--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Kirkbride, J. W. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 1 published: 1924-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "J. W. Kirkbride, “A Life-Saving Incident,” *Improvement Era 28, no. 1 (November 1924)*: 1–1." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2801unse 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: improvementera2801unse start_page: 1 end_page: 1 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1924-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2801unse publication_year: 1924 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 1924, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Life-Saving Incident A Life-Saving Incident The following incident was sent to the Improvement Era by J. W. Kirkbride, deputy scout commissioner of Benson stake. It tells" of the life- saving of two scouts by Sterling Larson, who, for these acts of bravery was awarded a Certificate of Honor by the National Court of Honor, Daniel Carter Beard, chairman, Boy Scouts of America, dated May 26, 1924. This certificate was presented to him at the annual June conference of the M. I. A., 1924, in commendation, recognition, and appreciation of his manliness, effi- ciency, and quick thought and heroism, in saving the life of Gerald Kenneth Hendricks from drowning, July 19, 1923, and another life, at Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. While four boy scouts were swimming in an old pool, formerly a gravel pit, lo- cated in the southeastern part of Richmond, Utah, one of the boys challenged the other to swim across the pool. Gerald Hen- dricks, the challenged scout, though not a good swimmer, accepted. When half way across he became exhausted and went under. Floyd Feltman, one of the scouts present, saw Gerald go down and made a brave effort to save his life, but being small, his will was stronger than his grip and he was forced to give up his task. In the meantime Sterling Larson had noticed the episode and was immediately on the spot and ready for the rescue. He threw the limp arm of his drowning comrade around his neck and held it there with one hand while with the other arm he towed his heavy burden to shore. Gerald was saved and after a short period of rest, returned safely to his home. A few weeks after this incident Scout Larson saved anothed life in a similar way at Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Sterling is one of Richmond's best boys and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. August Larson. At the time of this incident he was fifteen years old, but is at present sixteen and a junior at North Cache High. His vacations are spent at hard work on his father's farm. As a token of appreciation for his bravery, Scoutmaster LeRoy Nelson and M. A. Harrison gave the annual Fathers and Sons' banquet, Benson stake, in his honor. The banquet consisted of a splendid program followed by games and refreshments. Sterling Larson. LeRoy Nelson. Scoutmaster