--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 17 number: 3 published: 1914-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Mutual Work,\" *Improvement Era* 17, no. 3 (January 1914): 272–277." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1703unse 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: improvementera1703unse start_page: 272 end_page: 277 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1703unse publication_year: 1914 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 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mutual Work Mutual Work Studies for M. I. A. Freshmen Class (12 to 14 Years) After due consideration the Committee on Class Study reported to the General Board on Wednesday evening, December 10, submitting the following recommendations: 1. That all boys from twelve to fourteen years of age be given the junior manual to study in class work. 2. That the boys from fourteen to seventeen be organized into separate classes, where practicable, and study the same manual. 3. That all boys finishing successfully this year's manual on "Courage" be given a membership pin. The report was unanimously adopted by the General Board. The officers throughout the Church will please take notice of the decision. In this connection the presidents of wards are requested to look into the matter of the organization of their junior classes, and also to the markings by the class teachers, to see that the requirements for passing are lived up to by the class leaders, and by the students of the junior classes. M. I. A. Boosters The Improvement Era has received copies of several Young Men's Mutual Improvment Association local papers. "The Speedometer" is a weekly published regularly in the Ensign Stake of Zion, and containing a calendar of social and class work, and special activities, for the week, besides a condensed report of the committees in the wards of the stake, on the results of the work each week, and announcements for all the divisions of Mutual Improvement work. Its motto is "Make Ensign Lead." A similar paper, entitled "The Wireless," is printed by the officers of the Granite stake of Zion; and we have also received "The Red Butte Holler," published by the La Grande ward, of the Liberty stake of Zion, and the "Springville M. I. A. Booster," published by the officers of the Springville M. I. A. of Utah stake. The papers fill a mission in keeping before the public in the stakes, wards and classes, the special and general activities of the local Mutual Improvement organizations. The Era welcomes them to its reading table, and will be glad to receive them regularly, and new ones as they appear. Class or Group Athletics for Boys BY ORSON RYAN, SUPT. JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT Class or group athletics is simply a device by which every boy, physically fit, may enter any athletic event, and if he does his best, feel that he is helping his class to win, even though he may not be good in the event in which his class has entered. In this form of athletics a trophy is won, or a record is made, not by the individual MUTUAL WORK 273 record of a boy, but by the average of the individual records of the boys in a class or school. This plan does away with the objection- often raised that athletics provide for the expert only. It reaches the boy who does not usually take part, and class spirit forces him to train conscientiously and to do his very best to win. The three officials for the finals should be chosen from the officers and teachers of the Ward M. I. A.; their decisions are final and should not be Challenged or disputed. The M. I. A. contests for the best group records may be held in the following events: Pull up or "chinning," standing broad jump and running, pole vault, running broad jump, standing or running high jump. REGULATIONS 1. No restrictions are placed upon the boys excepting physical fitness. 2. Members refusing or neglecting to take part should be placed in the list with a record of zero. 3. The number taking part should be at least 80% of the active enrollment. 4. Events may occur at any time. The following is a suggestive arrangement: (a) Pull up, in the month of January. (b) Standing broad jump, in February. (c) Running, in March. (d) Final tests and records may be made to conform to local conditions. 5. Records should be sent from each ward to the stake, and from each stake to the General M. I. A. Athletic Committee. These records will also show what boy led in the stake in each event. 