West, Franklin L. (Franklin Lorenzo Richards), 1885-1966

Church Commissioner of Education.

LDS Commissioner of Education.

Franklin L. West (1885-1966) was a Mormon physics professor in Utah. He served as the Commissioner of Education for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Franklin L. West was born on February 1, 1885 in Ogden, Utah. He earned his BS from the Utah Agricultural College in 1904 and went on to earn his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1911. West became a physics professor at Utah Agricultural College and eventually became the dean of faculty there. From 1935 to 1937 Franklin L. West served as the second assistant in the general superintendency of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. In 1936 West was called to be the Commissioner of Church Education for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in that position until 1954. West died on October 21, 1966 in Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Utah.