B.Y.U. HAS MANY MEANINGS

AN ADDRESS GIVEN TO THE BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODY

DR. EARL C. CROCKETT
Acting President
Brigham Young University

September 24, 1964

As Acting President of Brigham Young University, I have the opportunity and responsibility this morning of addressing the student body--thousands of you here assembled in the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse. I note that many faculty members are here, in addition to the Administrative Council. For this I am grateful. I trust that they will approve of what I have to say. My remarks are going to be largely addressed to the students, but we invite the others to listen in.

This is a brand new experience for me. Although I have presided at many B.Y.U. assemblies--both devotional and forum--during the seven years period that I have been here at B.Y.U., this is the first time that I have been an assembly speaker.

As many of you former students know, it is also a rather new experience for me to be serving as Acting President, because it was just last January that the Board of Trustees asked me to assume this responsibility. Thus, I have much in common with many of you. About 40 per cent of you wonderful students are new here this semester, and several hundreds more were new last summer or during the spring semester. Thus you are all adjusting to new experiences and so am I. Together we are sharing in a common educational venture--a brand new challenge on a new and unchartered sea in the "Goodshi.p B.Y.U. " May this voyage for the coming year provide rich opportunities for teaching and learning, for giving and receiv- ing, for generally sharing in the good things offered at B.Y.U. , by and for the faculty and the students, the newcomers and the oldtimers, the fresh- men and the graduates, and all those in between.

Now, today, is a good time for each of us to seriously ask the question: What does Brigham Young University really mean to me? She is known widely by the initials of her name--B.Y.U. Have you ever analyzed the capital letters "B" and "Y" and " U" ? I mean with refer- ence to the letters' separate and combined meanings when fulfilling the great mission of serving as a name for our wonderful University.

Let us begin with the letter "B." What can it, should it, does it signify? What does it stand for? Of course it means "Brigham" in the over-all name, but what else? I like to think of it as standing for bridge-- an important bridge students may cross, which leads from a condition of comparative ignorance on many subjects and of lesser knowledge , generally, to that of great knowledge , wisdom, and a stronger spiritual faith in God.

I also like to think of the letter "B" standing for beehive . Did you know that a beehive is pictured in our official University seal? In the future you will constantly be reminded of this because of the beautiful gold seal on the terrazzo floor inside the main entrance of our beautiful new Y Student Center.

What is the significance of beehive? Traditionally, in Mormon cul- ture especially, it has meant industry, cooperative effort, and perseverance in striving for the achievement of some worthy goal. Is this not then a great symbolic inspiration for students at B.Y.U.?

Can the initial "B" also stand for our balanced educational programs which emphasize both the intellectual and the spiritual aspects here at B.Y. U.? Again, can it signify a badge or banner for courageous living of the gospel standards, including a genuine love for our fellow men? Yes, I think so, I would like to think so. But especially I like to think of the letter "B" signifying ut --beauty of campus and buildings, yes, and we have this, but also and especially beauty of the mind, body and soul of each of us--the kind of beauty which comes from deep down within because of the fact that we are all true children of God and are trying to shape our lives accordingly.

Let us now leave "B" and turn our attention to the letter "Y." In the name of our school, of course it stands for "Young," referring to the last name of our Prophet Brigham, the Church leader who founded our school almost ninety years ago.

Let us also remember the other meaning of "young"--the adjective signifying youth. This is a fitting concept for our school as indicated by the letter "Y, " I think. Today the outstanding youth of the Church pour onto our campus from far and wide, all seeking an education. You come by the hundreds and the thousands, filling our classrooms , our laboratories, our residence halls, and even our parking spaces. Bless you! We all love the young in heart and especially the youth of our Church who are seeking an education at B.Y.U. Even though some of you are older in years than others, you are all young in mind and spirit. You generally possess youth- ful enthusiasm, high ideals , and a thirst for knowledge so characteristic of young people everywhere.

I am told the great hope of the Church in the future for true and inspired leadership among our people in responsible positions, extending from ward, to stake, to general board, to general authority, resides in our youth, especially in those who enter the portals of leaming at this great University.

Of course, at our school we also welcome young people not of our faith, provided they live our standards of personal conduct, which have been prescribed. We have many such choice souls on our campus. I urge you to welcome these students who are members of other religious faiths . Be friendly, be understanding and tolerant. Of course, the approved missionary approach is also acceptable behavior.

To me the letter "Y" also means yield, and the crop yield or harvest at B.Y.U. is the earning of credits which appear on official transcripts for courses taken and passed. Much more significant, however, the yield or harvest is best measured by the knowledge, the wisdom and the ideals which are acquired and carried away, continuing to be possessed by the many, many students who enter and go forth from our halls of learning.

Now we come to the last letter of the three initials in our wonderful University's name. What does, or can, or should "U" stand for? To me this last initial stands for unique, and we constantly refer to B.Y.U. as being a unique University--none other like it in the land or in the world. Remember, the highly descriptive and meaningful word "unique" refers to something uncommon, something limited in quantity, something rare, something perhaps peculiar because of its great value, or because it is priceless.

But what makes B.Y.U. unique? Well, there are many reasons. First, we might mention that the school has a very fine purpose or set of objectives, initially enunciated by Brigham Young when the school was started, and later more fully developed and described by our faculty after long deliberation, then subsequently approved and ratified by our Board of Trustees, the General Authorities. These objectives are stated in our General Catalog. Read them sometime--read them carefully. They have chartered the course for us to follow.

Second, I think we are unique because of the continuous guidance we have at B.Y.U. from our Board of Trustees. Our school is often referred to as being a Church-related institution. That is the classification when we are described by accrediting associations and higher educational groups nation-wide. But we are much more than just being Church-related. We are Church-financed and Church-guided. For this we are highly thankful. The members of the Board of Trustees of Brigham Young University, in case some of you newer students do not know, are the First Presidency of the Church, the Council of the Twelve, and four additional General Authorities who have had a great deal of experience in they take a education. So we have a most unusual Board of Trustees, and vital interest in our school. And as Chancellor Taylor and I go to Board meetings and executive committee meetings of the Board--and there is one this afternoon--we always come away feeling inspired and have great confidence in the future success of B.Y.U. because of this unique feature which we enjoy.

Third, we are unique because of the school's outstanding faculty, tirelessly devoted and dedicated to their work. The job of education at the college level is being conducted in the best sense of the word. For this we are grateful.

Fourth, we are unique because of an outstanding student body, carefully selected from among those possessing unusual ability, good character, and optimistic promise for the future.

There are other reasons, but, finally, we might say that we are unique because "by their fruits ye shall know them." In this case the school is unique because our administrators, our faculty, our staff, our students often do and always should possess certain unique characteristics--and note the repetitive use of the initial "U"--the last initial in our name, B.Y.U. We all possess or should possess an unconquerable spirit, unbounded determination, undying loyalty, unsurpassed scholarship, and unceasing faith--all of these features combined in a soul possessing unyielding courage and determination to do what is right. Is it any wonder that our University is unique?

We have now analyzed the three initials, "B" and "Y" and "U," and you know a little more about my image of this great University. I trust that each of you possesses or will possess a similar image. In doing so we may be engaging to some extent in the practice of wishful thinking. Sometimes we see what we want to see, but regarding B.Y.U. , I believe this is not entirely the situation. Here, as elsewhere, everything is relative. If we relate or compare our school to other colleges and universities, our conclusions regarding the meanings of "B" and "Y" and "U" are largely and relatively true, and for this we are very thankful.

Because of previous inexperience, I am not quite sure about all of my responsibilities but believe that one of them may be to offer you students certain suggestions and advice at the beginning of this new school year. So I will make a little attempt to do this in the remainder of my talk.

First of all, I sincerely urge you to take your class work seriously. Now is a good time even to begin preparing for final examinations which will come next January. You can do this by keeping up with your daily assignments. You are to be congratulated for entering school this fall, many of you for the first time, and many others of you continuing your education from previous semesters . I trust none of you later in life will be like the old timer who bemoaned the fact, "It's not my ignorance that done me up; it's what I knowed that wasn't so. " Let us try to learn here at B.Y.U. and learn the truth.

As never before in history an education is rapidly becoming a require- ment for success and leadership in many, if not most, of the pursuits of life. Certainly an education is important in the economic, political, and social activities all around us, as well as religious.

Brigham Young, we are told, had only eleven days of formal education in all of his entire life , yet he was one of the great pioneering and religious leaders of his generation, if not of our dispensation. This was possible because Brigham was endowed with exceptional natural talents and was ordained of our Father in heaven to lead his people . Even so, President Young often admitted his handicap in not possessing more formal schooling. As evidence of his realization of the vital importance of education, even higher education in the last century, Brigham founded two great universities--the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah) and Brigham Young University here in Provo. Inscribed on a plaque in the foyer of the Smoot Administration Building are these immortal words of Brigham Young, "Education is the power to think clearly, to act well in the world's work, and the power to appreciate life." And so Brigham really knew what an education meant, even though he had very little formal education himself. But he was a most unusual person.

Our beloved President McKay has told us:

True education consists not merely in the acquiring
of a few facts of science, history, literature, or art, but
in the development of character. True education awakens
a desire to conserve health by keeping the body clean and
undefiled. True education trains in self-denial and self-
mastery. True education regulates the temper, subdues
passion and makes obedience to social laws and moral
order a guiding principle of life . It develops reason and
inculcates faith in God.

Remember, it is man's brain that gives him his vast advantage over all animals, however superior they may be in size, strength, speed, claws, instincts and endurance . Man can analyze and generalize and put ideas into words so that they may be exchanged, criticized, recorded and trans- mitted. The experience of individuals is thus incorporated into a rich heritage of common culture that is the essence of civilization.

