Title and statement of responsibility area
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- Source of title proper: Title from content of the fonds.
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Dates of creation area
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Physical description area
Physical description
30.75 m of textual records and other material
Publisher's series area
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
James Wesley Graham was a Canadian computing pioneer who was known as the "father of computing" at the University of Waterloo and who was "chiefly responsible for the university's international reputation in software development." (Donn Downey, The Globe and Mail).
Born in Copper Cliff, Ontario on Jan. 17, 1932, he studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto from 1950-1955. He worked for IBM Canada until 1959 when he joined the University of Waterloo. At first he taught statistics in the the Dept. of Mathematics where a "Computing Centre" was established in 1960. When it became a separate department in 1962, he became the director. He pioneered the creation of software to support education, especially in the teaching of computer programming and in making computing accessible. In the 1960's he worked with the Ministry of Education to develop computer programming instruction courses for high school students. He received the Order of Canada in 1999 for his contributions to computer science. James Wesley Graham died in 1999.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The fonds contains material relating to the life and career of James Wesley Graham.
Notes area
Physical condition
Includes: 47 computer diskettes, photographs, artifacts.
Immediate source of acquisition
Donated in 2001 by the estate of James Wesley Graham.
Arrangement
Arranged in six series with subdivisions:
1. Biographical and historical files, 1955-1998;
2. Personal files, 1946-1999;
3. Works by J.W. Graham, 1957-1999;
4. University of Waterloo files, 1957-1997;
5. University of Waterloo teaching files, 1958-1994;
6. Oversize materials.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Floppy discs sent for data extraction 2020:
File 62 (1 disc extracted)
File 275 (1 disc failed)
File 470 (2 discs extracted)
File 1855 (3 discs extracted)
File 1858 (1 disc extracted, 1 disc failed)
File 1859 (1 disc extracted, 1 disc failed)
File 1896 (1 disc extracted)
File 2015 (4 discs failed)
File 2021 (1 disc extracted)
Floppy discs sent for data extraction 2021:
File 150 (I disc extracted)
File 490 (1 disc extracted)
File 491 (1 disc extracted)
File 540 (2 discs extracted)
File 1754 (1 disc extracted)
Restrictions on access
Some files are restricted.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Copyright owned by the estate.
Finding aids
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Accruals
General note
"Collection explores history of computer science" by Jim Morris about the acquisition appeared in the January 23, 2001 (no. 11) of UW News Bureau.
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Access points
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Name access points
- University of Waterloo (Subject)