Preceded by Franklin S. Harris Name Howard McDonald | Succeeded by Ernest L. Wilkinson | |
 | ||
Born July 18, 1894
Holladay, Utah ( 1894-07-18 ) Died October 25, 1986, Los Alamitos, California, United States | ||
Howard Stevenson McDonald (July 18, 1894 – October 25, 1986) was President of Brigham Young University (BYU), Los Angeles State College (now known as California State University, Los Angeles), San Fernando State College (now known as California State University, Northridge), and Los Angeles City College.
Biography
McDonald was born in Holladay, Utah. He served as a missionary in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the Eastern States Mission, which was headquartered in New York City. He spent part of his mission as president of the Western Pennsylvania Conference headquartered in Pittsburgh. While serving in this area he met Ella Gibbs, a young lady serving as a missionary who was the first Relief society president in Pittsburgh. Ella was later transferred to Baltimore.
After he returned from his mission McDonald sought out Ella Gibbs and they began courting. Howard and Ella married in the Salt Lake Temple on 26 September 1917. They had two daughters. Their first daughter Ruth was born while McDonald was serving in France as part of the United States Army during World War I.
McDonald graduated from Utah State Agricultural College in 1921, where he also taught. He later taught in San Francisco public schools, and in 1925 he received his M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. Several years later he completed a Doctorate of Education also from the University of California. In 1952 he received a Doctor of Humanities. From 1944–45, McDonald was superintendent of schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. McDonald became president of Brigham Young University in 1945. Enrollment more than doubled in the winter and fall semesters as veterans from World War II came home and enrolled at BYU. His administration was able to get many temporary buildings that housed the huge influx of students, and they began to build permanent buildings to replace them.
The relationship between McDonald and trustees was strained as McDonald's increasing emotion left trustees frustrated. President Clark was also unhappy with McDonald's performance as president of BYU and as tension grew McDonald began looking for another job. In 1949, McDonald left BYU to become president of Los Angeles City College. When students began to protest the loyalty oaths faculty were demanded to make he reportedly said, "mind their own business". Later the entire student council resigned in protest.
He helped found San Fernando State College now known as California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in 1951, and became president of Los Angeles State College now known as California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) in 1962. Fifteen years after leaving the BYU president he returned to Utah and served as president of the LDS Church's Salt Lake Temple from 1964 to 1968.