The final “mentor” reading of the new program in Creative Nonfiction at University of King’s College featured Lori A. May, probably the world’s leading expert on low-residency MFA programs. In fact, she has written a book about them: The Low-Residency MFA Handbook. Later, May would dazzle with a reading about mothers, daughters, and family relations. Above, she soldiers on while dealing with Our Hero and author Stephen Kimber, a prime mover behind the Halifax initiative.

Not long after these photos were taken, the redoubtable Beth Hitchcock — make a note of that name — would win an advance copy of 50 Canadians Who Changed the World by correctly answering a skill-testing question while her colleagues were still scratching their heads and picking up sticks.