This story appeared in The Daily Universe on Monday, August 15.
By Kaylene D. Armstrong
Students should follow the example of goodness in the life of former BYU President George W. Brimhall, Elder John H. Groberg told those gathered for the rededication of the Brimhall building.
Brimhall descendants, BYU officials, faculty, staff and stu-dents filled the largest classroom in the building for the rededication Thursday afternoon, a few hours before the summer commencement.
Elder Groberg, a great-grandson of President Brimhall, dis-cussed many of the positive attributes of President Brimhall’s life, including that of goodness. He said he has re-ceived affirmation that “God had accepted George H. Brimhall’s life as one of goodness.”
In his dedicatory prayer, Elder Groberg, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, asked that those who use the building be in-spired to also live good lives.
Loyalty, faith and ability in many areas are some of the attributes of President Brimhall’s life that Elder Groberg discussed in his remarks prior to the prayer. One such ability he noted was that of teaching and then uplifting students through a sympathetic ear, a characteristic Elder Groberg called one of the most important a good teacher can have.
President Brimhall led BYU from 1904 to 1921. During that time, he had to deal with many issues, Elder Groberg said, often with a lack of money (he once asked teachers to serve for no pay). At one time he asked students to forgo recreational activities and donate that money to-ward the purchase of land on “Temple Hill” where BYU now sits. Students raised $1,049.
Elder Groberg said Presi-dent Brimhall believed in teaching professors that religious education could be a part of every department on campus. He also believed in teach-ing parents, paying women equal wages for equal work and providing educational opportunities for all, Elder Groberg said.
The Brimhall Building was remodeled last year in preparation for moving in the Communications De-partment that was scattered through four floors of the Harris Fine Arts Center and on the fifth floor of the Wilkinson Center. That move oc-curred in December 2004 during the Christmas break.
The Daily Universe news-paper and the Daily News broadcast are now located on the ground floor of the building. Professors’ offices, classrooms and labs are located on the second and third floors. The main office of the Communications De-partment is now on the third floor.
Copyright Brigham Young University 29 Aug 2005
