{{Short description |Canadian professor and administrator}} {{for|the American football player and coach|Walter B. Gage}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Walter Henry Gage | honorific_suffix = [[Order of Canada|CC]] | image = Walter Gage photo.jpg | order = | office = 6th [[University President|president]] of the [[University of British Columbia]] | term_start = 1969 | term_end = 1975 | predecessor = [[Kenneth Hare]] | successor = [[Douglas T. Kenny]] | birth_date = {{Birth date|1905|3|5}} | birth_place = [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|1978|10|3|1905|3|5}} | death_place = Vancouver, British Columbia | spouse = | relations = | children = | alma_mater = [[University of British Columbia]] | occupation = | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | awards = Companion of the [[Order of Canada]], 1971 | alt = Image of Walter Henry Gage | caption = Walter Henry Gage, 6th president of UBC }} '''Walter Henry Gage''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|CC}} (March 5, 1905 – October 3, 1978) was a [[Canadians|Canadian]] professor and administrator who spent 50 years at the [[University of British Columbia]], beginning as an undergraduate student and eventually becoming president of the university.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Fralic |first=Shelley |title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands |year=2018 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8 |pages=117, 118|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage }}</ref>
== Education ==
{| class="wikitable" |1911-18 |Tecumseh Elementary School (public) |- |1918-21 |John Oliver Secondary School (public) |- |1921-26 |University of British Columbia: B.A. (Hon. Math)<br> M.A. (Math and Physics) |- |1928-33 |Victoria College, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Registrar |- |1933-1978 |University of British Columbia, Department of Mathematics
Assistant Professor 1933-36
Associate Professor 1937-43
Professor 1943-1978 |- |1939-40 |California Institute of Technology, Teaching Fellowship |- |1943-44 |Royal Canadian Air Force, Temporary Flight Lieutenant
Canadian Army, Course Co-Director |- |1948-1969 |University of British Columbia, Dean |- |1958 |Honorary LL.D. (University of British Columbia) |- |1969 |Inaugural Recipient, Master Teacher Award, University of British Columbia |- |1969-1975 |President, University of British Columbia |- |1974 |Honorary LL.D. (University of Victoria) |}
==Biography== [[File:Walter Gage Grad Photo.tif|thumb|Walter Gage 1925 Annual [UBC 1.1/12219]|alt=|left]] Walter Gage was born in the middle-class neighborhood of South [[Vancouver]] to parents Alexander and Ann, immigrants from [[Great Britain]]. They raised Walter and his older sister Elsie<ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=August 26, 2024 |title=Walter Henry Gage (1905-1978) - Find a Grave Memorial |website=[[Find a Grave]] |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/274034127/walter-henry-gage }}</ref> and influenced both siblings' interest in community and politics. Walter attended [[Tecumseh Elementary School|Tecumseh Elementary]] and [[John Oliver Secondary School]] in Vancouver, demonstrating an early interest in his studies. As a teenager, he taught Sunday school and coached [[basketball]]. In 1921, Gage was the first in his family to attend university when he enrolled in UBC. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in [[mathematics]] in 1925, and a Master of Arts in mathematics in 1926.<ref name=":0" /> [[File:The Great Trek 1922.tif|right|thumb|1922 student demonstration to build the university [UBC 1.1/1315]]]
He taught mathematics at the [[University of British Columbia]] for over fifty years, from 1927 until his death in 1978. This period was interrupted only by his time teaching mathematics at [[Victoria College, British Columbia|Victoria College]] (1927–1933), where he also served as registrar (1929–1933).<ref name=":0" />
While teaching mathematics, he served as dean of administrative and inter-faculty affairs and dean of inter-faculty and student affairs. In these roles, he worked to ensure that capable students would not be denied a university education because of personal adversities or financial hardship.<ref name=":0" /> [[File:Walter Gage as a Temporary Flight Lieutenant.tif|right|thumb|Walter Gage (in middle), temporary flight lieutenant RCAF 1943-1944, [UBC 85.1/14]]] Walter Gage served as the 6th president of the University of British Columbia<ref>{{Citation|title=List of presidents of the University of British Columbia|date=2020-02-15|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_presidents_of_the_University_of_British_Columbia&oldid=940866854|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2020-05-23}}</ref> during a period of social change and growth (1969-1975). According to the university's 15th president, Gage's acceptance of the role was important to the university's ability to manage that period.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fralic|first=Shelley|title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands|editor1-last=Peart|editor1-first=Danny|others=Kate Bird (contributor)|year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|pages=7|oclc=1022172584}}</ref>
He continued to teach during and after his presidency. In 1969, he became the inaugural recipient of the university's annual [[Walter Koerner]] Master Teacher Award.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fralic|first=Shelley|title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands|editor1-last=Peart|editor1-first=Danny|others=Kate Bird (contributor)|year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|pages=70|oclc=1022172584}}</ref>
