Claude Bissell

Claude Bissell
8th President of the University of Toronto
In office 1958–1971
Preceded by	Sidney Earle Smith
Succeeded by	John Robert Evans
Personal details
Born	February 10, 1916(1916-02-10) Meaford, Ontario
Died	June 21, 2000(2000-06-21) (aged 84)
Alma mater	University of Toronto
Religion	United

Claude Thomas Bissell, CC, FRSC (10 February 1916 – 21 June 2000) was a Canadian author and educator.

Biography

He was the eighth president of the University of Toronto from 1958 to 1971. He played a major part in the expansion of the University of Toronto, tripling the size of the university during his tenure.

He was born in Meaford, Ontario, the youngest of nine children. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1936 and received his Master of Arts degree in English literature in 1937. He served in the Canadian Army during World War II.

In 1952 he was made assistant professor at the University of Toronto. From 1956 to 1958 he was president of Carleton College (now Carleton University) returning to the University of Toronto in 1958 to become president.

He was the chair of the Canada Council from 1960 to 1962.

The Claude T. Bissell Building at the University of Toronto is named after him.

He married Christine and they had one daughter, Deirdre MacDonald.

Because of his education, was an officer in World War II, attaining the rank of Captain in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and worked in the intelligence section.

Honours

• In 1957, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
• In 1969 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.
• In 1976 he received an honorary Doctor of Letters from University of Leeds.

Quotes

• "Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible."
• "The Social Sciences are good at accounting for disasters once they have taken place."
• Referring to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, his regiment in World War II, "a happy regiment and a formidable one in action."

Selected bibliography

• University College: A Portrait - 1953
• Halfway Up Parnassus: A Personal Account of the University of Toronto 1932-71 - 1974
• A Brief Biography: Vincent Massey, 1887-1967 - 1981
• The Imperial Canadian: Vincent Massey in Office -1986
• Ernest Buckler Remembered - 1989

External links

• Rynor, Michah (2000-06-26). "Campus mourns Bissell's passing". News:UofT. University of Toronto. Archived from the original on 2007-10-04. http://web.archive.org/web/20071004094714/http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin1/000626c.asp. Retrieved 2007-10-07. 
• Fulford, Robert (2000-09-05). "Claude Bissell". The National Post. The National Post. http://www.robertfulford.com/ClaudeBissell.html. Retrieved 2007-10-07. 
• Office of the Governor General of Canada. Order of Canada citation. Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 24 May 2010

Persondata
Name	Bissell, Claude
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1916-02-10
Place of birth	Meaford, Ontario
Date of death	2000-06-21
Place of death