Mutual Work

An Analysis of the General Statistical Report of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association for the Year Ending March 31, 1921 The report of Secretary Moroni Snow shows 85 stakes, and in these 85 stakes there are 796 Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, with a total membership of 43,562, divided as follows: officers and instructors, 6,116; Advanced Senior Class members, 10,557; Senior Class members, 11,516; Junior Class members, 15,373, compared with 1920, when there were 763 associations, with 11,072 Advanced Seniors, 13,813 Seniors, 15,341 Juniors, and a total membership of 40,226. This is an increase in the number of associations of 33, a decrease in the Advanced Seniors of 515, and a decrease in the Senior Class members of 2,297, with an increase in the Juniors of 32, and a total increase of 3,336, or 8.29%. The reason for the decrease in the Advanced Senior and Senior Classes for the year 1921 is assigned to the fact that the officers and instructors, who come mostly from these classes, prior to this year, were included in the regular mem- bership in the several departments to which they belonged. This year they are separated. The statistical report for this year is complete, every stake having reported. The average attendance in the associations for this year is 21,096, as compared with 18,826 for 1920 — an increase of 2,270 or 12.05%, showing that, while our membership has increased slightly over 8%, our average at- tendance has increased over 12%. This indicates a greater interest in the work for this season. There are now a large number of young men away from home attend- ing school, on missions, and at work, and in the service of the country. The two years ' compare as follows: Attending school, 1920, 1,226; 1921, 1,451; increase 225; On missions, 1920, 1,128; 1921, 1,541; Increase, 413; At work and in service of country, 1920, 1,144; 1921, 1,821; Increase 677. There has been an increase in all meetings, except in the conferences and conventions: Officers' meetings, 1920, 3,800; 1921, 4,922; Increase 1,192, or 31.37%; Joint Officers' meetings, 1920, 7,817; 1921, 11,099; Increase 3,282, or 42%; Regular Association meetings, 1920, 13,769; 1921, 16,927; Increase 3,159, or 22.9%; Monthly joint meetings, 1920, 4,878; 1921, 6,347; Increase 1,469, or 30.1%; Conferences and conventions, 1920, 733; 1921, 708; Decrease, 25. This shows a total of 30,997 meetings for 1920, and 40,073 for 1921 an increase of 9,076 or 29.3%. A very significant fact is this, that the number actually taking part in M. I. A. activities was 15,859 in 1920 and 25,536 in 1921, an increase of 9,677 or 60.9%. This showing is stimulated largely by the item in the effi- ciency report for these years requiring a statement of the number taking part in the activities of the organization. A very favorable condition exists regarding the scouts. The report shows that in 1920, the scouts who were registered with the National Or- ganization numbered 4,528; whereas this year the registered scouts number

MUTUAL WORK 947 7,545 ; showing an increase of 3,017. Besides the registered scouts .in the National Organization, there were in 1920, 3,708 doing scout work who were not registered; and in 1921 there were 5,127 of this class of scouts; an in- crease of 1,419. The libraries and the reading course statistics show a decrease in the number of libraries of 12, due largely to the merging of the libraries with the public and school libraries, established in various parts of the Church. In 1920 there were 386 libraries; in 1921, 364. The number of reading course books were 8,706, in 1920; and 9,207, in 1921, an increase of 501, though the sale of the reading course books for 1921 was the lowest on record for a number of years. Altogether there were 21,320 volumes in the libraries in 1920; and 10,375, in 1921. A significant item in the report shows that the number of members who read any or all of the reading course books decreased for 1921 by 2,185, as the reading course for last year seemed not to be very popular. The number who read any or all of the reading course books in 1920 numbered 4,990. Boy Scout Week in Fremont Stake The week of May 22 to 29 was formally designated as "Boy Scout Week" for Fremont stake, by Mayor Archibald, of Rexburg, in a proclama- tion issued from his office May 18, 1921. The program of this week was as follows: Monday and Tuesday — Individual and troop community good turns. Wednesday — Intertroop athletic carnival. Fathers and Sons' ban- quet and scout show. Thursday — Civic service. Friday night and Saturday — An over-night hike. The athletic carnival was full of interesting track and field events and scout contests. Competition was of the keenest type; Troop 1, of Rexburg, winning 1st place by a 3 point lead. Eight troops entered into the various events of the meet. On Wednesday evening a Fathers and Sons' banquet was. held in the wards. The three troops of Rexburg joined together and experienced one of the most inspiring and enthusiastic gatherings of fathers and sons possible. One hundred fathers and 110 boys, together with repre- sentatives of the Commercial Club, Rotary Club, and City Officers were present. Appropriate program of toasts and music was rendered for the occasion. On Thursday 58 scouts from the three troops of Rexburg spent the day cleaning the cemetery' and did such a thorough job that the City Council voted them $125 for their work. The Commercial and Rotary Clubs, of Rexburg, united in raising $422 for the boys. These two sums together with $60 taken in at the Boy Scouts' show put the- three troops of Rexburg on a secure financial basis for the coming year. The results of the week's activities have united parents, business men, various clubs, and the boys, in putting over scouting with greater vigor and enthusiasm than ever before. The understanding between these various groups will be more complete, and the cooperation more pronounced in be- half of the boy scout organization of Fremont stake. — Wayne B. Hales, Deputy Stake Scout Commissioner. The Papago Ward M. I. A. This ward is located in Maricopa stake, Arizona, and has perhaps the only Indian M. I. A. in the Church. There are about forty members en- rolled and the picture shows a group of the organization composed en- tirely of Indian brothers and sisters. This Indian organization holds two meetings per week, one on Sunday evenings, on the south side of the river at Papago, and the other at the same ward on the north side of the river,

