Harold B. Lee Library

F.A.Q.

Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Brigham Young University history, with answers taken from our archival holdings.

• The Professional Papers Program and faculty

  November 11, 2009

  The University Archives is responsible for documenting the administrative, cultural, social, and intellectual history of Brigham Young University. The Archives accomplishes this task through a number of different programs. The Professional Papers Program was established in the mid-1990s to help the Archives capture pieces of the intellectual and administrative history of the university. The program is designed to gather basic information about the faculty, staff, and administrators and their activities while employed at Brigham Young University.

  An important component of the Professional Papers Program is the acquisition of the personal papers of representative faculty members.

  

  The Brigham Young Academy faculty, 1888

  Faculty members and their various activities (including teaching, research, and involvement with professional associations) lie at the heart of the intellectual vitality of Brigham Young University. It is important that this aspect of the university’s history be documented. While the University Archives would prefer to acquire the complete personal papers of every faculty member employed by Brigham Young University, this is not practical or possible given the Archives’ limited resources. The Archives has created a policy to help guide the University Archivist’s selection activities and to ensure that a representative sample of faculty papers is acquired as part of the Professional Papers Program. The Faculty Papers Collecting Policy is available at: Faculty Papers Collecting Policy (2009) This policy aids the University Archivist in making decisions about which faculty members’ papers to acquire and what portions of those papers should be acquired.

  The Archives has also created another document to help faculty members understand what types of materials the Archives is interested in. This enables the faculty member to make determinations on what types of materials to save long-term and what types of materials that they can dispose of when they are finished using them. This document is available at: Faculty and staff papers

  If you have any questions about the Professional Papers Program or donating faculty papers to the University Archives, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

• Honoring the Founders

  October 14, 2009

  Brigham Young University has a rich heritage and every year during Homecoming the university pauses to reflect on those men and women who have helped to create the educational institution that we enjoy. The honored founder this year is Eugene Lusk Roberts. Roberts served as the first head of the Brigham Young University’s athletic department from 1910 to 1928 and was well known for his love of the outdoors and his commitment to allowing everyone to have an athletic experience. He will be honored in several different ways as part of the Homecoming celebrations that begin next week.

  

  Eugene L. Roberts, chair of the Department of Physical Education, ca. 1910

  The tradition of honoring our founders runs deep at Brigham Young University. The practice was initiated by Benjamin Cluff, Jr. in 1891 as a way to encourage class and institutional spirit.

  

  Benjamin Cluff, third principal of Brigham Young Academy and first president of Brigham Young University, served from 1892-1903.

  Cluff wanted students and faculty to have a way to tap into the rich heritage of the young educational institution. Every year during October students and faculty would gather at the Academy Building to listen to speakers extol the virtues of the men and women who had sacrificed time, talents, and money to allow the Brigham Young Academy to survive and flourish. They told wonderful stories about the early founders to illustrate the importance of sacrifice, commitment, loyalty, and hard work–some of which were even true!

  

  Founders Day, ca. 1900

  These stories established a rich oral history that lives on today in our Homecoming celebrations. This oral tradition will be on display next week as the winner of the Brimhall essay contest reads his or her winning essay in front of thousands of students and faculty–an essay that discusses the contributions of Eugene L. Roberts to the university and what those contributions mean to us today. The oral delivery of the essay ties the university community back to the original Founders Day of 1891 as we connect to the past through the spoken word.

  If you have any questions about the history of Brigham Young University, please contact the university archivist at (80) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

• Heber J. Grant Library

  September 16, 2009

  From the beginning of his presidential administration Franklin S. Harris campaigned for a library building. He believed that Brigham Young University could never successfully join the ranks of the country’s colleges and universities without a strong library. A library building would be a visible symbol of the university’s commitment to scholarship and learning and it would help the young university’s efforts to build a strong library collection. In August of 1924 President received word that the General Church Board of Education had approved his request to build a library on Temple Hill. The completed building would join a small cluster of buildings on upper campus and would be further evidence of the university’s intention to move from its previous location.

  

  Heber J. Grant Library, 1925

  Construction on the Heber J. Grant Library began in October of 1924 and the building was dedicated one year later. The new library was two stories high and contained office space and classrooms in addition to closed stacks for the library collections and a large reading room. It also included a room for university’s Ancient American collection (an early precursor of today’s Special Collections). It was named after Heber J. Grant, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to honor his love of reading.

  The University Archives is home to several collections that document the early history of the Heber J. Grant Library. They include:

  • UA 405 Contributors to the Heber J. Grant Library. This collection includes a list of individuals and institutions who contributed to the Heber J. Grant Library.
  • UA 231 Collected articles about the Heber J. Grant Library. This collection includes a series of articles from the Alumni Announcer concerning the Heber J. Grant Library.
  • UA 1089 Franklin S. Harris Brigham Young University presidential records. This collection includes correspondence that documents Harris’ lobbying activities on behalf of the new library building.

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

• Eugene L. Roberts, Athletic Pioneer

  September 2, 2009

  

  Eugene L. Roberts, chair of the Department of Physical Education, ca. 1910

  Eugene Lusk Roberts was born in Provo, Utah on May 13, 1880. He was the 10th child of William and Julia Maria Lusk Roberts. His family moved around several times during his youth. He entered Brigham Young Academy at the age of eighteen and engaged in the full spectrum of activities available at the young school. He participated in gymnastics, track and field, and football. In fact, he captained the track and field team that won the inaugural Utah Intercollegiate Track and Field Championship. He was also an avid journalist and was an editor of the school’s newspaper, the White and Blue. He also performed in several dramatic performances and was elected president of the class of 1904.

  He began his teaching career in 1903 when he accepted a position at Franklin School in Provo, Utah. He worked with the principal of Franklin School to introduce athletics as part of the school’s extracurricular activities and served as coach of several of these athletic teams. His girl’s basketball team won the city championship and his boy’s basketball team finished in second place to the Maeser School. He taught and coached at Franklin School for three years before accepting a call to serve as a missionary in Europe.

  Upon returning from his mission in late 1908, Roberts enrolled at the University of Utah where he was urged to consider going to Yale University to study physical education which he did. In 1910 President George H. Brimhall offered Roberts the position of athletic coach and chairman of the Department of Physical Education at Brigham Young University. Roberts accepted President Brimhall’s offer even though he had received other higher paying offers. Roberts believed that athletics were for everyone and moved to democratize sports at BYU. In 1911 he started the BYU Invitational Track Meet and in 1912 he established the annual Timpanogos Hike (which lasted into the 1970s).

  

  Students rest while hiking Mount Timpanogos, 1912

  Roberts remained at BYU until 1928 when he accepted a position at the University of Southern California.

