--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - George H. Brimhall collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 23 number: 9 published: 1920-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'George H. Brimhall, "The Brigham Young University," *Improvement Era* 23, no. 9 (July 1920): 831–834.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2309unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2309unse start_page: 831 end_page: 834 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1920-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2309unse publication_year: 1920 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1920, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Brigham Young University a The Brigham Young University By Dr. George H. Brimhall, President Forty-five years ago the Brigham Young University was founded by a deed of trust executed by Brigham Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — Church that holds that knowledge is a concomitant of salvation, and that ignorance is a sin where there is an opportunity to be informed. The educational vision of the founder had been thrown into public view years before, when, in an address to the Board of Regents of the University of Utah, Brigham Young, then Governor of the Territory, said, "Education is the power to think clearly, the power to act well in the world's work, and the power to appreciate life." Summed up, Brigham Young's definition of education may be found in the 1920 slogan of the school, "Scholarship, service, and spirituality," with emphasis where the Master put it when he said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." The cause for which the institution stands, and the effects of its existence has labeled the school as fit to survive. At home its paper is gilt edged, and abroad the universal success of its students has won it high favor. * As evidence that it sends its students forth facing a rising sun, it has furnished three university presidents, one president of a State Agricultural College, three state superintendents of public instruction, five presidents of normal colleges, fourteen members of the Utah State Agricultural College Faculty, twelve members of the Faculty of the University of Utah, more than a score of county superintendents, a large number of high school principals and hundreds of teachers of secondary and elementary schools. It has furniohed for affairs of state, three United States senators, two congressmen, many state legislators, one attorney general, one judge of the Supreme Court, five district judges, and a goodly number of men who have become eminent in law, medicine and engineering. To this number is added thousands of patriotic, God-loving men and women, prominent as social workers, to say nothing of the multitude of Church workers carrying responsibility, S-tt, ill o "3 < 2 c 8 .f5 si - w a< S < *cc § 2 ~ <: j» is o^C c 3 I *h S c .2 •§ v j» c is '3 SB g *' « o ; BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY 833 ranging from that of members of the Council of Twelve Apotles, to that of the humblest worker in the ward. From an initial enrollment of 59 students and a faculty of three members, the institution has grown, so that the enrollment of the present year, including students of the summer session, will reach nearly 2,000 with a teaching force of 77 persons. The university is comparatively rich in memorials left by students at the time of their graduation, yet these memorials do not comprise their greatest or most unique gifts to the institution. Imbued with the spirit of service the students have dug trenches, cleansed a tract of university land of sagebrush, planted lawns, flowers and trees upon the campus, built a trail up the big mountain side, while the alumni association has erected a memorial building to Dr. Karl G. Maeser, the first principal of the school, at a cost of $100,000. The Brigham Young University is the parent institution of the Church school system, and is a center for the training of high school teachers and Church activity leaders. The Brigham Young University is unique in its educational atmosphere; and so long as it fulfils the mission for which it was brought into existence it will be a democracy of fair play and a fraternity of divine reliance and human helpfulness. Provo, Utah Sabbath O, blessed day of peace and rest, Thou art the day I love the best! Through precious hours thy gifts are sown With blessings from the Savior's throne. With songs of joy attune my lyre, And feed my soul's celestial fire-; Let love with love its pleasures meet, And happiness be mine complete. I know the joy of rest and peace That from my toil brings sweet release: And when the evening hours have passed Yet shall thy precepts ever last. And so repeated days replace Thy happy hours of love and grace And Heaven, each departed year, In virion thou hast made more clear! Joseph Longking Toivnsend. DR. JOHN A. WIDTSOE, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH