Wilkinson, Ernest L., 1899-1978
Dates
- Existence: 1899 - 1978
Biographical History
Ernest L. Wilkinson (1899-1978) was a prominent Mormon lawyer and academic administrator. He served as president of Brigham Young University from 1951-1971.
Ernest Leroy Wilkinson was born in Ogden, Utah, on May 4, 1899. He grew up in the outskirts of the city, one of seven children. Ernest enrolled in Weber Academy, and he was characterized by his hardworking nature. He served in the Student Army Training Corps in 1918. He then attended Brigham Young University, where he was very active in student activities and politics. He married Alice Valera Ludlow on August 15, 1923. He attended George Washington University and graduated summa cum laude in 1926. In 1935, he served as a lawyer for the Ute Indian tribes as they successfully gained compensation for land.
Upon being named president of BYU in 1951, Wilkinson proceeded to aggressively expand the university. Under his presidency, BYU grew to the largest private university in the United States. The intellectual standards of BYU also increased dramatically. Even as he contributed to drastic growth in the university, he never accepted a salary. He was replaced by Dallin H. Oaks in 1971. Wilkinson passed away April 6, 1978.
Citation:
His Earnestly yours, 1971Deem, W.J. Ernest L. Wilkinson, Indian advocate ... 1982: p. 665 (d. 4/6/78)
Wikipedia, Mar. 2, 2011 (Ernest L. Wilkinson; Ernest Leroy Wilkinson; b. May 4, 1899 in Ogden, Utah; American academic administrator; Commission of Church Education for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1953-1970; president of Brigham Young University, 1951-1971; attorney in Washington, D.C. and N.Y.)
Ancestry.com, Mar. 2, 2011 (Ernest L. Wilkinson; Ernest Wilkinson; Ernest Leroy Wilkinson; d. in Salt Lake City, Utah)
Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years, 1975: p. 506 (born in Ogden, Utah; one of seven children; grew up on outskirts) p. 508 (enrolled in Weber Academy; hardworking) p. 510 (Student Army Training Corps, 1918; attended Brigham Young University) p. 511 (active in BYU activities) p. 515 (married Alice Ludlow; August 15, 1923) p. 517 (graduated from George Washington University; summa cum laude; 1926) p. 520 (attorney for the Ute Tribe) p. 506 (never accepted a salary)
FamilySearch, May 29, 2014 (Ernest Leroy Wilkinson, "BillionGraves Index"; b. May 4, 1899; d. April 6, 1978)
Office of the President, May 29, 2014 (Ernest L. Wilkinson; served as president from 1951-1971; expanded BYU to nation's largest private university; increased intellectual standards)
Found in 379 Collections and/or Records:
Office of the President records on placement, 1957-1963
Contains letters to President Wilkinson and statements from potential employers outside of BYU about employing BYU students. Also contains memos within BYU about the success of the BYU placement center in finding students employment, especially married female students. Dated 1957 to 1963.
Office of the President records on placement, 1959
Contains photographs and memorandums about the BYU Placement Bureau. Dated 1959.
Office of the President records on placement, 1963
Contains letters, memos, and other materials about the employability of BYU graduates. Dated
Office of the President records on planetarium, 1960
Contains memos organizing a visit of Church general authorities to the BYU planeterium as well as a brochure for the BYU planeterium. Dated 1960.
Office of the President records on politics, 1959
Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and others on the topic of politics. Dated 1959.
Office of the President records on politics, 1963
Contains letters, memos, articles and adresses. The topics include the Peace Corps as well as political issues at BYU. Dated 1963.
Office of the President records on prayer in school, 1963
Contains letters, memos and newspaper clippings addressing the Supreme Court's ruling against prayer in public schools. Dated 1963.
Office of the President records on proposed college in Hawaii, 1951-1957
Contains letters, memorandums and reports from 1951 to 1957. The materials pertain to the proposed buillding of a junior college in Laie, Hawaii.
Office of the President records on public relations, 1951-1956
Materials on public relations, including letters, memorandums, reports, brochures regarding publications, press, radio and TV, fundraising, research, alumni, and councils, all relating to the university's image and relationships with others. Dated 1951 to 1956.
Office of the President records on public relations, 1952-1963
Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and community leaders, BYU staff and others on the topic of BYU's public relations. Also contains reports and letters about prospective students and community outreach. Dated 1952 to 1963.