948 IMPROVEMENT ERA on Tuesday evening. They are studying the Book of Mormon and will continue in session all the year round. Members of the Indian Associa- tion 'sang in a male quartet, also a duet, and a sextet, "Send the Light," at the meeting of the M. I. A. First ward, Mesa, on June 5. E. C. Santeo, a life-member of the M. I. A., bore his testimony and spoke five minutes. He is the elderly brother in the center of the group; and is the class leader. These Latter-day Saint Indians are doing good work among the Indians of other denominations on the Salt River reservation, Arizona. Mutual Activities in California The "California M. I. A. Booster" for July 5, comes to hand. It is a manuscript paper by the California Mutuals. Miss Grace Anderson, of Oak- land, California, we are told in one of the items, "has suggested a new slogan with the initials of the M. I. A., namely, it stands for "More Intelli- gent Amusement." The editor of the Booster commends this interpreta- tion to all of the Mutual organizations. Among the hikes we find the following: On May 28, sixty-two members of the Oakland M. I. A. and their friends left San Francisco for a hike to Willow Camp. It was a rainy day; most of the crowd were wet and muddy. On arrival at camp a line was put in front of the fireplace on which were hung wet clothes making Stinson beach look as if a new laundry had been opened. However, we are told, that some engaged in: "A baseball game; some hunted sea shells; some played among the rocks and in the sand; while others, in spite of the cold weather, took a dip in the ocean. In the evening, a bon-fire was built and the crowd gathered around and sang camp-fire songs. A tired group of hikers parted at the Ferry building in San Francisco, but everyone was still good-natured, and expressed the hope that there would be another hike just like this one." A hike was taken by thirty-five members of the Bee-Hive girls, and Boy Scouts at "Whitewater, Arizona, who enjoyed a four-day trip into the hills of the Chiricahua mountains. This branch is succeeding well in its work. Lorin Dillman has written a clever M. I. A. song for Whitewater en- titled "Improvement is Our Motto." The Booster also notices that several plays have been given by the Bee-Hive girls, in different parts.

MUTUAL WORK The Nampa, Idaho, Special Activity for May 949 The M. I. A. presented the pageant, "The Golden Star," as their special activity for May, being assisted by the ward choir. "A very pleas- ing musical program to a capacity house was rendered by the combined choir and organization. As Nampa is a city of 8,500, ninety per cent of whom are not members of the Church, we feel that our pageant will result in much good," writes Arnold E. Johnson. A picture of the pageant is presented herewith. M. I. A. in Australia From Secretary William W. Home, of the Australian mission, 43 Sta- tion Street, Newton, Sydney, Australia, we have received a statistical re- port of the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associa- tions for the year ending March 31, 1921, from which it appears that in that mission there are six associations: Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. There are 39 officers and instructors, 16 Advanced Senior members, 105 Seniors, 42 Juniors; a total of 202 enrolled, and the average attendance aside from the officers has been 97. Altogether there have been 292 regular, and 110 monthly joint meetings, with 14 Y. M. M. I. A. offi- cers' meetings and 76 joint officers' meetings; a total of 492; 89 took part actively in the M. I. A. activities. Dates of Separate Conventions Y. M. M. I. A. Sept. 4 — North Davis, South Davis. Sept. 11 — Box Elder, Jordan, Logan. Sept. 18 — Alpine, North Weber, Ogden, Weber. Sept. 25 — Cache, Cottonwood, Granite, Nebo, Utah. Oct. 16 — Ensign, Liberty, Pioneer, Salt Lake. Program of Auxiliary Group Conventions for 1921 Held in Connection with the Regu- joint departments, and M. I. A. meet- lar Quarterly Conferences ings, are here given: For dates of Programs for the general sessions, conventions, see notice of First

