Wayne B. Hales

Wayne B. Hales was a faculty member at Brigham Young University for over forty years. He joined the faculty in 1930 and was originally assigned to teach all of the physics courses. He would eventually teach courses on meteorology, astronomy, photography, and mathematics. Dr. Hales served in the university in several capacities including as chair of the Department of Physics, as the first dean of the General College, as chairman of the university’s Athletic Council in the late 1960s, and as chairman of the university’s diamond jubilee celebrations in 1950. He also coordinated the ground school of the Civilian Pilot Training Program that was affiliated with the university during the Second World War. This program included a course in radio engineering and laboratory instruction.

Wayne B. Hales is on the far right in this picture of Brigham Young University's pioneer physicists.

Dr. Hales was heavily involved with the Church while at Brigham Young University serving as bishop of two campus wards and president of two student stakes. In fact, he was one of the twelve bishops in the first stake formed at the university in 1956.

Wayne B. Hales served as one of the twelve bishops in the first stake on the Brigham Young University campus. He is on the far right in the front row.

Dr. Hales was also very interested in photography and his work in photography became the forerunner of the BYU Photo Studio. He began offering courses in photograph in 1932 and in 1935 helped establish the BYU Photo Studio. The studio was originally established to do commercial work and take pictures for the Banyan. It was part of the Department of Physics until the 1950s.

The University Archives is home to several collections that document Dr. Hales’ career at Brigham Young University. They include:

  • MSS 2199 Brigham Young University photographs, [ca. 1926]-1940. This collection contains photographs which document Brigham Young University faculty, students, buildings, and events, including dramatic and musical productions. Click here to access the finding aid for this collection.
  • MSS 3304 Wayne B. Hales classroom photographs, 1930-1971. This collection contains books, negatives, plates, a photograph of BYU campus, Kodak materials, and classroom related photographs.
  • UA 570 Wayne B. Hales records, 1944-1945. This collection includes twenty-five mounted, photographic Lissajous figures and a reprint of the article, “Recording the Lissajous Figures” from The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
  • BX 8647 .H137s Selected addresses, short conference talks and tributes by Wayne B. Hales.
  • BX 8670.1 .H137 My Life Story by Wayne B. Hales.
  • UA OH 30 Wayne B. Hales oral history interview, May 25, 1978. Interview by Edwin R. Kimball with Wayne B. Hales, concerning his experiences as a BYU student, and as a member of the BYU Athletic Council, his family and his experiences with other faculty and administrators at BYU.

If you would like to learn more about the resources available for studying the life of Wayne B. Hales, please contact the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu.

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