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 661 Collections and/or Records:
Right to petition at Brigham Young University statement
Collection includes statement issued (printed copy of TDS) in response to queries about petitions circulated on campus relative to U.S. military operations in Cambodia. Discusses policy for circulating petitions on campus, position on student political involvement and expression.
C. Lavar Rockwood letter on riots at Brigham Young University
Letter to BYU Broadcasting from C. LaVar Rockwood describing two riots that took place at Brigham Young University in the 1960s. The first occurred at the old football stadium and was protesting the shortening of the Christmas vacation. The second took place at Helaman Halls shortly after two dorms had been converted to house women and was known as the "panty raid." Ernest L. Wilkinson was involved in resolving the "panty raid."
Stephen H. Russell papers on alleged 1966-1967 spy ring at Brigham Young University
Scrapbook on Brigham Young University buildings
Scrapbook of Brigham Young University buildings given to David O. McKay by Ernest L. Wilkinson in 1966.
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.
Smith, Robert memos, 1968
Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and other members of BYU administration as well as reports on BYU activity. Also contains sections on administrative councils and budgets for BYU departments. Dated 1968.
Summer School dean records
Contains correspondence and payroll reports concerning summer school faculty (14 items). Materials date from between 1950 and 1953.
Translation Sciences Institute annual reports and committee records, 1975-1992
Contains general records of the Translation Sciences Institute, including annual reports and policies from the Humanities Research Center, database distribution records, building records, and general files. Also included are two plaques in an oversize folder from the institute honoring Ernest L. Wilkinson and his contributions, 1975-1992.
Unified Church School System reports
Contains reports concerning Brigham Young University, Institutes of Religion, Seminaries, Ricks College, LDS Business School, Juarez School, McCune School, and schools in Mexico in the Unified Church School System.
University Communications newspaper clippings on Ernest L. Wilkinson
Contains newspaper clippings about Ernest L. Wilkinson, 1951-1971.