Mutual Work

Mutual Work

Stake Work The Closing Meeting — Summer Activity As the season for Mutual work is about ended for this year, the General Board calls your attention to the holding of a closing session, in each of the wards in your stake, as per instructions in the January number of the Improvement Era, page 277. It is desired that each ward shall conclude its season's meetings with a session at which the annual statistical and financial reports of the ward shall be presented and approved, and a report made of the various activities carried out in the association for the past year. At this meeting also, the certified list of junior boys who have passed successfully, the first and second years' courses, should be presented, in order to give them due recognition. The officers for the ensuing year should, as far as possible, also be presented and voted upon by the association, so that they will be prepared to carry on the summer's work, and be ready to take up the regular work as soon as the convention season opens in the fall. The annual report should be forwarded at once, after the final meeting, to the stake secretary, and that officer should compile the ward reports and forward the stake report to the General Secretary, to reach him not later than May 10. The blank stake and ward reports have been forwarded to the stake superintendents, and we hope, promptly distributed. Follow them up until the reports are properly made out, and in the hands of your stake secretary. You are requested to forward all funds collected on the general fund account, promptly, to the General Secretary, reporting with your remittance the amount paid by each ward.

Avoid Cash Prizes for Athletic Contests

The attention of all stake superintendents and ward presidents of the Y. M. M. I. A., is called to this fact: the International Collegiate Athletic rules declare that after a man has received money for athletic contests, he must be rated as a professional, and becomes, therefore, ineligible to play on any regular college team. It is quite as satisfactory to give prizes in the form of a hat, shoes, books or a medal, or anything else except money; and such prizes would not disqualify the recipient from work on college teams. The reason why we call especial attention to this matter now, is that President John A. Widtsoe, of the State Agricultural College, has found that in several M. I. A. athletic contests, men have received automatically, small cash prizes, such as $2.50 or $5, and have, thereby, in colleges barred themselves from participating in athletic contests which they have later entered. We, therefore, again warn our officers and young men "of this condition. on this Warning was given by the Board, some three years ago, appears discouraged but it point and cash prizes have been constantly that in some places, the warning has not been heeded.

556 IMPROVEMENT ERA Reports and the Final Meetings

A supply of stake and ward report blanks for making out annual reports have been sent to superintendents. These ward reports should be promptly distributed and followed up with vigorous action. Sug- gestions of the Board in the matter of holding a closing session in each ward at which the ward annual report should be presented for the approval of the association, have also been sent to superintendents. (See Era, January, 1915, page 277.) If this be done, in every instance, stake officers should be able to secure the ward reports in ample time for the stake secretaries to compile the ward reports and have the stake report reach this office by May 10, according to the printed in- structions. Please leave no stone unturned, this year, to secure a full report from all associations. If there is any neglect or delay on the part of the ward officers, take the matter up with the bishops of the wards. The June Conference The joint conference committee, as well as the separate com- mittees of General Boards, have had several sessions devising new and attractive features for the annual conference of the Mutual Im- provement Associations in June. Preparations are being made for lively times in which every moment of the three days, June II, 12, and 13, will be occupied with meetings, contests, literary, musical, and devotional exercises. Of course, the great social on Friday, 12th, will be one of the big things. All superintendents and presidents should begin to lay plans to be present.

