--- 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: 18 number: 8 published: 1915-06 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* 18, no. 8 (June 1915): 744–750.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1808unse 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: improvementera1808unse start_page: 744 end_page: 750 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1808unse publication_year: 1915 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 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mutual Work Mutual Work M. I. A. Conference « The M. I. A. Annual Conference will be held in Salt Lake City on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 11, 12 and 13. The following program has been arranged: Friday, June 11 First session, 9:30 to 12:30. The first period, : 9:30 to 11, will be devoted to a consideration of joint problems: 1. Stake supervision. 2. Special activities. 3. Annualfall conventions. The second period, 11 to 12:30, will be devoted to social work with a demonstration in the Deseret Gymnasium. At 1 p. m. a short special meeting of the superintendents, of the Y. M. M. I. A., will be held, at which "Efficiency in Stake Work," will be discussed. Second session, 2 p. m. This time will be devoted to preliminary try-outs in the contests: Music section will be held in the Assembly Hall; public speaking section, in the Bishop's Building, and the re-told story section, in the 14th ward chapel. On the evening of Friday there will be an enter- tainment for the visiting stake officers, particulars of which will be made known later. Saturday, June 12: On this day separate meetings of the young men, and young ladies will be held in the morning and afternoon. In the evening of that day, beginning at 8 o'clock, grand finals in the contest activities will be held in the Assembly Hall. The Saturday morning meeting of the young men's officers will be devoted to the discussion, from a number of standpoints, of the sub- ject: "The Spirit of the Gospel in M. I. A. Work." The afternoon will be devoted to business and a consideration of the subjects of government and routine work in the organizations. The Y. L. M. I. A. meetings on Saturday: 10 a. m. — General Assembly, Assembly Hall: 1. Greeting; II. Roll Call and Annual Report; III. The Junior Girl; IV. Bee-Hive Work. 11 a. m. — Department Meetings, Bishop's Building: Presidents and Counselors, Secretaries and Treasurers, Music Directors, Journal Agents, Class Leaders. — 2 p. m. General Assembly, Assembly Hall: I. Guide Work 1915- 1916; II. Things Worth While; III. Spirituality in My Stake (five minute talks by stake officers); IV. The Secret Force in M. I. A. Work; V. Old Fashioned "Mormonism." Sunday, June 13: The first session will be held at 10 o'clock a. m. in the Tabernacle and will be joint. The subjects to be treated are: 1. "The Quitter," by Prof. E. S. Hinckley. 2. "Teaching the Gospel Through the M. I. A. Activities," Mary E Connelly. 3. "The Hills in M. I. A. Work and How to Climb Them," Dr. Harvey Fletcher, superintendent of the Utah stake. The presentation of the medals to the winners in the final contest will be made at this meeting. Second session, 2 p. m., in the Tabernacle: The time of this meeting will be occupied by The General Superintendency Y. M. M. I. A., President Martha H. Tingey, of the Y. L. M. I. A., and President Louie B. Felt, of the Primary associations. Third session, 7:30 p. m., in the Tabernacle: There will be two speakers, one representing the Primary, and one the Young Men's and Young Ladies' M. I. A. jointly. Elder Levi Edgar \onng has been chosento represent the M. I. A. and he will talk to the question: "Will the Children of Tomorrow Have Faith?" The slogan for the M. I. A. conference, for 1915 is: "We Stand for a Weekly Home Evening." The music for the conference will be under the direction of the music committees of the associations. Athletic and Scout Work Champions of Eastern Oregon The M. I. A. basketball team of Le Grande, Oregon, has carved its way to championship, according to information furnished the Era by G. Earl Stoddard, superintendent of the Y. M. M. I. A. of the Union stake. The team is now the undisputed champion of East Oregon. On Monday, February 15, the M. I. A. defeated the Echo Purple Giants, giving that team its second defeat in five years in the state of Oregon. One of the Le Grande newspapers describing the contest says: "The contest was a bayonet charge and long-range-artillery affair throughout, swinging from one to the other repeatedly. The M. I. A. BASKET-BALL TEAM, LA GRANDE, OREGON 'Y' floor was given a sample of basketball that it will not likely see again for some time, and the mad shrieks of plaudits that went up when the final whistle sounded, and the M. I. A. players were three points in the lead, demonstrated the volume of interest. * * * Both teams used their defense with terrific