On September 15, 1925 the old Memorial University College on Parade Street in St. John’s was officially opened as a memorial to commemorate the Newfoundlanders who were veterans of the First World War. During the Second World War 310 alumni fought with thirty not returning. The college was erected on the grounds of Fort Townshend which was the major British fortification in St. John’s. It began as a non-denominational institution offering two years of teacher training to improve the standard of education in Newfoundland. Other programs were later added such as pre-engineering and in 1949 the college received degree-granting status offering B.A. (Educ.) and B.Sc.
In 1961 Memorial moved to its campus on Elizabeth Avenue with a Physical Education building, Science and Engineering, Arts and Administration, and a library. It has since expanded to Prince Philip Drive with a Chemistry building, Education building, Queen Elizabeth Library as well as several other buildings. Today it is called Memorial University of Newfoundland and it is the largest university in Atlantic Canada and the only university in NL.