  The University Archives is home to numerous collections that document the life of Eugene L. Roberts. A Popular Search Topics page lists many of these collections. Other collections in which material about Eugene Roberts can be located are:

  • The White and Blue contains articles written by Roberts as well as descriptions of the athletic programs that he initiated. Of particular interest are the years 1910 to 1921.
  • UA 104 J. Marinus Jensen collection. This collection includes original manuscripts consisting of Brigham Young Academy student registers, addresses by Karl G. Maeser, life sketches, and histories of departments, clubs and organizations used in the preparation of History of Brigham Young University published in the 1940s.
  • UA 563 Records of the Recreation Department, 1914-1968. This collection contains information on the annual Timpanogos Hike organized and sponsored by Eugene L. Roberts.
  • UA 62 Dept. of Athletics records, 1925-1928. Collection includes typescript news release and a program announcing the acquisition of two cougar kittens to become mascots; it also includes their disposition and names.
  • UA 48 Timpanogos hike programs, 1922-1940. Collection includes various printed programs from the hikes.

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

• The Extension Division

  August 19, 2009

  In 1921 President Franklin S. Harris proposed the establishment of an Extension Division at Brigham Young University. The Extension Division’s main purpose was to broaden the reach of the university and to allow it to have a positive impact on the lives of residents of Utah and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  Lowry Nelson was appointed as the Extension Division’s first director and immediately set to work creating a successful correspondence program and establishing extension courses in the local community. The Extension Division was composed of four major sections: 1) The Bureau of Social Service, 2) The Bureau of Publications, 3) The Bureau of Correspondence Study, and 4) The Bureau of Lectures and Entertainments. Within two months of establishing this organization the Extension Division had reached out to 8500 members of the local community.

  

  Alpine Summer School staff 1920s (Lowry Nelson is on the 2nd row, 4th in from the left wearing glasses)

  The two most popular programs run by the Extension Division were the Alpine Summer School and Leadership Week (the predecessor of Education Week). The Extension Division relied heavily on the faculty of Brigham Young University to run both of these programs and faculty were also conducted correspondence courses as well as lecturing on a variety of topics.

  The University Archives is home to several collections that document the Extension Division and its development. They include:

  • UA OH 1 Lowry Nelson oral history interview, Sept. 3, 1963. In this oral history Nelson discusses the development of the Extension Division as well as aspects of university life.
  • UA 292 Lowry Nelson letter, 1945. Letter from Lowry Nelson to T. Earl Pardoe giving a brief history and overview of the Extension Division.
  • UA 547 Division of Continuing Education records, 1921-1988. This collection contains files of the Deans and Directors. Includes records for Education week, leadership conferences, Travel Study, Home Study, evening classes, Special Courses and Conferences, community education, Salt Lake Center, and a brief history of the Division. Click here to access the finding aid for this collection.

  If you would like to learn more about the sources available on the Extension Division at Brigham Young University , please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• Warren Dusenberry and Brigham Young University

  July 22, 2009

  The educational underpinnings of Brigham Young University were laid in the early 1860s when Wilson and Warren Dusenberry moved to Provo and established the first Dusenberry School.

  

  Wilson Dusenberry

  

  Warren Dusenberry, first principal of Brigham Young Academy

  The Dusenberry brothers arrived at crucial time in the cultural formation of early Provo. Territorial leaders were beginning to emphasize the importance of education and citizens in Utah County were becoming more committed to providing educational opportunities for their children. Warren and Wilson believed that education ran the gamut of available topics and their school was popular because it offered classes in the standard educational topics of the day as well as classes in drama, music, and dancing. Financial difficulties forced the first Dusenberry School to close at the end of the spring term in 1865 and the brothers became involved in other pursuits.

  In 1869 conditions appeared favorable for the establishment of another school and the second Dusenberry School was established in the Kinsey Building in downtown Provo. The school proved highly successful and in 1870 was reorganized as a branch of the University of Deseret and moved to the Lewis Building. The Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret struggled financially from its inception—in large part because the citizens of Utah County were not willing, or able, to pay tuition. The Timpanogos Branch was forced to close in 1875. About the same time Brigham Young was looking for a way to establish an educational institution in his name. Brigham Young had been heavily involved with the University of Deseret and was aware of the educational foundation that had been laid by the Dusenberry brothers in Provo. President Young decided to take advantage of the thriving educational environment in Provo and his ownership of the Lewis Building by establishing the Brigham Young Academy there under the interim direction of Warren Dusenberry. The Brigham Young Academy opened in 1875 with Warren Dusenberry as its first principal. Warren directed the winter semester (Dec. 1875 to Apr. 1876) before stepping down to pursue other employment opportunities. His successor was Karl G. Maeser.

• Lewis Building–Brigham Young Academy’s first home

  July 8, 2009

  The first home of the Brigham Young Academy was the Lewis Building. The J. W. Lewis Store was built in 1867 and was soon purchased by Brigham Young. The Lewis Building was a brick building located in downtown Provo. When Brigham Young executed the deed of trust establishing Brigham Young Academy he stipulated that the school be held in the Lewis building. Due to repairs that were being made on the old building, the new school’s opening was delayed until January 3rd, 1876.

  

  Lewis Building, ca. 1879

  The Lewis Building served as the home of Brigham Young Academy from 1876 until January 1884 when it was destroyed by fire.

  

  The fire ravaged Lewis Building, 1884

  The destruction of the Lewis Building initiated a period of homelessness for the Brigham Young Academy which lasted for eight years. The Academy held classes in a variety of buildings throughout Provo until the Education Building was completed in 1892. The Brigham Young University Archives holds a few collections that document the fire that destroyed the Lewis Building as well as images of the building before its destruction. They include:

  • UA 521 Lars Echert Eggertsen letter, 1884. This letter describes the fire that burned the Lewis building.
  • UA 179 Aretta Young’s “On the burning of the Brigham Young Academy at Provo, 1884.” This collection includes a letter to Evanda Young in the form of a poem describing the burning of the Lewis Building in January 1884.
  • UAP2 1000 views of 100 years photo collection. This collection contains images of the Lewis Building before the fire and after the fire.
  • UA 823 College of Biology and Agriculture photographs, [ca. 1880s-1960s]. This collection contains a photograph of the Lewis Building.

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

• Timpanogos Hike

  May 27, 2009

  One of the most popular summer activities for BYU students is hiking Mount Timpanogos.  Mount Timpanogos is the second tallest mountain in the Wasatch range and is located off of the Alpine Loop which can be accessed through either American Fork Canyon or Provo Canyon.  Not many students realize that hiking Mount Timpanogos has been a popular student activity since the early 1900s.  The annual Timpanogos Hike was established in 1912 by Eugene Roberts, an early BYU athletic coach, with the express intent of encouraging physical activity amongst university students.

  

  Students rest while hiking Mount Timpanogos, 1912

  The first hikers hauled bedding and tents up Provo Canyon to Aspen Grove and camped overnight before summitting the nearly 12,000 foot mountain.  They then spent another night at Aspen Grove and then hiked back to Provo. The Timpanogos Hike drew sixty five students the second year of its existence and quickly became a popular student activity.

