February 16, 2011 by Gordon Daines
A little under two weeks ago Julene Butler, University Librarian, inaugurated a year long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the construction of the J. Reuben Clark Library with a lecture discussing the history of the library. The Clark Library building (now the Harold B. Lee Library) was the second building dedicated exclusively to housing Brigham Young University’ library collections. The first building was the Heber J. Grant Library. It was 87 years ago this month that the Executive Committee of the Brigham Young University Board of Trustees wrote to Church President Heber J. Grant that “After going thoroughly into the question we are convinced that steps should be taken to provide a library building for the University.” A year later in October 1925 the Grant Library building was dedicated. Today the Harold B. Lee Library is at the heart of campus both literally and figuratively. Enjoy these historic photographs of the library from the University Archives collections:
The home of the library in the Education Building (Brigham Young Academy), ca. 1913.
The newly completed Heber J. Grant Library, 1925.
The newly completed J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library, 1961.
A rendition of the 1974 addition to the Harold B. Library.
The 1999 addition to the Harold B. Lee Library (image courtesy University Photo).
For more information on the history of the library, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu
February 2, 2011 by Gordon Daines
Nestled a short drive from Brigham Young University up the north fork of the Provo Canyon is the Aspen Grove Family Camp. With its picturesque views of Mt. Timpanogos and the beauty of its mountain setting Aspen Grove is a popular destination for alumni and faculty. Aspen Grove is in high demand during the summer for a variety of family programs and in the winter hosts cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Aspen Grove Family camp up Provo Canyon
Aspen Grove has its roots in the establishment of the Alpine Summer School by Franklin S. Harris in the 1920s. The land for the school was donated by the Stewart family of Provo. The Stewarts owned considerable land up the canyon for the purpose of sheep grazing.The Alpine Summer School was designed to be a high mountain retreat where classwork could be carried out and summer heat avoided. It was very popular with the students. Classes were conducted in tents and participants dressed the part of mountaineers wearing togs and high boots.
Students meet for class at the Alpine Summer School in the 1920s
The first dean of the summer school was Hugh M. Woodward and early faculty included John A. Widtsoe, Vasco M. Tanner, Adam S. Bennion, and Lowry Nelson. The school ran successfully through the beginning of World War II. It was suspended for the duration of the war and attempts to revive it at the conclusion of the war were doomed by the vast influx of students at Brigham Young University. The facility was taken over by the Alumni Association in 1963 and renamed Aspen Grove. The Alumni Association has successfully run the camp for the last 48 years.
The University Archives is home to several collections and books that document the history of the Alpine Summer School and Aspen Grove. They include:
- MSS 2199 Wayne B. Hales prints and negatives, ca. 1926-1940. This collection includes images relating to the Alpine Summer School, Mount Timpanogos, Aspen Grove, Utah Lake, and the city of Provo.
- UA 254 John R. Stewart letter to Franklin S. Harris, 1921. Letter confirming donation of Aspen Grove to BYU from John R. Stewart, Scott P. Stewart, Joseph Nelson, Rose Young Stewart, and Melissa R. Stewart.
- UA 919 Campus photographs, ca. 1880-1958. Includes views of Aspen Grove, the Alpine Summer School, and the Timpanogos Hike.
- UA 1089 Franklin S. Harris Brigham Young University Presidential records, 1921-1945. Includes the records generated by Harris during his service as president of Brigham Young University. Includes some information on Aspen Grove.
- UA SC 107 The Alpinian, 1939. This was the yearbook for the summer school students of Brigham Young University held at Aspen Grove.
- UA 823 College of Biology and Agriculture. Photographs, ca. 1891-1969. Includes images of the Alpine summer school botany classes, 1922-1924 and Alpine summer school faculty, 1928-1930 and 1941.
- UA 132 Harrison R. Merrill papers, 1924-1929. Includes correspondence, essays and clippings (photocopies) to and from Merrill concerning his publications in newspapers and periodicals, the Alpine Summer School, Brigham Young University athletics, curricula and religious atmosphere.
- 378.2 L862 1993 The history of Aspen Grove Family Camp as influenced by the directors of the BYU Alumni Association, 1956-1992.
- 378.21 D769 Recommended improvements for Aspen Grove Family Camp.