weight, and though the playing was more laborious than scientifically open, the Giants and M. I. A. won commendation for the gentlemanly tactics displayed. Both sides were too busy playing basketball to deliberate foul tactics that are adopted only by the novices." The La Grande M. I. A. won by a total of 26 points against 23 for the Giants. The M. I. A. thus became the champions of eastern Oregon basketball, and at the same time won the La Grande city trophy, put up by the Red Cross Drug Co., for the city basketball league. The personnel of the — team is: Botton row Coombs, Metcalf, Bean, captain; Rosenbaum, Ainsworth; standing, Baum, Woods, Harvey, Larsen, 'manager and coach; and Scofield. The team has been known as the'M. I. A. team for the last five years The boys deserve special commendation for their achievement, and for their faithful and untiring efforts to reach the championship goal. They are fine specimens of physical develop- ment, as well as moral rectitude. 'Pioneer Hike" The M. I. A. Scout "Pioneer "Hike" over the old "Mormon" trail, from Echo canyon to Salt Lake City, will be taken again this year. It is intended to leave Echo canyon, July 21, and to arrive at Salt Lake City on the morning of July 24, in time to take part in the pioneer celebration. If any are unable to take the three-day "hike," they may make an overnight "hike," and camp with the main company at the foot of Little Mountain, where it is expected there will be a large campfire celebration on the night of the 23rd. If arrangements can be made, the boys will take part in the erection by the State, of the Pioneer monu- ments along the trail. Boys who have not passed the Tenderfoot test will not be permitted to make the "hike." Details of arrangements may be obtained from the M. I. A. Scout Commissioner, after June 1. Encampments and Hikes 'No scout organization should permit the summer to pass without holding an encampment; and, where possible, permanent places for summer encampments should be chosen, so that improvements can be made on them each year. Often places for camps can be obtained by getting long-time leases from the government, at a very nominal figure. Stakes in the vicinity of lakes and mountains that would make good places for permanent camps, could unite and have inter-stake encampments. One of the main things in "hiking" and encampments is to have a definite program, and require the scouts to carry it out per schedule. Camps where boys are permitted to lie around with nothing special to do, are unprofitable and should be avoided. For a scout program, see page 177, new edition of the Hand Book for Boys; and pages 201, 228 and 239, Hand Book for Scout Masters. Arrange your "hikes" so that they will fit in with the conditions where you reside. Prepare far enough ahead, to enable the boys to make proper arrangements with parents and employers to leave their work at the most opportune time. Scout masters should keep a record of time spent, the cost of supplies, menus of each meal, and the programs carried out, as this information will be required by the M. I. A. Scout Commissioner of the General Board at the end of the season to enable him to give the required information to other scouts and to the National Organization. Dr. John H. Taylor, M. I. A. Scout Commissioner, will be pleased to render as- sistance, personally, in making arrangements for "hikes" and en- campments. HUNTSVILLE BASKETBALL TEAM Winners of the Ogden stake M. I. A. League pennant. During six weeks they played eleven games in which they lost only one. It is the first year that the Huntsville association has entered the stake M. I. A. league in basketball. Names, back row, left to right: I. V. Jorgensen, David Sprague, Arthur Felt, Albert Wangsgaard; center, Roger Peterson, Wilmer Jensen (coach), Leon Felt; front, Joseph Smith. Inter-Stake Scout Meet On Thursday, March 18, at 8 p. m., the Granite stake scouts, under the direction of the stake scout master, C. H. Spencer Jr., held an inter-stake meet at the Forest Dale meetinghouse. Out of the eleven wards of the stake, eight were represented by a patrol, making 64 scouts taking part in the different activities. All had passed the tender- foot test. Over two hundred other scouts were present. Before the contest work was taken up demonstration work was conducted by T. George Wood, of the Waterloo ward, with one of his patrols. They demonstrated the different phases of first-aid work, including bandage- 748 IMPROVKMKNT HRA ing, different of carrying the injured, also life-saving and methods drill, Schafer's method of resuscitation of the drowned. including The semaphore signalling drill work was then exhitited which in- cluded the alphabet by letters, and sending messages by squads. The exhibition concluded with a demonstration of fire lighting with two matches, and the making of fire without matches. The contest work was as follows: 1st event. — One boy from each troop was allowed one. minute to give the significance of the badge. — 2nd event. One patrol from each troop to give scout promise, including sign and scout law. 3rd event. — Relay knot-tying race. One patrol from each troop. GRANITE STAKE SCOUT PATROLS On a "hike" to the mouth of Parley's Canyon 4th event.