  

  Hiking Mount Timpanogos, ca. 1925

  By the 1960s the annual hike drew thousands of participants.  In 1970 the Forest Service asked the university to discontinue the organized hike due to severe erosion of the mountainside caused by the increasing number of hikers.  Students still continued to hike Mountain Timpanogos as individuals and this continues to be a popular student activity today.  There are a number of collections in the University Archives that document the annual Timpanogos Hike.  They include:

  • UA 48 Timpanogos Hike programs, 1922-1940.  This collection contains various printed programs handed out as part of the hike.
  • UA 562 Eugene L. Robert papers, 1912-1972.  This collection documents Eugene L. Roberts’ life and includes information on the Timpanogos Hike from 1912 to 1914.  To access the finding aid for this collection, click here.
  • UA 563 Brigham Young University Department of Recreation records, 1914-1968.  This collection includes a series that documents the Timpanogos Hike from 1923 to 1970.  To access the finding aid for this collection, click here.
  • 378.2 Sm6834 1955 Smith, William H. The annual Mount Timpanogos hike : its origin, background, and development. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University, 1955.  This thesis describes the history of the Timpanogos hike up until 1955.

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

• Go Cougars

  May 14, 2009

  Brigham Young University selected the cougar as its mascot in 1923. Eugene L. Roberts, a coach and faculty member, suggested the cougar because it is native to Utah and it exemplified the traits that he hoped athletes competing for Brigham Young University would have. These traits included strength, agility, grace, quickness, and beauty. In 1925 an alumnus of Brigham Young University notified Roberts that he had captured a mother cougar and three of her kittens. He wanted to know if the university would be interested in obtaining the kittens. Two of the kittens were brought to campus to serve as mascots. They were named Cleo and Tarbo.

  

  The first BYU mascots were two young cougar kittens named Cleo and Tarbo.

  The young cougar kittens were soon adopted by George K. Lewis as personal pets and quickly became fixtures on campus during the 1925-1926 school year.

  

  George K. Lewis with Cleo and Tarbo, ca. 1925

  The cougar kittens were kept on the south side of Temple Hill until 1930 when Tarbo died and Cleo was sent to a zoo in Salt Lake City. The school has not owned cougars since then, although live cougars were sometimes brought to campus for special occasions. The current mascot, Cosmo Cougar, made his deput in the 1950s.

  A number of collections are available for those interested in learning more about the cougar mascots of Brigham Young University.  They include:

  • UA 62 Brigham Young University Dept. of Athletics records, 1925-1928.  This collection includes typescript news release and a program announcing the acquisition of two cougar kittens to become mascots; it also includes their disposition and names.
  • UA 1312 Alexander Wadley reminiscences, 2006.  This collection consists of two reminiscences. The first discusses the Block Y and various activities associated with it. The second discusses life at Brigham Young University in the 1930s and describes the different buildings on campus as well as student life. It also includes a discussion of the first cougar mascots.
  • UA 869 Brigham Young University single photo file, ca. 1890s-1980s.  This collection of campus photographs includes images of Cleo and Tarbo as well as early versions of Cosmo Cougar.

  These collections are available for research in the Perry Special Collections (1130 HBLL).  If you would like to learn more information about the mascot of Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• Becoming a University

  May 7, 2009

  Brigham Young University is a private university that seeks to develop students of faith, intellect and character who have the skills and the desire to continue learning and to serve others throughout their lives.  It traces its mission to the deed of trust used to establish the Brigham Young Academy in 1875.  Brigham Young founded the school with a clear vision of what he hoped to accomplish.  He envisioned the school as a place where every subject was to be taught bathed in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He also envisioned a school that would help students develop practical skills that they could use to make a living with.  The early Academy was essentially an elementary school that emphasized teacher training.  Students were placed in graded departments based on their educational level and previous schooling.  The Academy was divided into the Primary Department, the Preparatory Department, the Intermediate Department, and the Kindergarten Department.

  

  Brigham Young Academy, 1897

  By 1899 a Collegiate Department, which offered college level courses, and a Commercial Department, which provided post-secondary vocational training, were added to the Academy.  In 1903 Benjamin Cluff, Jr. convinced the Board of Trustees to change the name of the school to Brigham Young University.  This change formally occurred on October 15th, 1903.  Although the name had been changed, Brigham Young University still had a long way to go before being recognized as a college or a university.

  The next major steps to becoming a university occurred under the direction of Franklin S. Harris. In 1922 Harris began a reorganization of the academic structure of Brigham Young University.  He created five colleges (College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Commerce and Business Administration, College of Applied Sciences, and College of Fine Arts), the Graduate Division, the Research Division, and the Extension Division.  He also encouraged the Board of Trustees to authorize the construction of a library building which was completed in 1925.In 1923 Brigham Young University was formally accredited as a college by the Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools and in 1928 accreditation was achieved with the Association of American Universities.

  

  Brigham Young University campus, 1929

  Brigham Young University graduates would now have their degrees honored by graduate schools across the country.  The university had finally officially entered the fraternity of colleges and universities.

  If you would like to learn 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.

• The Domestic Organization

  March 19, 2009

  The need to integrate the sacred and the secular in the fledgling Brigham Young Academy meant that discipline at the school was strict.  Karl G. Maeser had been educated in a German educational tradition that emphasized the need for order and obedience to established regulations.  Maeser saw rigid moral discipline as a way to help students develop character and he taught them that they should never bend their principles.  The regulations established by Maeser were particularly strict on campus.  They included: no smoking on campus, a prohibition on the usage of vulgar language, no use of strong drinks, and no loitering.  Students were further advised to suspend their studies on Sunday and to attend the theater no more than once a week.

  Maeser also felt a keen need to ensure that Academy students followed the rules when they were not on campus.  The Domestic Organization was organized to monitor student behavior when they were not on campus.  Among the responsibilities assigned to the Domestic Organization were the approval of student housing and the implementation of the Visitorial System.  The Visitorial System was based on a Prussian model in which the lives of students were monitored at all times by school officials.  It allowed the administration to keep a close watch on the “manners, morals and activities of the Academy students.”  Students and faculty were assigned by the school to visit the homes of other students every couple of weeks to determine if they were abiding by the Academy’s standards of conduct.

  The University Archives is home to several collections that help us gain a better understanding of the Domestic Organization and allow us to get a small glimpse of early student life at the Academy.  These records include:

  • UA 593 Brigham Young Academy. Domestic Dept. Enrollment statistics, 1895.  This collection consists of two photocopies of records listing students by county or home state.
  • UA 239 Brigham Young Academy. Domestic Dept. records, 1879-1881.  This collection contains a typewritten transcript of the minutes of the organization and a description of how the organization helped students maintain honorable conduct on and off campus.
  • UA 195 Brigham Young Academy. Domestic Dept. records, 1879-1890.  This collection contains meeting minutes and lists of students involved with the Domestic Department.
  • UA 1150 Brigham Young University annual school catalogs, 1876-1962.  This collection includes circulars, bulletins, and catalogs. Circulars contain much of the same information as the catalogs such as, a brief history of the University, course descriptions, program descriptions, and tuition and fee listings.  Circulars also contain information on expected student behavior at the Academy.   Bulletins are more of an overview of a specific department. These include aims of the department, reasons to study that major, requirements for that major, and again course descriptions.  Click here to see the finding aid for this collection.

