--- 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: 30 number: 1 published: 1926-11 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* 30, no. 1 (November 1926): 29–32." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3001unse 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: improvementera3001unse start_page: 29 end_page: 32 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3001unse 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 The above tree, now bearing apples, was grown from an apple seed planted in 1877 by Mrs. Caroline Kimber. The tree is located on the Wm. J. Kimber ranch, at Grouse Creek, Utah. It has borne fruit for many years, having had as much as fifteen bushels of Winter Pearmane apples in one year. Its branches are loaded with fruit this season. The Era is under obligation to L. J. Kimber for the picture and the information. Thej tree is repaying by its fruits the commendable act of its planting, by supplying generations of people something to eat, and apparently also giving com- fortable shade to flocks and herds. Head Work By H. R. Merrill, Brigham Young University A single thought, many times in history, has been worth a million dollars; sometimes it has been concerning the destruction of a man; sometimes, the saving of a city or a nation. A thought in the mind of an Arizona youth was worth $270 in cold cash to nine Arizona students, eager to study at the Brigham Young University, in Utah, but who were short of money. That sum will almost pay the entire expenses of one of their number during a college year. A little head work — coupled with a little courage and a little "push" — did it. This is the story: In the little town of St. Johns, Arizona, there were nine young people — five boys and four girls — who desired, in all earnestness, to study at the Brigham Young University, the parent Church school. 30 IMPROVEMENT ERA They were all short of money, but they all hoped that the way would be opened for them to journey to Provo. Evidently they did a lot of thinking. The railroad fare alone was $42.50, a sum that was large enough to make a hole in the little pile of savings. Here was the first place they applied their constructive thinking. "There are nine of us," thought one young man, "I wonder if we can't buy a group ticket?" Then the thought struck him — "Why buy a railroad ticket at Shown in the p!c;uiv ar: Armint3 Gibbons, Mrs. Lawrence Jones, Guy Richie. Lawson Hamblin, Ear] Piatt, James Garcia, Roy Gibbons, brother of Arminta. all? There are nine of us; I wonder if we can't get to Provo some other way and — save!" Saving had been ground into those Arizona youngsters. The youth started on a quiet hunt for a conveyance. His father or his grandfather might have tackled the journey horse back or in a buck-board as, it is* reported, President A. W. Ivins tackled his mis- sionary journey of nearly one thousand miles. The youth found a man with a truck who listened kindly to his tale. "My wife and I would like to visit Provo," said Lawrence Jones, the owner of the truck. "If you can fix my outfit up so that it will be comfortable, we'll take you." The group came together and the plan was laid before them. They thought it sounded attractive to them, since the auto road wound WESTERNERS IN ACTION 31 out through four states, past Ship Rock and Moab. What young person would not respond to a trip like that? Work began upon the truck. Regular wagon bows and a wagon cover were secured for the journey. They were placed over the body of the open truck and the boys set to work making seats. In a short time the rig was ready and the day for the journey was set. But the head work did not cease there. The intelligence spark inside kept right on throwing out rays of light in various directions to find other ways to help that group up to and through school, for all knew that every dollar saved or earned on the front end of a college year comes in very splendidly on the latteri end. Three of the group were musicians. They had a friend who was a musician; therefore, another thought was born. Why not give a program to the town folks and tell them that the proceeds were to go toward financing the boys in college? The local picture-show manager responded kindly to the sug- gestion. The musicians set to work upon a musical concert. In practically no time they were ready to appear. A.packed house met the performers. The tickets cost little, be- cause the boys were eager to have a crowd, for they looked upon the program as a farewell entertainment for all of them. When they counted their money and paid their bills, they dis- covered they had cleared the neat little sum of $53. In other words, the three musicians had enough to pay their fare on the truck jto Provo, and a little besides. They had literally tooted themselves to college. The week before Brigham Young University was to open for the season, the journey began. Nine happy youngsters chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jones set out in their "desert ranger" for the prom- ised land of education. After a journey replete with interest, they landed in Provo safe and sound on the Saturday prior to the opening of school, and rarely have such pleased young people ever been seen on the campus, for they had done a heroic act in order to materialize their dreams. That always brings satisfaction. When they came in a group — the male portion — to my office, I asked them why they had come so early. "We must have a job," said one. "We are not out of the woods yet, but we'll' make it!" I feel sure they will, for they are willing to work their bodies as well as their heads, and I believe the process will be just as effective. The names of the members of the group are Roy Gibbons, Ar- minta Gibbons, his sister; Earl Piatt, James Garcia, Lawson Hamblin, Guy Richie, Genevieve Pulsipher, Elaine Sherwood, Idella Sainsbury. The driver and chaperones were Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jones. These young people, by using their heads a little, cut down their transportation expense from $42.50 to $12.50 each, and three of them, at least, made that amount in their concert. Such ideals, such schem- 32 IMPROVEMENT ERA ings, such saving, have meant an education to hundreds of inter- mountain boys and girls; it will continue to mean an education for them as long as they have the pioneer spirit of originality and re- sourcefulness. NIELSON GYMNASIUM, ONEIDA STAKE, IDAHO A patrol leaders' school, Franklin county district, Cache Valley Council, B. S. A The course was given under the personal direction of Field Executive Orville E. Howell, who is now serving as Deputy Commissioner. Alfred Kern is now Field Executive, instead.