--- 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: 29 number: 10 published: 1926-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, “Westerners in Action,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 10 (August 1926): 966–971." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera29010unse 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: improvementera29010unse start_page: 966 end_page: 971 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera29010unse publication_year: 1926 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 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Westerners in Action WESTERNERS IN ACTION SCENES AND ACTIVITIES AT ST. JOSEPH STAKE FATHERS AND SONS' OUTING Fathers and Sons' Recreation The St. Joseph stake Fathers and Sons' outing was held on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17, at the Underwood ranch, about twenty-six miles southwest of Pima, Arizona. The affair was in the charge of Charles WESTERNERS IN ACTION 967 M. Clawson, superintendent Y. M. M. I. A., and Ernest Shumway and David Eagar, members of the Stake Recreation committe. Five hundred seventy men and boys, fathers and sons, were in attendance. The side of a hill served as an auditorium for the audience where the program was presented, people being seated on the ground in rows across the face of the hill. "America" and "Arizona" were sung, the company being led by J. R. Tenney. Patriarch Payne offered the opening prayer. A welcome was given by Superintendent Clawson. Two poems, possessing much merit, from the pen of C. D. Davis, were read. Then followed competitive male quartets, Virden, Thatcher, and Pima competing. Virden won the first place. Piatt Allen, a boy scout from Pima, made a hit in his speech when he told of "What a Boy Owes to Dad." Pleasing numbers and original songs, pre- sented by Pima and Thatcher boy scouts, were on the program. Then came interesting stories of a pioneer character by President John F. Nash, Morten Mortensen, Sr., and Earnest Shumway. The next day competitive sports held the attention of the crowd. The oldest man on the grounds was Hyrum Weech, eighty-one; his great-grandson, Wayne Weech, was the youngest boy on the outing. Their pictures were taken by Ellis Weech, and the father of the boys, the grandfather, the grandson and great-grandson were learning to know one another better. Before noon hour they all gathered on the hill and the picture "M. I. A.," shown herewith, was taken. Five hundred seventy people made up the letters which stand for Mutual Improvement Association. Superintendent Clawson says, "We had a wonderful time; enjoyed every minute. , We feel that the outing was a great success. It has been a very successful year in the M. I. A., and one ward, Ashurst, made a perfect record so far as points are concerned, for they came out with 100 points each month for the entire year. We are working to put scouting on a better footing." — Feed Webb, outing scribe. College of Fine Arts Has First Graduates Ten were graduated on Wednesday, June 2, from the College of Fine Arts, Brigham Young University, at the Fiftieth Annual Commencement *tfBf fr"*""^ *^tmk jJmbk. WjM 9H FIRST GRADUATES OF THE NEWLY CREATED COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS, BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Left to right: Camille Crandall, Ruth Sidwell, Louise M. Engar, Grace Folland, Ruth Chipman, Dean Gerrit deJong, Afton Newell, Lida Bradford, Elizabeth Cook, Zoe Hansen, and Clara L. Creer (Mason) . 968 IMPROVEMENT ERA exercises. These were the first to graduate with degrees from that college since it was created only last year when Gerrit de Jong, a teacher at the L. D. S. University high school, was brought to Provo to act as dean of the new college. Those who have the honor of being the first graduates from this new college, are: Ruth Chipman, Elizabeth Cook, Camille Crandall, Grace L. Folland, Zoe Hansen, and Ruth Sidwell, all of whom received Bachelor of Arts degrees; and Leda Bradford, Clara L. Creer (Mason), Loise M. Engar, and Afton Newell, all of whom received Bachelor of Science degrees. The College of Fine Arts includes among its courses those in art, music, dramatic art, and public speaking. Since the Church is definitely interested in teaching the world through these mediums, the addition of this college was hailed with delight by those who were eager to prepare them- selves to teach. Because of his training in all of these fields, Gerrit de Jong was selected as dean. The College, under Professor de Jong's supervision, has had a tremendously successful year. Such classics as "II Trovatore," "She Stoops to Conquer," and "The Fires of St. John" were presented by the departments, besides, scores of plays and smaller musicals were rendered. The young people who were graduated from this college had as majors music or dramatic art. Three Patriarchs in One Family To be chosen and ordained a patriarch in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suggests that one has lived a good life; and to perfom faithfully the obligations of that sacred calling implies that one's heart is full of love toward humanity — full of blessings for the children of men. And for one family to produce such worthiness, such love and discernment, that three of the family are called to this high office in the Priesthood, bespeaks unity in the faith. At least, it is of rare occurrence. The Larkin family, however, early "Mormon" pioneers, has provided the Church with three patriarchs, all of whom are living at the present time, and officiating in their office and calling. They are: George William Larkin, age 77; WESTERNERS IN ACTION 969 Joseph Smith Larkin, age 74 (brothers) ; and Joseph James Larkin, son of Joseph Smith Larkin, age 56. George William and Joseph