--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Beal, Thomas A. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 26 number: 4 published: 1923-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Thomas A. Beal, "Monthly Message to the M Men: The Technic of Success", *Improvement Era* 26, no. 4 (February 1923): 392–397.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2604unse 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: improvementera2604unse start_page: 392 end_page: 397 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1923-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2604unse publication_year: 1923 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 1923, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Monthly Message to the M Men: The Technic of Success A .;$$§£.%$ '>V \ Monthly Message to the "M" Men By Thomas A. Beat, Member of the General Board III. — The Technic of Success Three things are essential in this world in order to succeed, namely: ambition, capacity and opportunity. It is said on good authority that there never was a time when more opportunities presented themselves to young men than at the present. And one would not dare to question the intelligence of the young men of today by saying that they did not have the capacity. Then, if the opportunities are here and young men have the capacity and still do not succeed, something is wrong, — they haven't the ambition. An honest ambition is commendable. By ambition we do not mean the coveting of the other fellow's position, the desire for the presi- dent's place. Not that. We mean the desire to be bigger and better, to be of greater worth to society by being of greater service. It is honorable and praiseworthy to have noble ambitions. No one ever succeeded in life by mere chance. The men who have made their mark in the world knew where they were going. They were not simply drifters. They had a set goal in mind and worked constantly toward that end. They were not side- tracked and discouraged by every little obstacle that came in their way, but on the other hand, obstacles made them more determined than ever to succeed. The saying that "Faint heart never won fair lady," is appli- cable in more ways than one. "Success is not attained by sudden flight"— it comes only by being willing to work and wait, having an ambition to reach the desired ob- jective. What the great majority of young men need today is to know how to fit themselves for the job ahead, not for the presidency of the concern. Of course one must have visions of opportunities ahead, quite far distant sometimes from what he is now doing. Vision is necessary, with- out it the people perish, and with no look ahead the work becomes mere drudgery. But if there is nothing in mind but this far distant view, this dreamland, the person never lights on his feet at all. One should con- stantly look ahead, but he should also know where he is at the present time, that is, succeed just where he is before stepping forward. '"Don't spurn to be a rush light Because you are not a star, But brighten some bit of darkness By shining just where you are." This does not mean that one should not have an ambition to be greater, to do something nobler, but it means that whatever the occupa- tion is that one chooses one should have an ambition to succeed there. Young men, "M" men, do not be like the fungus and the gourd that spring up in a single night and perish before the rays of the next day's sun, but rather be like the oak which springing from the acorn increases year by year until it has attained an enduring