Agent S's document stash: Part II

[_Bond James Bond]

Let's get right to the docs. Agent S?

[continued from Agent S's introduction to the material]

McMurrin-McKay Correspondence - I think most of this is out there, but I am not sure if all of it is. McMurrin had stacks of these when he handed me one of them and told me to enjoy the read. I hope you do too. Especially, for those who don’t have access to Dialogue and Sunstone, this is a nice summary of his involvement in ‘the Negro problem.’ I’m doubting whether all of the letters here are out in the public domain, but I may be wrong. Well, enjoy it, as I am sure he would tell you to do, as well. This is what he handed to visitors when they asked him about the topic.

I’m looking for some other things from him, and if I can round them up, they will come in the second tranch.

Adamson, Ape or Angel - My advisor in the English department turned me on to Jack Adamson. Although not Mormon, my advisor had great respect for Jack Adamson. He was, however, already gone by the time I showed up, so I never took a class with him. He also co-authored a couple of biographies, including one on Sir Walter Raleigh, that was favorably reviewed. I don’t know why but this paper he gave (where, I am not sure now) really influenced me as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Ernest L. Wilkinson Diary Comprehensive Index, Parts One, Two, Three, and Four- I really get a kick out of this still today. There is just some damn funny stuff in here. As you all know already, Ernest L. Wilkinson was quite the character. Of course, you can read all about him and the BYU in Bergera’s book. But, I don’t think you can get the whole index out of that book. When I googled it, I saw that it is in the Marquardt papers in the Harold B. Lee Library, Special Collections Department. If you can’t get there to read it, well now you don’t have to. Enjoy!

Check out especially the McMurrin and Madsen (Truman) entries. (Truman Madsen listed on the faculty as having a Ph.D. two years before he ever received it?) Good stuff all the way through.

I am working now on the second tranch, dedicated to science and evolution. Here is one entry, from the Oral History of BYU, #17, Harvey Fletcher, p. 11:

You know they’re not always agreeing in the Twelve on some of these things, particularly when it deals with science. He (now referring to brother Widtsoe) said brother Joseph Fielding Smith and brother Talmage used to have it pretty hot sometimes, and he said that brother Talmage, see he talked about fossils and that was part of his subject as a geologist, went down to Adam-ondi-aman where the alter of Adam is supposed to be and he had a pick and picked around through it and finally found a fossil right in the cement of this altar. He found two or three of them and brought them up and put them in a bag and brought them home. He said he came back at (sic) one of the meetings of the Twelve, and he said, “Now brother Joseph, I understand that you thoroughly believe and are very sure that the first man on earth was Adam, the first life was Adam.” He said, “I certainly do believe that.” He said, “Well, what about these?” then, he handed out the fossils, and said, “I found those in the altar.”

Funny stuff. Can’t really imagine that happening today with Elders Scott and Bednar, can you? I think there will be some things in this tranch that maybe no one has had their hands on yet. I guess we will see.

Again, enjoy. And a sincere thanks to Bond.

(Assuming no technical difficulties) find the documents here:

http://zackc.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/documents-4/

The next section, alluded to by Agent S in his preview to the first group of documents should be out midweek, perhaps at the end of the week.

Main document list remains:
http://zackc.wordpress.com/documents/

[_Blixa]

Thanks Bond and Agent S. This is some lovely material.

This is wonderful:

Here is one entry, from the Oral History of BYU, #17, Harvey Fletcher, p. 11:

You know they’re not always agreeing in the Twelve on some of these things, particularly when it deals with science. He (now referring to brother Widtsoe) said brother Joseph Fielding Smith and brother Talmage used to have it pretty hot sometimes, and he said that brother Talmage, see he talked about fossils and that was part of his subject as a geologist, went down to Adam-ondi-aman where the alter of Adam is supposed to be and he had a pick and picked around through it and finally found a fossil right in the cement of this altar. He found two or three of them and brought them up and put them in a bag and brought them home. He said he came back at (sic) one of the meetings of the Twelve, and he said, “Now brother Joseph, I understand that you thoroughly believe and are very sure that the first man on earth was Adam, the first life was Adam.” He said, “I certainly do believe that.” He said, “Well, what about these?” then, he handed out the fossils, and said, “I found those in the altar.”

[_CaliforniaKid]

"You know they’re not always agreeing in the Twelve on some of these things, particularly when it deals with science. He (now referring to brother [John A.] Widtsoe) said brother Joseph Fielding Smith and brother [James E.] Talmage used to have it pretty hot sometimes, and he said that brother Talmage, see he talked about fossils and that was part of his subject as a geologist, went down to Adam-ondi-aman where the alter of Adam is supposed to be and he had a pick and picked around through it and finally found a fossil right in the cement of this altar. He found two or three of them and brought them up and put them in a bag and brought them home. He said he came back at (sic) one of the meetings of the Twelve, and he said, 'Now brother Joseph, I understand that you thoroughly believe and are very sure that the first man on earth was Adam, the first life was Adam.' He said, 'I certainly do believe that.' He said, 'Well, what about these?' then, he handed out the fossils, and said, 'I found those in the altar.'"

