Brigham Young Academy Campus, 1902

The easiest way to access the images is through the finding aid which is available through the BYU Finding aids website. You can search for the name of the building that you are interested in (for example, the Maeser Building or the Academy Building) and access the digital images by clicking on the thumbnail image in the search results. This will take you to the digitized contents of the folder of photographs of that particular building.

You can also go directly to the finding aid for UA 827 and scroll through the list of buildings or search within the collection. Once you have located the building that you are interested in, click on the thumbnail to access the digital file of photographs. Each thumbnail represents the digitized contents of a folder of photographs. Go ahead and see what you can find.

If you have any questions about this digital collection, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu

If you have any questions about Edith Johnson’s oral history or the other oral histories held in the University Archives, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

Memorial Hall, ca. 1960s

The original Memorial Lounge was built as an addition to the Wilkinson Student Center in 1967. The lounge was sponsored by the Alumni Association. The lounge contained memorial plaques, etched with names, that were hung to pay tribute to the 207 BYU students and alumni who died in war. During the renovations begun in 1995, the lounge and plaques were moved to a new room adjacent to the Wilkinson Center’s East Ballroom. This new area was rededicated on November 7, 2000. Now known as Memorial Hall, it is meant to be a place of quiet reflection.

The University Archives is home to a collection that documents the importance of Memorial Hall to campus. This collection is UA 797 Brigham Young University Alumni Association Memorial Hall dedication files, 1980-1983. It contains work files concerning the dedication for the Memorial Hall in the Ernest L. Wilkinson Center. It also includes a copy of the program and accompanying brochure listing students killed in Korean and Vietnam wars as well as a brochure listing students killed in World Wars I and II. The second brochure also lists students who served in World War II who were not killed.

If you would like to learn more about UA 797, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

The International Folk Dance Ensemble performs in Belgium in 1968.

The Brigham Young University Archives is home to several collections that document the history of the International Folk Dance Ensemble. They include:

• UA 1340 International Folk Dance Ensemble records, 1956-1981. This collection contains scrapbooks, photographs, newspaper clippings, tour information, correspondence, class inventories, budgets, videos, and programs documenting the ensemble’s activities.
• UA 5579 Mary Bee Jensen scrapbook on the International Folk Dance Ensemble, 1951-1964. This collection contains a photocopy and two digital copies on compact disc of a scrapbook on the Brigham Young University International Folk Dancers, dating from between 1951 and 1964. The scrapbook was complied by Mary Bee Jensen’s father.
• BX 8688 .A1 no.21 Folk dancers of the Brigham Young University
• BX 8608 .A1a no.3528Brigham Young University International Folk Dancers

If you would like to learn more about the materials held by the University Archives that document the history of the International Folk Dance Ensemble, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

This year’s honored founder is Gerrit de Jong Jr.

Gerrit de Jong, Jr.

Gerrit de Jong Jr. was first dean of the College of Fine Arts. The College of Fine Arts was established in 1925 under the direction of President Franklin S. Harris. It was the first college of fine arts west of the Mississippi. Dr. de Jong served as the dean of the college until 1960 and during his tenure impacted the lives of hundreds of students.

The Brigham Young University Archives holds a number of materials that document the life of Dr. de Jong. A description of some of these resources is available here.

Other materials documenting Dr. de Jong’s influence at the university include:

• UA OH 33 Gerrit de Jong Oral history interview, 1978. Interview includes relections on de Jong’s experiences at Brigham Young University.
• UA 286 Gerrit de Jong papers. Collection includes a typewritten report to Ernest L. Wilkinson concerning the participation of Brigham Young University musical groups in the dedicatory services of the Mormon Memorial Cemetery and Mormon Bridge in Omaha, Nebraska.
• BX 8647 .B76 1952-53 no.1-58 Art and life. An address given to the Brigham Young University student boy in 1953.

If you would like to know more about the resources available for studying the life of Gerrit de Jong, Jr., please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu

Brigham Young University's 1908 baseball team.

Football followed in 1896, track and field began in 1899, and basketball got its start in 1900. Additional athletic teams were added over the course of the twentieth century.

The Brigham Young University Archives holds a number of collections that document the growth of the university’s athletic programs. One of those collections is the Brigham Young University Athletic photographs, 1893-1989 (UA 1029). This collection contains photographs of numerous university athletic teams including: baseball, basketball, boxing, football, golf, hockey, skiing, soccer, swimming, volleyball, and tennis. A finding aid for the collection is available here.

If you would like to know more about the collections documenting athletics at Brigham Young University, contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu

• Warren N. Dusenberry, 1875-1876
• Karl G. Maeser, 1876-1892
• Benjamin Cluff, Jr., 1892-1903
• George H. Brimhall, 1904-1921
• Franklin S. Harris, 1921-1945
• Howard S. McDonald, 1945-1949
• Ernest L. Wilkinson, 1951-1971
• Dallin H. Oaks, 1971-1980
• Jeffrey R. Holland, 1980-1989
• Rex E. Lee, 1989-1996
• Merrill J. Bateman, 1996-2003
• Cecil O. Samuelson, 2003-present

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words and the University Archives holds a collection of priceless photographs of these men. The collection Brigham Young University Presidential photographs (UA 946) contains photographs of the presidents of Brigham Young University from 1875 to the present. The photographs are mainly of the presidents but the collection includes some images of their families, homes, offices, and colleagues. Below are a few sample images:



Karl G. Maeser, second principal of Brigham Young Academy, served from 1876-1892.