majesty. Do not be too hasty in choosing your life's work, or your daily job. Universities today train young men not to get a better job, but to use a better job. Often MUTUAL WORK 393 the position that pays the least to start with has the greatest possibilities. Be sure that you get started correctly. Analyze yourselves. All occupations may be divided into four groups, viz: (1) The Professions, (2) Produc- tion, (3) Distribution, and (4) Agriculture. The first step is to decide which of these four groups you like best. All four groups are honorable, but it is very important that you go into the group for which you are best fitted. After deciding what group one is to enter, the next step is to select the institution within the group that one wishes to be connected with. It is very important that young men associate themselves with institutions in which the controlling factor is a man who stands for righteousness, who believes in correct principles and carries them out. According to Mr. Babson, one of the country's greatest statisticians, "The success of young men depends very much upon the character of the person for whom they work." It is better to be connected with a good institution at a small salary than with a large institution of questionable reputation even at a large salary. Remember that not only do you help to make the firm or institution with which you work, but that it helps to make you as well — that your reputation is also at stake. But whatever work you choose be sure that it offers an opportunity for growth and for service and stim- ulates ambition to succeed. Dr. Taylor's Report of Scouting, 1922 December 29. 1922. General Superintendency and Members of the General Board Y. M. M. I. A.: Dear Brethren: — The following is the scout report for the year ending December 31, 1922, of troops registered in this office: 228 Troops, 228 Scoutmasters, 4,212 Boy Scouts. These troops are not connected with local councils. Last year the report showed 189 Troops, with 3,848 Boy Scouts. This year there is an increase of 39 Troops and 364 Boy Scouts. Every stake in the Church has at least one registered troop, with the exception of Juarez, which, on account of conditions in Mexico, has been difficult to keep in good standing. However, a promise has been made that this will be registered through the El Paso council in the very near future. With the new districting that has taken place since the visit of Mr. Charles N. Miller, regional scout executive, we will transfer a number of the troops now carried in this office to the new districts. Pesonally, I think that it is a good thing for the districts to preside over the troop in their district and keep them registered up to date, because it is much easier for the districts to keep in close touch with their troops and follow-up work than it has been for me in this office. It also lessens our work here, not only for the stenographer, but for the field man, who can devote more of his time in following other details of field work. The scout work in general is in very splendid condition compared with the past, and we are having a much better quality of men coming into the work for leadership among the bo>s. It really takes a good stake man to make Scouting go successfully in a stake. Wherever we have a good man looking after the stake work, the boys have progressed and have done a much better grade of work than before. In my opinion, this should be encouraged aud the best possible men who can teach men how to conduct scout work should be selected so that no boys will be deprived of Scouting activity. Because of the