950 IMPROVEMENT ERA Presidency, editorial department of this number of the Era: Saturday, 10 a. m. Regular Quarterly Conference Ses-. sion. Adress: The Slogan, "We Stand for Loyal Citizenship" General Representative 1 2 Definition. The Common Weal as Express- ed in Tradition, Law and Pub- lic Opinion. 3. Purpose of Citizenship. 4. The Loyal Citizen. Saturday, 11 a. m. Joint Meeting of M. I. A. Stake Boards. Stake Officers only, with Presi- dencies of Stakes, High Council Secretaries and Treasurers of all Or- 1. Sensing Responsibilities. a. To God. b. To stake and ward author- ities. c. To the individual members. 2. Vision of the Work. 3. Enthusiasm. 4. Attention to Details and "Fol- low-up." 5. Cooperation. a. Recognition of assistants and counselors. b. Division of duties. c. Team work. d. Between auxiliaries. (1) Teacher-training. (2) Social activities. 6. Consistent Living. 7. Spirituality. Committee having in charge the M I. A. work are invited to this meet- ing. One hundred per cent of Stake Officers are required to be in at- tendance. 1. Effective Administration in Stakes ..General Board Member a. Working organization. b. Education in leadership. c. Supervision of wards. d. Magazines. e. Money. f. Meetings of ward and stake of- ficers. Three Qualifications of Stake ganizations. Subject: Secretarial Efficiency General Representatives 1. Standards of Secretarial Effi- ciency. a. Knowledge of duties. b. Ability to perform duties well. c. The will to do. 2. Values of Secretarial Effi- ciency. a. To organization. b. To individual. Choristers and Organists of all Or- Officers General Board Member ganizations a. Working faith in the gospel. b. Love of the work. c. Preparedness. 3. Discussion. Saturday, 2 p. m. Regular Quarterly Conference Ses- sion. Address: Messages from Aux- iliary Organizations. (One five- minute address from a General Rep- resentative of each of the six asso- ciations and one from the General Music Committee.) Saturday, 3 p. m. Department Meetings of Organiza- tions Superintendecies and Presidencies of all Organizations Subject: Factors of Leadership General Representatives 1. The Organization, Correlation, and General Use of Music in the Wards General Representative Discussion. 2. How a Congregational Song may be Most Impressively Pre- sented and Effectively Taught and Studied General Representative Note; Some attention will also be given to the special work of or- ganists. Teacher-Training Meeting. 1 Teacher-training Work, 20 min- ute address.. Stake Teacher-Trainer a. The three biggest things it has accomplished. b. Our problems ahead. Dis- cussion. 2. The Significance of Teacher- training to the Church, 20 min-

MUTUAL WORK 951 ute address Member of General Board a. The need of vitalizing Gos- pel truths. b. The course of study for 1922. "The Principles of the Gospel." Saturday 4 p. m. M. I. A. Joint Stake and Ward Of- ficers. 1. New Division of Time for Reg- ular M. I. A. Ward Meetings General Board Member a. Ward officers' meetings, 7 to 7:30 p. m. b. Opening exercises, prayer, music and song, 7:30 to 7:45. c. Advanced Senior Class, 7:45 to 9. d. Senior Class and other activ- ities, 7:45 to not later than 9. 2. Special Activities (See folder). Finance — Ward, Stake and Church — How and When? Two 3-minute Reports of Most Successful Wards in Obtaining Yearly Subscriptions to the Era. The New Efficiency Report General Board Member a. What it means. b. How to use it. c. Promptly repotting it. d. Relationship to annual re- port. New Edition of the Y. M. M. I. A. Handbook. Statement by Stake Superin- tendent Giving Complete At- tendance in Each Ward and Naming Wards having the Larg- est Regular Attendance, as a Recognition of their Labors. Sunday, 10:30 a. m. .General Board Member 3. The Spiritual Basis of M. I. A. Regular Quarterly Conference Ses- Work General Board Member sion. Saturday Evening Stake Social Committee. A Stake Social to be Programmed and Given under the direction of the Stake Social Committee. Sunday 9 a. m. Y. M. M.I. A. Stake and Ward Of- ficers. 1. The Senior and Junior Pro- gram. Address: Responsibility of the Home in Religious Training.... General Representative Sunday, 2:30 p. m. Regular Quarterly Conference Ses- sion. Wherever the local authorities de- sire, a meeting may be held on Sun- day, at 7 p. m.