Our History
A LEADER IN FORESTRY EDUCATION SINCE 1946
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The early 20th century marked a pivotal paradigm shift in Maritime Canadian forestry—from unchecked exploitation to intentional, science-based management and sustainability. As the focus turned toward the long-term, sustainable use of forest resources, a new demand emerged for a skilled workforce capable of carrying out the responsibilities outlined in the evolving management plans of the day. It was in this context that the idea of the Forest Ranger was introduced—professionals who would fill a critical skills gap and play a central role in supporting this transformative shift in forestry practice.
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The concept of a dedicated “Ranger School” — a place where scalers, wardens, rangers, lookout men, foremen, compassmen, and camp bookkeepers could all receive practical training for work in government and private forestry — appears to have been first proposed in 1921 by Albert V. S. Pulling, a professor of forestry at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Although the idea circulated quietly for a time, it began to gain real momentum by the mid-1930s. A UNB document titled Suggested Ranger School – University of New Brunswick outlined the early vision: a program less academically formal and more hands-on, geared toward individuals aged 18 to 35 who already had some experience working in the woods. The proposal recommended a four-term structure, each term lasting two months, with intakes beginning in September and again in March.
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Early suggestions for curriculum included:
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1. Surveying
2. Mensuration
3. Drawing
4. Forest Legislation
5. Scaling
6. Fire Suppression
7. Dendrology
8. Silviculture
9. Bookkeeping
10. Wood Technology
11. Logging Methods
12. Forest Management
It was proposed that the existing UNB Forest School administer the program, but despite the enthusiasm behind the idea, the logistical, staffing, and financial demands proved prohibitive—particularly in the challenging post-Depression era. As a result, the plan was put on hold until 1938. Renewed interest from the Maritime Section of the Canadian Society of Forest Engineers led to two ad-hoc forestry course offerings at the then-named Acadia Forest Research Station in 1938–1939 and 1939–1940. However, these courses were ultimately suspended with the onset of the war.
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Once again, renewed interest from the New Brunswick Forest Products Association and the New Brunswick Section of the Canadian Forestry Association, coupled with a growing demand for skilled forestry workers, brought the idea to the forefront. Financial commitments from the New Brunswick International Paper Company, the New Brunswick Minister of Lands and Mines, and the Chief Foresters of Nova Scotia helped set the plan in motion. By 1945, a 75-acre property known as Carten Farm, situated on what was then called Maryland Hill, had been purchased, and the institution was officially named the “Maritime Forest Ranger School.” It was recommended that a governing body be established, composed of representatives from the UNB Senate, the Departments of Lands and Mines of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Maritime Lumber Bureau, and the pulp and paper industries of the Maritimes. The next priority was to appoint a director to oversee the school and report to this authority.
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Major Duncan A. MacPhail, a native of Kincardine, New Brunswick, was appointed to lead the effort. A World War II veteran with experience in several forest products companies, MacPhail was charged with overseeing the construction of the college. Work began promptly on October 25, 1945, the same day a construction tender of $203,435 was accepted. By January 1946, however, MacPhail reported that the new facilities were behind schedule, putting the planned April opening at risk.Fortunately, the recently decommissioned military barracks at the Fredericton Exhibition Grounds—temporarily used by UNB to accommodate returning students after the war—were available. Dubbed “Alexander College” in honor of Field Marshal Harold Alexander, the site offered classrooms, administrative offices, dormitories, study rooms, an art center, a workshop, and even an indoor rifle range. The Maritime Forest Ranger School would take advantage of these facilities until construction on Maryland Hill was completed.
