Halifax Humanities Society

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
Halifax Humanities Society
Founded2003 (as Saint George's Friends of Clemente Society)[1]
FoundersAngus Johnston, Gary Thorne[2][3]
TypeRegistered charity (Canada)
Registration no.864790878RR0001[4]
FocusAdult education; humanities education; access to education
Headquarters2222 Brunswick Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia[4]
Location
Region served
Halifax Regional Municipality and Nova Scotia[5]
Key people
Amy Bird (director)[1]
Katie Carline (interim director; 2025–26)[1]
Websitehalifaxhumanitiessociety.ca

The Halifax Humanities Society is a Canadian registered charity based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing free humanities education to adults living on low incomes or facing other barriers to post-secondary education.[6][5] The organisation is best known for Halifax Humanities 101.[7][8]

The Society's inspiration is the Clemente Course in the Humanities.[9][10] Halifax-based community advocates formed the "Saint George's Friends of Clemente Society" in 2003; by October 2005. it was registered as a charitable organisation and launched an eight-month pilot project, Halifax Humanities 101.[1] The programme focused on the "great books of Western culture".[11]

In 2017, the University of King's College publicly recognised director Mary Lu Redden with an honorary doctorate, praising Halifax Humanities for providing university-level humanities education to adults on low incomes and highlighting outcomes such as graduates continuing to further study.[8][12]

Educational programmes

  • Halifax Humanities 101 is the society's primary focus. It is an eight-month non-credit humanities course that has Western philosophy, literature, theology and political theory taught by volunteer professors from local universities and offered free of charge with book provision and supports such as childcare subsidies.[7]
  • The Angus Johnston Alumni Seminar functions as a continuation of the 101 course and focuses on one topic or time period each year.[13][14]It is open to graduates of Halifax Humanities 101.
  • The Bonita Shepherd University Access Program, through which partner universities allow alumni to audit or take courses without tuition fees, is named for a member of the first graduating class of Halifax Humanities 101 and board member who died in 2022.[15]
  • Halifax Thinks is a by-donation course using recorded lectures and periodic tutorials, with a suggested donation for those interested in the society's educational offerings but not facing the same financial barriers as those for whom Halifax Humanities 101 is offered.[16][13]

Publications

  • Each Book a Drum: Ten Years of Halifax Humanities (Halifax: Halifax Humanities Society, 2015), 382 pages. (Reprinted in 2026). ISBN 0994733607
  • Each Life a Poem: Celebrating Twenty Years of Halifax Humanities (Halifax: Halifax Humanities Society, 2025), 426 pages. ISBN 979-8253503874

References

  1. "About Us". Halifax Humanities Society. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  2. Pulling, Nicola (11 April 2017). "Remembering Dr. Angus Johnston | University of King's College". University of Kings College. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  3. "Angus Johnston Obituary - Halifax, NS". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  4. "Halifax Humanities 101 (Registered Name: Halifax Humanities Society)". CanadaHelps. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  5. Rose, Alex (2 December 2016). "Halifax Humanities searches for new director". Dalhousie Gazette. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  6. Boon, Jacob (5 December 2013). "16 Ways to Give Back, For Real". The Coast. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  7. "Halifax Humanities 101". Halifax Humanities Society. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  8. "University of King's College Announces Encaenia 2017 Honorary Degree recipients". University of King's College. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  9. "About the Clemente Course". Bard College (Clemente Course). Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  10. "The Clemente Course in the Humanities (National Humanities Medal)". National Endowment for the Humanities. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  11. Dobbin, Lamont (6 July 2011). "Descartes Without Debt: Course teaches great works free of charge". Halifax Media Co-op. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  12. "2017 Honorary Doctorate Citations". University of King's College. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  13. The Halifax Humanities Society: 2025 Annual Report (PDF) (Report). Halifax Humanities Society. 2025. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  14. "The Angus Johnston Alumni Seminar". Halifax Humanities Society. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  15. "Introducing the Bonita Shepherd University Access Program". Halifax Humanities Society. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  16. "Halifax Thinks". Halifax Humanities Society. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2026.