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 10 Collections and/or Records:
Centennial Committee collection on Brigham!, 1976
Consists of additional documentation from the production of the musical "Brigham!" Dated 1976.
Office of the President records on commencement, 1950-1957
Contains addresses, correspondence and programs relating to Brigham Young University commencement exercises and honorary degrees in Provo. Materials dated 1950 to 1957.
Office of the President records on commencement, 1954-1959
Contains programs, speeches, reports, and correspondence pertaining to BYU commencement. The materials concerned undergraduate and graduate students, valedictorian speeches, and honorary degrees. Dated 1954 to 1959.
Office of the President records on Extension Division, 1958-1959
Contains materials related to the Extension Division's Leadership Week. These materials include memos and letters between President Wilkinson and other faculty planning events as well as programs and pamphlets detailing the events of the week. Dated 1959.
Office of the President records on faculty workshops, 1953-1958
Contains memorandums organizing BYU faculty workshops, speeches given by President Wilkinson, and programs for faculty workshops. Dated 1953 to 1958.
Office of the President records on history and celebrations, 1948-1960
Contains correspondence, memos and programs pertaining to celebrations and events between 1948 to 1960. The programs are for inaugurations of various university presidents, including Ernest L. Wilkinson.
Office of the President records on Indian program, 1967
Cotains letters and memos about students in BYU's Indian Program, scholarships, and education. Also contians a program for A Dawn in the Forest. Dated 1967.
Office of the President records on television and radio, 1962-1964
Contains letters and memorandums between President Wilkinson, BYU staff, Arch Madsen, and radio executives on the subject of new radio programs and daily operations of the KSL radio station. Dated 1962 to 1964.
Office of the President records on television and radio, 1957-1958
Contains letters and memos concerning the Utah Educational Television Foundation as well as reports on educational television. Dated 1957 ro 1958.
Polysophical Society records
Contains meeting minutes, programs, membership records, and party invitations. Also includes a brief history and correspondence from Herald R. Clark to Ernest L. Wilkinson concerning Polysophical Society as forerunner of lyceum course.