--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Osmond, Alfred collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 16 number: 1 published: 1912-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Alfred Osmond, "Founder’s Day at the B. Y. U.," *Improvement Era* 16, no. 1 (November 1912): 85.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1601unse 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: improvementera1601unse start_page: 85 end_page: 85 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1601unse publication_year: 1912 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 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Founder’s Day at the B. Y. U. Founder's Day at the B. Y. U. — On October 16, Founder's day was celebrated at this institution by a parade of students and two floats, "The American Flag" and "Our Alma Mater," through Provo, headed by the college band; a program of songs, music and speeches by President George H. Brimhall, Prof. Alice Reynolds, Joseph R. Murdock, S. L. Chipman, Thos. N. Taylor and Jesse Knight; and an original poem, entitled "Our Guide," by Prof. Alfred Osmond: The prophet resolved that a temple of learning Should stand at the base of this great mountain chain, He knew that the souls of our sons would be yearning For all the great truths that creations contain; And so he asked God for the gift of the Spirit That leads men away from the darkness of night. This gift which our school has the right to inherit Will bind it for ever to forces of light. The voice of the Spirit is ever heard calling The youth of our school to the standards of right; It bids them to seek out the weak who are falling, And lead them away from diseases that blight; It calls them to delve for the treasures of knowledge In caverns of gloom where no light ever came — This spirit of truth is the star of our college That shines o'er the spires of its temple of fame. The light of this star has been constantly beaming When poverty lurked in the halls of our home. A few loyal souls caught the light that was streaming, And knew the school's days of redemption would come. Great changes are here, but the star is still shining, As bright as the sun that illumines the world; And virtue with knowledge her folds are entwining Wherever the white and the blue is unfurled. This spirit of truth is the star of the morning That breaks through the storm-clouds of trouble and pain, And shows to the world that its '•old beams of warning Are bright with the promise that learning will reign. Our college is climbing the mountain of learning, While forces of error its efforts deride; It faces the storm with no shadow of turning; For work is the watch-word and truth is its guide. A Temple in Canada. The erection of a new Temple to accommodate the Saints who live distant from the Temples in Utah, has been under contemplation by the Church authorities for some time, and at the late semi-annual conference, at the general priesthood meeting, a proposition was placed before the priesthood, by President Joseph F. Smith, to build a Temple in Canada. The suggestion met with unanimous support, and a building to meet the needs of the people will be begun and erected in some city in Alberta, Canada, as soon as arrangements can be perfected.