(JT:  Jim Tagg, Interviewer)

JT:  How did you get out here?

GO:  Well, McGill (University) was sort of approached.  Either they wanted someone in … well I mean … here, they were pretty well building up a faculty from scratch.  And, the Lethbridge people were sort of writing to everybody.  So, I submitted my application.

JT:  You were probably finished writing your dissertation, in Montreal?

GO:  Yes.

JT:  Ok, so did you come out for an interview here or not?

GO:  No, I just had a phone call with Owen Holmes.

JT:  What did you think about that phone call?  I mean, what did you think about talking to Owen Holmes because he could be quite direct about things.

GO:  Yes, well he seemed very friendly.

JT:  Oh good.

GO:  I kind of asked him about fringe benefits and stuff. (Note: He was hired on the spot)

JT:  Did he give you the lecture about, ‘You had to do a lot of things out here, because we are just starting up and everybody is going to have to be involved’?

GO:  Yes.

JT:  I think he gave that to every one of us who came out here.  So, this is in ’67?  Or did you come before ’67?

GO:  ‘66

JT:  You came in ’66.  In ’66, there is nobody in History here except Jim Cousins, I guess.  Is that right?

 GO:  Right.

JT:  You and Jim began the department (History), I think.

GO:  And Bob Sloan.

JT:  Who taught American.

GO:  Yes, and taught a lot of the European, as well.

JT:  He had come in ’66 as well, or before that?

GO:  I think before.

JT:  Before, to the College, okay.  The first year you were here, you had to teach all sorts of things.

GO:  Yes

JT:  Do you remember what you taught?  

GO:  European History.

JT:  You probably taught all the European …

GO:  Bob and I did quite a lot.

JT:  Was there a Medieval course then?

GO:  No, I had to build that up.

JT:  And you must have taught a Russian Survey at least …

GO:  Yes

JT:  … and maybe a seminar in Russian.  Those days were pretty nice.  You could choose what you wanted to teach, in a way.

GO:  Well, there was something nice about those early years.

JT:  Yes.  What did you like about the early years besides the flexibility?

GO:  Well, I could pretty well write my own ticket.