From Deseret News archives:
Gentle Mormon historian wasn't full of himself
U. professor's work was careful like his speaking
But for an erudite man, he was very gentle.
Shortly after he joined the University of Utah history faculty, I was assigned to be his graduate research assistant. I think I was the first one he ever had because he wasn't quite sure what to do with me so he just sent me to pick up his cleaning and do other mundane chores.
I was impressed that he was not, unlike so many other professors, full of himself. He was soft-spoken, commented in a group only when he had something important to say and he taught his classes the same way.
He gave me one piece of advice that was very strong, especially for him he said, "Don't ever write Mormon history. It will be controversial, and Mormon history is so little regarded nationally that you'll never get a job."
Well, I knew that he already wrote Mormon history even though he was trained as a European historian and wrote books in that specialty so I asked him about it.
"I write Mormon history with my left hand," he said.
His writing was like his speaking carefully crafted, never verbose. Like Elmore Leonard, the talented crime novelist, he always left out anything the reader might skip over. Although he continued to teach European history until he retired, he steadily accelerated his contributions to Mormon history.
His best friend was Leonard J. Arrington, the first LDS Church historian to be an academic a USU professor in Economics and History whose contributions to Mormon history are legion.
Together, Bitton and Arrington wrote "The Mormon Experience," a highly literary historical work intended to assist the non-Mormon in understanding Mormonism. It was published by a highly respected publishing house Alfred Knopf in New York. Arrington wrote the first legitimate biography probably the definitive biography of Brigham Young, "American Moses," also published by Knopf.
More recently, Bitton wrote the definitive biography of George Q. Cannon, one of Brigham's counselors and one of early Mormonism's most important characters. Bitton was active in the meetings of the Mormon History Association, an organization he helped found in the '60s, often delivering scholarly papers and acting as a perceptive critic for others.
Bitton spent a decade as an assistant LDS Church historian to Arrington what he called in a later article in Dialogue "Ten Years of Camelot," "a brief period of excitement and optimism."
Even though a projected 16-volume history of the LDS Church was killed, Bitton and his associates turned out numerous articles that changed the face of Mormon history.
I wonder what else Bitton did with his left hand? Few people knew of his excellence as a classical pianist he seemed always to do everything with just the right touch.
E-mail: dennis@desnews.com
Comments
- Mitchell called intelligent, controlling 1:19 a.m.
- Brems outlasts 2nd round of votes 1:04 a.m.
- 2 families divided over slaying 1:04 a.m.
- Teen shot in scuffle with trooper 1:03 a.m.
- Nature's Way leaving Utah County 1:03 a.m.
- 'Grandfamilies' a growing trend 12:31 a.m.
- 'Cyber Monday' sales top records 12:29 a.m.
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game 12:26 a.m.
- No drugs in driver of Am.F. band bus 12:15 a.m.
- Governor Mansion to begin free tours 12:14 a.m.
- Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
- Y. student vanished in China
- Utes won't respond to Hall
- Hall reprimanded by MWC
- Max Hall issues apology
- Cougs begin bowl preparations
- Mitchell called intelligent, controlling
- Teen shot in scuffle with trooper
- Matthews passes new Jazz tests
- Daughter: Mitchell fed me my pet
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
898 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
481 - Max Hall issues apology
379 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
370 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
316 - Utes won't respond to Hall
257 - BYU is champion of the state
140 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
121 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
120 - Religion in politics is tiresome
110
The Wall Street Journal has reported that the holiday retail season...
When "Dancing With The Stars" began more than two months ago, 16 couples...
Comedian Brian Regan, who is scheduled to perform at Abravanel Hall on...
There are some games I love not on your list. Arkham Asylum for one.
Our parents made my brothers help kill and clean our rabbits before we ate...
Why would you keep it open? I would understand if there was a lot of amazing...
The government will run our health care well? Read Reader's Digest, November...
TCU stomped on the MWC so they are naturally ready to crush Florida, Alabama...
could you understand Dave Locke any more than my mom does and she is not even...
Attending the ND/BYU game 3 years ago in south bend, a couple of things stuck...
I missed the game, actually i heard a little bit of Locke on the radio (man...
quotes were good: Article was dumb and unnecessary.
I believe the art depicting Joseph looking at the plates may possibly be...



You can be the first to comment on this story.