Merlon L. Stevenson Carl H. Taylor began college in 1932 mm a” 35 cents in his pocket, a questi +) knowledge and a great dal ) determination. Most of his life hast fe spent in helping others gain an educa 9 He started his teaching care Roosevelt, then came to Ogden wher was a coach, English teacher and pring & oy 1 His popularity earned him the hon# 4 ; being namesake for the Carl H. Tal Elementary School in Ogden. He alsosem 1 on the Utah State Board of Educatimay pD? | was majority leader of the Utah Ha of Representatives for eight ya 9@@¢ t .roun of W: A.S. Weber (il B.S. Utah State Unive her 8chi U A OR - Jice s the opponent. Only those who watched it or wer involved in it can fully appreciate the play, butil N B E - was usually good for 30 or 40 yards, and oftend touch down. After the last game in the 1932 football seas Pour the Salt Lake Tribune carried an article stating ¥ efor that Weber’s record was unexcelled by any schoiy b. rn in the state, including the senior colleges and © M.A universities. 4) Ph.D It seems that winning is uppermost in th ni ePost: of many people, and it was important to Steve, i: he taught us that there were things far more important than winning a game. ee : Photo by J One such example was when he taught us to have faith in ourselves and in Weber College. When the school was turned over to the state by nnie Young Merlon L. Stevenson reads the affidavit assigning his life insurance policy as collateral for a loan to keep sports “alive” at WSC. He was a member of the faculty for 42 years. During his tenure he was an instructor and chairman of the department of mathematics and physical science; coach of football, basketball, tennis and track; dean of instruction; and even “acting president” while Henry Aldos Dixon was on leave. Former student, Carl H. Taylor, recalls Merlon's influence, and highlights of his the LDS Church in 1932 a letter came from life. Ee a Se EE AS PESTS Ss BY CTT by Carl H. Taylor It’s almost a daily occurrence for Steve to receive a telephone call, a letter, or somtimes a visit from a former student or faculty member expressing thanks, affection, or just an up-date on what they are doing. Small tokens of appreciation for the contribution he has made to their lives. As a token of appreciation, I write herein my tribute to Merlon L. ‘‘Steve’’ Stevenson, teacher, coach, administrator, and most of all friend. Steve was born on a farm in West Weber. He was raised on another farm in Holladay, on the east side of Salt Lake Valley. He attended Granite High School, where he was recognized for both his scholarship and athletic prowess. He graduated in three, instead of the usual four years, and was co-valedictorian of his class. He excelled in basketball, but also played football, baseball, tennis and track. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Utah in 1921, a Master of Arts Degree in Mathematics at the University of California in 1929. When he retired from teaching in 1963 he had done more work than was needed Page 2 TE RT A ERS EI IF EER SL PO _ Commissioner Merrill stating that “athletics, if STE carried on at all at Weber College, must be mate self-supporting.” Coach Stevenson and G.H. Hurst used their insurance policies as collateral to finance somet trips for the team to earn enough money to get for a doctorate degree, but he didn’t receive one athletics on a firm footing. because he changed his field of study from mathematics to administration when he became Dean of Instruction at WSC. Merlon joined the faculty at Weber College in 1921. During the years I was a student he coached football, basketball, tennis and track and taught five classes of mathematics each quarter, too. One such trip was to the Shriner’s Gamein B Honolulu. Two games were scheduled along the way to get on the ship in Los Angeles, onewihy San Jose State and the other in Santa Barbara least half the team couldn’t play either game 9 because they came down with the flu and were F He became Dean of Instruction in 1936 under President Leland H. Creer, and helped pioneer the engineering curriculum and the terminal education program into the technical division. It was this program that earned Weber College a national reputation. As Dean, he was in charge of curriculum, guidance, and counseling. He was also chairman of the standards committee and the department of physical science. As a coach his cunning way of winning earned him the nickname ‘‘The Fox.” In his seven years of coaching the Weber College Wildcats we won six championship titles. A record which has not been equaled. He was best known in football by players, spectators and opponents alike for a play called “The Stevenson Spread,’’ or # 55. He had us lined up clear across the field in single file to run down C he, But moby _ f like his tha a very ill with high fevers. Merlon taught us love and compassion as he stayed up all night sevaly °°" nights in a row with the boys, nursing them bit feel Merlon Stevenson was more than a coachor teacher or administrator. Above all, he wasa mm builder of men. His desire to instill fair play, = to health. frie I honesty, high moral standards and integrityimjp his students, together with his desire that we pe achieve and become successful, were 2 unsurpasiy. in my experience. His devotion to duty and his example of personal conduct have been an inspiration to me and to many who have kno him. I feel that every athlete who played under Sig was fortunate. Not the example he was taught us not only to be gentlemen at so much for the victories a§ to us. He guided us, and ~ to win or to lose graciously, all times. = abe ee } © *™ ee km