of boys at Balboa High School, and 1934–1936 he was director of personnel in the San Francisco School District, becoming superintendent in 1937. From 1944–45, McDonald was superintendent of schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. He instituted the 12-year system and successfully campaigned for better funding for public schools. In 1949 he completed a Doctorate of Education, also from the University of California. President of BYU Importance of religious studies McDonald became president of Brigham Young University in 1945. At McDonald's request, he had meetings directly with the board of trustees, not receiving their instructions through a commissioner of church schools. Unlike with his previous administrative roles, the board of trustees wanted more input over the details of administration compared to the boards of public school districts, who were happy to defer administrative details to McDonald. Additionally, the board selected McDonald as president because they believed McDonald could bring a stronger religious emphasis to the school with his ecclesiastical leadership background. Initially the board of trustees asked McDonald to prepare to close BYU, but McDonald convinced them of the LDS Church's need for BYU. Joseph Fielding Smith was particularly concerned with the education of institute teachers, which he felt was best done at a church-owned institution. Religious studies at BYU were a great source for seminary instruction materials and training for seminary teachers. However, religious instructors had previously focused on encouraging students to live righteous lives rather than on intellectually engaging with religious ideas. John A. Widtsoe advised against forming a graduate school separate from the rest of BYU, stating there were fears that an overly scholarly school of divinity could create unorthodox graduates. In 1949, the board of trustees approved a master of theology degree and encouraged graduates to study elsewhere for their doctorate. Sudden increase in enrollment Enrollment more than doubled in the winter and fall semesters as veterans from World War II came home and enrolled at BYU. His administration received surplus military buildings from the Federal Public Housing Authority in San Francisco to house the huge influx of students, and they began to build permanent buildings to replace them. McDonald initiated the construction of several new buildings to alleviate the intense crowding at the university. He petitioned the board of trustees for approval to build a large science building, partially planned by Dean Eyring. The planned building was larger than the five largest buildings on campus