Delightful! This certainly isn't available on the Internet anywhere. In fact, I couldn't even find any reference to an "oral history of BYU" by Harvey Fletcher. So it appears Agent S is breaking new ground!

[_Blixa]

The Ernest Wilkinson diary indices are amazing. I think I'm gonna send them to my Dad for a Father's Day gift. My favorite index listing so far: "ELW says BYU only once used tithing funds to finance athletics." And the listings under "Blacks at BYU"---oh my.

Then there are some stupendous LOLs like:

"ELW shocked at BYU fad dancing. Blows his top at administrators."

"Student body officers upset w/ELW's stand on fad dancing."

"ELW upset with student body officers for insubordination."

or this listing under "Homecoming Queen:" "Sang a song with didn't seem queenly."

but in my opinion this is THE BEST ONE OF ALL:

"ELW dreams he's spattered w/ grease. Hundreds steal his greasy pants."

Shades better bring back images fast, I need to draw that dream.

[_Bond James Bond]

The Ernest Wilkinson diary indices are amazing. I think I'm gonna send them to my Dad for a Father's Day gift. My favorite index listing so far: "ELW says BYU only once used tithing funds to finance athletics." And the listings under "Blacks at BYU"---oh my.

Then there are some stupendous LOLs like:

"ELW shocked at BYU fad dancing. Blows his top at administrators."

"Student body officers upset w/ELW's stand on fad dancing."

"ELW upset with student body officers for insubordination."

or THE BEST ONE OF ALL:

"ELW dreams he's spattered w/ grease. Hundreds steal his greasy pants."

Shades better bring back images fast, so I can draw that epic dream.

From section 4:

Sabbath: "Today 1st Sunday 'for a long time' I've strictly kept Sabbath holy"

Sabbath: "ELW chides Salt Lake secretaries for not working 7 days like he does"

(for Coggins) Sabbath: "ELW & Cleon Skousen skip church to work on BYU history"

Salaries at BYU: "ELW based salary increases on percentage tithing faculty members paid"

Social Sciences "ELW: This is the one College where most of the dissenters are"

Spying At BYU "ELW spends all day reviewing draft of student surveillance report"

Tithing: "ELW wants to replace faculty who do not pay full tithe"

Wilkinson, E.L." "Ponders nuclear destruction and his potential real estate losses"

[_Blixa]

From section 4:

Sabbath: "Today 1st Sunday 'for a long time' I've strictly kept Sabbath holy"

Sabbath: "ELW chides Salt Lake secretaries for not working 7 days like he does"

(for Coggins) Sabbath: "ELW & Cleon Skousen skip church to work on BYU history"

Salaries at BYU: "ELW based salary increases on percentage tithing faculty members paid"

Social Sciences "ELW: This is the one College where most of the dissenters are"

Spying At BYU "ELW spends all day reviewing draft of student surveillance report"

Tithing: "ELW wants to replace faculty who do not pay full tithe"

Wilkinson, E.L." "Ponders nuclear destruction and his potential real estate losses"

The stuff on spying and racial issues are fascinating. But come on man, nothing beats "Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
I might have to write a novel just to give that uncanny and evocative image its full due.

[_Bond James Bond]

I didn't have to wait long. Agent S:

Perhaps we all have heard of the address by Reed Durham, Jr. concerning the involvement of Joseph Smith in Masonry. And we perhaps have even read it. Most likely, if you have read it, you also know of the Mervin Hogan address. Both of these are on the internet. You also may have heard of and even read the apology by Durham. It can be found on Wikipedia. I have included the actual apology (mimeograph). What I couldn't find on the internet was Jack Adamson's paper (of Ape and Angel fame), also given at the same conference. So, this should fill in or complete your files. Enjoy the read!

The following Talmage material is the first small packet of my science and evolution files. I really don't know if this is available or not, though it is probably out in some book or other by now. I haven't followed along to know what is out there now, but enjoy, if you haven't read this stuff before.

http://zackc.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/documents-5/

[_Blixa]

Thanks! I too missed out on studying with Jack Adamson, so I'm always interested in his work.

[_Bond James Bond]

The stuff on spying and racial issues are fascinating. But come on man, nothing beats "Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
I might have to write a novel just to give that uncanny and evocative image its full due.

Nothing beats greasy pants. Unless they're "soiled greasy slacks" [h/t to SGW's style].

[_Blixa]

The stuff on spying and racial issues are fascinating. But come on man, nothing beats "Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
I might have to write a novel just to give that uncanny and evocative image its full due.

Nothing beats greasy pants. Unless they're "soiled greasy slacks" [h/t to SGW's style].

I'm still hysterically laughing over Ernie's dream of stolen greasy pants. The whole index speaks volumes about his anger and paranoia and all that is perfectly distilled into that one dream image. It's such a great example of Freud's "the dream work." I've really got to find the perfect way to artistically incorporate it.

God moves in mysterious ways, who'da thunk I'd ever find inspiration from Ernest Wilkinson.