support and good will given by presidents and superintendents of stakes, Scouting has grown in the Church from two troops, without affilia- tion with the National Organization, to the above record. In addition to this are the number of troops in the various local councils. We have not had a report from them this year, so I do not know the exact number 394 IMPROVEMENT ERA of scouts in the M. I. A. However, quoting last year's report, which should be lower than that of this year, it gives us a total of 7,635 Boy Scouts, and 339 Scoutmasters. In leaving my position as Field Secretary, I desire to express to the Superintendency and the members of the General Board my appreciation for their help and encouragement during the past eleven years that I have been in this work; I also wish to express my appreciation for the splendid cooperation given in the promotion of my field work by Brothers Edward H. Anderson, Moroni Snow, and Oscar A. Kirkham, whom I have labored with in this office. I assure you that I will still be very much interested in Scouting and other Mutual Improvement activities, and will take every opportunity I can of getting acquainted with the work that is being done in the East, not only along Scouting lines, but along the adult lines, and shall be pleased to send new ideas which I might gather from time to time to headquarters so that they might be considered by you brethren. Again expressing my thanks for your courtesies to me during the past years that I have been with you, I remain, Very sincerely yours, John H. Taylor. New Mutuals Organized New Mutuals have been organized this season recently at Ocean Park, Boyle Heights (L. A.), and San Pedro. We hope to make the next edition of the mission paper, Calimis, largely an M. I. A. and Sunday school number which will review the past year's work. — Gustive O. Larson, Supt. Calif. Mission M. I. A. Efficiency Reports To correct a misunderstanding which has arisen as to item No. 2 — aver- age attendance — the following explanation is given: The actual percentage is to be computed (average attendance divided by enrollment) up to 66 2/3 per cent, and the nearest figure given in the scale of ten points. For example: if the percent of attendance is 33 1/3, the score is 3 points; if the percent is 41, the score is 4 points; if 57* 6 points; if 65 or 66, 7 points. But if the percent of attendance reaches 66 2/3, or above, the score advances to 10 points. The premium is put on the last percentage only. It is understood that stake officers are not enrolled on any ward roll; their records are to be kept entirely separate on the books of the stake secretary. However, since they are included in the 10% of the stake population, they may be counted, on the stake report only, in the first two items, enrollment and average attendance. The Reports for December The following stakes did not report: Beaver, Duchesne, Jordan, Juab, Parowan, South Sevier, Weber, Oneida, Shelley, Big Horn, Moapa, St. Johns, Yellowstone and Woodruff. We urge every stake and every ward in the Church to report for January, so that we may have a complete report, both statistical and efficiency, by the 10th of February, to be printed in the Improvement Era for March. Please do your part. Utah, Wasatch, Cassia, Raft River, Mt. Ogden, St. Joseph, came too late for classification. Y. M. M. I. A. Statistical Report, December, 1922 2 "a X> (0 CO •a u si 5 « c ^2 a u2 ■oSs Is S V *«5 0 u a -Om a Cd-M tn S S o - 2 — < CO w <m tn c £5H O as .2 2 5 8 "3 4)|J C U 0! * 00 c . 4) 0 «j 5,g I§ +J < "3 STAKES 1 32 6 O «> S5« «M OQ-3 <$ Cm1 0) o 03 t- c B Cm 32 b ■u O H C C < •M O Alpine .... 