Vocations and Industries Vocation Lectures in Ogden The M. I. A. of the Weber County stakes combined and provided for a free lecture course on Vocations. J. Dwight Harding, M. D., vocation supervisor for the Ogden stake, has favored the Era with a program of the lecture course which is held in the Ogden Tabernacle, the music being furnished by the Tabernacle choir, Joseph Ballantyne, director. Dr. Harding writes that up to March 12 the lectures had been well attended and he was certain much good is being accom- plished. The lectures had been strong and pointed. Only one sub- stitution had been necessary, Major R. W. Young, being unable to appear, but other speakers were provided. Following is the original program: — Feb. 21, 2 p. m. Chairman, H. H. Rolapp. "Trades," Nephi L. Morris. Feb. 28, 2 p. m. — Chairman, Heber Scowcroft. "Architecture," Lewis T. Cannon; "Art," J. Leo Fairbanks. March 7, 7 p. m.— Chairman, A. R. Heywood. "Medicine," Dr. G. W. Middleton; "Law," Major R. W. Young. March 2 p m. 14, — Chairman, Maude Dee Porter. "Girl's Voca- tions," LizzieM. Hill; "Woman's Vocations," Lydia H. Tanner. — March 21, 2 p. m. Chairman, T. Samuel Browning. "Authorship and Journalism," B. H. Roberts; "Teaching," Dr. G. H. Brimhall. March 28, 2 p. m.— Chairman, Supt. J. M. Mills "Science," Dr. F. J. Pack. April 11, 2 p. m. — Chairman, Dr. E. I. Rich. "Agriculture," Dr. John A. Widtsoe.

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A Vocational Convention. On Saturday, February 13, a vocational convention was held at Brigham City for the Box Elder stake of Zion. The attendance, ac- cording to a letter sent us by Superintendent Ernest P. Horsley, was large and about as follows: At the agricultural room, 100; normal training, 100; commerce and banking, 75; law room, 50; medicine, surgery and nursing, 100; manual training, 20. The time devoted for the vocational work by competent division teachers was one and a half hours. On Sunday afternoon following, there was a special vo- cationn meeting held, attended by 675 people, the audience being com- posed almost entirely of Brigham City residents. The convention was held in the Box Elder high school. The professors taking part were: agriculture and horticulture, Walter J. Glenn and Abel S. Rich; animal husbandry, Louis Wangsgaard; commerce and banking, Hon. J. D. Peters; normal training, Supt. D. C. Jensen; law, Hon. W. J. Low, county attorney; medicine and surgery, Dr. D. W. Henderson; manual training, Prof. George C. Laney. The meetings were a source of great instruction to those who attended. The idea of holding such a convention is a good one, well worth favorable consideration by others.

Rules for M. I. A. Boys' Half-Acre and Garden Contests

The Boys' Half-Acre Contest, during 1914, caused the General Board of Y. M. M. I. A. to decide to hold a similar contest^ during 1915. The purposes are to impress our boys and young men with the value and use of money, the worth of time and the necessity of forming habits of industry and thrift; and also to give them experience in intensely cultivating the soil and marketing their products. 1. The contests shall be known as the M. I. A. Boys' Half-Acre and Garden Contests. 2. All Y. M. M. I. A. members, twelve to eighteen years of age inclusive, are eligible to enter the contests. 3. AH who enter this contest are to fill out the entrance blank accompanying these rules, and file same through the ward vocation counselor or stake supervisor, with R. W. Eardley, Secretary of the Committee on Vocations and Industries, 20 Bishop's Building, Salt Lake City, Utah, not later than June 1, 1915. 4. Sugar beets, mangel wurzel, potatoes or garden truck, may be grown. For sugar beets, wurzel and potatoes, one-half acre of ground shall form the unit for this contest, and in garden truck one-eighth of an acre shall form the unit of the contest; but each contestant may enter one, two, three or four units. but 5. Two or more young men may form a club or partnership, there must be at least one unit of ground for each member participat- shall be ing in such partnership or club. All partnerships or clubs restricted to not more than five members each. 6 The participant or participants in the contest are to decide for themselves what crops shall be planted but the crops must be sha 1 also decide confined to the products enumerated in Rule 4. They crops shall be culti- the frequency and amount of irrigation, how the shall do his own vated and marketed, and, as far as possible, each unable to d o. An work, hiring only such work done as he may be both as to time the accurate record shall be kept of all work hired, spends and the amount he receives for his labors. hired person

