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J. Reuben Clark, Jr. letter to T. Earl Pardoe

 Collection — Folder: 1
Identifier: MSS 4059

Scope and Contents

Letter contains thanks from Clark to Pardoe for the invitation to the latter's performances at Brigham Young University. Clark states that he is not much of a theater-goer, but he will make use of the invitation if the opportunity should present itself.

Dates

  • 1951

Creator

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 J. Reuben Clark, Jr. letter to T. Earl Pardoe must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

T. Earl Pardoe (1885-1969) was a Mormon drama professor in Utah.

T. Earl Pardoe was born in Ogden, Utah on February 24, 1885 to Tom and Leonora Pardoe. His family were immigrants from Stratford-On-Avon, England. His father sent the young Earl to work as a delivery boy where he worked for and gained a life-long advisor and confident in Thomas E. Evans. He attend the old Washington School on Grant Avenue. At age fourteen he got a summer job working in Idaho with the Utah Construction Company. In high school he staged programs and plays and worked nights at the D&RG Railroad, where he was known as "The Kid" because of his size. He excelled in his studies, especially Latin and mathematics.

With the assistance of his grandfather Farr, he entered the Stanford University Engineering School with a scholarship and accomodations at Leland Stanford's home. Here he worked teaching gymnastics, wrestling, and as a math tutor. Upon his return to Ogden he began to work for Fred J. Kiesel who owned a wholesale grocery store. Earl now knew that he wanted to study drama, not engineering, and during this time staged the community operetta "Ermine" with Moroni Olsen. He worked nights with the Ogden Opera Company under Jim Cruz and Melford, who later founded the first motion picture studio, "Goldwyn". They offered him a chance to accompany them to Hollywood, but he turned it down and went to school in Boston.

He entered the Leland Powers School of the Drama where he learned under the tutelage of Powers himself. During this time, Earl did missionary work with his uncle, Ben E. Rich, president of the New England Mission. Earl tried out for the chorus in the Boston Grand Opera and won a place where he met Enrico Carusa, Chalipin, Tettrazini, Melba, and many others. He also worked as a reporter for the Deseret News' "Utahns in Boston" column. When he graduated, Earl was student body and class presidents. In spite of promising chances, after graduation, he returned to Ogden to bring his ailing uncle home. He graduated from BYU with an A.B. degree in 1922, from Columbia with a M. A. degree in "Elizathian Drama" in 1924, from U. S. C. with a M. A. in "Psychology of Speech to Emotion" in 1932, and from Louisiana State University with a Ph. D degree in Negro Dialects in 1937.

In the fall is 1913 in Ogden, Earl met his wife Kathryn Bassett. He set up a studio and Kathryn became his first student. On their third date he proposed, but she declined feeling herself in love with another. After she felt that relationship was over and upon Earl's second proposal she accepted. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 3, 1914, by David O. McKay.

Earl kept a studio and taught at Weber Academy. He participated in many productions and drama clubs. In 1916 he was invited to teach summer school at Brigham Young University, and in 1919 he opened a Department of Speech. He put on many plays at BYU, including "Brown of Harvard," "Strongheart," "Rolling Stone," and "It Pays to Advertise". He also became BYU's first tennis coach, started a Boy Scout organization, and a Rotary Club. In 1927 he moved his family to California to teach at the Major School of Theate. When he found the administration to be unsatisfactory, he started his our studio and wrote "Pantomimes for Stage and Study."

He later returned to BYU at the age of 72. He also served as the vice-president of the National Sons of the American Revolution, Chairman of the National Oratorial Contest, and was nominated "Man of the Year" by the Sons of the Utah Pioneers. He died November 2, 1969.

Biographical History

Joshua Reuben Clark, Jr. (1901-1961) was a Mormon attorney, diplomat, and ecclesiastical leader in Utah.

Joshua Reuben Clark, Jr. was born September 1, 1901 in Grantsville, Utah. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and a law degree from Columbia University. He served as Under Secretary of state to President Calvin Coolidge in 1928 and as ambassador to Mexico from 1930–1933. In 1933 Clark was asked to serve as the second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to President Heber J. Grant, later becoming first counselor in 1934. After Grant's death in 1945, he remained as first counselor in the First Presidency under George Albert Smith. When Smith died in 1951, he was called by David O. McKay as second counselor in the First Presidency, returning to the position of first counselor in 1959. He remained in this role until his death on October 6, 1961 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Extent

1 folder (0.08 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

These items were purchased by Special Collections in 1986.

Appraisal

University history (University Archives collecting policy, July 2003).

Title
Register of J. Reuben Clark, Jr. letter to T. Earl Pardoe
Status
Completed
Author
Lucy Brimhall
Date
2013 February 22
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 Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States