727 18 15 84 146 144 215 589 69 89 97 160 415 Bear River 509 13 9 66 180 104 123 473 51 85 56 72 264 Benson . . . 761 13 13 103 112 231 270 716 82 79 125 198 484 Box Elder. 800 13 13 107 283 178 247 815 74 195 115 155 539 Cache .... 520 8 8 85 70 142 221 518 49 33 79/ 232 393 Carbon . . . 360 9 7 44 130 87 121 382 38 51 28 36 153 Cottonwd. 789 12 12 103 107 192 267 669 78 62 120 190 450 Deseret . . . 405 11 10 70 187 100 150 507 46 112 64 89 311 Emery .... 530 9 7 48 65 141 167 421 36 41 105 129 311 Ensign 957 7 7 56 160 149 235 600 49 56 75 174 354 Garfield . . 250 8 3 22 90 61 173 14 43 46 103 Granite . . . 1853 16 16 170 230 319 581 1300 131 i26 213 430 900 Hyrum . . . 500 10 8 73 97 103 143 416 55 70 75 99 299 Kanab .... 213 6 6 .... 1 111 30 83 224 38 25 59 I 122 Liberty . . . 1183 11 11 96 1 221 290 I 404 1014 "81 136 189 269 675 Logan .... 608 11 11 98 | 96 145 | 169 508 90 69 111 185 455 Millard . . . 338 7 3 8 | 18 15 | 15 56 7 10 9 9 35 Morgan . . 193 9 8 53 | 72 78 | 130 333 37 | 46 47 88 218 Nebo 946 15 12 112 1 180 225 1 320 837 97 145 135 227 604 No. Davis 423 8 8 04 | 72 97 j 177 410 40 32 41 114 227 N'o. Sanpete 802 13 11 87 | 99 181 1 280 647 62 64 120 221 467 No. Sevier. 156 6 6 42 | 80 59 1 73 254 36 54 32 58 180 No. Weber. 644 17 16 103 | 71 203 | 196 573 79 26 114 117 336 Ogden .... 750 10 10 80| 73 204 | 221 578 65 45 124 126 360 Panguitch Pioneer . . . 283 6 9. 890 13 | 13 94 1 178 204 1 328 804 86 83 105 214 488 Roosevelt . 337 . . 1 . . 86 111 75 | 112 384 57 62 47 82 248 St. George. 530 14 1 13 110 1 193 282 | 247 832 86 105 161 150 502 Salt Lake 1067 12 | 12 125 | 157 131 | 302 715 91 72 71 211 445 San Juan . 270 4 1 4 38 | 90 69 | 88 285 28 38 56 65 187 Sevier .... So. Davis . 363 | 6 1 6 52 | 99 104 | 142 397 45 70 56 101 1 272 494 8 1 8 66 | 103 147 | 204 520 51 63 79 112 305 So. Sanpete 734 10 1 8 7 1 93 183 | 123 406 47 56 128 | 76 307 Summit . . . 359 11 | 11 78 | 53 124 | 141 396 67 39 73 | 71 250 Tintic .... 233 5 | 5 38 | 59 53 | 62 212 1 24 27 49 j 45 145 Tooele .... 435 11 1 9 61 1 102 84 I 49 336 46 55 47 | 46 194 Uintah 409 | 8 | 7 45 | 43 132 | 110 330 42 25 78 | 55 200 Wayne 200 | 6 | 5 34 | 14 84 | 63 195 24 13 47 | 47 131 Bannock . . 257 | 11 | 5 41 | 41 40 1 61 183 [ 27 23 22 1 33 105 Bear Lake 393 | 11 | 10 75 1 118 113 | 155 461 51 43 56 [ 95 245 Bingham . Blackfoot . 500 . . 1 . . 86 1 200 134 | 140 560 63 107 57 | 92 319 514 12 | 11 78 | 117 95 | T41 431 53 69 56 | 69 247 Blaine .... Boise 460 330 11 1 8 8 | 7 .... | ... 46 | 85 90 | 81 193 302 30 35 ... | ... 48 | 49 137 162 Burley .... Curlew . . . 399 11 1 5 37 | 72 60 | 56 225 28 38 40 | 36 | 142 150 | 10 1 3 20 | 20 30 | 35 105 10 10 10 | 16 | 55 Franklin . . 352 9 9 85 | 94 98 | 121 398 57 54 59 1 52 | 222 Fremont . . 664 13 13 119 | 159 189 | 219 [ 686 | 86 133 129 1 150 | 498 Idaho 217 12 7 60 | -25 58 1 40 183 44 19 37 f 25 | 125 Lost River 127 5 5 34 | 57 28 1 33 152 85 80 82 85 | 332 Malad Montpelier Pocatello . Portneuf . Rigby Teton .... 357 8 8 60 | 69 186 | 114 429 45 45 111 80 | 281 392 420 12 10 12 9 83 | 131 77 | 84 116 | 172 106 | 131 502 398 57 52 63 40 51 60 112 | 283 93 1 245 348 5756 300 13 4 8 13 8 3 86 | 81 73 1 142 20 i 21 "111 1 116 90 | 139 53 | 25 394 444 119 68 45 15 48 60 11 65 51 25 67 | 248 59 | 215 11 | 62 Twin Falls Alberta . . . Maricopa . San Luis . Snowflake Star Valley Taylor . . . Union .... Young .... Lethbridge 204 345 6 11 4 11 } 50 77 1 153 18 | 36 125 | 157 104 512 ' '57 30 67 8 83 30 | 68 90 1 297 368 210 260 334 279 160 99 240 9 5 6 ]] 6 5 10 9 5 5 11 .. 