6. In the pull up, no kick, snap, jerk, or swing shall be allowed. It must be a dead pull — from an under grasp. 7. Jumping should be from a line and on level ground. Weights are not to be used. 8. The distance for running should be fifty yards for juniors, and one hundred yards for seniors. 9. In jumping, give the record in feet and inches, carrying the inches out to ten thousandths. Carry out other records in the same way. This is to prevent ties. Measure from toe to heel. 10. When the records of a stake for each event are all in, they should be compared and results announced by the Athletic Committee. 11. A trophy may be given for each event. 12. The records should be found as follows: Pull Up. — An inclined ladder is ideal for the Pull Up, o. a bar may be fitted into a doorway, or the regular horizontal bar may be used. It must be impossible for any contestant to reach the bar without jumping. Each contestant must pull himself up until his chin is over the bar, and then lower himself the whole length of his arms. This he does as many times as he can. The number of times he pulls himself up is his record. The class or group record is found by adding the individual records, and dividing by the number of boys entered. Jumping. — Each boy jumps, taking three jumps if he wishes, and his best jump is recorded. Weights are not to be used. The class record is found as above. Running. — In this there may be some difficulty in taking the individual records of the boys. The following method is suggested. Tt has in it the element of play, and should therefore appeal strongly to the boys: 274 IMPROVEMENT ERA "Carry a Message to Garcia." — -The boys are lined up in two groups fifty yards apart. The timekeeper who acts also as starter, stands by the finishing line. When ready he gives the boy No. 1 "The Message to Garcia," (a soft roll of paper 1 to \y2 inches in diameter and 10 or 12 inches long); at a given signal boy No. 1 runs, and a's he finishes, he passes the message (roll of paper) to boy No. 2, who carries it back to boy No. 3, and so on. As the last boy crosses the finishing line the time is taken. The record is found by dividing the elapsing time by the number of boys that run. The value of class athletics, as previously stated, lies, not in the special development of a single boy, but in the general development of all the boys. The boy who cannot jump is encouraged to jump; the boy who cannot or does not care to run is induced to take part in that activity and so receives the particular development which he most needs. SUGGESTIONS Have class trials frequently before taking final records. Encourage the boys to practice by themselves, in the yard, in the street, at home or elsewhere. It is not how far the boys can jump; it is getting them to want to jump that is success. Divide your M. I. A. into classes or squads and appoint captains; encourage emulation among the squads. Have squad or class contests. Music for the M. I. A. Suggestive list for contest and general use. MIXED CHORUSES AND MIXED QUARTETS For points for judgment, see September Era, 1913. "Star of Descending Night," by Emerson; "Song of the Whippoorwill;" "When the Foeman Bares His Steel," Sullivan; "When the Frost Is on the Pumpkin," C. W. Reid, Provo; "Hail to the Heroes," from Aida; "O Father Whose Almighty Power," from "Judas," by Handel; "Daughter of Zion," old English; "Send Out Thy Light," Gounod; "Lead, Kindly Light," Dudley Buck; "Spring Song," Pinsuti; "Build Thee More Stately Mansion," Arthur Farwell; "Blow, Bugle, Blow," W. N. Neidlinger; "Sing to the Lord," Mendelssohn, arr. by Rys- Herbert, F. Fisher & Bro., New York; "How Beautiful Upon the Mountains," J. Stainer, White-Smith Co.; "Who Knows What the Bells Say?" Henry Parker, Presser; "How Lovely Are the Messengers," Mendelssohn, Ditson; "Godd Night, Beloved," Barnby, Presser; "Night Song," Stephens; "Woo Thou, Sweet Music," Elger; "Temple Anthems," Deseret News, publishers, SO cents. MALE CHORUSES AND MALE QUARTETS Suggestive list for contest and general use. Points for judgment same as for mixed double quartet, see September Era, 1913. Choruses. "Drink to Me Only with Thine "Comrades in Arms" — Adolph Eyes"— Barnby. Adams. "While I Have You" — Tosti. "Crown of the Tempest"— Verdi. "A May Night"— F. Abt. "March Onward" — Becker. "Like a Woodland Rose." Quartets. "Lover's