Dickson, Edward Augustus, 1879-1956

Biography

Edward Augustus Dickson was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, August 29, 1879; family moved to California, 1885; BL, UC Berkeley, 1901; worked for Sacramento Union and San Francisco Chronicle before joining the Los Angeles Evening Express editorial staff in 1906; became owner and editor of the Express, 1919; married Wilhelmina de Wolff, 1907; President, Western Federal Savings and Loan Association, 1931-56; member, Board of Directors, Central Investment Corporation; one of the founders of Lincoln-Roosevelt League; member, Republican State Central Committee of California; delegate, Republican National Convention, 1932; member, Board of Directors of the Olympic Games Association (1932 Olympics); appointed to Board of Regents, University of California, 1913; chairman, University of California Board of Regents, 1948; fostered growth of UCLA from Los Angeles State Normal School on Vermont Ave. to Westwood location chosen by Dickson; had an interest in the history of printing and graphic arts and was involved in the Los Angeles Art Association, Los Angeles County Art Institute, and the UCLA Art Council; died February 22, 1956.

Biographical Narrative

In Who's Who In America, Edward A. Dickson is described as an editor, publisher. This gives only a partial idea of the contributions which Dickson made to California, and particularly to Los Angeles, during his long and varied career. In addition to his direction of the influential Los Angeles Evening Express, Dickson played an important role in the development of the University of California, he was a very active civic leader, and although he never ran for political office, he was a figure of consequence in the California Republican Party.

Edward Augustus Dickson was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on August 29, 1879, the son of William H. and Gurie (Iverson) Dickson. His family moved to California in 1885, and Dickson attended Sacramento High School. While studying for his B.L. degree at the University of California, Berkeley, which he obtained in 1901, Dickson was editor of the Daily Californian .

After graduation Dickson spent some time during 1901-02 in Japan, but upon his return he took up the newspaper work which would be his profession for the next twenty-eight years. He spent some time with the Sacramento Union and the San Francisco Chronicle. Then in 1906 Dickson moved to Los Angeles and joined the editorial staff of the Los Angeles Evening Express. He acted as Washington correspondent during 1910-12. In 1919 Dickson became the owner and editor of the Express.

Dickson married Wilhelmina de Wolff in 1907.

In 1931 Dickson left the newspaper field for banking. He became President of the Western Federal Savings and Loan Association, a post he held until his death on February 22, 1956. He had also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Investment Corporation, owners of the Biltmore Hotel.

Dickson was twice decorated by foreign governments for distinguished service in the field of journalism and education. He was made Officier de l'Instruction Publique, by France, and Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy.

Various activities demonstrate Dickson's interest in the political process. He was one of the founders of the Lincoln-Roosevelt League, which changed the climate of politics in California. Its first major success came with the election of Hiram Johnson as California Governor in 1910. From 1918-22 Dickson served as a member of the Republican State Central Committee of California, and in 1932 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. When he was not serving in any formal position Dickson still maintained an active interest in the political scene.

Edward Dickson served California and Los Angeles in a number of official (as well as unofficial) capacities. During World War I he was a member of the California State Council of Defense. At various times Dickson acted as Treasurer of the Advisory Council of the Los Angeles County Art Institute, Chairman of the Los Angeles Centennial Commission, member of the Board of the Los Angeles Public Library, member of the Board of Directors of the Olympic Games Association, and member of the Community Development Board, which was instrumental in building the Coliseum and bringing the 1932 Olympics to Los Angeles.

In the midst of other functions Dickson managed to cultivate his personal interest in particular fields, especially those of art and fine printing (in this latter area he collected a number of specimens; see the Graphic Art Collection, Department of Special Collections). He was in the center of artistic activities in Southern California as a member of the Los Angeles Art Association, an organizer of the UCLA Art Council, and of course, through his work with the Los Angeles County Art Institute. Another area of interest was Abraham Lincoln; Dickson collected material concerning Lincoln and he helped found the Lincoln Club of Los Angeles.

A listing of the clubs Dickson belonged to, in addition to those mentioned earlier, gives an idea of the extent of his participation in community affairs: the Historical Society of Southern California, the Direct Legislation League, Phi Delta Theta, the California Interfraternity Alumni Council, the Southern California Tennis Association, the Sunset Club, the California Club, the University Club, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Business Men's Association.

Edward Dickson had a life-long devotion to the University of California which helped make him a central figure in some of its most outstanding developments. In 1913 Governor Johnson appointed Dickson to the Board of Regents of the University. He was the first, and for some years the only member from Southern California. By the time he was made Chairman of the Board of Regents, in 1948, Dickson had seen his dream realized of a Los Angeles campus of the University of California. He had fostered its growth from a two-year college on the Vermont Avenue campus of the Los Angeles State Normal School, to a vigorous university granting doctoral degrees, located on the Westwood site that Dickson himself had chosen.

From the guide to the Edward A. Dickson Papers, 1900-1954, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)

Biography

Edward Augustus Dickson donated his collection of tablets to the University of California-Los Angeles. Dickson was one of the founding fathers of the Los Angeles campus for the California university system. He was appointed to Board of Regents in 1912 and served until his death in 1956, at the age of 76.

From the guide to the Edward A. Dickson Cuneiform Tablet collection, Ur III period-Neo-Babylonian period (ca. 2100-562 BCE), (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)