In March of 1919, students at Nutana Collegiate (called Saskatoon Collegiate Institute until 1923) announced they would establish a memorial for the 29 alumni soldiers who died in the First World War. Principal Alfred J. Pyke instead suggested creating a Memorial Art Gallery that consisted exclusively of paintings by Canadian artists. They purchased one painting by a different artist for each fallen soldier.
Charles William Jeffreys' Autumn’s Garland was acquired from 1920 and dedicated to Lieutenant James Douglas Cumming. James attended Saskatoon Collegiate Institute from 1909 to 1912. He enlisted on 11 March 1916 and was killed at Arleux on 28 April 1917.
