Editors’ Table

Welcome, Educators'!

Salt Lake City, Utah, and the West are favored this month with many thousands of teachers, visiting from every quarter of the Union, and attending the sessions of the National Education Association. The people of Utah, Idaho and the West bid you welcome, and assure you of their appreciation of your labors. In honor of the occasion, the Era devotes its 116 pages of reading matter this month, entirely to educational matters. From the contents of the Era the reader will be enabled to gain a tolerably clear vision of the scope, value, and cost, of the complex workings of the marvelous educational machinery of Church and State, set in motion in Utah, and daily, all the year round, moving for the religious, moral, vocational, professional and literary training of the youth, not forgetting their physical welfare and health. Of the score of leading educators who have favored the Era with their writings, each is an expert in his business, so that our readers may rely upon the facts given and place due weight upon the opinions expressed. Particularly we call attention to the enlightening array of facts and comments relating to the new educational laws which provide for high school education for all boys and girls; for school and work until 18 years of age; supervision and training the year round in health, civic service and vocational guidance. It will require liberal appropriations to operate the proposed plan and program wihich have placed Utah in the forefront of progress in educational legislation. The suggestions on the relationship of the juvenile court, and delinquents, to the educational system of the state, are worthy of careful notice. They created a great interest among leading welfare workers at the national gathering recently held at New Orleans. What of the big schools in the state? The aims and ambitions of some of them are fully discussed by men who know. Altogether, visitors and residents, as well as readers in this and surrounding states, will enjoy the educational facts presented in this number, and for which the contributors will please accept our sincere thanks and appreciation.

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868 IMPROVEMENT ERA

We arc certain also that everybody will delight in the visit of our guests, and we bid them a hearty welcome, trusting that they may be fully satisfied with their sojourn in the Bee Hive State, and pleased with the glory of our cities, valleys and mountains. A.

The June M. I. A. Conference Generally the opinion has been expressed that no previous conference displayed more interest and enthusiasm among the officers of our organizations than the June conference just closed. "It was the best yet" was a frequent expression. Big things were "put over," and We trust with such inspiration as to "put them over" in every one of our 800 organizations. Superintendent Anthony W. Ivins presided in all the joint meetings. The Bee Hive girls' splendid pageant on Thursday, 10th, was followed during the succeeding sessions by the complete carrying out of the spirited program printed in the June Era. The holding of separate department meetings on Saturday morning was a new arrangement and a complete success. In each of the four departments, namely, superintendents, teachertraining, secretaries and treasurers, and musical leaders, opportunity was given to discuss special topics relating to these divisions of our work. The testimony meeting on Sunday morning at 8:30 was a spiritual inspiration to all who attended and a rich out-pouring of the Holy Ghost was witnessed and enjoyed during the session. Every moment of the allotted time was gloriously spent. The Sunday morning meeting, at 10 o'clock, in which the new slogan of the Church auxiliary organizations for the year 1920-21, was presented and treated by Mrs. Lovesy of the Y. L. M. I. A., and Elder Melvin J. Ballard, of the Council of the Twelve, was a splendid inspiration, and we trust will aid in clearing the atmosphere of the smoke and stench of tobacco, at least as far as the membership of the Church and our organizations are concerned: "We stand for the non-use and non-sale of tobacco" During the Sunday afternoon meeting the regular memorial flag exercises, in memory of Y. M. M. I. A. members who gave their lives in the great war, were conducted, representatives of the army, navy and marines, with Prof. R. Owen Sweeten, as bugler, taking part. The ceremony was very impressive and a pleasing surprise to the audience. It vividly recalled the supreme sacrifice made by our boys in the great conflict.

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Elder B. H. Roberts, President Martha H. Tingey, of the Y. L. M. I. A., and President Louie B. Felt of the Primary Associations, were the principal speakers. In the evening, exercises commemorative of the one-hundredth anniversary of the first vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith were held, the principal speakers being Elders Levi Edgar Young and James E. Talmage. In no previous sessions of our conferences has there been so much community singing and recreation as at this conference. During Sunday evening a chorus composed of Boy Scouts and Bee Hive Girls gave a splendid rendition of the song, "Joseph Smith's First Prayer." The Friday evening entertainment was a success in every respect, and a desirable social atmosphere was engendered by the singing of the state songs; California, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, and, of course, Utah, having representative groups who sang with patriotic spirit. Dancing, refreshments, and programed exercises were pleasingly carried out. Both the luncheons for the superintendents and presidents by the young men and young ladies' associations were a success. Community singing, as well as other social exercises were pleasing as well as instructive. There was a spirit of harmony, enthusiasm, and willingness to work, manifest among all the officers which we trust will permeate all the associations throughout the Church. The musical exercises were restful and inspiring. Some of the excellent speeches delivered during the meetings will be reproduced in the Era as soon as possible. A.

Our Slogan "We Stand for the Non-Use and Non-Sale of Tobacco" ')

To put this slogan into force will require that some of us sacrifice a vicious appetite, and others, financial gain. Shall we be strong enough to do it? If so, the act will bring us more genuine joy than we could possibly get pleasure out of satisfying a pernicious taste or longing, or gathering questionable financial profit. Remember, "Tobacco * * * is not for the body * * * and is not good for man;" and, "thou shalt not hold out temptation to thy brother." A.

"Purely intellectual work must find its completeness in spiritual understanding which in turn finds its full fruitage in faith."