Gage is known for his efforts to ensure financial hardship did not prevent capable students from pursuing education. He supported students by establishing bursaries and personally contributing funds when necessary.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walter Gage Memorial Bursary in Engineering {{!}} Walter Gage Book Project |url=https://waltergagebook.engineering.ubc.ca/walter-gage-memorial-bursary-in-engineering/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=waltergagebook.engineering.ubc.ca}}</ref> He was known for his wit, for offering currency to struggling students, for his affection for the arts — especially theatre and music — and for his voluble manner of teaching.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fralic|first=Shelley|title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands|editor1-last=Peart|editor1-first=Danny|others=Kate Bird (contributor)|year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|pages=37–39|oclc=1022172584}}</ref>
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Walter Gage receiving Order of Canada.tif|thumb|Investiture of Walter Gage as a Companion in the Order of Canada by Governor General Roland Michener, October 29, 1971 [John Evans/UBC Archives 1.1/13075]|alt=|left]] -->[[File:Walter Gage eating an apple.tif|right|thumb|Dean Walter Gage enjoying the appreciation of students, [UBC 41.1/2700-1]] An excerpt from the citation for the honorary degree awarded to him by the University of British Columbia in 1958 described Walter Gage as "'the most and best beloved of the university family', referring to him as 'in a sense, the physical embodiment of this university's academic conscience, and a man whose scholarly attainments and standards of teaching are equaled only by his concern always to do justice to colleagues and students alike'".<ref>{{Cite web|title=UBC Archives - Honorary Degree Citations 1955-1958|url=https://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/hdcites/hdcites4.html|website=www.library.ubc.ca|access-date=2020-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Fralic|first=Shelley|title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands|editor1-last=Peart|editor1-first=Danny|others=Kate Bird (contributor)|year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|pages=48, 49|oclc=1022172584}}</ref> He was later awarded an honorary LL.D. by the University of Victoria, where he had taught.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=University of Victoria -Honorary degree recipients - University of Victoria|url=https://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/senate/honorary/recipients/index.php|website=www.uvic.ca|access-date=2020-05-23}}</ref>
In 1971, he was made a Companion of the [[Order of Canada]], the highest rank in Canada's civilian honour system.<ref>{{Citation|title=List of companions of the Order of Canada|date=2020-05-20|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Companions_of_the_Order_of_Canada&oldid=957725043|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2020-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Fralic|first=Shelley|title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands|editor1-last=Peart|editor1-first=Danny|others=Kate Bird (contributor)|year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|pages=81, 83|oclc=1022172584}}</ref>
Following his death in 1978, the Walter Gage Residence for students at the University of British Columbia was named in his honor.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fralic|first=Shelley|title=The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands|editor1-last=Peart|editor1-first=Danny|others=Kate Bird (contributor)|year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9949329-3-8|publisher=Friends of Walter Gage|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|pages=89|oclc=1022172584}}</ref>
A book detailing the life and work of Walter Gage was published in 2018. ''The Age of Walter Gage: How One Canadian Shaped the Lives of Thousands'' discusses Gage's teaching methods and describes his large classes as being filled with keen students and enjoyment. It also covers his contributions to the UBC campus. The book chronicles Gage's life, and his influence on Canadians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/the-age-of-walter-gage-how-one-canadian-shaped-the-lives-of-thousands-book-excerpts|title=Book excerpts: 'The Age of Walter Gage' at University of B.C. |website=Vancouver Sun|first=Shelley|last=Fralic|date=2018-01-12|language=en|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref>
== See also == * [[List of presidents of the University of British Columbia]] {{Presidents of the University of British Columbia}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{commons-inline}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gage, Walter}} [[Category:1905 births]] [[Category:1978 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century Canadian mathematicians]] [[Category:Canadian university and college faculty deans]] [[Category:Companions of the Order of Canada]] [[Category:John Oliver Secondary School alumni]] [[Category:Presidents of the University of British Columbia]] [[Category:Scientists from Vancouver]] [[Category:University of British Columbia alumni]]