--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 25 number: 9 published: 1922-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Degrees Conferred at University of Utah Commencement Exercises", *Improvement Era* 25, no. 9 (July 1922): 836–837.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2509unse 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: improvementera2509unse start_page: 836 end_page: 837 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1922-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2509unse publication_year: 1922 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 1922, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Degrees Conferred at University of Utah Commencement Exercises Degrees Conferred at University of Utah Commencement Exercises On June 6, 1922, in recognition of praiseworthy service and achievement, the University of Utah bestowed its highest honors upon Dr. James E. Talmage, past president of the institution. In the presence of the great gathering at the commencement exer- cises, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon Dr. Talmage. He was presented by Dr. Joseph T. Kingsbury, president-emeritus of the university, who for a long time was associated with Dr. Talmage in the faculty and who succeeded him as president of the university. The award of the honorary degree was made by President George Thomas. Dr. Talmage, theologian, educator, scientist and author, was born at Hungerford, Berkshire, England, September 21, 1862, and came to Utah in 1876. He was a student, and later an instructor, in the Brigham Young University between 1876 and 1882. He attended Lehigh University, in 1882-3, and later re- ceived from this institution the degree of Bachelor of Science. During 1883-4 he was a special student engaged in research work at Johns Hopkins University. In 1896 he took the degree of Doc- tor of Philosophy from the Illinois Wesleyan University for non- resident work. In 1912 he received the honorary degree of Doc- tor of Science from Lehigh University. He was associated with the Brigham Young University from 1884 to 1888 as professor of chemistry and geology, and from 1888 to 1893 he was presi- dent of the Latter-day Saints College in Salt Lake City. Dr. Talmage succeeded the late Dr. John R. Park in the presidency of the University of Utah in 1894, and at the same time became the Deseret Professor of geology. He served as the head of the State's highest institution of learning until 1897, when he resigned the presidency but retained his chair of geology until 1907. Dr. Talmage was a consulting and mining engineer for many years, and from 1891 to 1919 he served as director of the Deseret Museum. He was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church in December, 1911. He is the author of many books on science and theology. He is a fellow of the Royal Microscopical So- ciety, Great Britain; the Royal Scottish Geographical Society; the Geological Societies of Great Britain and America; the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also a member of the phil- osophical Society of Great Britain. The honorary degree of Doctor of Science was bestowed upon Dorsey Alfred Lyon, supervisor of the U. S. Bureau of DEGREES CONFERRED AT U. OF U. 337 Mines with headquarters at Washington, D. C. He was present- ed by Dr. Joseph F. Merrill, director of the School of Mines and Engineering, and the degree was awarded by President George Thomas. The 53rd annual commencement of the University of Utah was held on Tuesday, June 6, on the campus. Two hundred sixty graduating students were turned into the service of the state and nation. Many thousands of people, including stu- dents, parents, faculty and special guests, attended the exercises. The regents, faculty, graduates and alumni formed a slow and imposing procession led by President George Thomas, Mayor C. Clarence Neslen, President-emeritus Joseph T. Kingsbury, President Heber J. Grant, Dr. John A. Widtsoe, Dr. James E. Talmage, and other noted educators and officials. The distin- guished educators in the procession wore gowns and variously colored hoods, indicating the higher degrees. The members of the graduating class wore the simple black caps and gowns. Im- posing exercises were carried out including an address by Presi- dent Thomas; a message to the graduates of 1922, by Judge Samuel R. Thurman; musical exercises; awarding of scholar- ships and fellowships. A noteworthy incident in the exercises was the presentation to the University by Dr. Joseph F. Merrill, director of the School of Mines and Engineering, of a $2,000 memorial fund in honor of his son, Joseph Hyde Merrill, former student of the institution, who died during the war. The inter- est on this money is to be used as a loan fund for students in the School of Mines or others registering in Physics and for instructors in the School of Mines. First Fathers? and Sons' Outing, 1922, Maricopa Stake, May, 18-20 at Granite Reef, near Mesa, Arizona. This was the first outing for 1922. Are you ready for yours? Report place and date to general office.