  If you would like to learn more about the sources available for studying the Domestic Organization, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• Benjamin Cluff, Jr. and BYU

  March 12, 2009

  

  Benjamin Cluff, Jr. (Third principal of BYA and first president of BYU)

  Benjamin Cluff, Jr. enrolled as a student at Brigham Young Academy in the spring of 1877.  He excelled at his studies and was asked to teach in the Primary Department in the fall of 1877.  This began a nearly thirty year association with the Academy.  His early teaching experience created a deep desire in Cluff to further his education and in 1886 he received a leave of absence from his teaching responsibilities to pursue his own education.  He enrolled in the University of Michigan were he distinguished himself as a scholar and polished his skills as a writer by defending the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in print.  While at Michigan Cluff was exposed to the works of several of the most influential educators of his time including Charles W. Eliot, John Dewey and Aaron B. Hinsdale.  He dreamed of taking many of these new educational ideas back to Brigham Young Academy to strengthen the young institution.  Cluff returned to Brigham Young Academy in 1890 and was appointed assistant principal under Karl G. Maeser.

  Cluff became the third principal of Brigham Young Academy in 1892 when Maeser stepped down to focus on his work with the Church school system.  Cluff immediately began to implement changes that he felt would strengthen the Academy.

  

  The Brigham Young Academy faculty, 1900.

  These included lengthening class periods from half an hour to one hour, increased expectations of the faculty, adding new courses to the curriculum, and increasing the reading and writing requirements expected of students.  By 1903 Cluff had convinced the Academy board of trustees to rename the institution Brigham Young University–due largely to his academic reforms.

  Cluff was interested in more than just academics.  He wanted a complete collegiate experience–much like the one he had experienced at the University of Michigan.  It was under Cluff’s administration that competitive athletics became part of the BYU experience.  Baseball began in 1891, football in 1896, and track and field in 1899.  Women’s basketball was introduced in 1900.  Athletics continues to remain an important part of the university’s identity.

  The University Archives is home to several collections that document the impact that Benjamin Cluff, Jr. had on Brigham Young University.  They include:

  • UA 1093 Benjamin Cluff Brigham Young University President’s records, 1892-1903.  This collection contains correspondence that documents the administration of Brigham Young Academy under Benjamin Cluff.  For view the finding aid for this collection click here.
  • MSS 1667 Benjamin Cluff diaries, 1881-1909.  This collection consists of four diaries. The earliest of these, 1881-1886, covers the time when Cluff was a student at Brigham Young Academy.  For online access to this diary click here.   The volume covering 1886-1900 relates his experiences as a student at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and as president of Brigham Young Academy. The remaining two volumes, 1 Jan.-21 Aug. 1904 and 1906-1909, describe his activities and experiences as a plantation owner in Tabasco, Mexico.  To view the finding aid for this collection click here.
  • UA 135 Benjamin Cluff papers, 1900-1902.  This collection contains a scrapbook containing newspaper articles (photocopies) concerning the Brigham Young Academy South American Expedition.
  • UA 1013 Benjamin Cluff Photographs and correspondence, 1911-1943.  This collection contains potographs and correspondence of Benjamin Cluff, Jr. Among the photographs is a family picture of the Benjamin and Harriett Cluff family. Correspondence is between Cluff and his son, Cyril, as well as Cluff and the Utah-Mexican Rubber Company.
  • UA 191 Benjamin Cluff theological notes, 1882-1885.  This collection contains notes on theology, articles by Cluff, education notes, world situation notes, and titles of library books.

  If you would like to learn more about the sources available for studying Benjamin Cluff, Jr., please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• The Songs of BYU

  February 26, 2009

  Attend any major sporting event at Brigham Young University and you will hear a rousing rendition of the Cougar Fight Song by the BYU student body. The familiar strains of the Cougar Fight Song were written by Clyde D. Sandgren and became the school fight and pep song in 1947. It replaced the previous pep song Alma Pater which had been written in 1931 by Glenn Potter and set to music by Walt Daniels. The first school song (The College Song) was written by Annie Pike Greenwood and debuted in the White and Blue on May 15, 1899. It was set to music by J. J. McClellan. In 1903 the initials BYA in the College Song were changed to BYU when Brigham Young Academy became Brigham Young University. The University Archives is home to a wealth of information on these important songs and others. The role that they have played at Brigham Young University is well documented. Collections to look at include:

  • UA SC 36 Old BYU traditions and accompanying songs. This collection contains: Item 1. The history of the “Y” Bell and the “Old Y Bell” song. — Item 2. The College Song and revision. — Item 3. The history of the block Y and “The trail of the Y” song. — Item 4. The Athletic Carnival and the Timpanogos song.
  • UA 330 Yells and songs of Brigham Young University, 1900-1960. This collection includes articles about BYU songs and traditions. Also includes the original BYU yells and songs, and musical scores relating to BYU.
  • AC 901 .A1 no.688 “Brigham Young University” march by Robert Sauer
  • BX 8608 .A1a no.1963 Alma Pater : Brigham Young University pep song
  • AC901 .A1a no.4263a 1947 The Cougar song of Brigham Young University by Clyde D. Sandgren
  • AC 901 .A1a no.457 1958 Music of the “Y”. Produced by the Associated students of Brigham Young University, February, 1958
  • AC 901 .A1a no.3905 1965 The old “Y” Bell of Brigham Young University by Clyde D. Sandgren
  • M 1948 .B74 C46 1975 1975 Centennial songs : Brigham Young University Centennial 1875-1975 : Centennial convocation, Marriott Center, October 10, 1975
  • BX 8608 .A1 no.4072 1913 Y college yells

  If you would like more information on these songs and their impact on school spirit, contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• Course catalogs and class schedules

  February 19, 2009

  One of the more frequent reference requests fielded by the University Archivist involves the need to gather information about classes that individuals had taken as students at Brigham Young University.  Sometimes the requests are for individuals writing their family histories and they want to be able to accurately describe the coursework that they did as university students.  At other times the need is more pressing as the individuals are applying for jobs or to be licensed in a new state and are being required to produce evidence that they are competent in the subject matter at hand and they need to demonstrate what was taught in a course that they took five, ten, fifteen, or even twenty years ago.  Individuals looking for information about courses have three main collections in the University Archives that they can turn to.  These include:

  • UA 1077 Brigham Young University Class Schedules, 1929-2006.  This collection contains class schedules for the Brigham Young University, the Salt Lake Center and Evening classes.  The university uses the class schedule on a semester by semester basis to give information on the time, location, teacher, and credit given for each class offered. The class schedule also has an academic calendar for the semester, general education requirements, and university policies.  The hard copy versions of the class schedules run through 2006 when the university made the decision to go electronic with the class schedule.  The University Archives has not been able to adequately capture the class schedules since then.  To view the finding aid for this collection click here.
  • 378 B76 Brigham Young University Undergraduate Catalog, 1901-2008.  The course catalog describes the different programs and their course requirements available at Brigham Young University and the degrees offered by each program.  It also contains brief descriptions of what each course is and the material to be covered in those courses.  The course catalog is available in print in the University Archives and, beginning in 1997, is also available online at http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/.
  • LD 571 .B67 G7 Brigham Young University Graduate Catalog, 1951-2008.  The graduate catalog contains information about the various graduate programs offered at Brigham Young University as well as information on the requirements for each graduate degree and brief descriptions of the graduate level courses.  The graduate catalog is available in print in the University Archives and, beginning in 1997, is also available online at http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/.

  If you would like more information about researching information on coursework taken at Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• Ernest L. Wilkinson and BYU

  February 5, 2009

  

  Ernest L. Wilkinson served as president of Brigham Young University from 1951 until 1971

  One of the most dynamic individuals ever associated with Brigham Young University was Ernest L. Wilkinson. Wilkinson’s association with the university began during World War I. On October 25, 1918 Wilkinson was inducted into the Brigham Young University Student Army Training Corps and served until the end of the war. In 1919 he formally enrolled as a student at Brigham Young University and graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

  In 1923 Wilkinson and his new bride, Alice Ludlow, moved to Washington, D. C. so that he could began law school at George Washington University. He earned a Bachelor of Law degree in 1926 and pursued further study of the law at Harvard University, graduating in 1927 with a Doctor of Juridical Science. Wilkinson taught law for several years at the New Jersey Law School before embarking on a successful legal career in New York City and Washington, D. C.

  In 1950 George Albert Smith, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, approached Ernest L. Wilkinson about becoming president of Brigham Young University. Wilkinson had definite ideas about the future of Brigham Young University and had been sharing them with the Church leadership for several years. He thought long and hard about the potential for successfully helping Brigham Young University realize his vision of the school’s future before accepting the offer. He did not begin his tenure until 1951 because of commitments that he had with his law firm. Ernest L. Wilkinson had a profound impact on the destiny of Brigham Young University.

  

  Ernest L. Wilkinson and family in 1951 as he assumed the presidency of Brigham Young University.

  During his twenty years at the helm, Brigham Young University experienced tremendous growth. Enrollment grew from around 4,000 students to nearly 25,000 students. The number of buildings on campus grew from twenty to more than one hundred. Academically, BYU went from five colleges to thirteen colleges and experienced a complete revision of the curriculum. Associate and doctoral degrees were added to the bachelor’s and master’s degrees already offered. The University changed from the quarter system to the semester system, scholarships were expanded, and the Honors Program was established. Under his leadership a number of new programs were instituted including the Army and Air Force ROTC, the weekly forum of great speakers, intramural sports, the Institute of Government Service, and the Institute of Mormon Studies. The total number of faculty increased from 193 to 1,070, with the proportion of faculty holding doctoral degrees increasing from 26% to 54%. The number of graduate degrees awarded annually increased over ten times, to 840. During this time period BYU’s performing groups traveled all over the world and the university’s athletic programs achieved national prominence in many areas. Perhaps, his proudest achievement was the establishment of wards and stakes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on campus. When he became university president one branch of the Church existed on campus; in 1971 ten stakes with ninety-eight wards were operating.

  

  Ernest L. Wilkinson is unmasked as Cosmo in 1960. Wilkinson wanted as many students as possible to have a BYU experience and worked tirelessly to grow the university.

  The Brigham Young University Archives is home to several collections that document Wilkinson’s successful law career and his impact on Brigham Young University. They include:

  • MSS 2382 Wilkinson, Cragun, and Barker papers, 1949-1979 This collection documents Wilkinson’s legal activities on behalf of the Ute Indians. The collection contains legal documents of Indian Litigation Cases heard by the Indian Claims Commission, 1949-1970. Litigants include the Turtle Mountain Band of the Chippewa Indians, the Uinta Utes, the Spokane Tribe, the Coeur D’Alene Tribe, and the Southern Utes.
  • MSS 2291 United States. Indian Claims Commission Papers, ca. 1950-ca. 1980 This collection also documents Wilkinson’s legal activities on behalf of the Ute Indians. The collection contains legal documents from the law firm Wilkinson, Cragun, and Barker, concerning cases filed through the Indian Claims Commission. Click here to access the finding aid.
  • UA 1086 Ernest L. Wilkinson Brigham Young University President’s Records, 1949-1975. This collection documents Wilkinson’s activities as president of Brigham Young University. Click here to access the finding aid.
  • UA 1000 Ernest L. Wilkinson Personal papers, 1917-1978 This collection consists of two series. The Personal Papers series which documents Wilkinson’s personal and professional activities and the Corporate Records series which documents Wilkinson’s presidential tenure at Brigham Young University. Click here to access the finding aid.
  • UA 1071 Brigham Young University. University Communications Collection of Ernest L. Wilkinson newspaper clippings, 1951-1971 This collection contains newspaper clippings about Ernest L. Wilkinson that were gathered by University Communications. 

  If you would like to gain access to these collections or learn more about the impact of Ernest L. Wilkinson on Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• Delicious Tension: Understanding Brigham Young University

  January 29, 2009

  In order to understand Brigham Young University you must first understand the tension that is at the heart of the university’s identity.  This tension revolves around the university’s attempts to integrate academic distinction with spiritual excellence and has been present since the university was founded as Brigham Young Academy in 1875 by Brigham Young, second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  

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

  In 1876 Brigham Young chose Karl G. Maeser as the first fulltime principal of the Brigham Young Academy and instructed Maeser that “neither the alphabet nor the multiplication table were to be taught without the Spirit of God.” Maeser took this message to heart and focused his administration on the development of character. He made devotional activities central to the academy experience and established the Domestic Organization to help students live appropriately when they were not at school. Although Maeser was a highly educated man and understood the importance of academic excellence, his administration was marked by a distinct emphasis on the sacred.

  

  Benjamin Cluff, third principal of Brigham Young Academy and first president of Brigham Young University, served from 1892-1903.

  In 1892 Maeser handed the reins of the academy over to one of his former students, Benjamin Cluff. Cluff had been educated at Brigham Young Academy and then had pursued further academic training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. While at the University of Michigan Cluff was exposed to the work of several highly influential educational thinkers including Charles W. Eliot, John Dewey, Aaron B. Hinsdale, and James Burrill Angell. He also came to believe firmly that the educational stature of Brigham Young Academy needed to be strengthened. During Cluff’s administration his main priority was to improve the quality of the faculty and the school’s educational offerings. Although Cluff was a staunch defender of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a deeply spiritual man, his administration was marked by a distinct emphasis on academics.

  

  George H. Brimhall, second president of Brigham Young University, served from 1904-1921.

  In 1903 Benjamin Cluff successfully convinced the Board of Trustees that Brigham Young Academy should become Brigham Young University and then resigned. His successor was George H. Brimhall. Brimhall had studied under Karl G. Maeser and understood the importance of the sacred to the purpose of Brigham Young University. Brimhall had also worked with Benjamin Cluff and understood the importance of being academically excellent. Brimhall’s administration was marked by his attempts to balance the competing needs of the sacred and the secular. The modernism crisis of 1911 is the first major manifestation of the tension between the sacred and the secular and Brimhall’s handling of the crisis set Brigham Young University on the trajectory that it currently follows—a trajectory that links the university closely to the Church. This tension remains at the heart of Brigham Young University’s identity.