Serenade" — Abt. Op. 85, "Beware" — L. A. Russell. No. 7. • - "Goodnight"— C. W. Wilson. "Dearest Mae" — Jas. Power. "Tn Absence"— Dudlev Buck. "Annie Laurie" — Arr. by Parks. "Sweet and Low"— Barnby. "Sweet Miss Mary" — Neidlinger. MUTUAL WORI 275 LADIES CHORUSES, QUARTETS AND TRIOS Suggestive list for contest and general use. . Points for judgment same as mixed double quartet, see September Era. 1913. Choruses. "Sweet and Low" — Barnby. "The Bridal of the Birds" — Emerson. "'In Sweetest May" — Evans. "Bridal Chorus" — Cowen. "In Our Boat" — Cowen. "Spring Song" — Wagner. "Legends" — F. Mohrinsr. "The Bells of Aberdovey"— T. J. Davis. Quartets. "Forget Me Not" — Riese. "Lullaby from Erminie." "Pale in the Amber West" — Parks. "Annie Laurie." "The Rockab-"- Lady from Hushaby Street" — F. E. Chapman. "Lady Pioneer" — Stephens. "The Sweetest Flower that Blows" — Hawley. "Mighty Like a Rose" — Nevin. Trios. "Galilee" — Careless. "Twilight"— Abt. "Lift Thine Eyes" — Mendelssohn. "O Dry Those Tears" — Del Re^i". "The Stars Beyond the Cloud" — B. Tours. "On Music's Wing" — Mendelssohn. "Sweet May" — Barnby. DUETS — SOPRANO AND ALTO For contest and general use. Points for judgment same as mixed double quartet, see September Era, 1913. "I Would That My Love"— Men- steps"— Maritana, (Wallace). delssohn. "Resignation" — Roma. "Hear Me, Norma"— from Norma. "Ma Nacelli" — (My Boat)— A. "Holy Mother, Guide His Foot- Goring Thomas. DUETS — TENOR AND BARITONE "The Two Fishermen"— C. M. "The Force of Destiny"— Verdi. Gabussi. "Excelsior"— Balfe. "Larboard Watch, Ahoy." SOPRANO SOLOS — SENIOR AND JUNIOR Suggestive list for contest and general use. Points for judgment: 1. Voice, quality, range, power, etc. 2. Intonation. 3. Interpretation, phrasing, expression, enunciation, etc. 4. Tempo. Senior. "Life's Merry Morn" — by Vincent. "Nightingale's Song" — Nevin. "Hear Us, O Father"— Millard. "Holy City"— Adams. "Sleep Well"— Abt. "Good Bye"— Tosti. "Sing On" — Denza. "Tn the Glad Springtime"— Jack- Thompson. "Doest Thou Know That Sweet Land" — Thomas. "O Divine Redeemer" — Gounod. "Fear Ye Not. O Israel"— Buck. Junior. "O Loving Father" — Del Regio. "O Loving Heart" — Gottschalk. "Rose in the Bud." "A Dream" — Bartlett. 276 IMPROVEMENT ERA CONTRALTO SOLOS Points of judgment, same as soprano solo. "He was Despised"- — Handel. "Slave Song"- — Del Regie "O Rest in the Lord" — from "Eli- "If Thou Didst Love Me" — Denza. jah" — Mendelssohn. "Until God's Day" — Buck. "Rock of Ages" — Rimmick. "The Sweetest Flower" — Van der "A Perfect Day" — Carrie Jacobs Stucken. Bond. "Because I Love You, Dear" — "Good Night, Good Night" — Ball. Hawley. BASS SOLOS Points of judgment, same as soprano solo. "The Old Sexton" — Russell. Maritana. "The Village Blacksmith" — W. H. "I Ne'er Complain" — Schumann. Weiss. "The Mighty Deep" — Judge. "Arm, Arm, Ye Brave" — Handel. "The Spirit of the Deep" — Dau- "Out on the Deep" — Lohr. bert. "Let Me Like a Soldier Fall"— BARITONE SOLOS "Son of the Desert Am I." "Arm, Arm Ye Brave" — Handel. "In the Garden of My Heart"— "If With All Your Hearts"— Ball. Elijah. "My Faith in Thee"— Wells. "A Warrior Bold" — Stephen "Hosanna" — Granier. Adams. "Plains of Peace" — Barnard. "Till the Sands of the Desert "The Two Grenadiers" — Schu- Grow Cold." mann. "Loving Smile of Sister Kind" — "The Earl King" — Schubert. Gounod. "The Village Blacksmith" — W. H. "It is Enough" — Mendelssohn. Weiss. "Abide with Me" — Liddle. TENOR SOLOS "Because I Love You, Dear" — "Come Into the Garden, Maud" — Nevin. Balfe. "Ah, I Have Sighed to Rest Me" "The Summer Wind" — Bischoff. —II Trovatore. "Bells of Seville"— W. H. Jude. "Cujus Ani./iam" — R'ossinl. "Could I" — Tosti. SOPRANO AND TENOR DUETS Points for iudgment same as mixed double quartet, see September Era, 1913. "O Morning Land" — Phelps. "Twilight." "O That We Two Were Maying" "A Night in Venice" — G. Lucan- — Smith. toni. "L'Addio"— O. Nicolai. "The Adieu"— O. Nicolai. VIOLIN SOLOS — JUNIOR AND SENIOR Points for judgment: 1. Intonation. 2. Tone quality. 3. Interpretation, phrasing, etc. 4. Technique, bowing, fingering. "Serenade" — Drdla. "Humoreske" — Arthur Heft. Op. "Spring Song." 112. "Romance" — Swendsen. "La Cvgn." MUTUAL WORK 277 PIANO SOLOS— SENIOR AND JUNIOR Points for judgment: 1. Interpretation, phrasing, etc 2 Technique, fingering, pedaling, etc. 3. Tone. 4. Tempo. Senior. maninoff (a) Valse, Op. 64, No. 1— Chopin. Junior <