It is time, almost forty years after the establishment of the University otl’rince Edward Island, to tell the story otiits creation and early development. In Uta/Mm U: My round/"Hg q/‘I/Jc Unit's/:v/m' qf Prince Edwin-(1' Ix/amz’, 1908—70, Alan i\IacI‘:achern digs into the context, the politics, and the people of Ul’EI‘s founding. He provides a lucid and lively account otthe events leading up to UPEI's creation, and of the multitude of steps required to make the new provincial university a reality. It is said in many traditional cultures that “paths are made by walking." The establishment and inaugural years of UPEI amply demonstrate this wisdom, as new pathways were beaten down by administration, faculty, students, staff, and a supportive community.

From the perspective of today, the decision to create UPEI, through a fusion of Prince of Wales and St. Dunstans, was brave and truly visionary. In 2005, UI’EI has more than 4,000 full— and part—time students, a robust program of research and development, and rich relationships with the PEI community and with academic counterparts regionally, nationally, and internationally. We prize a commitment to teaching excellence and student success, inherited from our founding institutions and embraced through UI’I‘ZI‘s early days. As Prince Edward Island forges its place in a knowledge-based world, UPEI is its prime instrument of and pathway to success.

Institutions and societies must know and embrace their history. Without a well-filled—out understanding ofUPI‘ZI's “founding," and a rich appreciation oiithe histories of SDU and I’VVC, we lack the capacity to know ourselves today, or to fully realize our future. Ul’ICI and its entire community will be much the richer tor Ufa/mm U. We can take new pride in UPI‘ZI's accomplishments, including producing a historian ofthe calibre ofAlan hIacEachern (BA, 1988).

A devoted group known as the UPEI Histories Roundtable has shepherded the writing and production of Ufa/Jinn U. ilhe Roundtahle,

comprising Simon Lloyd (chair), Laurie Brinklow, Lawson Drake,

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