--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Cannon, Lewis Telle collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 16 number: 12 published: 1913-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Cannon, Lewis Telle, "Increasing Enrollment and Interest in the Mutuals," *Improvement Era* 16, no. 12 (October 1913): 1219–1223.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera16012unse 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: improvementera16012unse start_page: 1219 end_page: 1223 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera16012unse publication_year: 1913 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 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Increasing Enrollment and Interest in the Mutuals Increasing Enrollment and Interest in the Mutuals BY LEWIS TELLE CANNON, OF THE GENERAL BOARD Y. M. M. I. A. In our attempt to increase the membership, and attendance, too, at our association meetings, we are limited of course to peace- ful or "parliamentary" procedure ; we can not go out and "rope" the various eligibles, and drag them in, and thus compel their presence, but must depend upon the power of persuasion. A few years ago we talked a great deal about the "active roll" and the "permanent roll"— the active roll being supposed to contain the names of all who attended, even though irregularly, the meetings of the Association ; and the permanent roll contain- ing the names of all who were willing to enroll and were eligible to membership. Any association president fully alive to his duty will be obliged to still keep such a permanent roll as a supplement to his other roll ; it will be the limit toward which he will strive for membership. As long as there are names on this permanent roll which are not on the active roll, there will be something for the membership committee to do. The probabilities in any ward, or the average ward, of the permanent roll becoming the active roll are remote It therefore behooves us to have a good live committee on membership, for there will always be material for it to work on. ..„. , 1 In the average ward it should not be difficult to make up a roll of the eligibles ; the average ward is not such a large affair as to make the people strangers to each other. Any man who possesses the qualifications for making a good association presi- dent will naturally possess the qualifications of friendliness and a wide acquaintance in the ward; and if he is at all in touch with ward affairs, or with the assistance of his fellow officers, he can Toon get together a complete list of all who should be enrolled actively in the association. , Such a roll of eligibles should be referred to constant £ the missionary or membership committee would do well to study it carefully they should consider each person in it and the best way to reach that person. A noted politician of the old guard once said that 'Wv man has his price." That was only approxi- ™U true/because, as we know, there are mer. , ab^ute y above all orice We might paraphrase the remark, however, and say that every man can be reached, can be appealed to m such an effective manner as to enlist his sympathy, although we ourselves 1220 IMPROVEMENT ERA may not possess the proper temperament to get to him. It should be the duty of the missionary or membership committee to study the character of all the eligibles with the view to winning them over, so long as there are eligibles to be won. And inasmuch as our larger success in Mutual Improvement work is going to depend on our specialization, it is going to be necessary to give over to some special committee the task of increasing the membership, and to hold this committee respon- sible. No one presiding officer, or no three presiding officers, can be expected alone to attend to all the details or perform all the duties that belong to a successful Mutual Improvement cam- paign. This work of obtaining members is such a big work that it must be given over to a proper committee and they must then be called to frequent account. Permit me to digress here a moment and say that people like to be called to account frequently — all honest, capable people — and it is also healthier for them. Also, when any special work is given out or assigned, do not fail to call for reports of progress until it is completed. In the matter of officers' meetings, I would like to say that you never heard of anv success being obtained without effort ; or, as Solomon put it, "There is no excellence without labor." Ex- cellence is not accidental ; it never has been and never will be ; it alwavs comes as a result of concentration of effort and planning. Excellent results will never come to any association, either in the way of a large attendance or in good accomplished, without effective planning and steady and vigorous effort on the part of the suoerintendent and his counselors first, and then hearty co- ooeration with them of all the other officers. All of this means discipline. A young lady remarked to me very latelv that she had noticed when there was prettv stern discipline in the Sunday School in which she was a teacher, everybody seemed alert, attentive and well satisfied ; but that whenever the discipline relaxed, there was noticeable immediately a lack of interest and effort accompanied by dissatisfaction. It is impossible to conceive of a good, healthy association without frequent and regular meetings of its officers. In the world of business you never heard of a successful enterprise that did not follow as a result of the alertness, the planning and the co-operative effort of those connected with it. The officers of every association should make up their mind that thev are going to give to their work the time necessary to its proper development and success ; and a part of this time should be spent at regular monthly intervals in meetings, where reports should be' called for by the president and given by each officer or committee on whom any responsibility has been placed. It will be absolutely neces- sary, as we have said before, to divide the responsibility by appor- INCREASING ENROLLMENT IN THE MUTUALS 1221 tioning the work to be done among all the officers. And remem- ber that where there is no responsibility there is no development In order to have the success that should follow your efforts you presidencies must know your officers thoroughly— their limi- tations on the one hand and their possibilities on the other. You can't possibly get all the good out of them in any other way. The only way to know them is to meet with them regularly and to work with them. When you work with a man you usually learn very much about him. You will discover that he is well qualified for this particular thing, and not at all for that. And it is "up to you" who are presidents of associations or superintendents of stakes to recognize the particular fitness of this or that man for this or that