--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hull, Thomas collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 5 number: 12 published: 1902-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Thomas Hull, "Events of the Month," *Improvement Era* 5, no. 12 (October 1902): 995–1000.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0512unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0512unse start_page: 995 end_page: 1000 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1902-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0512unse publication_year: 1902 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1902, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Events of the Month OUR WORK. GRADING THE ASSOCIATIONS. The subject of grading our associations should receive careful attention this season. On this topic, the following remarks by Elder Nephi L. Morris, at our June conference, are of importance: It is about two or three years since the General Board recommended grading the associations. It is gratifying to see that so many have done it. We appreciate the fact that in some wards, where the attend- ance is so small, where the young men meet conjointly with the young ladies, or where there are not two rooms, grading might be regarded as being impracticable; but I believe it is the universal opinion of those who have investigated the matter that grading has resulted in great benefit to the associations. We wish to urge again that the brethren give this careful attention, and that those stakes and wards that have not graded, proceed to do so at once, wherever it is practicable. Some associations have gone along in a sort of a rut for a long time, and they need some change to [give them new life. You will find an outlet for your pent-up forces in this grading. You must use your judgment in drawing the line between the junior and senior classes. We suggest the age of sixteen, but that is not to be followed technically. Take it in the spirit of the suggestion. Very often you will find boys under six- teen who are very alert mentally, and well posted in Gospel subjects. Some of them may outshine their more elderly brethren, and are qualified to belong to the senior class. Invite the members to join either the senior or junior class, as they may feel inclined, and if some younger member shall wish to join with the older ones, you will find that they will soon withdraw, if the work is too heavy for them, and gravitate to their proper level. We are preparing a new Manual for the junior class, which we trust It will treat on will be adapted to the mental conditions of the juniors. the Acts of the Apostles. The design is to make it historical rather than dogmatic, and it will consist more of narrative than of principle; hence, can be made more interesting to the younger minds. One chief objection to keeping the association in one class is that there is such a variety of minds that it has been almost impossible to adapt the instruction to the different capacities. This is largely obvi- ated by dividing into two classes. Another undesirable thing is large classes. They are too unwieldy. In all high-schools and colleges, you will find that classes are not allowed to exceed a certain number. Small classes are desirable, because the instructor can get closer to the pupil, and can adapt his instruction to each mind. In many associations grad- ing has increased the membership, in some cases, fully one hundred per cent. We earnestly urge this question upon your attention. USE OF PRELIMINARY PROGRAMS. The Manual for 1902-3 has outlines for preliminary programs designed to add interest to the general culture feature of our weekly meetings. Presidents of associations should not overlook the importance of this part of the exercises. At our June conference, Elder Willard Done said upon this subject among other things: The field to be covered by our preliminary programs is a very broad one. A few suggestions as to the way in which this work is to be done. It is expected that these programs shall occupy merely a por- tion of the time of each meeting; that both the classes, and, wherever possible, the young ladies also, shall meet together and carry out the program, as suggested in last year's Manual and in the Manual for this year. I say, wherever possible, the young ladies should be brought into this work. I have found in my travels some little opposition on the part of the local boards of the young ladies to this kind of thing. Wherever that opposition arises, the best wisdom of the young men's officers must be used. Wherever practicable, it will be found very profitable to intro- duce this work before the associations separate for their class