Howard S. McDonald, sixth president of Brigham Young University.



Jeffrey R. Holland, ninth president of Brigham Young University.

These photographs and more can be accessed in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections reading room (1130 HBLL) in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University.

If you would like to know more about the history of Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

]]> http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/07/20/presidential-photographs-collection/feed/ 0 http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/05/05/music-at-byu/ http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/05/05/music-at-byu/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 17:42:51 +0000 Gordon Daines http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/?p=1797 Music has always been an important part of life at Brigham Young University. Shortly after the founding of Brigham Young Academy in 1875 a choir was organized to perform at school events and religious services. By 1886 Henry E. Giles had been hired as a professor of music and he quickly set to work establishing a Music Department within the Brigham Young Academy. Giles became the director of the band and choir in 1892.


Henry E. Giles, 1886

The Music Department quickly became an integral part of the growing academy. After Brigham Young University became Brigham Young Academy in 1903, the Music Department became part of the College. In 1925 Franklin S. Harris organized the first College of Fine Arts west of the Mississippi and the Music Department found a permanent home. The Music Department became the School of Music in 1998. Thousands of students have been educated in the department and thousands of visitors to the university have enjoyed the numerous musical performances sponsored by the department.

The University Archives is home to several collections that document the history of music at Brigham Young University. They include:

• UA 1226 Dept. of Music records, 1931-1971. Collection contains files of the department chair, and general department and faculty records, including correspondence, minutes, procedures, publications, and a sampling of class outlines and examinations.
• UA 761 Dept. of Music programs, 1948-2008. Collection contains annual compilations of programs distributed at music performances. Each volume contains programs for a given school year.
• UA 1226 Dept. of Music records, 1973-1996. This collection contains documents outlining music classes given at BYU, different musical teaching opportunities, how to teach children music, and various files on primary and the music department.
• UA 571 Florence Jepperson Madsen papers, 1901-1971. Collection includes personal correspondence, articles, programs, newsclippings, yearbooks, scrapbooks, poetry, resumes, tributes, journals, photographs, patriarchal blessings, and biographical materials. Also includes published, unpublished, and workcopy music manuscripts by the Madsens.

If you would like to learn more about the Department of Music at Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 and gordon_daines@byu.edu.

]]> http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/05/05/music-at-byu/feed/ 0 http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/03/16/centennial-carillon-bell-tower/ http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/03/16/centennial-carillon-bell-tower/#comments Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:00:22 +0000 Gordon Daines http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/?p=1024 One of the most iconic emblems of the Brigham Young University campus is the Centennial Carillon Bell Tower. Every day the bells in the tower chime the hour and students are periodically treated to performances by campus carillonneurs. The bell tower was constructed as part of the university’s centennial celebrations in 1975 and was dedicated in October of that year by President Spencer W. Kimball. The bell tower is meant to serve as a symbol of the dedication and sacrifice of the early founders of Brigham Young University. The bell tower contains 52 bells that range in size from twenty-one pounds to over four thousand pounds.


An artist's rendition of the carillon and bell tower, 1975



President Oaks breaks ground for the centennial carillon bell tower the old fashioned way in February 1975.

The Brigham Young University Archives is home to two collections documenting the Centennial Carillon Bell Tower. These collections are:

• UA 1124 Centennial Celebration Committee Records, 1973-1976. This collection has an entire series related to the carillon bell tower.
• 378.2 A1 no.95 Second century address and dedication of carillon tower and bells. The dedication was performed by Spencer W. Kimball.

If you would like to know more about the Centennial Carillon Bell Tower, contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

]]> http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/03/16/centennial-carillon-bell-tower/feed/ 0 http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/03/02/the-young-company-at-brigham-young-university/ http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/2011/03/02/the-young-company-at-brigham-young-university/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:41:46 +0000 Gordon Daines http://lib.byu.edu/sites/byuhistory/?p=1216 The Whittlin’ Whistlin’ Brigade was founded in 1974 by Harold Oaks as a children’s theatre touring company. In order to associate the company more closely to Brigham Young University it was renamed the Young Company in 1983. The Young Company is a training ground for student actors and directors who want to work in theatre for young audiences. The group has performed plays such as Androcles and the Lion, Yankee Doodle, The Yellow Boat, Taste of Sunrise, and, most recently, Babe, the Sheep Pig. The Young Company tours elementary and junior high schools sharing their love of the theatre with young audiences.

The Brigham Young University Archives is home to a manuscript collection and a thesis that document the history of the Young Company. They are:

• UA 1024 The Young Company records, 1961-2002. This collection documents the history of the Young Company with photographs, calendars, film, audio, and play scripts from 1961 to 2002.
• Lay, Ruth Ann 1949-. The Memory and the Legacy: The Whittlin’ Whistlin’ Brigade – The Young Company 1974-2001. This thesis is available through Brigham Young University’s Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Click here to access the thesis.

If you would like to learn more about the Young Company, contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu

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