career of John Stiles; a draft novel titled "Red Sand"; and a draft children's book titled "The Smiggly-Biggly Biscuits" that Stiles circulated to publishers in 1948-1949.

Provenance:

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Stiles, John Alexander, 1876-1958

Biography/Administrative history:

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Stiles, John Alexander, 1876-1958 : John Alexander Stiles was born in 1876 at Arva, Ontario. As a teenager, Stiles was forced from school by the economic depression of 1893 but found employment with the Canadian Pacific Railway then, for two years, with the firm of Sanderson & Sons in Messina, Italy. Stiles resumed his education upon returning to Canada, ultimately graduating from the University of Toronto with honours in engineering in 1908. Upon completing his studies, Stiles went on to work in various engineering roles and taught at the University of Toronto and the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph. From 1910 to 1919 he served as Dean of Applied Science and Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of New Brunswick.

It was while living in New Brunswick that Stiles joined the scouting movement. First serving as a scoutmaster in 1915, Stiles quickly ascended to the roles of district commissioner and provincial commissioner for New Brunswick. Finally, in 1919, Stiles resigned his professorship and moved to Ottawa to take on the role of Assistant Chief Commissioner for Canada (Scouts). He rose to Chief Executive Commissioner in 1930. Stiles retired in 1946 but remained active in the scouting movement as a motivational speaker. In 1948, Stiles undertook a 48-stop speaking tour throughout the southern United States. For his services to scouting, Stiles received the Silver Wolf and Silver Buffalo awards, as well as the Order of the British Empire.

John Stiles married Margaret Campbell McVannell (1881-1927) in 1910 and the couple had four children: Caroline (b. 1912), Douglas (b. 1915), John (b. 1918) and Donald (b. 1919). He married his second wife, Estelle Frances Glover, in 1928. John Stiles died on November 29, 1958 at Ottawa, Ontario.

Finding aid:

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Textual material, object, photo (Electronic) This finding aid describes volumes 1 to 21. MSS2591 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf002/p000003413.pdf

The description of the audio disk is in MISACS. (Electronic) (90: Open)

Additional information:

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Custodial history:

Material was received with the donation of the Margaret and John Stiles fonds (R15859-0-0-E)
Subject heading:

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Boy Scouts

Children's literature

Children / Education

Sicily
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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2017-00017-5
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

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Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]

Volume [R15960] 2

[Consultation 90 Open]

Sound recordings

[Consultation90 Open]

Audio-visual item no. assigned by LAC [R15960] 38679AV

[Consultation 90 Open]

Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Volume [R15960] 1

[Consultation 90 Open]

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Date modified:: 2024-07-24