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Wilkinson, Ernest L., 1899-1978

 Person

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, 1971

Deem, 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 375 Collections and/or Records:

Office of the President records on economy suggestion, 1957

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 20
Scope and Contents From the Series:

Records of the Office of the President under Ernest L. Wilkinson on various administrative topics, including the Church School System, federal aid, finance, enrollment statistics, and general correspondence between administration. Dates of record keeping from 1937 to 1960.

Dates: 1957

Office of the President records on economy suggestions, 1959-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 29
Scope and Contents

Contains memos and proposals of suggestions on how BYU departments could better handle funds, most written by Joseph T. Bentley. Dated 1959 to 1962.

Dates: 1959-1962

Office of the President records on education, 1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 34
Scope and Contents

Contains reports of teachers' salaries as well as clippings about funds for schools. Dated 1963.

Dates: 1963

Office of the President records on eminent domain, 1957-1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 21
Scope and Contents

Contains memos, letters and proposals regarding the right of eminent domain to private institutions of higher learning in the state of Utah. Dated 1957 to 1958.

Dates: 1957-1958

Office of the President records on enrollment, 1962-1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 35
Scope and Contents

Contains letters, memos and statistical charts and reports about the enrollment of students at BYU. Dated 1962 to 1963.

Dates: 1962-1963

Office of the President records on enrollment, 1959-1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 30
Scope and Contents

Contains statistics, charts and reports on BYU enrollment, summer school enrollment, changes in enrollment over time, and projected future enrollment. Also contains statistics on students. Dated 1959 to 1963.

Dates: 1959-1963

Office of the President records on Extension Division, 1965

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 8 Sub-Series 9
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson, BYU staff and general authorities about the Church Extension Division, including BYU satellite programs, Education Week, study abroad programs, and at-home continuing education programs. Also contains curriculum for these programs. Dated 1965.

Dates: 1965

Office of the President records on Extension Division, 1963-1964

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 7 Sub-Series 11
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos with President Wilkinson about the BYU extension division. Topics include continuing education, various BYU satellite campuses and education weeks at BYU. Dated 1963 to 1964.

Dates: 1963-1964

Office of the President records on Extension Division, 1957-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 31
Scope and Contents

Contains memos, letters, brochures and reports from staff in the BYU extension division. The materials pertained to publications, continuing education, and BYU leadership week. Dated 1957 to 1962.

Dates: 1957-1962

Office of the President records on Extension Division, 1958-1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 36
Scope and Contents

Contains memos, letters, brochures and reports from staff in the BYU extension division. The materials pertain to publications, continuing education, and BYU leadership week. Dated 1958 to 1963.

Dates: 1958-1963