Fonds F0297 - Harry S. Crowe fonds

Harry Sherman Crowe (1922-1981), educator, administrator and labour researcher, was affiliated with York University for the last fifteen years of his life as a professor and administrator of Atkinson College. He joined the Atkinson History Department in 1966 as professor and chairman (1966-1969) and was subsequently named dean of the college, 1969-1974. He later served a second term as dean, 1979-1981. Prior to his tenure at York, Crowe had been a professor at United College (now the University of Winnipeg) during the years, 1950-1959. At this time he became involved in a protracted dispute with the administration of the college which resulted in his dismissal in 1958. The dispute gained prominence as an example of the tenuous state of academic tenure in Canadian universities and proved to be instrumental in establishing the Canadian Association of University Teachers as an effective voice for the rights of university teachers. Following his career at United College, Crowe spent the years 1959-1966 as the director of research for the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway, Transport and General Workers and also served as a research associate with the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Crowe also had a strong attachment to the New Democratic Party of Canada and served as press agent and adviser to leader Tommy Douglas in a federal election campaign. Crowe was the author of several articles dealing with industrial relations, co-authored a textbook, 'A sourcebook of Canadian history,' edited the journal 'Middle East focus', and was a columnist for the Toronto telegram and Chatelaine magazine.