Smith, Oliver R.

Former member of the Journalism Department of Brigham Young University.

Mormon missionary.

Oliver Rollin Smith was an educator and administrator in Utah. He was born 8 March 1913. He married Barbara McKay on 6 April 1942. He helped create the Hill Cumorah Pageant and also pioneered in the broadcasting of sporting events at Brigham Young University (BYU). He served three terms as chair of the BYU Department of Journalism (1946-1967) and helped develop the BYU Department of Communications. He died 13 December 1990.

Instructor and faculty member at Brigham Young University, 1938-1942, and 1946-1978. Served at various times on campus as public relations director, professor of journalism and communications, chairman of Department of Journalism, and chairman of student publications.

Chronology of Oliver R. Smith

1913

Born March 8 in Davenport, Iowa, to Hyrum and June Bushman Smith.

1928

Graduated from Lethbridge High School (Alberta, Canada)

1934-1936

Latter-day Saint missionary, Eastern States Mission

1936

Co-authored and directed Truth From the Earth, pageant performed at Hill Cumorah in New York state

1937

Managing director of America's Witness for Christ, pageant performed at Hill Cumorah; Published Low Out of the Dust in The Improvement Era (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

1938

Graduated from Brigham Young University with B.A. degree in journalism

1938-1939

Reporter for The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah)

1938-1940

Publicity director and Teaching Assistant at BYU

1940-1942

Instructor in Department of Journalism at BYU

1942

Married April 6 to Barbara Fay McKay

1942-1943

Private-sergeant in U.S. Army

1943

2nd Lieutenant in Army-Air Force

1943-1945

1st Lieutenant-Captain, Statistical Officer Army-Air Force in Colorado, Philippines, and Japan

1946-1949

Chairman of Department of Journalism, Public Relations Director, Assistant Professor in Department of Journalism, all at BYU

1946-1973

Captain-Colonel, Air Force Reserves

1947-1948

Reporter and copy reader for The Deseret News

1948-1949

Stringer for United Press

1948-1949

Member of Association for Education in Journalism

1950-1951

Attended and graduated from University of Iowa with Ph. D. degree in mass communications. Dissertation: Printed Mass Media Circulation and Radio Receiver Ownership Patterns in the U.S.

1950-1951

Member of Sigma Delta Chi

1951

Instructor of Journalism at University of Iowa; Published Circulation Gain Greater than Population Growth in Editor and Publisher

1951-1957

Associate Professor of Journalism at BYU

1951-1960

Chairman of Department of Journalism and chairman of student publications at BYU

1952

News reporter for KLRA in Little Rock, Arkansas; Published Upset in Arkansas Won by Talkathon in Broadcasting-Telecasting

1952-1977

Member, national council, Kappa Tau Alpha

1953

Cofounded Utah chapter of Sigma Delta Chi

1955-1970

Executive secretary, Rocky Mountain Collegiate Press Association

1957-1960

Vice chairman, Council on Radio-TV Journalism

1957-1961

Editor of Journalism Educator, a quarterly magazine of the American Society of Journalism School Administrators

1957-1974

Faculty Adviser for Sigma Delta Chi

1957-1978

Professor of Journalism and Communications at BYU

1958-1966

General Board member, Deseret Sunday School Union; Night Editor for The Daily Herald

1961-1962

Professor at Church College of Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii)

1962-1963

Chairman of Department of Journalism at BYU

1962-1968

Director and vice chairman of Utah County Chapter of Red Cross

1963-1966

Chairman of Department of Communications and of Student Publications at BYU

1964-1965

President of Utah Journalism Educators Association

1966

Adviser of the Year, National Council of College Publications Advisers

1967

Copy reader for The Salt Lake Tribune

1970

Published Six Decades in the Early West: The Journal of Jesse Nathaniel Smith . (Publishers Press)

1971

Awarded Honor Medal, Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge

1971-1973

Member of national committee of Undergraduate Affairs of Sigma Delta Chi

1972-1974

National vice president, Kappa Tau Alpha

1973

Awarded Air Force Commendation Medal; Published Pioneer Homes of Jesse N. Smith . (Daughters of Utah Pioneers); co-edited Reflections on the Fall of Nauvoo . (Press Publisher Co.)

1973-1977

Vice president, Sons of Utah Pioneers

1974-1976

National President, Kappa Tau Alpha

1975

Published as co-editor John Bushman, Utah-Arizona Pioneer . (Community Press)

1976-1977

President of Utah chapter of Sons of the American Revolution

1977

National Vice President of Sons of the American Revolution

1977-1978

President, Sons of Utah Pioneers

1978

Retired from BYU; Awarded Special Citation from University of Utah; Awarded Meritorious Service Award by BYU Department of Communications

1990

Died, December 13 in Provo, Utah