Oral history interview with J. Wyley Sessions
Scope and Contents
Interview by Don David Sessions with J. Wyley Sessions concerning his work experiences at Brigham Young University, and in starting the Institute Program for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the University of Idaho, Idaho State, and the University of Wyoming. Includes sound recording and transcript.
Dates
- Creation: 1972
Creator
- Sessions, J. Wyley (James Wyley), 1885-1977 (interviewee, Person)
- Sessions, Don David (interviewer, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Oral history interview with J. Wyley Sessions must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.
Biographical History
J. Wyley Sessions (1885-1977) was a Mormon educator and missionary in Utah and Idaho.
James Wyley Sessions was born on December 11, 1885 in Marion, Idaho to Harvey and Alice Bryson Sessions. He studied agriculture at Utah State Agricultural College, earning his bachelor's degree in 1911. He married Annie Magdalen Funk on September 17, 1913 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and they had three children together. In 1917, Sessions took a position as professor of agriculture at the University of Idaho, Southern Branch. However, in 1919 he was called to service as a mission president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in South Africa between 1920 and 1926.
Upon his return, Sessions was sent to establish the institute program at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. He was transferred to the University of Idaho, Southern Branch in 1930, then to the University of Wyoming in 1935. In 1936 he was called to be the director of the Missionary Training School in Salt Lake City, Utah before returning to the institute program in Logan, Utah in 1938.
In 1939 Sessions was appointed as head of the Division of Religion at Brigham Young University. During his tenure he worked to organize the division into subject-based departments, and supervised the building of the Joseph Smith Building. He also worked to arrange for religious activities on campus, such as devotionals, Sunday School, and a Mutual Improvement Association. In 1947 he resigned from the university, but remained in Provo, Utah working as a home builder and developer. Sessions retired to Los Angeles, California in 1965, and passed away there on April 21, 1977.
Extent
1 volume
4 folders (0.1 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Appraisal
University history (University Archives collecting policy, February 2010).
General
includes index and table of contents.
General
Recorded in Laguna Hills, California.
General
Includes related transcription material.
Subject
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Department of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (Organization)
- Harris, Franklin Stewart, 1884-1960 (Person)
- Grant, Heber J. (Heber Jeddy), 1856-1945 (Person)
- Chenowith, C. W. (Person)
- Idaho State University Institute of Religion (Pocatello, Idaho) (Organization)
- University of Idaho Institute of Religion (Moscow, Idaho) (Organization)
- University of Wyoming Institute of Religion (Laramie, Wyoming) (Organization)
- Title
- Register of Oral history interview with J. Wyley Sessions
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jennifer Kim
- Date
- 2011 August 16
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo UT 84602 US