work and to make use of it. You must also realize that you have this or that particular work to be done ; therefore this additional need for meeting often and regularly — that you get thoroughly acquainted with your corps and their various quali- fications, and also that you learn to work together in harness with them. New ideas will come to you from these meetings with your officers; it is not expected that any one head will evolve all the ideas necessary to the larger success of an association. And remember this, inspiration comes only to those who work. Hub- bard struck very close to the truth when he said, "Work is the only prayer that is ever answered." Inasmuch as our work com- prises many more activities than formerly, it requires more intel- lects than formerly to make it successful. The modern Mutual Improvement Association meeting is no longer a hap-hazard, happy-go-lucky affair, but has become a rather precise, well ordered, systematic function. It proceeds along definite lines, just as though some one had planned it all out. How about your association? Is it the precise, well-ordered function that we have described? Or is it a rambling affair, starting from nowhere and arriving nowhere? If it is the well- ordered function, we know that some one has been hard at work to make it so — that it has had the hearty co-operation of the Mem- bership Committee, the Program Committee, the Social Commit- tee, the Athletic Committee, and, of course, of all the officers and other special committees. There is positively no other way to achieve the success we are after, than to divide up the work among live committees selected for their fitness, and then to hold them absolutely responsible. It should be the aim to give every- body something to do, but not to work any one to death. There are in all wards those who are gentle and willing ; these generally get worked overtime. While those who are disinclined get noth- ing to do. Either extreme is not conducive to healthy growth. The theory of our Church is to give everyone something to do, and when that happy condition shall prevail, no one need be over- worked. 1222 IMPROVEMENT ERA Thus far we have not considered particularly those activities for which Mutual Improvement work is particularly organized — those things with which we deal. Since the work of the Priest- hood quorums was systematized and better organized, a large field has been opened up to us — a field of broad culture. Thus far, we have just made a beginning in the utilization of that opportunity. The Mutual Improvement Associations, in order to fulfil their highest expectations should become the center of the social, literary, and athletic life among our young people, and in many places they have almost reached this goal. In order to most successfully meet our needs and expectations, our association meetings must be made interesting. If we could sum up in one word that which is most calculated to make them successful, it would be this word "interesting." With snappy, interesting meet- ings, the labors of the membership committee will be made light. People like to come, and especially young people, where things are interesting — "where there is something doing all the time." But if the meetings are dull and monotonous and without pre- arrangement, the membership committee will surely "be up against it," no matter how active and energetic they may be. It behooves us, then, if we would have the success we hope for, to look early to the "Menus" : we ought to make early prepar- ations for the activities which this season will engross our atten- tion. We can best do this by acquainting ourselves with the abili- ties and capabilities of the members. There are usually a few among us who are good story tellers. Make your plans early to utilize them, and remember that to be a good "raconteur" is as great a social gift as to be a fine musician. Ability of this sort will ever bring to its possessor the company of distinguished peo- ple. Latent talent of this kind should by all means be encouraged. Others in the association have an argumentative turn of mind and are natural debaters. Get them into line for a debate, and allow them ample time for preparation, choose subjects that can be discussed academically, and without animosity or ill feeling; and make of these debates a great feature. Remember, too, the advice that has been given at different times recently in the Era and in conventions regarding the things to be avoided in giving debates. The presenting of plays is not a new thing among us ; no doubt every ward has tried its hand at it. As one method of adding to the interest of our associations the presenting of a play is certainly entitled to great credit. The season's work should hardly be considered complete without one effort in this direction. Choose a simple play that doesn't require too much either in the way of scenery and properties or of dramatic action. There are lots of suitable plays to be had. Try it out if you have any among you who are endowed with ability along this line. INCREASING ENROLLMENT IN THE MUTUALS 1223 Music is perhaps the art longest cultivated among us; it is hardly necessary to suggest the appropriateness of music' as a part of our winter's work. It will no doubt form a very large part; but to be most successful it should be diversified as much as possible. The latent talent of every one for music should be cultivated. Encourage the young men to form quartettes and choruses and make such a considerable part of your programs. A little thought on your part will enable you to make use of the musical talent in your midst in new and unhackneyed ways. One of the latest among the activities which we have taken up is athletics and scout work. This is also one of the best. Already some of the stakes have demonstrated the power of this work properly managed to increase the interest and attendance at Mutual meetings. There is chance here for all possible diversity. Get organized for it and try it out and you will recognize its value in adding interest to your work and in enabling you to reach some who might otherwise be unapproachable. There are all these things and others which will suggest them- selves to you when you have tried all these. The thing to do is to make preparation early for these activities, or as many of them as you can properly "tackle" ; make a program of what you would like to accomplish, and stick to it as closely as you can. If you will do all these things in the proper spirit and with the proper energy, we promise you a successful season's work ; you will certainly obtain a larger enrollment and awaken increased interest in the Association ; this is what we have set out to accom- plish. (In the Improvement Era for Vol. 17, officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. will find numerous and up-to-date hints and helps to aid them in their important work.) MIXING IN TINTIC