  The University Archives is the home of the presidential records of all three of these influential individuals and if you wish to understood how the tension between the sacred and the secular was first defined at Brigham Young University then you will want to take a look at these collections:

  · UA 1094 Karl G. Maeser Brigham Young University President’s records, 1876-1892 To access the register of this collection click here.

  · UA 1093 Benjamin Cluff, Jr. Brigham Young University President’s records, 1892-1903 To access the register of this collection click here.

  · UA 1092 George H. Brimhall Brigham Young University President’s records, 1904-1921 To access the register of this collection click here.

  If you would like to gain access to these collections or learn more about the tension between the sacred and the secular at Brigham Young University, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu .

• The Honor Code at Brigham Young University

  January 9, 2009

  One of the things that makes Brigham Young University unique is its Honor Code.  Students and employees at Brigham Young University are expected to abide by the Honor Code.  The origins of the Honor Code lie in the establishment of the Domestic Organization by Karl G. Maeser in the late 1870s to aid students live according to the standards of the Brigham Young Academy.  The Honor Code was formally adopted by the university in the 1940s and aimed to help students be more responsible in the living of the standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Honor Code has evolved over the years to include dress and grooming standards, morality, and academic honesty.  The University Archives is home to several collections that document the development of the Honor Code.  They include:

  • UA 195 Domestic Department Records, 1879-1900 Collection includes minutes of meetings and lists of students involved. The Domestic Organization, created by Karl G. Maeser, concerned itself with regulating student life through a self-policing system. It concentrated on curfew times, boarding house regulations and adherence to the Word of Wisdom. The 1884-1885 volume also includes minutes of the missionary meetings and the general theology class.
  • UA 239 Domestic Department Records, 1879-1881 Collection includes domestic department records with typewritten transcript of minutes and description of organization for maintaining honorable conduct.
  • UA SC 56 Miscellaneous items on the BYU honor system, 1957-1960 Includes student handbooks and two recommendations to the faculty council on the honor code
  • UA 1022  Pamphlets concerning the Honor Code, n. d. This collection contains pamphlets from the Honor Code office, the student Associations, and from the Athletic Department explaining the Honor Code.
  • UA 971  Tributes, 1969-1979 This collection contains tributes to Brigham Young University that were gathered during the administration of President Dallin H. Oaks.  Topics include the cleanliness of the campus, the honor code and the appearance of students and faculty.
  • UA 64  History of the formal honor system at Brigham Young University during the first ten years, 1950-1960 Collection includes a report on the history of the Honor System at Brigham Young University since its formal adoption and an analysis of its major problems.  It also discusses the attitudes of students and faculty and methods of operation used by the Honor Council.

  If you are interested in learning more about the Honor Code, please come to Special Collections and take a look at these collections.  If you would like help in refining your research strategy, please contact the University Archivist at gordon_daines@byu.edu or (801) 422-5821.

• Marriott Center

  December 11, 2008

  One of the most used buildings on the campus of Brigham Young University is the Marriott Center. This multi-purpose building is the site of devotional and forum addresses, basketball and other indoor athletic contests, cultural performances, and convocations. President Ernest L. Wilkinson announced plans for building the Marriott Center in September 1968 and emphasized that the building would be financed by gate receipts, student building fees, and public contributions rather than the tithing funds of the Church. Construction lasted until 1972 but the building was opened for use in December 1971 to host the Cougar Classic basketball tournament. At the time of its construction it was the largest university activities center in the United States.

  

  A devotional in the Marriott Center shortly after its completion.

  

  Basketball game in the Marriott Center

  The building is named after J. Willard Marriott who made a generous donation to help finance its construction. The original name of the building was the J. Willard Marriott Activities Center and it was affectionately known among students as the “Big Mac.” The name was later shortened to the Marriott Center.

  

  J. Willard Marriott and President Harold B. Lee

  The building measures 384 feet by 344 feet and seats 23,000 people. The roof of the building is unique in that it is one large steel truss. It was constructed at ground level and then raised thirty five feet into place on top of thirty-eight steel columns. It is the largest roof structure ever erected and lifted by this method. After the steel space frame was in place, the dirt was excavated down to the playing floor level.

  

  Building the Marriott Center roof

  

  Excavating the Marriott Center floor

  For more information about the Marriott Center or if you are interested in researching buildings on campus, please contact the University Archivist at gordon_daines@byu.edu or (801) 422-5821.

• December Graduation and Commencement

  December 5, 2008

  Students at BYU graduate at three different times each year–April, August and December.  However, the university only celebrates Commencement in April and August.  Those who graduate in December may choose to walk in the Commencement ceremonies held in August or April but have no Commencement ceremony of their own.

  Commencement is an important part of the university experience. It is the public recognition that students have completed the requirements for graduation as established by their major.  Commencement has been held in various locations over the years including the old BYU Stadium on the hillside, ca. 1920s; the Joseph Smith Building, 1940s; the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse, 1950s-1960s; and the Marriott Center, 1971 to the present.

  

  Commencement at the old BYU Football Stadium on the hill, 1920s

  

  Commencement at the Joseph Smith Building, 1940s

  

  Commencement at the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse, 1950s-1960s

  

  Commencement at the Marriott Center, 1970s to the present

  Although students who graduate in December each year do not have a formal Commencement ceremony, they are recognized as university graduates in the commencement programs produced for the August and April Commencements.  These commencement programs are available in the University Archives as part of UA 1008 Brigham Young University Commencement exercise programs, 1890 to the present.  Click here to see the finding aid for these commencement programs.

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

• Football at BYU

  November 20, 2008

  Football got its start at Brigham Young University in 1896 while it was still Brigham Young Academy.

  

  1896 Football team

  The first team played six games and one of their victims was the University of Utah whom they beat 12-0.  The Academy fielded a team every year until 1900 when football was banned from all Church schools as the result of an accidental death in Utah.  Football was not resumed at Brigham Young University until 1919 and even then it was only an intramural sport.  Intercollegiate football games were resumed in 1920 and have been a consistent part of the BYU experience since then.  The students were quite enthusiastic about the reinstatement of football.

  

  The football team leaves for a game, 1920

  The University Archives holds several collections that allow researchers to study the early history of football at Brigham Young Academy and Brigham Young University.  They include:

  • UA 148    Correspondence of the Brigham Young University Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees, 1907-1922. This collection contains correspondence documenting the reinstatement of football at BYU.
  • UA 544    Brigham Young University. Department of Physical Education records, 1920-1980. This collection contains football programs and other material related to the football program.  Click here to see the register for this collection.
  • UA 113     Rocky Mountain Faculty Athletic Conference records, 1919-1937. This collection contains information on the first conference that Brigham Young University football was affiliated with.
  • UA 1029   Brigham Young University Athletic photographs, 1893-1989. This collection contains photographs of the Brigham Young University football teams from 1896-1980.  Click here to see the register for this collection.