6 4 10 68 1 151 37 61 90 | 85 34 1 142 44 68 28 ) 16 74 | 125 117 | 143 72 I 61 147 1 1.32 117 | 132 39 | 50 46 | 31 92 | 82 479 231 .304 | 454 425 201 121 | 373 57 31 52 6 33 22 | 54 80 41 47 79 30 14 78 65 51 66 79 23 32 38 85 | 287 45 1 168 | 202 65 | 230 82 | 246 21 1 107 25 | 93 58 | 228 Y. M. M. I. A. Efficiency Report, December, 1922 STAKES O 0) 5« 5 SB O _ 10 .2 in to £^ P Eh Alpine Bear River Benson Box Elder Cache Carbon Cottonwood . . . Deseret Emery Ensign Garfield Granite Hyrum Kanab Liberty Logan Millard Morgan Nebo North Davis . . North Sanpete North Sevier . . North Weber . , Ogden Panguitch .... Pioneer Roosevelt St. George .... Salt Lake San Juan Sevier South Davis . . South Sanpete . Summit Tintic Tooele Uintah Wayne Bannock Bear Lake .... Bingham Blackf oot Blaine Boise Burley Curlew Franklin Fremont Idaho Lost River . . . Malad Montpelier .... Pocatello Portneuf Rig-by Teton Twin Falls Alberta Juarez Maricopa San Luis Snowflake .... Star Valley Taylor Union Young Lethbridge ■ ■ . 7 9| 10 10 9 10 8 I' 10| I 8 I c I 6 I 8 I S I io 9 8 I 10 10 9 I 9 8 I 10 I 9 I 7 I 9 I 10 I io I io I 10 I io I io I 6 I io I 9 I 8 I 8 I io 7 10 I 10 I 8 I 10| I 91 I 9 I io| I 10| | 10| I 8| I io| I 10 1 I io I 91 I 10| I 8| 3 I 91 | io| I 10| I 10| I 10| I io I I 10| I 10 1 I 10 1 I io| I 10 1 10| 61 10| 10| 8 I 4| 10| 10 1 10 4 6 10 8 5 10 10 10 7 10 61 10 I 10 I 8 I 7| 2 6 I 10 1 91 61 61 10 1 9| 61 SI 91 71 6 5 9 2 6 10 10 10| 10| 61 9 I 9 71 81 71 71 10 1 91 10 1 10 1 51 81 7! 10 J. 77 81 5| 91 it I 41 9| 71 10 10 10 10 9 71 10| 10| 10| 4| 10| 91 10 1 61 61 81 31 10| 91 8 91 81 10| 10 1 6 I 10| 8| 7 I 71 3 I 3 I 91 61 51 21 51 10| 51 10| 91 81 9 I 6 81 71 10 1 91 51 81 10| 10| 71 10 1 10 1 61 10 1 I 10 10 10 3 8 | 10 7 1 6| 5 10 8 10 10 2 10 10 6 6 8 10 9 1 3 8 1 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 io l 1° I 6 I 9 8 9 10 10 6 9 3 10 10 8 9 10 10 10 10 9 10 8 10 7 3 8 10 9 10 6 4 4 10 10 •6 10 10 10 9 6 81 7 10 8 10 10 10 6 10 10 10 6 10 8 I 6| 4| 81 61 81 81 10| 10 I 8 9 I 10| 10| 91 9 10 7 10 6 6| 10| 10 1 10 1 4 6 6 3 7 9 8 5 7 2 6 10 7 6 10 10 9 61 71 61 71 10>| 81 10| 91 9.1 10 10 6 10 0 7 5 5 4 4 7 7 1 5 10 1 6 8 7 10 7 4 7 2 4 3 5 '6 10 6 7 3 10 8 4 6 10 7 3 3 2 5 4 4 5 5 9 6 7 I 5 I 61 21 •• I 10 1 10| 81 61 61 7| 10 1 8| 2 7 8 8 1) 7 9 10 V 10 1) 10 3 8 9 10 10| 10| 10| 10| 10 9 10 9 6 9 9 10 10 10 7 9 3 9 10 8 9 9 10 10 7 10 10 9 6 10 3 10 10 8 10 8 5 5 10 10 6 10 10 9 9 10 8 I 10 10 8 5 10 10 7 9 10 10 8 10 10 7| 10| 10| 10 1 10| 4 7| 10 | 7 51 31 41 10 6 2 2 10 10 4 9 8 7 8 H 7| 81 10| 7! io| 10| 3 I 4| 8| 10| 10 1 61 10| 6 4 9 9 7 2 6 4| 8 6 5 7 8 7 10 9 71 10| 5 5 10 2 .8| 10| 81 9| 51 51 3 4 3 3 5 8 7 6 4 5 2 5 7 3 6 4 6 6 2 J 5| 51 10| 7 I 51 91 6| 71 5 I 10| 6 I 5| 10 1 75 64 88 88 83 46 85 68 78 84 73 91 89 75 99 93 75 71 75 82 94 69 63 82 14 84 97 72 83 84 96 94 62 78 89 64 60 54 37 73 88 78 76 61 50 40 75 93 58 87 86 73 77 55 62 72 81 82 80 93 77 71 75 98 86 61 94 MUTUAL WORK 397 Top: Boy Scouts working for merit badges; bottom: Pitching quoits Fathers and Sons' Outing Bingham Stake The fathers and sons' outing of Bingham stake, August 2-4, at the Forks of the Buffalo and Snake rivers canyon, over ninety miles from Idaho Falls, in which 365 fathers and sons took part. It was a long dis- tance to take them, but the trip was enjoyable, notwithstanding the fact that most of the time it was cloudy and rained some. The exercises and activities during the trip were very enjoyable, and there were games and other features that made the trip wonderful and inspiring. Camp chairman, Superintendent H. R. Kirkham, camp director, J. O. Ellsworth.