Weber State University - Acorn Yearbook (Ogden, UT)

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Dear Students of Weber State College: As Weber State College observes its Seventy-Fifth Anniversary this year, 1 extend congratulations for its accomplishments of the past three-quarters of a century. To this school, still dear to my heart, go my best wish- es and prayers for continued success in the years ahead.” Sincerely yours. President David O. McKay

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As the nature of the curriculum changed, Weber Stake Academy became Weber Academy, later Weber Normal College and then Weber College. Again the name was changed when the State Legislature in 1962 authorized a change to Weber State to better reflect its role as a four-year, public college. Shortly after its organization in the Second Ward the school moved to larger quarters in the old LDS Tabernacle at 22nd and Washington. Hut after a few weeks there Weber was forced to close its doors for 18 months while its first permanent home was being built. This was the Moench Building, 2455 Jefferson, which was used along with other buildings on lower campus for the next 70 years. The classical structure was finished in 1892. The move to its present 230-acre campus at the loot of the Wasatch Mountains, 38th and Harrison, was made in 1954. In the early days board members and other officials made personal sacrifices to keep the school going, thus infusing into the institution a personality of integrity and of love that has carried Weber over many hard times. As the great events of the century unfolded - the depression, World War 11, the population explosion - Weber adapted its program to equip students for the needs of the times. Weber was divided into two divisions: transfer courses for students planning to finish college, and the vocational-technical programs lor those who wanted immediate employment. An important function in its role as a community college was the evening school. Records show that as early as 1900, courses were given in the evening, but the first regularly scheduled evning classes began with the opening of the 1938-39 term, and today Weber State’s evening scool is one of the largest in the West, outside of California. That Weber should eventually become a full-fledged four-year public college seemed inevitable to many of its leaders, as far back as the depression days. It was 1949 when the first organized attempt was made to induce State Legislators to authorize the expansion to senior college status. Success finally came in 1959, when the lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the “four-year bill”. Weber State now faces a bright, new era in its proud history - one involving great campus expan- sions, large faculties, greater enrollments, and add- ed opportunities too serve the community and the state.

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Dear Students of Weber: No one is more pleased than I am to see you go all out to celebrate this the 75th Anniversary of Dear Old Weber. For fully three decades we have dreamed of a beautiful new campus high up on the mountain side as the permanent home of a strong thriving fully accredited four year State College. That dream has come true! 1 came to Weber as a teacher of German in 1914. I taught the first college classes and was appointed the first head of the college department in 1916 when Weber acquired college status. During my first term as President (1919-1920) under the leadership of Board President, David 0. McKay, we initiated the drive for the Weber gym on the old campus. During my second term of sixteen years (1937-1953) we accomplished the following: (1). Establish the terminal vocational division upon the completion of the vocational building (2444 Adams) and bought the Central School buildings and most of the dwellings on the block; (2). Set up a very effective eighty man Citizens Committee and Advisory Board; (3). I.ost the bill in 1947 Legislature for a four year charter but won an appropriation of $50,000 toward the purchase of a new campus; (4). Raised $68,000 locally from 4500 contributors in eight days and purchased approximately 200 acres of land east of Harrison Avenue (the present site) for less than $100,000; (5). Received from Ogden Rotary Club the $25,000 gate- way. (Please notice that we left five spaces in the name-plate for the insertion of the word “State”) ; (6). Secured favorable action from both the House and Senate on our four year college bill but it was vetoed by the Governor; (7). Received a substantial faculty research grant from the American Association of Junior Colleges and General Education Board for the study of terminal vocational curricula; (8). Were cited by Look Magazine as one of fifteen colleges and universities that best serves its community; (9). Henry Aldous Dixon Established the evening school in 1938 and raised enrollment from 450 in 1938 to 2,424 in 1952; (10). Increased regular enrollment in a ten year period (1937-1947) from 705 to 1,808. The largest enrollment in the history of Weber was 14,996 (mostly war trainees) in 1944-45 with 150 members of the faculty; (11). Found $1,100,000.00 in “spill over funds” in State Treasury, talked State Board of Examiners into giving it to Weber and constructed the first building on the new campus - the present heating plant and four classroom buildings. Added a $12.00 building fund to tuition which paved the way for the new Student Union Building. Our great school as we see it today is the result of the prayers, the vision, the sacrifices and the work of past and present generations of dedicated people. On past anniversaries and festive occasions we said: “Remember that we are only guests at a table which we did not set. The least we can do is to prepare an equally bounteous feast for those who come after us”. This is my charge to you for the future. Faithfully your, Henry Aldous Dixon