Frank Meakes

SASKATCHEWAN LIBRARY TRUSTEES' ASSOCIATION

Honorary Life Membership
In Recognition of

Frank Meakes

Frank Meakes has dedicated his entire adult life to serving the people of Saskatchewan. The philosophy of co-operation was taught to him at an early age and remained with him throughout his career. Frank began working in the co-operative movement because of its philosophy of "people first". In 1944, he became president of the Co-op Board on which he served for twenty seven years. During that time he also served on the supervisory committee of the Credit Union for three years, and as a committee member of the Wheat Pool for over twenty years.

In 1956 Frank began a lengthy and rewarding political career with his election to the Saskatchewan Legislature. Over the following nineteen years he served as a government backbencher, a minister in the cabinet of Woodrow Lloyd, a member of the Opposition, chairman of caucus, a member of a number of house committees, Deputy Speaker of the House, and finally again as a government MLA who, although a backbencher, sat in the front row.

After his retirement from provincial politics in 1975 he returned to Lestock. However, his public life had not ended. The next year he was elected Mayor and was soon appointed as a director of the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation. He was also elected to the executive committee of the Parkland Regional Library Board on which he served from 1977 to 1985 when he again retired.

During those eight years, Frank has seen Parkland through some major changes: the establishment of the first bookmobile to serve Parkland's ten Indian Reservations, the opening of the first paperback libraries in Saskatchewan, doubling of the region's budget to over one million dollars, and the introduction of the microfiche catalogue into Parkland branch libraries.

Throughout his life Frank has had a reputation as an instigator. The library community has truly benefitted from his instigation in the best sense of the word. We are pleased to present him with an Honorary Life Membership in the Saskatchewan Library Trustees' Association.

October 25, 1985

Dedication read by Audrey Sullivan