work. As to the kind of material to be introduced, we shall need to be very care- ful. There are certain kinds of literary productions which would be decidedly out of place. There are certain kinds of songs that would be decidedly out of place. I may say, broadly, that anything in the direc- tion of burlesque or horse-play would be out of place. There is a kind of humor in literature and music that is refined, and very much akin to pathos. Such humor it may be proper to introduce. Some of the humor of Dickens, of Mark Twain, and other refined humorists, can be introduced into this work; but nothing of a burlesque character. This work is given at the commencement of our exercises and it is expected to lead the mind in the direction of that devotional feeling of which has been spoken. Wisdom should, therefore, dictate the selection of the reading and singing and writing, in these programs. EVENTS OF THE MONTH. BY THOMAS HULL, GENERAL SECRETARY OF Y. M. M. I. A. Local— August 17— Robinson Bros, shoe factory, Salt Lake, burned; loss $18,000 Bishop 0. F. Whitney pronounced an eloquent eulogy over the body of Judge John Fitch Kinney 19 The — tenth four-day encampment of the Black Hawk Indian war veterans opened at Lehi 25 —Apostle Brigham Young underwent a successful operation at Rexburg, Idaho, for dropsy 26 —Apostle Young reached Salt Lake, in a critical condition of health. 27— Catherine C. Young Barstow, born Janurary 10, 1875, died in Salt Lake City. She was the daughter of Apostle Brigham Young and Catharine Spencer 28 —Henrietta Shaw, born in Nephi, December 6, 1852, died in Ogden 30 The corner — stone of the Judge Memorial Miners' Home and Hospital was laid by Bishop M. Scanlan, at Salt Lake City Rev. J. L. Albritton preached his farewell sermon in the M. E. church, Salt Lake. September 1 —Labor day was generally observed in Salt Lake and Ogden. There were large labor parades "Corianton" was played in Denver and well received 2 — Peter Mortensen, the murderer of James R. Hay, is sentenced by Judge C. B. Morse to be shot on Friday, October 17 The N. G. of Utah is encamped at Lagoon in 35 tents The funeral of Leslie C. Attwood, who died July 24, while on a mission in New Zealand, was held at Vernal, Uintah Co 3 —The Salt Lake telephone linemen strike for higher wages 5 —The National Guard was reviewed by the Governor and his staff 6— Axel J. Kielland was accidentally shot and killed by Marion A. Brasher, while returning from Saltair, on the last train of the season The annual encampment of the N. G. U. ends Rev. I. N. Moorhead succeeds Rev. Albritton as pastor of the Salt Lake M. B. church 7—Senator Kearns returned to Salt Lake from Europe Albert White, aged 55, a well known resident of Sandy, Salt Lake Co., died 8 Ann Pickering, born in England, January 26, 1827, came to Utah 1855, a pioneer of Payson, died The public schools opened; in Salt Lake there was an attendance of 11,300 10 E. B. — Critchlow resigned as a member of the Salt Lake Board of Education... The 22nd annual reunion of the Telegraphers opened in Salt Lake 11 — Henrietta Landrum Dotson, wife of W. T. H. Dotson, died in Minersville At the Republican State con- vention, held in Ogden, Hon. Joseph Howell, of Cache Co., was nominated for Congress; Judge W. M. McCarty, of Sevier Co., for supreme judge; and Hon. James H. Anderson was chosen state chairman. Senator A. J. Beveridge, of Indiana, spoke 12 Mary Todd, — born in Scotland, 1827, came to Utah in 1854, mother of Douglas M. Todd, died in Farmington Henry H. Harris, aged 74, died in Sugar Ward 14 —At the Salt Lake Stake conference Apostle John Henry Smith tells of his recent visit to Nauvoo, 111 — 16 The Democratic State convention at Provo nominated Hon. W. H. King for Congress, Major Richard W. Young for the supreme bench, and elected Hon. F. J. Cannon chairman of the state committee Since last November there have been fifteen people killed in Salt Lake at the hands of people who carried weapons unlawfully. It is an unprecedented carnival of crime. — — Domestic. August 18 Edward Sharp, a striker, is killed in a clash between miners and deputies at Nesquehoning, Pa.; troops are asked for ..19 — Charles M. Schwab denies that he is serious- ly ill,and says he will not resign as president of the U. S. Steel Corpo- ration — 20 The naval war game between two parts of the North Atlantic squadron begins off Rockport, Mass 22 President Roosevelt visits Hartford and speaks on the Philippines and their government — 23 The battleship Maine has an official trial and makes 18 knots an hour President Roosevelt speaks at Providence on trusts 24 — Governor Taft resumes his official duties in the Philippines; on the 18th, Americans were attacked on Minandoa. General Chaffee urges an aggressive campaign on the island, and is ordered to go ahead. On the 19th the Sultan issued a note of defiance to Americans 25 — Continuing his New England tour, President Roosevelt speaks in Boston The Cruiser Boston is ordered to Panama 26 — General Miles is ordered to the Philippines on an inspection tour 27 Twenty Filipinos perish in earthquakes in Minandoa. No Americans were killed — 28 Conflicts occur between troops and rioters EVENTS OF THE MONTH. 