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Mr. Glendon C. Elgee, known as “Bumps”, Mr. Robert H. Burgess, and Mr. James E. Gracie were the first three instructors hired. MacPhail decided that classes, all of which were mandatory, would be help from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday, and again from 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon on Saturday. As part of the curriculum committee, MacPhail and others suggested the following make up the initial curriculum:
1. Forest Law – 36 hours
2. Mathematics – 234 hours
3. Bookkeeping – 234 hours
4. Surveying – 234 hours
5. Drafting – 63 hours
6. Botany – 27 hours
7. Dendrology – 27 hours
8. Forest Fire Prevention and Control – 117 hours
9. Forest Entomology – 54 hours
10. Tools and Equipment – 45 hours
11. Silviculture – 90 hours
12. Anatomy and First Aid – 27 hours
13. Logging – 90 hours
14. Milling – 90 hours
15. Forest Improvements – 90 hours
16. Forest Management – 70 hours
In April 1946, the Maritime Forest Ranger School welcomed its first cohort of students at Alexander College—but it would not be the only group that year. The program’s “two months on, four months off” schedule allowed for the enrollment of three staggered cohorts, each numbering between 47 and 49 students. This structure ensured that only one group required the facilities at a time, while the others gained practical experience through their between-session work practicums. Each group would complete their studies at the College within two calendar years broken down in this way. Initial admission requirements stipulated that students be between 20 and 35 years of age, of good character, possess at least a Grade 8 education (or equivalent), have a minimum of one year of forestry or woods experience, and pass a medical examination. Preference was given to veterans, those with more extensive field experience, and applicants from New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. Of the 146 students admitted across the first three cohorts, 142 were veterans.
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By September 1946, the school had relocated to the developing Maryland Hill campus—despite the fact that construction was still underway. Making use of garages and workshops as temporary classrooms, the institution pushed forward, and the first class graduated in December 1947. By the following October, construction was fully completed, and the Maritime Forest Ranger School on Maryland Hill, with its full complement of operational buildings, officially took shape as the campus we remember it to be.
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The years from 1947 to 1949 bore all the marks of an institution still finding its footing. The academic rhythm was recognizable to anyone familiar with the school today: instructors scrambling to assemble their courses, students wrestling with mathematics, and administrators introducing alcohol bans to keep nighttime antics in check. During this period, Duncan MacPhail, Bob Burgess, and James Gracie all departed, leaving Glendon “Bumps” Elgee as the longest standing member remaining. Hans Meissner—originally brought in to replace Burgess—served as interim Director until the arrival of Fred Farrell from the New Brunswick International Paper Company. Several notable figures who were not formally employed by the school also contributed to instruction, including R. E. Balch, Nelson Adams, Corporal G. M. Baker, and Edward T. Owens. This era also saw refinements to an emerging curriculum, particularly in the Forest Improvements, Bookkeeping, and Forest Management courses. After two years of strong enrollment, the school faced an unexpected drought: in 1950, not a single application was received. This prompted the decision to broaden recruitment beyond the Maritime provinces. The resignation of Director Fred Farrell in 1949 effectively closed this early chapter of growth at the Maritime Forest Ranger School.
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Henry Willard Blenis Jr.—“Hank,” as generations of students came to know him—stands as one of the most influential figures in the history of the Maritime Forest Ranger School. Arriving in 1949 to replace Fred Farrell, he would guide the institution for 35 years, until his retirement in 1984. Born in Albany, New York, Hank had served as a company commander in the U.S. Third Army under General George S. Patton. He was awarded the Purple Heart for bravery in combat, a decoration still held in the College’s collection today. Hank oversaw one of the most significant transitions in the school’s history: the shift from the original “two months on, four months off” format to a unified, year-long program running January to May and again from September to December. This structure became the defining rhythm of MFRS education, remaining in place from 1950 until 2003. His first hire was J. R. (Ted) Bedard—another legendary name in MFRS history and the namesake of one of today’s residence halls. A forester whom Hank had once taught at UNB, Bedard went on to serve the school for 34 years, helping solidify the institution’s growing reputation and character.
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Hank’s first priority was to continue strengthening the curriculum. He discontinued the Forest Law course and introduced a suite of more broadly applicable subjects, including lettering, report writing, motor maintenance, drawing, utilization, typing, and forest road construction. His tenure also marked the arrival of two instructors whose names remain well known to this generation of MFRS students: R. H. (Bob) Spurway in 1954 and R. E. (Rudy) Hanusiak in 1956. Although the Maritime Forest Ranger School had originally been envisioned as a roughly ten-year initiative, its tenth anniversary in 1957 passed with the institution not only still active but expanding, with no indication of slowing down. Demand for trained forestry workers remained strong, and the lectures and labs continued accordingly. The late 1950s became a period of experimentation, as the school explored the facilitation of standalone external courses in subjects such as camp cooking, guiding, fire protection, and more. The decade was capped by a significant milestone for both MFRS and its students: accreditation from the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests. This recognition affirmed that the MFRS curriculum was equivalent to that offered by the Ontario Ranger School—a meaningful endorsement of the program’s rigor and reputation.
