--- 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: 24 number: 11 published: 1921-09 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* 24, no. 11 (September 1921): 1041–1042.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24011unse 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: improvementera24011unse start_page: 1041 end_page: 1042 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24011unse publication_year: 1921 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 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mutual Work Boy Scout Caravan to Yellowstone Park By LeRoi C. Snow, Caravan Historian Following the success of the trip last summer to Zion and Bryce canyons the Local Council of Salt Lake City planned a visit this year for the Boy Scouts to Yellowstone National Park. The Caravan left Salt Lake City August 6 under the leadership of Executive Oscar A. Kirkham, Field Executive D. E. Hammond and two field instructors, Dr. Charles G. Plummer and Dr. J. H. Paul. Generous entertainment was extended to the *4 Photo by J. E. Bush, Caravan Photographer Assembly in Front of Old Faithful Inn boys all along the route at Preston, Blackfoot, Rigby and Rexburg and on the return at Victor, Sugar City, Lewiston, Brigham City and Ogden. The good people of other settlements would have done as much had it been possible to accept their kind invitations. There wnre nearly 300 in the entire party of whom 236 were officially registered as Boy Scouts and 1042 IMPROVEMENT ERA Scout leaders. Most of these boys belong to M. I. A. troops. While other scout organizations were represented in mixed groups most of the boys of Troops 15, 35, 39, 47, and Troop No. 1 Midvale were in the party and traveled and remained together. There was novel naming of the groups for the most important of the Yellowstone geysers, the Castles, Sawmills, Grottos, Minute Men, Giants, Riversides and Lions, and the commissary truck was designted Old Faithful although its frequent delay on account of auto trouble rather suggested the name "Unfaithful" or "Fateful" as more appropriate. Troops 15 and 39 entertained with their minstrel organizations. Tom Green's Troop 35 has a fine band and or- chestra which added much to the trip as well as pleasure to the settlements along the route. The troop traveled in two cars 18 boys in a light truck "The Yellow Pup," and 8 boys in a small delivery "The Yellow Pup's Pup." Their motto, "A mile a day or bust," came nearer being "bust" than a mile a day during some of their numerous vicissitudes. Troop 47 have their own Oldsmobile truck the body of which they built them- selves. The caravan was welcomed at the Park by director Horace M. Albright who assigned as his personal representative M. P. Skinner, Park naturalist, and as guide Ranger Frank J. Parsch. Mr. Skinner gave daily talks on the history, geology, animal and bird life and geography of the Park which proved not only intensely interesting but extremely valuable. He related many experiences of his 28 years' service in the Park. It was reported that this is the largest party that has ever visited Yellowstone and that no other has gotten more out of a trip through America's greatest public playground than Salt Lake's Boy Scouts. The boys perhaps en- joyed more than anything else their close contact with wild life, feeding the bears in camp and along the highway, the buffalo, stroking the elk, seeing beaver at work, the deer and antelope and smaller animals and birds. They will never forget the wonderful action of the great geysers and the marvelous beauty of Grand Canyon, the boiling springs, the mud and paint pots, the great terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, and Yellow- stone Lake. The caravan entered the Park at West Yellowstone and from Madison Junction made the entire "Loop" around the Park. Repeating the tour to Old Faithful in the Upper Geyser Basin and to West Thumb the itinerary carried them southward out of the Park into the Tonto basin through Jackson's Hole via. Moran, Jenny Lake and Wilson and over Teton Pass where a terrific rain and electric storm was encountered keep- ing many of the party in the mountains all night. Five days were spent within the Park. In the midst of it all — the great pleasure of sightseeing, camping in the open, the weariness of travel, automobile breakdowns, toiling and push- ing cars up steep grades, occasional hunger, passing the night in heavy rain storm around a camp fire, sumptuous banquets spread by generous people,, splendid entertainments both in and out of doors — under all these conditions the boys proved themselves real Scouts. They were cheerful, courageous and loyal. They never complained when things seemed wrong and they accepted cheers, praise and the gifts of the people gracefully and with gratitude. The morning and evening assemblies with the flag exercise and prayer were particularly impressive. More than a thousand miles were covered, twelve days spent on the trip, nearly 300 people were fed and cared for, traveling in 19 cars, many of them large, heavy trucks. There was not a serious accident, no one seriously hurt and no serious sickness. This required exceptional or- ganization and supervision. The entire trip was considered so successful that just before reaching home a hearty expression of appreciation was prepared and signed by the twenty leaders of the groups. The boys will ever feel grateful for this fine opportunity which was made possible through the Boy Scout movement.