997 in Panther Creek Valley, Pa — 29 Brig-Gen. Corbin, com- manding the National Guard in the anthracite coal fields, issues a "shoot to kill" order, in the hope of restoring tranquility The mimic war game between the army and navy begins 30 President Roosevelt in his tour of New England makes several short speeches, and is everywhere received with enthusiasm. September 1 — Bishop Farley, of New York, succeeds the late Arch- bishop Corrigan Labor day is generally observed with work- ingmens parades and picnics — 2 In the mimic war on the New England coast, the navy achieves a victory by silencing the forts, in the attack on Long Island Sound entrance — 3 President Roosevelt narrowly escapes death in a collision between his carriage and a trolley car near Pittsfield, Mass — 4 The strike in the bituminous coal fields of West Virginia is declared off Presi- dent Roosevelt leaves Washington for his southern trip Commander McRta's report on the disturbances in Haiti shows that the interests of six European nations are under the protection of the United States 6— The President speaks at Wheeling, West Virginia, on trusts The naval and military maneuvers end President Roosevelt visits Chickamauga Park and the battlefields around Chattanooga 8— There are $573,936,194 in the treasury vaults of the United States, a greater sum of gold than at any previous time in the history of the country. The National bank circulation is also the largest, amounting to $363,626,206 11— Great fires are raging in the Beaumont, Texas, oil fields Great forest fires, rendering hundreds homeless, are raging in Oregon and Washington 12— The wife of Senator W. M. Stewart, of Nevada, was killed in an automobile accident in San Francisco 14— W. S. Stratton, the Colorado multi-millionaire, died at Colorado Springs There was a general observance of McKinley memorial day in many Eleven people perish in forest fires in parts of the country near Kalama, Wash.; property Oregon, and many are incinerated in fires loss approaches two millions. Foreign.— August 19— A British cruiser is sent to protect govern- ment interests in Columbia Turkey has failed to keep her relations result financial promises to the United States, and strained London to visit ex-Presidents Kruger The Boer generals leave 20— Queen Wilhelmina, of Holland, invites and Steyn The Ger- Generals Botha, De Wet and Delarey to visit her man budget for the year shows a deficit of $12,125,000 21— Three Isthmus of Panama thousand Colombian troops are sent to defend the Cedric, the largest passenger liner afloat, is launched in Belfast for the White Star line 23 —The Chinese government issues an edict for the punishment of the assassins of two missionaries. 25 —Serious fighting is reported from Venezuela The Transvaal legation in Europe is abolished 26 —Victor Emmanuel of Italy goes on a visit to the Kaiser 28— Cho- lera spreads in Japan, Java and China The King of Italy enters Berlin in state M. Guide, papal auditor, is appointed apostolic delegate to the Philippines — 30 Fierce fighting is reported in Haiti Mt. Pelee is again in eruption, and many lives are lost; cable communication with Martinique is interrupted —Rebellion Szechuan province, China, spreading, 31 in is and foreigners are in danger. September — Reports give the number of dead from the second eruption of Mt. Pelee as 2000 Colombian government troops reinforce the garrison of Panama 2 — The Emperor and Empress of Germany are received with unexpected cordiality in Posen, the chief city in Polish Russia The Sultan repeals the drastic laws in Armenia 5 —Boer generals hold a confer- ence with Colonial Secretary Chamberlain Prof. Rudolph Virchow, born October 13, 1821, the well-known founder of cellular pathology, died in Berlin 6 —King Edward visits Andrew Carnegie at Skibo castle A settlement is effected of the American contentions with the Sultan of Turkey 8 The — Kaiser at Pottsdam entertained 110 guests, among whom was Major- Generals Corbin and Young, and Brig-General Wood, U. S. A — 10 Russia objects to the English in Manchuria. 12 The — German Army maneuvers end 14 —Twenty thousand people, assembled in Phoenix Park, Dublin, protest against the proclamation placing the city under the Crimes act.