Smith Larkin were both born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, and came to Utah with their parents, Elijah and Sarah Parfey Larkin, in 1863. George William Larkin was ordained a patriarch by President Joseph F. Smith, July 21, 1891, at Ogden, in the old Weber stake, and still officiates faithfully in his office in the Mt. Ogden stake of Zion, having given more than 1,800 blessings. Joseph Smith Larkin was ordained to this office by President Rudger Clawson, of the Council of the Twelve, May 17, 1915, at Snowville, in the newly organized Curlew stake of Zion, and has given 127 blessings. In 1922 his home was burned, and his record of eighty'two blessings was destroyed. All of these, however, have been transcribed from copies into a new record book. In 1923 he removed to the Mt. Ogden stake. Joseph James Larkin, son of Joseph Smith Larkin, was called to the office of patriarch at the reorganization of the Curlew stake in October, 1924, when he was honorably released from the office of president of that stake. He received his ordination as patriarch under the hands of Elder Melvin J. Ballard, of the Council of the Twelve, October 19, 1924, and has given twenty-five blessings. He also filled a short-term mission in the Central States at the call of President Heber J. Grant, in October, 1925 — J. J. L. The Jonah of Lake Utah The Hebrews had no monopoly on Jonah stories, or else the Hebrew Jonah story has been handed down to the Indians who once lived on the shores of Lake Utah, according to W. S. Robinson, a pioneer of American Fork. Mr. Robinson is eighty-six years of age, but he is still hale and hearty. His mind is clear and he discourses in an interesting way of early days. "This story was told to me one day by an old Indian," Mr. Robinson said, as he stood on the street of his native city a few days ago. "I want you to hear, because the Indians seemed to believe it fully. "According to the old Indian's story, four young braves were hunting deer or jack rabbits on the sage brush hills west of the lake when one of them proposed that they go down to the shore and have a swim. They were paddling about in the warm water when suddenly a great fish appeared and swallowed one up without any difficulty what- ever. The other three Indians fled up the bank, where they stood watching the strange monster that had devoured their comrade. "The Indian who had been swallowed was possessed of a long stone knife. With this he hacked his way out between the ribs of the great fish and returned to his companions, who were nearly frightened to death at his reappearance. "The old Indian took out his knife and whetted it to show me how the Indian used his stone implements," said Mr. Robinson. "He believed the story in every particular." "Do you?" I asked. "I think it is the story of Jonah handed down from the days of Lehi," S. ROBINSON 970 IMPROVEMENT ERA the pioneer answered. "But the Indian believed it, there was no doubt about that. He even showed me the spot on the shore where it happened." He smiled. "That was a long time ago," said he, "but I remember it as if it were but yesterday." — H. R. Merrill, Brigham Young University. M Men Quartette of Morgan Stake This quartette won second place in the June conference contest, taking a gold medal prize. Members of the quartette: Scott Taggart, Philo Peter- son, Joseph Francis, Lester Francis. M. I. A. Orchestra, Morgan Stake This orchestra won the second prize in the June conference contest, $25. The members are: Horace Ross, bass horn; Ada Waldon, soprano saxophone; Edward H. Anderson, III, E flat saxophone; Owen Reams, E flat saxophone; Jack Francis, cornet; Scott Taggart, trombone; Philo WESTERNERS IN ACTION 971 Peterson, drums; Doyle Tucker, clarinet; Wesley Porter, Violin; Richard Rawle, violin; Glen Hanson, piano. Golden Anniversary Commencement The Fiftieth Annual Commencement exercises of Brigham Young University were held in College Hall on Wednesday, June 2, 1926. Presi- dent Heber J. Grant, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and president of the General Board of Education of the Church, was in charge of the exercises. Elder Sylvester Q. Cannon, presiding bishop of the Church, addressed the graduates. Walter E. Clark, one of the graduates from Georgetown, Idaho, gave the address for the class. President Grant, towards the close of the meeting, also spoke to the graduates and bore a strong testimony to the value of the gospel in the lives of the youth. The graduating class was the largest ever turned out by Brighgm Young University. Six men and women took master's degrees; 114 took bachelor's degrees; and 114 took normal diplomas, which entitled them to a life certificate to teach in the schools of Utah. Such an immense crowd had gathered for the Alumni reunion and the commencement exercises that people had to be admitted to College Hall by ticket. Hundreds were denied admission on account of lack of room. The Commencement exercises were followed by the Alumni banquet, at which 350 people were served. Oscar A. Kirkham, president of the Associated Alumni, was in charge; Judge James B. Tucker, an alumnus, was toast- master. The day closed with an alumni ball in the ladies gymnasium. The hall was beautifully decorated under the direction of Professor E. H. Eastmond, head of the art department. A student orchestra furnished the music. — H. R. M. Cornell Students From Ricks College RICKS COLLEGE STUDENTS IN CORNELL UNIVERSITY Four of the men received their Ph. D. degrees this Summer, and the other one will get his in a year from now. Back row, left to right: Olive Maughn, Annie M. Ellsworth, Edna Maughn, Ada H. Walker, Elsie Maughn. Front row: J. Alma Dye, Fayette E. Stephens, G. H. Maughn, Dilworth Walker, J. Orval Ellsworth. All have been students in the Ricks College, Idaho.