Co-op College History - Centre for the Study of Co-operatives

E VOLUTION OF THE C O - OPERATIVE C OLLEGE OF C ANADA 9
defined as “…any commercial co-operative acting as a sponsor [who] shall pay a grant of at
least $1,000/year; each sponsor has the privilege of appointing a member to the board of
management.” The directors defined the purpose of the Co-op Institute: “To act as a training
organization within the co-operative movement and to provide services as requested by
other co-operatives in western Canada.” These services were defined as:
• developing and conducting training programmes;
• providing consultation services regarding meetings, conferences,
and member relations;
• gathering and compiling information required for training and
consultation; and
• assembling information on correspondence courses for co-operative
employees and officials. 23
The foundation of the college was built on the partnerships among certain key individuals
who were the “spokesmen, believers, and leaders.” Lewie Lloyd, Harry and Dorothy
Fowler, Barney Arnason, Forrest Scharf, Smokey Robson, and Howard Tyler were among
those who shared the vision for a co-op educational centre that would provide the knowledge
and skills needed to keep the movement strong. Thus the new educational centre was
directly sponsored by the co-operative movement and was the result of co-operation among
co-op organizations, which began to provide the framework for its educational activities.
D EVELOPING A C O-OPERATIVE C URRICULUM
New members to the Co-op Institute also increased the attendance records.
Courses were introduced in management training and co-op insurance leadership, and for
credit union employees and co-op directors. New staff were hired as the curriculum began to
take shape, and Harold Chapman’s adult-education techniques instilled innovative practices
into its framework.
Training programmes for employees and elected officials were felt to be important elements
in efficient co-op enterprise. Equally important was a training component for co-op
managers. Consequently, in its second year, the institute introduced a management training
programme, which was offered as a short course in urban centres. Topics covered included
management administration, accounting, human relations, finance, merchandising, credit
unions and co-ops, advertising, co-op education and public relations, and “the co-operative
in a changing rural community.” 24 When the course was offered in Winnipeg in 1957, a vari-
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