If you are interested in learning more about Aspen Grove or the Alpine Summer School, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
January 19, 2011 by Gordon Daines
A unique thing happens at Brigham Young University at 11:00 am on Tuesdays. The entire university shuts down so that students, faculty, administrators, and staff can attend a campus devotional or forum. A typical month sees three campus devotionals and one campus forum. These large gatherings are held in the Marriott Center during fall and winter semesters and in the De Jong Concert Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center during spring and summer semesters. Devotional addresses are delivered by members of the campus community or General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Forum addresses are delivered by prominent scholars, politicians, religious leaders, and campus faculty.
Devotionals have always been a part of the Brigham Young University community. They were instituted by Karl G. Maeser and were offered on a daily basis. Although the number of devotionals per week slowly changed over the history of the university, their importance to the campus community has remained constant. They are an opportunity for the campus to be spiritually fed and they reinforce a feeling of community. The practice of holding forums began during the presidential administration of Ernest L. Wilkinson and forums are designed to enrich the undergraduate curriculum of the university. Recent forum speakers include Neil deGrasse Tyson, Condaleeza Rice, David McCullough, and Nathaniel Philbrick.
Devotional held in College Hall, 1920s
Devotional in the Marriott Center, 1970s.
The University Archives is home to several collections that document the history of devotionals and forums. They include:
- UA 1148 Brigham Young University forum records, 1970-1998. This collection contains materials dealing with the Brigham Young University forum assemblies for the years 1970 through 1998. This includes speaker nomination and review files, speaker background files, copies of forum addresses, and related correspondence.
- UA 995 Devotional and fireside speeches of the year, 1951-1996. This collection contains copies of speeches given at Brigham Young University devotionals and firesides from 1951-1996 and copies of the “Speeches of the Year” booklets.
- UA 1197 Brigham Young University multimedia records, 1941-2000. This collection contains audiotapes and videotapes of commencement exercises, annual university conferences, theatre and musical performances, devotionals and firesides, and other addresses given at Brigham Young University.
- UA 1300 Brigham Young University reel-to-reel tapes, 1948-1995. This collection contains reel-to-reel tapes of forums, devotionals, commencement addresses, Education Week classes and devotionals, General Conference addresses and other on-campus conferences, seminars and lectures from April 6, 1948 to July 23, 1985.
If you would like to learn more about the sources available for studying the history of Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
January 5, 2011 by Gordon Daines
Brigham Young University publishes a course catalog every year that describes graduation requirements, department majors, individual courses, instructors, and all other aspects of university operations. The most heavily used portion of this catalog is the brief descriptions of individual courses which include a short summary of the content of the course, number of credit hours and course number.
The University Archives recently had our collection of the course catalogs covering 1901-2007 digitized and the complete run is now available through the Internet Archive. To access the course catalogs go to the BYU History digital collections. The course catalogs are listed under the University Publications section of the site. Select the year you are interested in from the dropdown menu and that particular course catalog will be pulled up for you.
If you would like to know more about the course catalogs or other materials documenting the history of Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu
December 22, 2010 by Gordon Daines
Clubs have been an integral part of the Brigham Young University experience since its founding as Brigham Young Academy in 1875. The earliest club on record is the Polysophical Society which provided students with an opportunity to discuss literature, science, music, fine arts, and civil government. The number of clubs has steadily grown over the years and today over 200 clubs provide students with a variety of social opportunities.
The BYU clubs homepage allows students to search the existing clubs for one that meets their interests, 2010.
The Chinese Club mans a booth about China, 1969.
The Press Club poses for a picture, 1935.
Members of the College Club engage in discussion, ca. 1906.
The Brigham Young University Archives is home to several collections documenting the history of clubs at the university. They include:
- UA 1248 Phi Eta Sigma Brigham Young University chapter records, 1947-1954. Ledger containing the meeting minutes of the Brigham Young University chapter of the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society.
- UA 1213 Dileas Chalean records, 1963-1969. This collection contains a compilation of official documents, correspondence, minutes, photographs, and records detailing the organization and activities of Dileas Chalean.
- UA 1323 Cycling Club records, 1969-1972. This collection contains copies of the bylaws of the BYU Cycling Club, a brief history of the club written by Keith M. Cottam, files related to the club, and materials related to the League of American Wheelman, Inc.
