Mutual Work

Mutual Work Stake Work Three Important Items. For the monthly stake meeting in October three big points stand out that should have attention under item five in the order of business (p. 8, "Hand Book") "new instructions." They are: "Organization and Membership" (H. B., pp. 19-26); the opening entertainment when the Fund is to be raised ("H. B.," 111-112); and the canvass for the Era, the method for which is set forth in detail in the "Hand Book" on pages 109-111. Let us get through with this work right, and wc have a good start for the year. M. I. A. in Australia Raymond Kneale, president of the Y. M. M. I. A., Melbourne, Australia, reports the M. I. A. work still progressing in those quar- ters. The mission quarters have been moved to a large place on the main thoroughfare where they have a comfortable hall. "Our work is very interesting. The average attendance is forty to forty-one. A few weeks back we had a special night and had an attendance of sixty- four, a great encouragement. The great war affects everybody, and Australia, being a part of the British empire, is very loyal and is mak- ing great endeavors to assist the mother country. Our soldiers are proving themselves worthy of their names at the Dardanelles. Great recruiting campaigns are being held. It takes the spirit of the gospel to refrain a young man from going abroad in defense of freedom. I pray that the Lord will hasten on the time when peace and righteous- ness shall again be established. My heart is in the great latter-day work." Class Study The Teacher "Class study, being the most important work in our organization, is the thread by which we hold the interest of young men, and is our leading activity." — Handbook, p. 26. The heart of the weekly meeting is the class work. Success or failure of the meeting rests largely with the class leader or teacher. Teaching is an art that must be learned. One who desires to teach in the public schools of this state must have had four years of high school work, and then two years of special normal instruction and training and yet, many Mutual class leaders attempt to perform then- work with little or no preparation. In such cases, the cause of class failure is no secret. , Three things the teacher should be: 1. The teacher should be regular in attendance. 2. The teacher should be punctual. 3. Ine teacher should be prepared. . , . fl The first two requirements are self-evident. _ Let us consider briefly the third. A teacher's preparation should consist of: (1) A thorough knowledge of the text. No one can teach that which he himself does not know. A teacher cannot deceive a class as to his preparedness. Nothing demoralizes a class more than an exh.hi- tio'n of the teacher's ignorance of the lesson. ►•„„„:„ ,i,,> (2) A careful planning of the lesson. (See suggestions in th< "Hand Book" page 26. Every Manual lesson is planned in its con- smictlon, having one central thought toward which every .principle and illustration, given in the lesson, tends. In agreement with the lesson

1114 IMPROVEMENT ERA plan, the teacher should also have an aim, and plan the development of the subject in hand to the aim in view. Knowledge of a subject or zeal in its presentation will not take the place of careful, intelligent planning. The general end in every lesson is the acquirement of knowledge and the development of power. Knowledge is given only by causing the proper activities of the learners' mind. It cannot be transmitted from one mind to another as water is poured from one vessel to another. The power developed should be of the mind, mental power, spiritual power, power to feel for, and will to work for the right. (3) An acquaintance or knowledge of his class will aid the teacher in planning his lesson; a knowledge of the individuals of his class will help him in the conducting of his recitation — whom to encourage by skillful questions and whom to restrain from taking up too much time. As to methods of teaching, three may be considered: (1) When the teacher does it all: This is the lecture method, used largely in institutions of higher learning. It is successful only when the lecturer is an expert in his line and subject. It should be used with care in Mutual work. (2) When the class does it all. The value of this method de- pends on the kind of people engaged in the discussion. If the mem- bers of the class are students of a high order, some unity may be pre- served; but usually when the class is left without a guiding hand, the end in view is scattered to the four winds, and there is much useless talk. (3) When the class and teacher divide the work. This is the best general method. The teacher, having in mind the end to be reached, never loses sight of it, but with skill directs the discussion along the lines of natural development to the end in view. If possible the whole lesson should receive some treatment at each recitation. It is not possible to exhaust the subject in all its sub- divisions in one or two lessons, but a briefer treatment of the lesson as a whole will leave a stronger and better impression than a more extended discussion of a few of its parts. Athletic and Scout Work A Ride Down Timpanogos Glacier A very unique report was received by Commissioner Taylor from Charles De Graffe, stake scout master of the Wasatch stake. The several M. I. A. scout troops in that stake went on a "hike" to Mt... Timpanogos. The report was sent in on two pieces of birch bark. One sheet of bark was written upon with ink, and the other had been written with a sharp instrument. There-were thirty-seven scouts who went on this trip with the stake scout master and with E. P. Clift and Lester Greenwood, as ward scout masters. Brother De Graffe, in his letter, says: "A more pleasant and big-hearted company it has never before been my pleasure to be out with> ■■ God speed the scout work, and raise up men of character and ambition to help the boys along." One of the exciting incidents of the trip was the sensational ride by the boys on their staves down the Timpanogos glacier. A "Hike" to Bear Lake The River Heights ward M. I. A. Scouts, of the Cache stake, started on their annual "hike" on the 9th of August. On the day be- fore thev left, they pitched their camp with all their equipment, pro- visions, etc., in the ward meetinghouse lot, where the parents and members of the ward were invited to come to assure themselves that the boys were going to be well taken care of during this trip. There

MUTUAL WORK 1115 were fifteen in the company. The "hike" was made in four days to the east side of Bear Lake, by way of Franklin, Paris and Montpelier to Hot Springs. Each two boys had a tent of their own, and did their own cooking, and became experts at it. The whole hike covered about one hundred seven miles. Regular camp exercises were carried out, with flag salute, prayer by each boy in his turn, and a detailed program during the day. The return home was made by way of Blacksmith's Fork canyon. Scout Master J. Karl Wood, who had the boys in S Vi u4* SCENES ON THE WAY Top: Boating on Bear Lake; "Aunt Jennie," and "Pusher," the raft; the boat was an old cast-away, rigged up by the Boys; the raft was built by them. Are boats of this class safe? Our motto must be "Safety First." — Editors. Bottom: Camp Snoozer, Laketown, Utah, where the River Heights troop No. 1 camped. A beautiful location on the south end of Bear Lake, in a large cottonwood grove, and on the best beach of the lake. charge, with Karl A. Kowallis of the Scout council, state that the "ex- perience one gains on these trips is worth all the trouble and effort, and is of lasting benefit to the boys." The boys are already beginning to plan for their trip next year. The people on the route were very kind to them and provided for all their needs freely. They had gen- erous hearts for the boys. The mess wagon which the boys took along was made up of pieces donated by the boys — one the gears, an- other the box, the harness, the horses, etc.