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.
John William Beatty's Madawaska Valley was acquired in 1925 and dedicated to Lance Corporal Gordon Mortimer Channell. John attended Saskatoon Collegiate Institute from 1912 to 1916. He enlisted on 24 March 1917, was wounded at Cambrai and died on 28 September 1918.
