---
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: 9
published: 1914-07
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "The Best Yet," *Improvement Era* 17, no. 9 (July 1914): 889.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1709unse
  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: improvementera1709unse
start_page: 889
end_page: 889
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-07)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1709unse
  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.
---

# The Best Yet

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The Best Yet

The annual M. I. A. Conference this year was considered

one of the best and most numerously attended ever held. One of

the big features of the conference was the contest work in ora-

tions, story-telling, boys' and girls' choruses, and double mixed

quartets.   The contests created great interest and brought many

to the conference, and were pronounced by competent judges to

be first class in every respect. When it is remembered that those

who contested represented perhaps 7,500 young people who had

already taken part in the stakes of the Church, in these exercises,

the magnitude and value of the work, and the benefits derived,

may be partially estimated.

The visiting representatives and officers were instructed by

the speakers in an impressive manner on their practical work,

which should assure excellent results for the coming season.

One of the new features of the conference was the presentation

of the new hand book for the officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. This

book is designed to instruct officers, and particularly new officers,

unfamiliar with the work of the association.       It is a condensed

guide touching upon every department of the work, and informing

the officers of their general duties and activities.

The social division of the work was well handled. Over 700

officers and guests were present at the evening entertainment given

by the General Boards in honor of the visiting officers on Friday,

at the Deseret Gymnasium, and the scout and social demonstrations

that afternoon were greatly appreciated. The noon luncheon, on

Saturday, given by the Y. M. M. I. A. to the stake superintend-

ents, was a feast in every respect.   Sixty-three stakes were repre-

sented. Presidents Smith, Penrose, and a number of other mem-

bers of the Board and several, superintendents, spoke.     The Sun-

day meetings, in song, music, sermon, demonstrations of scouts

and contestants, were greatly enjoyed. Especially should be men-

tioned the courtesy of  Emma    Lucy Gates, who, on solicitation of

President Joseph F. Smith, favored the audience with a sweet, and

inspiring rendition of the favorite hymn      :  "Oh ye mountains

high." An account of the proceedings, with some of the speeches,

orations and photos of winners will appear in the Era for August.