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 251 Collections and/or Records:
Office of the President records on civil defense, 1959-1963
Contains letters, memos, reports and brochures planning to create shelters to protect BYU students against fallout from atomic blasts in the event of war. Dated 1959 to 1963.
Office of the President records on civil rights, 1959-1963
Contains a 1959 report investigating discrimination and relations of minorities in Utah as well as a 1963 newpaper article advocating for the Utah governor to secure equal rights for everyone regardless of race. Dated 1959 to 1963.
Office of the President records on civil rights, 1963
Contains pamphlets, memos and brochures about the Civil Rights Act of 1963. Dated 1963.
Office of the President records on colleges and departments, 1946-1958
Correspondence, memos, reports, and various publications related to the administration of departments and colleges on campus. Materials dated 1946 to 1958.
Office of the President records on colleges and departments, 1959-1963
Contains letters, memos, reports and other materials regarding the operations and curriculum for various BYU colleges. Also contains materials on other university departments such as athletics. These were sent between President Wilkinson and heads of various departments. Dated 1958 to 1962.
Office of the President records on colleges and departments, 1972
Contains materials pertaining to the office of President Ernest L. Wilkinson of Brigham Young University. Includes memos, correspondence, programs, and brochures on colleges and departments at Brigham Young University. Includes material on various colleges such as business, fine arts, and religion. Dated 1972.
Office of the President records on commencement, 1963-1965
Contains memos, letters and other materials relating to BYU commencement. The materials organized the ceremony, speakers, and gave graduation statistics. Dated 1963 to 1965.
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 committees, 1951-1956
Contains membership lists, annual reports and correspondence between 1951 to 1956 from various committees at Brigham Young University.
Office of the President records on committees, 1959
Contains memos and reports about the proceedings of BYU committees. The committees focused on academics and other topics. Dated 1959.