— Drill contest with staff under the direction of the scout master or assistant. — 6th event. While not in the contest, this consisted of all the troops forming on the floor in square formation with an exhibition of the hoisting of the flag, showing full mast, half mast, and concluded by a flag salute by all the scouts. A United States flag was presented to the winners of the event, — the Sugar-Richards troop. The method of judging was 50 points for first place, 40 points for second place, 30 points for third place, 20 points for fourth place, and ten points for fifth place. The meet was a very successful one and showed what can be done by stakes in the way of inter-stake meets, if properly worked out. Why the President Approves Boy Scout Work In his address to members of the National Council and a group of Boy Scouts at the White House on February 11" President Wood- row Wilson said: Gentlemen T am sincerely glad to have the pleasure of this visit : from you, and to have an opportunity to express my very sincere interest not only in the organization of the Boy Scouts but in the objects that that organization has. From all that I know of it, and from all that I have been able to observe personally, it is an admirable organization, devoted to the objects that I myself thoroughly believe in. There is only one rule in the world, and it applies to all profes- sions,and that is that you are expected to "make good." No excuses are allowed in this school of life, and the only way to make good is to keep faith. That is the reason I like the idea of the Boy Scouts because of their secure notion of being responsible to society. They — are responsible to the people who live around them to help main- tain the standards of order and fidelity upon which the community depends. You are recruits in the ranks that we all stand in, and that is to serve the country in some way that will tell, and that has nothing particular to do with your own personal benefit. The man who de- votes himself exclusively to the development of his own character will succeed in nothing except to make of himself a prig. But if he de- votes himself to helping other people his character will not only take care of itself but it will grow to a very noble stature. I have always maintained that, in the language of manufacture, character is a by-product. If you set out to develop it because you love it for yourself you will be an ass. If you disregard the conse- quences to yourself in order to serve other people you will make a noble gentleman, and that I believe is fundamental and sacred in an organization of this sort. I congratulate you for belonging to it and hope you will honor it in every way by your conduct and allegiance. Stake Work Doings of the M. I. A. Australia Raymond F. Kneale, president of the M. I. A. of Melbourne, Australia, reports that the Mutual Improvement Association of Rich- mond, Melbourne, Victoria, of the Australian mission, has made rapid strides of late and is a body of progressive workers. Meetings are held every Thursday evening in which a good spirit is always manifest, and along with it one great desire to advance. Special nights are often given, breaking the ordinary routine of class work; debating and literary work forming a great part of the M. I. A. endeavors, also historical matter. "We have two classes, senior and junior, the former lias just completed a thorough study of 'The Great Apostasy,' by Elder Talmage, and is now pursuing 'The Restoration of the Gospel,' by Widtsoe. The junior class study the Book of Mormon: The pre- liminary programs and singing practices are carried out in ordinary meetings, always. The association has an average attendance of 35 active, enrolled members, while many visitors often attend. Our cry is GROUP OF OFFICERS AND TEACHERS Richmond branch, Melbourne, Australia. Front row, left to right: Elsie Parker, Grace Bartlet, First Counselor; Raymond F. Kneale, president; Phyllis Parker, Junior As- sistant organist; Jessie C. Galloway, Second Counselor; Barbara Anderson. Back row, Ella Milton, J. Kelley, Lewis P. Kneale, Elders Carl Johnson, M. Leo Burgess, Robert P. McQuarrie, Conference President; A. G. Burt Denton, S. Glen Merrill. to rally round and assist in the great fight to overcome evil. It is by developing our intelligence, overcoming evil, and keeping our bodies fit, that victory will be assured. Our Mutual work is causing both spiritual and temporal development and brings with it joy and hap- piness and a realization of the limitless possibilities of man." M. I. A. CLASS IN LEADERSHIP, BEAVER STAKE.