- MSS SC 2879 BYU Polysophical Society minutes, 1877. Two pages of handwritten minutes of the society’s first two meetings, held in the Lewis Building at Brigham Young Academy on 30 November and 7 December 1877. Minutes include summary of Karl G. Maeser’s comments on the society’s functions, and qualifications for membership.
- UA 5405 BYUSA Clubs papers, 1972-2005. This collection contains materials concerning clubs on campus administered by Brigham Young University Student Association (BYUSA). A finding aid is available here.
If you would like to learn more about the history of clubs at Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
December 8, 2010 by Gordon Daines
This is an exciting time of year for Brigham Young University sports fans–basketball season has begun. The Brigham Young University Cougars are looking to follow up on their record setting season of last year. The Cougars return one of the most explosive backcourts that they have had in years with senior Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery. Fredette is the university’s first preseason All-American since Danny Ainge and Emery is one of the finest defenders that the university has had in a long time.
Preseason All-American Jimmer Fredette, 2010.
Jackson Emery drives against UNLV. (Image courtesy BYU Photo)
Fredette and Emery are joined by eight other returning lettermen making this one of the most anticipated seasons in the history of basketball at Brigham Young University.
The Cougars are coached by Dave Rose. Rose took over the helm of BYU basketball in 2005 from Steve Cleveland and over the last five years has established himself as one of the best to ever coach the Cougars. His record of 127-40 equals an unmatched winning percentage of 76%. Rose has been the recipient of numerous awards including Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year twice (2006 and 2007). Last year’s basketball team set a record with 30 wins for the season and advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in seventeen years.
Coach Dave Rose watches the action unfold against Kansas State in last year's NCAA tournament. (Image courtesy of BYU Photo)
Fans interested in learning more about the Cougar basketball program under Coach Dave Rose can consult the basketball media guides that are part of UA 669 (Athletic Media Guides collection). Click here to access a blog posting discussing other sources on the history of basketball at BYU. If you would like to know more, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
November 24, 2010 by Gordon Daines
The Brigham Young University Archives houses the professional papers of many faculty members who have taught at the university. Among these collections is the Thomas G. Alexander papers. Researchers interested in the teaching of history at Brigham Young University will find this collection enlightening.
Thomas G. Alexander (b. 1935) was a professor at Brigham Young University and authored a number of award winning books concerning Latter-day Saint and Utah history. Dr. Alexander was a professor of Utah history and American Environmental history at Brigham Young University from 1964 to 2004. He served in many positions at the University including as Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor of Western History and as director of the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies.
The Thomas G. Alexander papers contain the professional and personal papers of Thomas G. Alexander, dated 1954-2009. The professional papers include correspondence, reports, minutes, articles, awards, manuscript drafts, newspaper articles, posters, photographs, questionnaires, outlines, and audiocassettes. These materials pertain to research, students, committees, professional organizations, and courses taught by Dr. Alexander. The personal papers pertain to the U.S. Army and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The collection is arranged into six series: I. Thomas G. Alexander correspondence, 1963-2009; II. Thomas G. Alexander publications records, 1964-2003; III. Thomas G. Alexander office records, 1954-2004; IV. Thomas G. Alexander personal papers, 1954-2005; V. Thomas G. Alexander Edgemont Stake records, 1978-1982; VI. Thomas G. Alexander teaching and subject records, 1960-2009.
The collection has the following restriction associated with it “materials shall be accessed by permission of Thomas G. Alexander until his death. Permission to access materials shall be granted by permission of Thomas G. Alexander’s wife or his daughter, Tracy Lee Alexander Zappala, for ten (10) years following the death of Thomas G. Alexander. If the L. Tom Perry Special Collections is unable to contact either his wife or daughter, then the University Archivist will make access decisions. Ten (10) years following the Thomas G. Alexander the materials will be available for research without restriction.”
A finding aid for the collection is available by clicking here.
If you would like to know more about the Thomas G. Alexander papers, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
November 10, 2010 by Gordon Daines
The Fall 2010 “Looking Back” column of BYU Magazine highlighted the fact that 50 years ago a debate team from Brigham Young University won the Harvard University National Invitational Debate Tournament, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country at the time.