  These are only a few of the many collections containing information on football at Brigham Young University that are held by the University Archives. If you would like to know more, please contact the University Archivist at gordon_daines@byu.edu or (801) 422-5821.

• Family and BYU

  November 13, 2008

  One of the core beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the importance of family. Brigham Young University has taken its responsibility to family extremely seriously from its inception. This can be seen in the university’s approach to student housing and in its academic structure.

  The concept of “in loco parentis” (in place of parent) has always played a strong role in the American university. At Brigham Young Academy it led Karl G. Maeser to establish the Domestic Organization. This organization was responsible for ensuring that students behaved appropriately while they were attending the academy. This organization would eventually develop into the Housing Office when Brigham Young University got into the student housing business in 1939 with the construction of a men’s residence—Allen Hall. Allen Hall was swiftly followed by a residence for women—Amanda Knight Hall. These two dormitories were the extent of on-campus housing until the 1950s and 1960s when the building boom under Ernest L. Wilkinson saw the construction of

  

  Lounge in Helaman Halls

  Helaman Halls, Heritage Halls, and Deseret Towers as well as married student housing.

  The importance of family to Brigham Young University can also be seen in the establishment of the College of Family Living in the early 1950s. It was quite possibly the first college in the United States dedicated to the study of the family.

  

  Nursery in the Joseph F. Smith Family Living Center

  It was housed in the Joseph F. Smith Family Living Center—a building designed with kitchens and other spaces for studying the family. Although the College of Family Living has been incorporated into the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences and the Joseph F. Smith Family Living Center has been replaced by the new Joseph F. Smith Building, the university’s attachment to family can still be seen in today’s Family Studies Center.

• Researching the history of BYU

  November 6, 2008

  

  University Archivist Gordon Daines

  One of the most frequent questions that I get as the University Archivist is “Where do I start my research into x topic on the history of Brigham Young University?”  This is an excellent question and there are a number of resources available to help you launch into your research project.  I will highlight three in this post.

  The first place that I recommend that everyone begin is the Discovering BYU annotated bibliography.  This bibliography is available on-line and describes over two hundred secondary sources that deal with aspects of Brigham Young University’s history.  Each article or book in the bibliography features a brief annotation as well as publication information.  You can search the bibliography by keyword descriptors, author and periodical title.  It will let you see what has been written about your chosen topic and will help you identify works that you should take a look at it.  The bibliography is updated annually and so if you come across a title related to the university’s history that is not listed, please drop me a note at gordon_daines@byu.edu and I’ll make sure it is added.

  The next place to look is the “Popular Search Topics” page on the BYU history site.  Each year I create a “Popular Search Topic” that lists secondary and primary sources about the founder being honored during Homecoming.  Topics covered also include subjects that I receive frequent requests about.  So far the list includes Alice L. Reynolds, Rex E. Lee, Karl G. Maeser, Benjamin Cluff, and Edwin S. Hinckley as well as information on researching campus buildings, university presidents, campus photographs, student life, and general university history.

  The final resource I will discuss today is the Guide to Processed Collections.  This Guide aims to be a comprehensive description of all of the primary sources about the university’s history that are available in the University Archives.  It is organized by topic and each entry includes the title of the collection, its call number, whether or not it is available for research, and a brief annotation.  It is updated annually.

  These three resources will go a long way to getting you started on your research.  I am also available by appointment to do research consultations.  Please contact me at gordon_daines@byu.edu or 801-422-5821 if you’d like help with your research project.

• Y Days

  October 15, 2008

  Y Days has its origination with the creation of the Block Y in 1906.

  

  First Y Day, 1906

  For more information on the establishment of the Block Y click here .  Y Day was typically held in the spring and was a way for students and faculty to show their loyalty to Brigham Young University.  The main purpose of the day’s activities was whitewashing the Block Y with a fresh coat of lime.  Everyone participated in the activities.  The faculty cleared the trail, freshmen hauled water from a spring, sophomores lugged the whitewash up the mountain and mixed it in large wooden troughs, and juniors and seniors poured the mixture on the large Y.

  

  Y Day Bucket Brigade

  According to the centennial history all of this activity was accompanied by the music of the BYU band in an effort to keep school spirit alive during the strenuous work.  While the men whitewashed the Y, the women prepared lunch.  Students who refused to participate in the whitewashing of the Y or the preparation of lunch risked being tossed into the Botany Pond or having their hair shaved or getting a Y painted on their forehead.

  

  Tossing a student who refused to participate in Y Day into the Botany Pond

  Each year Y Day became more elaborate with the addition of a matinee dance (always held after lunch) as well as swimming, bowling and other activities in the 1930s.  By the 1960s both male and female students participated in the whitewashing of the Y.  In 1972 the bucket brigades were replaced by a helicopter and this part of Y Day ended for students.

  An important change to the nature of Y Day occurred in 1957 that made the eventual elimination of whitewashing the Y palatable to students.  That year Y Day began to include a community wide clean-up.  Students were encouraged to clean city parks, clip grass in cemeteries, wash windows, clean-up widows homes, and other service oriented projects.  It is in this spirit that Y Days is still celebrated at Brigham Young University.  Although the time for Y Day has shifted from the spring to the fall, the underlying spirit of service to the community remains.

• Homecoming at BYU

  October 1, 2008

  

  Homecoming Queen float, 1947

  Brigham Young University’s Homecoming festivities have a rich history rooted near the end of the 19^th century. President Benjamin Cluff began what would become our Homecoming with the establishment of Founders Day in 1891 to remember individuals who had established Brigham Young Academy and helped it to flourish. The first Founders Day was held 16 October 1891, and quickly became an annual tradition. The first Homecoming was held in the fall of 1930. Prior to this there had been frequent class reunions, but never a general welcome back to campus of alumni. According to the Wilkinson centennial history, Homecoming was associated with a football game and parade from the very beginning. “During the halftime of the November 15 football game with the Montana State Bobcats, floats, costumed students, stunts, and people depicting various periods from 1875 to the year 2000 paraded past the stands.” Founders Day became an integral part of Homecoming, while retaining its purpose of honoring the university’s founders. Homecoming festivities quickly became an important part of the BYU Experience and continue to be celebrated today. Things haven’t changed much since Homecoming’s early days as we still celebrate an honored founder, hold a parade, enjoy a football game, and other exciting activities that welcome alumni back to campus and introduce new students to the Spirit of the Y.

  

  Homecoming float, 1952

  A number of collections in the University Archives can help researchers gain a better understanding of the role that Homecoming activities have played and continue to play at Brigham Young University. They include:

  • Alumni Relations Collection, 1955-1983 (UA 1133). This collection contains information on how the university interacts with its alumni.
  • Associated Students of Brigham Young University Women’s Office History, 1975-1982 (UA 908). This collection contains information on the Homecoming Queen pageant that was an important part of early Homecomings.
  • Brigham Young University Alumni Association Activity files, 1967-1988 (UA 968). This collection contains information on Homecoming events from 1975 to 1981 as well as information on Founders Day events from 1967 to 1979.
  • BYU Alumni Association Historical Records, 1937-1987 (UA 1006). This collection contains information on Homecoming events from 1968 to 1974 as well as information on other Alumni Association programs.
  • BYU Single Photo file, ca. 1890s-1980s (UA 869). This collection includes photographs of Homecoming parades as well as other campus events.

