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 7 Collections and/or Records:
Ernest L. Wilkinson papers on National Right to Work Committee, 1969-1978
Contains correspondence, financial records, and other materials related to the National Right to Work Committee. Materials date from bewteen 1969 and 1978.
Office of the President records on administration, 1959
Contains memos between President WIlkinson and individual administrators at BYU. Also contains minutes of the President's meetings with administrators. Dated 1959.
Office of the President records on assemblies, 1952-1962
Contains memos and letters with speakers for BYU devotionals and assemblies. Also contains reports and materials for assemblies. Dated 1952 to 1962.
Office of the President records on Board of Education, 1959-1962
Contains agendas and minutes from meetings of the Church Board of Education. Also contains memos from President Wilkinson discussing the board. Dated 1959 to 1962.
Office of the President records on Board of Trustees, 1960-1962
Contains minutes from the meetings of the BYU board of trustees. Also contains memos and letters with President Wilkinson organizing these meetings. Dated 1960 to 1962.
Office of the President records on scheduling, 1956-1958
Contains minutes of meetings and memorandums concerning the scheduling of BYU faculty meetings and BYU classes. Dated 1956 to 1958.
Seventeenth Annual Utah Conference on Higher Education papers
The proceedings of the 17th Annual Utah Conference on Higher Education, as well as a program outlining the events of the weekend, dated September 15, 16, 1960.