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The 1960s marked a period of relative stability at MFRS. Hank’s curriculum work became more focused, with two of his most significant changes being the introduction of a weighted method for calculating program averages and an increase to the minimum average required to remain enrolled—raised to 65%. Campus development continued steadily. A new dormitory, a lumber-grading shed, and cook’s quarters were constructed, and upgrades were made to the existing water tower. By the end of 1964, several campus buildings were formally named: the administrative building became the McCormack Building after William W. McCormack, Minister of the New Brunswick Department of Lands and Mines; the original dormitory became the Prince Building in honor of Gilbert H. Prince, New Brunswick’s Chief Forester; and the newly built dormitory was designated the Webb Building after Leland S. Webb, Chief Forester with the New Brunswick International Paper Company. This decade also saw the arrival of several figures who would become well-known to generations of students. In 1966, John C. Baird delivered the school’s first wildlife management course—arguably the institution’s earliest venture into that field. After Baird’s departure, R. F. (Rudy) Stocek joined the faculty in 1968, followed later by B. M. (Bruce) Timpano, who further expanded the wildlife component of the program. By the close of the decade, newcomers Eugene (Gene) Mattinson, E. T. (Ted) Owens, and Darrell A. Kitchen had also joined the MFRS ranks.
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John Torunski, whose name, along with J. R. (Ted) Bedard, graces one of the residence halls on the present-day MCFT campus, joined MFRS in 1974 as the first director of the newly established Department of Continuing Education. This department developed organically in response to the ongoing delivery of specialized courses outside the regular program. Don Prime was recruited to succeed Glendon Elgee, a long-standing member of the MFRS community whose sudden passing in April 1975 left a significant void in both the faculty and the hearts of students. During this period, interest from the Department of Fisheries led to the creation of a fisheries course at MFRS, further strengthening the wildlife component of the curriculum and positioning the school as a potential recruitment hub for entry-level technicians in the department. Around the same time, Ted Bedard, inspired by a study tour of Scandinavian training sawmills, began planning MFRS’s own training sawmill—a facility that would become an iconic feature of the campus for years to come. Talk of facilities continued with renewed interest as some of the original MFRS buildings showed their age.
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By 1975 there was already talk of a “Forestry Complex” with the government of New Brunswick expressing their support, although these talks would move slow mainly due to cost sharing disagreements between the Department of Regional Economic Expansion and the Council of Maritime Premiers. A similarly evolving concern was the need for a school to deliver similar content in the French language. In fact, certain politicians couldn’t rationalize the construction of a new forestry complex in the absence of such a school. This idea came to fruition in 1979 with R. J. (Rod) O’Connell, Louis J. Caissie (MFRS class of 1973), and J. Claude Chiasson (MFRS class of 1975) as the inaugural hires at a French language satellite campus in Bathurst, New Brunswick. By the end of 1978 MFRS was officially incorporated, with a defined mandate being “To establish, own, operate, control, conduct, and maintain a school or other schools and other facilities of learning to permit the carrying on of programs of teaching education, instruction, management, and research in the forestry and natural resources fields.”
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The first French-language delivery of the MFRS program at the Bathurst campus took place in 1980 with a cohort of 16 students. Around the same time, Mr. Gaetan N. Bolduc joined the Fredericton campus as a replacement for Ted Owens, who resigned in March 1981. In the early 1980s, the Council of Maritime Premiers approved a new cost-sharing agreement that brought renewed momentum to the long-discussed idea of a forestry complex. By 1982, an agreement between UNB and the Province of New Brunswick designated 70 acres of former UNB woodlot as the site for the new facility. Construction officially began on June 25, 1984—the same year that Hank Blenis had marked as his final before retirement. After 30 years of service, Hank Blenis had left an indelible mark on the MFRS curriculum and firmly established himself as one of its greatest champions. He had become the face of the program, instilling a culture of hard work, discipline, and mutual respect. A. G. (Kim) Mann (MFRS Class of 1973) would arrived to succeed Ted Bedard, who would retire in 1984 as well.