558 IMPROVEMENT ERA 7. An accurate record shall be kept of all the expenses pertaining to the cultivation of the ground and the marketing of the crop, and the returns shall also be carefully and accurately recorded. The ex- penses shall include labor, seed, fertilizer, as per report blank. 8. In estimating the cost of production the contestant shall allow $8 rental for each half-acre of land which he uses. He is to count his own time worth ten cents an hour; all team work and help at actual cost, and barn-yard manure at $2 per. ton. 9. The contest shall be conducted by the Committee on Voca- tions and Industries, affiliated with the State and National Boys' and Girls' Clubs. It shall be under the direction of the stake supervisor, assisted by the state and county leaders of boys' and girls' clubs. All instructions issued by the state leader of boys' and girls' clubs are ap- plicable to these contests, and those who enter will be furnished, upon application, the bulletins issued by the boys' and girls' clubs which give instructions relating to the planting and caring for the crops. Each stake shall form a unit in the contest. At the end of the season the report of each contestant shall be certified to by his ward vocation counselor, or president, and bishop, and is to be sent to the stake supervisor, who shall arrange for judges to decide the merits of the different contestants. 10. At the conclusion of the contest in each stake, the stake supervisor shall send to the Committee on Vocations and Industries of the General Board the four records which shall have been adjudged to be the first, second, third, and fourth best. From the records thus submitted a final decision will be rendered for the work done through- out all the stakes of the Church, recognizing, first, second, third, and fourth best. All boys and young men entering this contest are also eligible to compete in the county and state contests of the boys' and girls' clubs, and are in line to win the M. I. A., the State, and the National championships. 11. The contest shall be determined on the following points, namely: the crop yield, marketing of the crop, record, and net results. 12. The winners of the final contest shall be given honorable mention in the Improvement Era, and presented with a suitable token signifying their achievement.

M. I. A. Contests, 1915 Rules Governing Finals

1. Final contests will be held at the June Conference, Salt Lake City.
   2. Preliminary try-outs will be held on Friday, June 11, at 2 p. m. The Music section will meet in the Assembly Hall; the Public Speak- ing section, in the Bishop's building; the Retold Story section, in the Fourteenth ward chapel. Grand Finals will be held in the Assembly Hall. Saturday, June 12, at 8 p. m. 3. Only those may participate in these contests who have won in Church District contests. The same stories, and Public speeches used in Church District contests must be used in the Finals. 4. Winners of first and second place at the Preliminary contests on Friday afternoon will contest in Grand Finals on Saturday evening. 5. Gold medals will be awarded to the winners in Senior and advanced Senior events, and silver medals to the winners in Junior events, at the Finals.

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6. The names and addresses of all contestants and events for which they enter; also manuscript copies of Public speeches, and titles of Retold Stories, must be forwarded to the General Secretary, Moroni Snow, not later than May 25.
   7. An official accompanist will be provided, when musical con- testants so desire. •

8._ Competent judges will be provided by the General Boards to adjudicate all events. 9. All contestants should read carefully the rules and regulations published in convention folder of last fall, and in September, 1914, and March, 1915, numbers of Era; and February and March, 1915, Journal. — Note. See January Era, page 274, "Helpful Hints for Boys' Chorus." Before this issue of the Era reaches you, many ward contests will have been held, and you will find yourselves in the midst of this work. Let us suggest again that ward and stake officers be as tactful and helpful as possible. If it is your ward or stake representative who loses, or wins, you be the first to give help where it is needed. See that your judges are selected with the greatest of care; then, when they render decisions, let them be final, and encourage all to abide by the same. Let us ever keep in mind that there are no losers where conscientious effort has been put forth. "Your ceaseless struggles, made in sun and storm, Will bring their blessings just because you tried. The best that you could do, you may ne'er perform; At topmost height, some must be thrust aside; But our desires and struggles serve to teach Us to rejoice, when we our best have tried." Porter.

M. I. A. CLASS IN LEADERSHIP, PROVO, UTAH