Brimhall, George H. (George Henry), 1853-1932
Dates
- Existence: 1853 - 1932
Biographical History
George H. Brimhall (1852-1932) was a student, teacher, principal, department head, acting president, president, president emeritus, and head of the alumni association at Brigham Young University.
George Henry Brimhall was born in Salt Lake City on December 9, 1852, to George Washington Brimhall and Rachel Ann Mayer. At age eighteen, he attended high school at the Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret in nearby Provo taught by Warren and Wilson Dusenberry. He and some friends built a school they named the Young Men's Academy. There Brimhall met Alsina Elizabeth Wilkins, a student at the academy, whom he married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on December 28, 1874. Together, they had six children. In September 1885, Brimhall married a second wife, Flora Robertson, in the Logan Temple. Together, they had eight children.
He gained teacher's certificates and diplomas and was elected superintendent of Utah County Schools and Provo City Schools. In 1891, the BYA Board of Trustees chairman, Abraham O. Smoot, asked Brimhall, to join Brigham Young Academy's teaching staff and head the Normal (teacher training) Department. Brimhall received the degree of Bachelor of Pedagogy and became BYA Alumni Association's first president. He received all of his higher education at BYA or BYU.
In 1898, Brimhall became a member of the General Church Board of Education. From 1900-1902, while Benjamin Cluff Jr. was away, he became acting principal of BYA. In December 1903, he received a letter from Joseph F. Smith asking him to be the president of the newly renamed Brigham Young University. He was inaugurated as BYU's second president on April 16, 1904 with Joseph B. Keller and Edwin S. Hinckley as his counselors.
Brigham Young University underwent a great deal of change under Brimhall's tenure. Student enrollment expanded, the degree of bachelor of pedagogy was replaced by the Bachelor of Arts and a master's degree was offered. In addition, The Banyan, the university's first yearbook was published, the block Y on a mountain above campus had been painted, thirty-seven acres of the upper (present) campus had been acquired, the first honorary degree had been conferred, and two new buildings (the Maeser Memorial Building and the Mechanic Arts Building, now known as the Brimhall Building) had been erected on upper campus.
Brimhall was released as president of BYU in 1921. He remained on campus and continued with his work for Church seminaries and as a member of the General Board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. Brimhall died on July 29, 1932 in Provo, Utah.
Citation:
"George H. Brimhall's Legacy of Service to Brigham Young University", Mary Jane Woodger and Joseph H. Groberg (George H. Brimhall; born 1852 in Salt Lake City on December 9, 1852, to George Washington Brimhall and Rachel Ann Mayer; attended high school at the Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret in nearby Provo taught by Warren and Wilson Dusenberry; built a school they named the Young Men’s Academy; met Alsina Elizabeth Wilkins; married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on December 28, 1874; had six children; In September 1885, Brimhall married a second wife, Flora Robertson, in the Logan Temple; had eight children; teacher’s certificates and diplomas; elected superintendent of Utah County Schools and Provo City Schools; In 1891, joined Brigham Young Academy’s teaching staff and headed the Normal (teacher training) Department; received the degree of Bachelor of Pedagogy and became BYA Alumni Association’s first president; received all of his higher education at BYA or BYU; In 1898, Brimhall became a member of the General Church Board of Education; From 1900-1902, while Benjamin Cluff Jr. was away, he became acting principal of BYA; inaugurated as BYU’s second president on April 16, 1904 with Joseph B. Keller and Edwin S. Hinckley as his counselors; Brigham Young University underwent a great deal of change under Brimhall’s tenure. Student enrollment expanded, the degree of bachelor of pedagogy was replaced by the Bachelor of Arts and a master’s degree was offered. In addition, The Banyan, the university's first yearbook was published, the block Y on a mountain above campus had been painted, thirty-seven acres of the upper (present) campus had been acquired, the first honorary degree had been conferred, and two new buildings (the Maeser Memorial Building and the Mechanic Arts Building, now known as the Brimhall Building) had been erected on upper campus; Brimhall was released as president of BYU in 1921; He remained on campus and continued with his work for Church seminaries and as a member of the General Board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association; died on July 29, 1932 in Provo, Utah)Found in 93 Collections and/or Records:
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1906 January-June
Contains letters between Brimhall and various correspondents regarding university administration, personnel, and students. Materials date from between January and June 1906.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1906-1907
Contains correspondence by Brimhall regarding university administration, personnel, and students. Materials date from between 1906 and 1907.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1907-1908
Contains correspondence with Brimhall related to university administration, personnel, and students. Materials date from between 1907 and 1908.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1908
Contains correspondence by Brimhall regarding university administration, personnel, and students. Materials date from 1908.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1908-1909
Contains correspondence by Brimhall regarding university administration, personnel, and students. Materials date from between 1908 and 1909.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1909
Contains correspondence by Brimhall related to university administration, personnel, and students. Also includes information on the construction of the Maeser Building. Materials date from between 1907 and 1910.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1909-1910
Contains correspondence by Brimhall related to university administration, personnel, and students. Also includes correspondence with the Alumni Association. Materials date from between 1909 and 1910.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1910-1911
Contains correspondence by Brimhall related to university administration, personnel, and students. Also includes reports concerning teachers. Materials date from between 1910 and 1911.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1904-1905
Contains correspondence by Brimhall with applicants, community members, and other educators. Materials deal with university administration, students, and education in Utah. Dated 1904 to 1905.
George H. Brimhall correspondence, 1911-1912
Contains correspondence by Brimhall related to university administration, personnel, and students. Also includes correspondence with mission presidents and others. Materials date from between 1911 and 1912.