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.
Augutus Frederick Lafosse Kenderdine's The Signal was acquired in 1923 and dedicated to Private George Roderick Chisolm. George attended Saskatoon Collegiate Institute from 1911 to 1913. He enlisted on 17 April 1916 and was killed at Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917.
