BYU and You! (BY Academy and Lillian Cummings)

Maxine Moulton's BYU Orientation Brochure 1946-47

 

As I was thinking about my son who is soon to enter BYU-Idaho I began to count of all the family members who have had the opportunity of attending BYU over the years. 

BYU was founded in 1875.

It is quite an impressive list and it began with Margaret Lillian Cummings who attended Brigham Young Academy from 1909-1911. 

In her tape recorded life sketch from July, 1967, Lilly tells about her teacher, Anthony C. Lund:   "...who was a wonderful musician.  He really took an interest in me, and on one time told me that if I would stay with my music, I would be one of the best players who ever sat down to a piano."

Lilly had played the organ since she was 6 years old.  She played in Primary at eight, and at 13 years was the stake organist. "I played for 'most everything in Heber.  I played for hundreds and hundreds of funerals."

 Lilly was a BYU student for about 2 1/2 years before she married Hyrum Chase Moulton when she was 21 years of age.   "I played with Professor Sauer's dance orchestra.  I played for the symphony orchestra.  On Wednesday at noon they always had a recital in the college hall for all the music students.  Professor Lund had me play on most every program.  I'd play for the best violin players, choristers and quartets.  I was the only one in school that played a duet with my teacher (Lund) on those programs.    We'd sit in his office and he and I would play duets.  He would say, "I've never had a student that could make music out of finger exercises.  It seems to me that you like that as well as you do something with a good melody to it." 

Early graduates of BY Academy.

Anthony C. Lund was the head of what was then the Brigham Young Academy Music Department. Under his direction it was changed from being a department to being a school of music in 1901. He continued as head of the music department after the school became Brigham Young University.  Lund was the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City,  Utah from 1916 until his death in 1935. 

Organ at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City's Temple Square.

 Lilly said:  "I remember once when I came to Salt Lake and I met Professor Lund.  He asked me where I was going.  I don't remember now where, but he said, "Do you know?  I 'd like to take you down to the Tabernacle and let you play that beautiful organ."  Now I with I had, but you know right then I though I had an excuse not to go, but now I wish I had gone with him so I could say I had played the organ in our big tabernacle there."

Plaque noting the early days of the Academy.

Restored BY Academy.  Now a Library for the City of Provo.

The Brigham Young Academy where my Grandmother Lillian attended her classes actually housed one of my classes in the 1970's!  Later it was restored to become the Provo City Library.

Inside of the restored BY Academy as it appears today.

Now BYU Provo Campus has moved up to "Temple Hill" and is a home to 34,000 Cougars. 

Provo, UT and BYU Campus in 2014.

James A. Owen, Graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan.

My father, James A. Owen, graduated first from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE where James A. Owen attended.

After joining the LDS Church he decided to further his education at BYU.  He met my mother, Reva Maxine Moulton in the Heber J. Grant Library.   He graduated in 1948 with an education degree and became a teacher in the Church Education System.

The well-established family tradition of attending BYU resulted in five members of the Moulton family in the same Freshman Class in 1946!

Five members of the Moulton family were at the Y in 1946.  The end of World War II and the GI Bill resulted in many former soldiers enrolling at the Y.

Maxine Moulton and James Owen were students at BYU in 1947.

James and Maxine in front of the Neilson House.  This home eventually became the office for Heritage Halls in the 1970's.  It was torn down only a few years ago.

Many a happy family has been created from relationships begun at BYU.  Deann Weed was Maxine's sister.

Cyndy Owen remembers walking by this sign every morning on her way to BYU.  Notice something funny about this sign?

Many of our family are now alumni of Brigham Young University. We "entered to learn" and went "forth to serve."  

Cyndy Weiss and Deborah Weiss during graduation 2011.

BYU Alumni.  Many Weiss family members have graduated from BYU-Provo.  Mark attended BYU-Hawaii when it was Church College of Hawaii.  Five Weiss children have attended BYU-Idaho.

Enter to Learn-Go Forth to Serve.

We are thankful to those, like Lillian Cummings, Maxine Moulton, and James Owen who led the way and provided an example of seeking learning by study and faith.  BYU has been wonderful environment for our family's learning and growth.