About the Foundation

In 1990, as Frank Milne was in the midst of retirement, a group of his current and former students were planning a special retirement. When they approached him about the idea, he did not strongly support it but instead suggested the idea of a scholarship be explored to celebrate the occasion.

Following discussion, the idea was to establish a single scholarship of $500 for a student graduating from Queen Elizabeth High School in Halifax. Frank had attended Q.E.H. for his three years of high school, served as Head Boy and President of the Student Council in his graduating year of 1952-53, and returned in 1957 to teach Mathematics, following his graduation from Dalhousie University with a BSc and BEd. He taught there for five years prior to being named Television Teacher of Mathematics for the Department of Education of the Province of Nova Scotia in 1962. During the next thirteen years, Frank taught Mathematics for grades seven to twelve on CBC’s Nova Scotia School Telecasts which were used throughout the province.

The first scholarship was awarded in 1992 and was set up as a charity under the Halifax Youth Foundation, on which Frank had served for forty years as a Board Member, with a goal of establishing an endowment of $25,000. During the next few years, the endowment grew but not at the pace Frank thought it should.

On January 1st , 2001 the Frank E. Milne Scholarship Foundation was registered as a Charitable Organization by the Canada Revenue Agency and has been awarding scholarships to Nova Scotian Scholars ever since. Milne Scholars have attended twenty-six universities and have graduated such universities as Dalhousie, McGill, Princeton, Queens, Toronto, Waterloo and Southern California.

The Scholarship is much more than a monetary check; it is a mentoring group of excellent students who develop life-long friendships during their high school and university years.

About Frank E. Milne

A native of Halifax, Frank Milne attended Quinpool Road School, LeMarchant Junior High, and Queen Elizabeth High. While he was at LeMarchant Jr High he was elected President of the Student Council and held a similar position while at Queen Elizabeth High, namely, Head Boy and President of the Student Council, as well as being speaker of the Model Parliament at Q.E.H. Upon graduation from high school he was awarded the Birks Medal, the first awarded at Q.E.H., for leadership in student affairs.

For post secondary education, Frank attended Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University and Cornell University and has been awarded the degrees of B.Sc., B.Ed., and M.A. In addition, he holds a Nova Scotia Certificate in Educational Leadership. At Dalhousie he was the Treasurer of the class of ‘56.

At the age of 22, his teaching career began at Queen Elizabeth High School in Halifax, teaching mathematics and physics, where he organized a very successful Mathematics Club. For thirteen years he presented secondary school mathematics by Educational Television over the CBC. Finally, for eighteen years Frank was Vice Principal Extension Services and Registrations at the Nova Scotia Community College, Institute of Technology.

He has held many ancillary positions in Education, including lecturer for ten years in Mathematics Methods for Teachers at Saint Mary’s University, Judge and Advisor for fifteen years to the educational TV program “Reach for the Top”, and for 20 years marker of correspondence papers in mathematics for the Nova Scotia Department of Education.

In his profession, Frank was the founding President of the N.S. Math Teachers Association; National President of the Canadian Correspondence School Directors; and belonged to the National Council Teachers of Mathematics; the Mathematical Association of America; the Association of School Science and Mathematics Teachers; the Metro Council for Continuing Education; and has served as treasurer of the Maritime Branch of A.C.T.R.A.

In the community, Frank served as publicity director of the 1966 Brier; a member of the Board of the Halifax Youth Foundation; a member of the National Executive of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award; two terms as President of the Waegwoltic Club; Chairman of the Dr. R. E. Marshall Scholarship Fund; President of the Dalhousie Alumni Association; President of the Halifax Kiwanis Club; four terms as President of Embassy Towers Condominium; Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of A.F.&A.M. of Nova Scotia; fifteen years (1995-2010) Provincial Grand Master of the Royal Order of Scotland for NS and PEI; Provincial President of the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award; a member of the Steering Committee of the Environmental Health Clinic; Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Senior Citizens; provincial Administrator of the Nova Scotia Freemasons Scholarships; and a member of the Metro Public Relations Advisory Board of the Salvation Army.

The following honours have been awarded to Frank: Shell Merit Fellow and Valedictorian at Cornell University; Long Service Award by the Province of Nova Scotia; Meritorious Service Medal by University Lodge No. 110 A.F.&A.M. of Nova Scotia; Erasmus James Phillips Medallion and 50 year jewel of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia; 50 year jewel A&ASR; 50 year member Philae Temple Shriners; and has served as best man for four and usher for five of his former students on their wedding day. In 2002 he was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for his contribution to education.

Many of Frank’s former students are responsible for the promotion and development of the Frank E. Milne Scholarship.