It has been said that ordinary persons have been able to multiply upon the face of the earth and '.ive in relative health and comfort mainly because of the presence of occasional exceptional individuals. The main additions to our stock of know!-edge, permitting civilization to advance, have come from uncommon men and women, those with exceptional ability or exceptional ambition or both, and of course education always helps them.

All B.Y.U. students are uncommon men and women--at least they are potentially so. Most of you have wonderful heritages from your parents. Thus you have a start in life very favorable . I do not mean necessarily that your parents have great wealth or income--not at all. I do mean that each of you has been endowed with a good mind, and most of you have probably been taught good personal habits and you desire a college education sufficiently to have prepared yourself for admission to this school; and many of you are well along with your education here. In fact, some of you are already student and Church leaders. You have demonstrated the qualities of leadership. And others of you soon will be doing that.

A week ago last Sunday I had the privilege of attending the final meeting of the week-long leadership conference held at Aspen Grove for our B.Y.U. student leaders. The particular meeting to which I refer was held on Sunday, and thus it was a religious service and it was devoted largely to testimony bearing. I wish every member of the faculty and the student body could have been there to hear those wonderful testimonies of our fine student leaders who will be in charge this year at B.Y.U. I assure you they are uncommon men and women in the best sense of the word. I believe our student affairs are in good hands this year with Brother Bruce Olsen and his associates in charge.

But all of you are select individuals. You all have leadership qualities, and I am sure you will go forth in the various parts of the world after completing studies at B Y.U. to make a favorable mark in the respective communities which will become your homes.

In attempting to get an education, the question is sometimes raised, do we aim too high? Do we pay too high a price for what we try to get? Tolstoy tells us the story of a man by the name of Pakhom who was contented living in his community--he possessed a happy wife and family. They were on a piece of land, tilling it. One time someone taunted Pakhom because he did not appear to have enough ambition. He should have wanted more land, they told him. So he became restless. He decided maybe he didn't have enough ambition. He sold his land, got all the money together that he possessed, and went West and bought more land. He worked from morning to night with his wife and his children. They did not have time for each other or for their neighbors . Still he was not satisfied. So he sold out again and went still farther West to an area near the mountains where the Bashkirs were in control of the entire area. For all the money he possessed, that he had acquired from selling the previous lands, he purchased from the Bashkirs the right to own as much land as he could walk or run around from sun-up to sun-down. He became too ambitious . He wanted all the land he could get, so he set a large area for him- self to run around.

As the sun was beginning to set, the Bashkirs cheered him on to the finish. He could see the finish line. He was almost around the section of land he had tried to surround. But at the end he failed. Blood gushed from his nose and his mouth and he expired right there, lacking twenty feet from getting to his objective . According to Tolstoy, the Bashkirs dug a shallow grave six feet long, three feet wide, and three feet deep and buried him. And according to Tolstoy, "And that's all the land that Pakhom really needed."

Sometimes we may set too high a goal for ourselves. Our good judgment should govern us. But I believe regarding the desire to get an education, this is advice that we do not ordinarily need to pay so much attention to. For any young man or young woman with ability to gain from a higher education, the struggle , the sacrifice, the time involved, the cost is not too much.

I advised you to take your class work seriously. I would like to emphasize that. Budget your time. Probably the best student I ever had was Whizzer White, the all-American quarterback and Rhodes Scholar who is now a member of the United States Supreme Court. While a student at the University of Colorado, Whizzer White majored in pre-law, taking several economics classes from me. He had tremendous powers of concentration and could study effectively even when traveling with his football colleagues on a train while all the other team members were laughing and shouting at his end of the car.

We each have twenty-four hours a day. They are given to us free. But what a perishable commodity time is. We tend when we are young to think if we lose an hour today we will have an extra hour to spend tomorrow, but, I assure you, time is limited, and as we get older, we realize this . One successful man said, "I am what I am because of what I do when I have nothing to do."

May I conclude by quoting an old proverb which I heard quoted from this platform by an assembly speaker several years ago. I think it is excellent. Listen carefully. It goes like this:

He who knows not, but knows that he knows not is humble, teach him;
He who knows, but knows not that he knows is asleep, wake him;
He who knows not but knows not that he knows not is a fool, shun him;
[This is a little severe; maybe we can do something with him, but this is the advice given n the proverb.]
He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man, follow him.

We like to think that all of our B.Y.U. faculty members are in the last category, and you students are privileged to study in their classrooms and laboratories.

It is indeed a happy occasion for me to be with you. I wish to bear my testimony to the truthfulness of this gospel. I am sure that our gospel is being directed by men of God in this dispensation. My contacts with them in connection with University business always leave me inspired, as I said a moment ago. We have a Prophet of God directing the affairs of our Church today. I trust that all of you will keep this in mind. Most of you are members of our Church. Live good lives so that we shall all be proud of you. I have great optimism regarding this school year.

Thank you very much.