A Growing University
The growth in the number of graduates over the years has been paralleled by the increasing number of departments and faculties. Instruction began in law in 1912 and in engineering and medicine in 1913. At the same time, the Department of Extension was established to provide both culture and practical advice to growing Alberta communities.
The outbreak of World War I in 1914 brought a halt to new construction, but organization of new departments continued. Pharmacy, agriculture, commerce, dentistry and home economics were added during the war years. The decade of the 1920s saw the development of both the Alberta Research Council and a School of Nursing. The Arts Building remained the major classroom facility because general expansion was curtailed during the Depression. However, during the 1930s an Extension course in drama grew into the Banff School of Fine Arts, now the Banff Centre.
During World War II, the University streamlined courses to assist the Armed Forces. In 1942, the Faculty of Education was established and, three years later, it assumed sole responsibility for the education and certification of teachers in Alberta. During the war, the numbers of staff and students were depleted by enlistment, but, after the war, returning veterans swelled registration from 2,000 in 1943 to 6,000 in 1946.
During the 1950s, construction on campus accelerated due to anticipation of increasing enrollment. By the next decade, enrollment jumped from 5,000 to 17,500. The climbing enrollment, development of new facilities, constant contribution to new knowledge, and research by professors and the graduate students transformed the University of Alberta into a world-class institution.