Queen’s Principalship (1936–1951) After nearly eight years as the President of the University of Alberta, Robert Wallace was offered the Principalship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario by chancellor James Richardson. Wallace accepted the offer, and was installed as the University's eleventh Principal on September 1, 1936. He was the first scientist to ever hold the position. (Nine of the previous 10 Principals were ministers, the other was a Classics professor.) He would hold the position until his formal retirement in 1951. Prior to Wallace's arrival, growth at Queen's University had stagnated significantly (as it had with most other institutions during the depression years). Under Wallace, however, Queen's would undergo an extended period of massive expansion. During his reign, Wallace added a large number of new departments and institutes including a School of Nursing and a School of Fine Arts (just like Alberta), a School of Physical Education and Health, a Board of Graduate Studies, and a Biological Research Station (at Lake Opinicon). Three new buildings were erected during his tenure, and the Students' Union building was torn down and rebuilt—it had been seriously damaged in a fire in 1947. Wallace also worked hard to improve the quality and quantity of academic staff. Faculty and staff salaries were increased four times during his time as Principal. Wallace also defended so-called “left wing” professors during the intense anti-communist atmosphere of the cold war, refusing to fire those staff members despite heated calls for their dismissal. It was during his tenure at Queen's that Wallace became highly regarded nationally (and internationally) as an extremely effective and efficient academic administrator. He was one of just three Canadians chosen to represent the country at the United Nations Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) held in London in November 1945. It was at this conference that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Educational Organization (UNESCO) was created. Additionally, Wallace received honorary degrees from twenty different universities. In 1951, Wallace formally resigned his position as the Principal of Queen's. His time at the institution was marked by tremendous growth, in terms of both facilities and enrollment. Under his leadership, Queen's University had become a premier post-secondary institution, and it is no surprise that his time at Queen's is looked upon fondly by staff, students, and alumni. To many close friends, he was known as “Wallace of Queen’s”. Wallace Hall, a large