  These are only a few of the many collections containing information on Homecoming held by the University Archives. If you would like to know more, please contact the University Archivist at gordon_daines@byu.edu or (801) 422-5821.

• The Academic Review, the BYA Student, and The White and Blue

  September 23, 2008

  In October 1884 the Polysophical Society of the Brigham Young Academy began to publish the Academic Review.  This literary journal contained information about the Academy, reports on events (including campus lectures), and advertisements.  It also included the literary efforts of several students.  It lasted through May 1885.  In 1891 a new student paper was begun and titled the BYA Student.  This periodical featured content similar to its predecessor and lasted for about five months.  Six years later in 1897 students decided to give it another go and established The White and Blue.  Oirginally published every other month the paper eventually gained enough traction that it was decided to publish it twice a month.  The White and Blue ran through 1921 when it was supplanted by the Y News.  The White and Blue featured more original student writing and reporting than its predecessors.  It included essays on the character of Brigham Young University, information from the various school classes, literary essays, poetry, information on sporting events, and other interesting details of student life.

  Each of these student newspapers/literary journals opens a window into life at Brigham Young Academy/Brigham Young University during the time period 1884-1921.  The University Archives is fortunate to have a complete bound run of The White and Blue available as part of our print collections.  We are also fortunate to have complete runs of the Academic Review and the BYA Student. Both of these periodicals are part of UA 1108 (Brigham Young Academy Student Publications, 1884-1896).  UA 1108 also contains copies of other student publications including The Normal, The Journal of Pedagogy, and The Business Journal. These are invaluable resources for gaining an understanding of student life during the early years of Brigham Young University’s existence.

• Presidential Papers

  September 11, 2008

  Brigham Young University has been led by twelve charismatic and inspired leaders. Their influence on the university is documented in the records of their administrations. The University Archives is home to the presidential records of all of the university’s presidents excluding those of the current administration. These records provide a detailed look into the history of the university and its development over the past century. They cover topics ranging from accreditation to athletics to devotional speakers to relationships with the Board of Trustees. The records of the presidential administrations of Karl G. Maeser to Ernest L. Wilkinson are available to research after consultation with the University Archivist. The records of Dallin H. Oaks through Merrill J. Bateman are unavailable to public research without permission from the current sitting administration (Cecil O. Samuelson). Contact the University Archivist at gordon_daines@byu.edu for information on how to request permission to access these records.

  The following Presidential Records are available for public research after consultation with the University Archivist:

  • Karl G. Maeser Brigham Young University President’s records, 1876-1892 (UA 1094)
  • Benjamin Cluff records, 1892-1903 (UA 1093)
  • George H. Brimhall records, 1903-1921 (UA 1092)
  • Franklin S. Harris Brigham Young University President’s records, 1921-1945 (UA 1089)
  • Howard S. McDonald Brigham Young University President’s records, 1945-1949 (UA 1087)
  • Ernest L. Wilkinson Brigham Young University President’s records, 1949-1975 (UA 1086)

  The following presidential records are restricted to public research:

  • Dallin  H. Oaks Brigham Young University President’s records, 1971-1980 (UA 1085)
  • Jeffrey R. Holland records, 1980-1989 (UA 1030)
  • Rex E. Lee Brigham Young University President’s records, 1989-1996 (UA 925)
  • Merrill J. Bateman Brigham Young University President’s records, 1996-2003 (UA 1073)

  For more records associated with the various presidential administrations take a look at the Guide to Processed Collections under the heading “Presidents.”

• Block Y

  September 4, 2008

  The most recognizable symbol of Brigham Young University is the block Y that graces the mountain east of the university.

  

  This iconic symbol came to represent the university rather late in the game (31 years after the founding of Brigham Young Academy). In 1906 the class of 1907 decided to whitewash their class year on the mountain east of campus. This did not sit well with the other classes and they obliterated the lime powder monument that the class of 1907 had created. To prevent further difficulties among the classes President George H. Brimhall authorized Ernest Partridge to survey the letters B, Y, and U on the mountainside.

  After the letters were laid out by Ernest Partridge and three of his students, the entire student body joined together to whitewash them. They started with the Y and formed a chain gang up the mountain. The first individual took a bag of lime, sand or rocks and passed it to the next individual until it eventually made its way up the mountain to the area staked out for the Y. It took the students all day to get a thin cover of whitewash on the Y and no attempt was made to cover the B or the U. The Y measured 322 feet by 120 feet and sits on 280 acres of land purchased by the university. At first it was a plain Y but in 1911 it was turned into a block Y by the addition of serifs.

  The whitewashing of the Y by students quickly became an important tradition at the university and a vital part of Y Day. This tradition was discontinued in 1973 due to concerns that the large number of students involved was speeding up the erosion of the mountainside. In 1924 the block Y was lit for the first time–a dangerous process involving rags and kerosene that was replaced by small light bulbs in the 1970s. The Y is lit during Homecoming and for other important events at the university. The Y celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006 and continues to be the most recognizable symbol associated with Brigham Young University.

• Fostering Lifelong Learning

  August 21, 2008

  Campus Education Week is in full swing on the campus of Brigham Young University. This highly successful program is one of the many ways that the university reaches out to help members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints become lifelong learners. Campus Education Week began in 1921 as Leadership Week and originally aimed at helping Church leaders understand how to run Church programs. The program has evolved over the years and is now aimed at helping individuals develop habits of learning. The program currently features approximately 1,000 classes on education, religion, marriage, family relations, health, history, genealogy, science, youth interests, and many other areas.

• University Photographs

  August 7, 2008

  

  President Ernest Wilkinson does push-ups while Cosmo cheers him on.

  In 1975 as part of the centennial celebrations of Brigham Young University Edwin Butterworth, director of the BYU News Bureau, was asked to create a pictorial history of the university. The result was a wonderful composition of photographs documenting the first one hundred years of the university’s existence. Titled 1,000 Views of 100 Years this volume chronicles everything from student life to academics to athletics and is a excellent resource for gaining a visual understanding of the university. In 2004 this marvelous resource was digitized and is now available through the Harold B. Lee Library’s digital collections as part of the Campus Photographs collection. Campus Photographs includes images from BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii and BYU-Provo. These images may be searched as a group representing the Brigham Young University system or images from each campus may be searched individually. Take a moment to explore this wonderful resource and get to know the early pictorial history of Brigham Young University.

  The Brigham Young University Archives is also home to several other collections of photographs. These include images of the various buildings on campus (UA 827), images of athletic events (UA 1029), and images of campus life (UA 869) to name a few. These and other photographic collections are accessible through the reference desk in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections. It is important to note that 24 hour notice is required to access these photographs as they are stored in a cold storage facility. If you have any questions about the photographic collections (physical or digital) held by the University Archives, please contact Gordon Daines at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

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