--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Smith, Joseph F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 20 number: 3 published: 1917-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Joseph F. Smith, \"Editors' Table: Social Doings,\" *Improvement Era* 20, no. 3 (January 1917): 259." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2003unse 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: improvementera2003unse start_page: 259 end_page: 259 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1917-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2003unse publication_year: 1917 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 1917, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Editors' Table: Social Doings Social Doings It is encouraging to observe that each separate organization in the Church is extending effective efforts with its own members and through its General Boards and officers towards better social conduct among the young people. Immodest dress and indecent dancing are very properly being cried down, and better and more gentlemanly and lady-like appearance and conduct are being substituted through instructions suggested by the united organization workers. By effort of the parents and priesthood and the leaders of the organizations in their own special sphere, yet united in purpose and all pulling towards the same desirable end, great improvements in our social status must follow. These improvements are absolutely necessary. We have in most wards our own amusement halls, built by great effort and sacrifice of the people, and dedicated to clean and innocent recreation. In view of this, it is the imperative duty of the r-takesand wards to be very insistent that none other than the best class of recreation and amusement shall be permitted in them. To assure this, the most competent directors should be placed in charge, and proper standards of conduct, dress, dancing and social amenities should be insisted upon. We have enough organizations through which this work may be done, if the authorities and officers will put forth united efforts to this end. All know or should know, what the requirements for such standards are, and, if they do not know, the officers and priesthood at the general head are ready to give advice and add suggestions on these subjects. It is pleasing to be assured, as we are, that most of the young people are desirous of complying with these requirements, but the need of such compliance is urgent and should be made emphatic. Direction in social conduct and proper control of amusements are really among our most pressing problems at this time. The great key words, as stated, are decency in dress and proper conduct, as well as gentlemanly and lady-like deportment in social gatherings and dances. Deportment that will lead to clean, innocent, genuine pleasure, and steer far away from the kind that in the end leaves a sting of sin, sorrow and — regret deportment that will herald the making of true men and women of character.