Collegiate Grads of BYA 1898



Collegiate Grads of BYA 1898's Website
Alphabetical Alumni
411, BYA Collegiate Students

411, BYA Collegiate Students

BYA Collegiates 411

In this Alumni Directory, our focus is on the often-forgotten BY Academy secondary senior classes between 1877 and 1903, and on the BY High School senior classes from 1904 to 1968.

In 1881 Brigham Young Academy's Scientific Department broke new ground by awarding a "collegiate diploma" to James E. Talmage, the first such BYA diploma to be issued. This raised serious questions about whether a secondary school could issue a "collegiate diploma" that would be recognized by colleges. James Talmage and others were required to take extra tests at other colleges before their collegiate credential was accepted.

BYU and the BYU Alumni Association keep records of BYA collegiate-level graduates, but have not in the past kept comprehensive lists of BYA high-school-level graduates. That is why our emphasis in this Directory is on high school graduates. Nevertheless, in this Directory we will also track the relatively small number of BYA students who received BYA collegiate degrees between 1881 to 1903, simply to avoid confusing the two groups, and because there is much overlapping. [We have also added the earliest BYU graduates, 1904 to 1935, for the same reasons.]



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411, Class of 1898

411, Class of 1898

Class of 1898 411

B. Y. Academy Class of 1898.

Current research [May 2008] has found four collegiate graduates, all four receiving the Bachelor of Pedagogy degree (B. Pd.) -- this is probably complete.

However, Scott Cowley's 1898 research in the BYU Records Office documented only one BYA high school graduate, Clifford Goff, and it is likely that there are dozens of additional graduates. From a variety of sources we have found a total of 8 possible members of the class. More focused research is needed.

Dunford, Leah Eudora [Widtsoe,]

Dunford, Leah Eudora [Widtsoe,]
Salt Lake City, Utah US

Leah and John Widtsoe

B. Y. Academy Collegiate Class of 1898, and Faculty. Leah Endora Dunford. Leah Dunford received the Bachelor of Pedagogy (B.Pd.) degree in Spring of 1898. Source: Students Record of Class Standings B. Y. Academy, Book 1, page 140. ~ ~ ~ ~ Leah Dunford, Domestic Science teacher, 1897-1899. Board of Trustees, 1933 to 1939. Wife of Elder John A. Widtsoe. Author of at least three books: 1. Brigham Young, The Man Of The Hour: Leader Of The Latter Day Saints, by Leah D. Widtsoe, John A. Widtsoe. 2. How To Be Well: A Health Handbook And Cookbook Based On The Newer Knowledge Of Nutrition By A Member Of The Mormon Church, by Leah D. Widtsoe, John A. Widtsoe. 3. Life Story of Brigham Young: Mormon Leader, Founder of Salt Lake City, and Builder of an Empire in the Uncharted Wastes of Western America, by Susa Y. Gates, Leah D. Widtsoe, and Susa (Young) Gates. ~ ~ ~ ~ Leah Eudora Dunford was born February 24, 1874 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her parents were Alma Bailey Dunford and Susan (Susa) Amelia Young. She married John Andreas Widtsoe on June 1, 1898 in Salt Lake City. She died on June 7, 1965, in Salt Lake City. Interment, SLC, Utah.

Maeser, Karl F. Reinhard (1855-1926)

Maeser, Karl F. Reinhard (1855-1926)
Provo, Utah US

Reinhard + Maeser

B. Y. Academy Collegiate Class of 1898, and Faculty. Karl F. Reinhard Maeser. He received the Bachelor of Pedagogy degree (B. Pd.) in Spring of 1898. Source: Students Record of Class Standings B. Y. Academy, Book 1, page 140. ~ ~ ~ ~ Reinhard Maeser, English teacher, 1901-1906, 1920-1921. ~ ~ ~ ~ Karl Frederick Reinhard Maeser was born March 19, 1855 in Dresden, Saxony, Germany. His parents were Karl Gottfried Maeser and Anna Henrietta Theresa Mieth. He first married Mary Eliza Friel on May 27, 1880 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He second married Sarah Caroline Shepherd on June 16, 1882 in St. George, Utah. He died on September 17, 1926 in Provo, Utah. Interment, Provo, Utah. ~ ~ ~ ~ Memoirs of E. E. Ericksen, second principal of BYA Beaver Branch ~ Murdock Academy: "There were teachers of wisdom on the Murdock campus. Reinhard Maeser, son of Utah's premier educator Karl G. Maeser, had taught English at the academy from its inception [1898]. He was in his fifties when I became principal and was the wisest person on the campus next to Mrs. Maeser. These two and their eight children lived in the woods not far from school. They were near enough to campus to see and hear what was going on but far enough away from its disturbing elements. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of every teacher. His only weaknesses were being the son of Karl G. [Maeser] and wanting to be principal. The first was no fault of his and the second was due to the fact that his friends — and some who were not his friends — were forever telling him that he should be principal. He did eventually become the principal and had the honor of going down with the boat [1920s]. In this he unfortunately showed a lack of wisdom, and I was compelled to tell him so."

Nelson, Andrew Clarence

Nelson, Andrew Clarence

Andrew Nelson

B. Y. Academy Collegiate Class of 1898. Andrew Clarence Nelson. Received the Bachelor of Pedagogy degree (B. Pd.) in Spring of 1898. Source: Students Record of Class Standings B. Y. Academy, Book 1, page 140.