Students display the first place trophies that they won at the Harvard University National Invitational Debate Tournament, 1960.
Debate has a long history at Brigham Young University dating back to the days of Brigham Young Academy. At the turn of the 20th century debate was a subject of controversy as Church and university leaders worried about the impact that taking positions opposite to what students truly believed had on their moral character. The controversy around debate eventually led to a decision to ban debate at Church schools. However, students continued to participate in debating contests without school sanction and deluged the Church Board of Education with letters requesting that they be allowed to officially represent their schools. The Church Board of Education eventually modified its position on debates allowing older students to participate as long as they observed certain regulations. The popularity of participating in debate surged in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s as students pushed for debating matches against local schools to prove their mettle in competition. Brigham Young University’s debate teams were recognized as some of the best in the region and drew packed houses for their debates.
Debate team, 1946
The golden age of debate at Brigham Young University coincided with the presidential administration of Ernest L. Wilkinson. Wilkinson had participated in debate as a student in the 1920s and had a great appreciation for the skills that debating had helped him develop. Beginning in 1951 and continuing through the end of his administration in 1971 Wilkinson was an unabashed supporter of the university’s debate teams. Debate teams during the 1950s and 1960s developed a national reputation and won several important national debate tournaments. The university’s centennial history Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years notes that during the period from 1951 to 1971 over two thousand students participated in more than 339 debate tournaments and won 760 trophies for the university.
If you would like to learn about the sources available for studying the history of debate at Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
October 27, 2010 by Gordon Daines
Brigham Young University experienced rapid growth in the number of students attending the university in the 1950s and 1960s. This rapid growth combined with an increased interest in physical education to provide acute shortages of teaching space and facilities for physical education instruction. The university’s Board of Trustees recognized the need for more adequate physical education facilities and approved the construction of a new building in the early 1960s. Construction on the new building began in December 1963 and the building was completed in the the fall of 1965.
The Richards building originally included three swimming pools, two large gymnasiums, two small gymnasiums, two dances studios, offices for faculty members, seven classrooms and a Human Performance Research Center. The Human Performance Research Center consisted of eighteen laboratory areas, an adaptive physical education room, a leadership training area, a driver training area, a laundry facility, and dressing rooms and showers. The building was named after apostle Stephen L. Richards. The Richards Building has been a popular student destination since its completion. It is used frequently for intramural and other activities by students as well as being the home of physical education on campus.
The Stephen L Richards Physical Education Building, ca. 1965
Gymnasium in the new Richards Building, ca. 1965
Swimming pools in the newly completed Richards Building, ca. 1965
To learn more about the sources available on the history of the Richards Building, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
October 13, 2010 by Gordon Daines
In 1959 English professor Robert K. Thomas approached President Ernest L. Wilkinson and suggested that Brigham Young University start an Honors program to better serve the exceptionally bright and highly motivated students that were beginning to enroll at the university. Thomas argued that an Honors program would provide the university with three major benefits:
- It would provide a more flexible, stimulating program of general education for students.
- It would provide a mechanism to allow faculty to engage more closely with motivated students.
- It would improve the entire set of academic offerings at Brigham Young University.
President Wilkinson and the university administration carefully considered Thomas’ proposal and in September 1959 announced that an Honors program would begin the following year. Robert K. Thomas was appointed the first director of the program. The Honors program quickly became one of the defining offerings of the educational program at Brigham Young University.
The University Archives is home to several collections that document the history of the Honors program. They include:
- UA 687 Robert K. Thomas Academic Vice-President Records, 1967-1983. These records document some of Thomas’ activities with the Honors program. To access the finding aid for this collection click here
- UA 1205 Brigham Young University General Education and Honors records, 1960-1993. This collection documents the history of the Honors program from its establishment in 1960 into the mid-1990s. To access the finding aid for this collection click here.
- LD 571 .B67gb P64x 1985 The Honors Program at Brigham Young University, 1960-1985 by Richard Poll.
- AS 36 .B752 M6771 2002 History of the Brigham Young University Honors Program : 1978-2001 The building and reconstructing of an honors program by Kristen Morris.
If you would like to learn more about the resources available for studying the history of the Honors program at Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.
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