Influence On Education
Within the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, McKay maintained his focus on education. As General Superintendent of the church's Sunday School organization from 1918 to 1934, McKay built LDS seminary buildings near public high schools throughout the state of Utah. Adjacent seminary buildings allowed students to take LDS religious courses along with their secular high school education. McKay also transferred three LDS colleges to the state of Utah in the 1920s: Snow College, Weber State University and Dixie College. He guided the remaining LDS school in Utah, Brigham Young University into a full four-year university. McKay was the fourth Commissioner of Church Education in 1920 and 1921.
Interestingly, the State of Utah underfunded the institutions and in 1953 the governor, J. Bracken Lee, offered to give them back to the LDS Church. McKay, then president of the church said he'd accept them, but the proposal failed on voter referendum.
Besides church education, McKay stressed missionary work, and traveled Europe extensively. He promoted the motto “every member a missionary.”
Heber J. Grant chose McKay to serve as Second Counselor in the First Presidency in 1934. He served in the presidency under church presidents Heber J. Grant and George Albert Smith until 1951. In 1950 he became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, that is, the senior apostle. He was ordained president of the church on April 9, 1951 upon Smith's death.
In honor of his years of dedicated service as an educator, the Brigham Young University School of Education was named the McKay School of Education.
Read more about this topic: David O. McKay
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