--- 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: 8 published: 1927-06 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. 8 (June 1927): 687–692." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3008unse 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: improvementera3008unse start_page: 687 end_page: 692 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1927-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3008unse publication_year: 1927 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 1927, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Westerners in Action WESTERNERS IN ACTION John Hutchings, Naturalist By T. Dean Udell I had heard of John Hatchings and of hi9 knowledge and his interest in wild life, and had been told .hat he has the largest and most varied private collection o! latuial object in the inter-mountain states. He had spent years in g ' -ring :he un . ual, the beautiful, and the interesting of plantv :.n nals, ^* » ^^ >^ 688 IMPROVEMENT ERA of coyote, and the dignity of the eagle, were all there in their natural- ness. I could almost smell the fragrance of the pine and hear the call of the cat-bird. Reluctantly I allowed my host to lead me to another room. He opened chests of shells, boxes of snake-rattles, and showed me thou- sands of arrow heads1. Cases of Indian relics gave me a glimpse of the life and customs of those old peoples. We passed into his workshop. Piles of furs stood in a corner. Heads of deer, hides of bears, and remains of birds, awaited the touch of restoration from his expert hand. "You need not leave your work," I told him; "we can talk while you finish your mounting. You must spend lots of time at your hobby of gathering and preparing your specimens?" "It does not take up too much of my time. I gather some of them while working for the Scout organization, as woodcraft and handicraft director in their summer camps. During my bird lectures at the high schools, many were brought to me. Once when I was working with a gang of men in the hills, I started my collecting. At first the boys made fun of me. But collecting is as contagious-as the measles. I soon had the gang helping me. It has been about that way wherever I have gone. Of course, I have to make many regular trips to out-of-the-way places to collect. But the work is worthy of the effort. "Through my work I help others to appreciate and reverence the beauties of nature. It gives them a desire to help preserve and protect wile! life. I czn pick up an old, dirty bird that someone has cruelly shot, restore it's beauty, and show it to the boys. They can then more fully appreciate the glory and beauty of that which is destroyed when a bird is shot." His face seemed to light up as he spoke. A few tired wrinkles vanished from his brow. The zeal of the nature-lover, of the restorer, and preserver, shone from his eyes. I resolved to make another trip to the mountains and see, once more, the beauties of the natural, the wild, and possibly gather a few specimens. Lehi, Utah. The Blue Cougars By Harrison R. Merrill Although the 1927 basketball season was more or less disastrous, from the point of view of victories for the Blue Cougars, of Brigham Young University, the season was highly successful in many other ways, for success is not always counted by victories. The basketball squad, to a man, was made up of fine individuals who worked un- tiringly to perfect a basketball team. During all the season, though WESTERNERS IN ACTION 689 one defeat followed another in rapid succession, the boys maintained a marvelous morale, under the conditions. The squad was remarkable in another way. Upon it were several pairs of brothers and one trio of brothers. Though they are not all shown in this picture, there are two Snows, sons of Dr. William J. Snow; two Simmons, brothers of Lee and Glen Sim- mons, well known coaches of Utah; two Harts, sons of James Hart, of Idaho; and three Skousens, young men who had come up to school from Arizona. Only two members of the squad will graduate this Spring. All of the other men, presumably, will be back fighting for the White and Blue next year. Nearly all of the men are sophomores and freshmen; therefore, the basketball situation looks good, provided a few tall men come to school to assist against the giants who are on the teams of the other members of the Western Division of the Rocky Mountain conference. The blue suits in which the men are seen in the accompanying picture have been added to the equipment this year. The Cougar heads were painted upon them by George K. Lewis-, a member of the student body of the University. Despite their inexperience, the Blue Cougars lost their games by narrow margins and revealed a passing at- tack that was good to watch. Balls tipped in from the bank boards accounted for nearly all of the defeats, and they were made possible by the great height of the opposing players. Coach E. L. Roberts handled the team throughout the season. THE BLUE COUGARS OF BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Left to right: Sanky Dixon, Wes Lloyd. Owen Rowc. Reed Porter. Don Simmons, Bill Snow, Clarence Skousen. Mark Reeve, Ircl H.irt, Poulson Frosty Richards, B. Skousen, Leslie Wright, Cecil Hart. Reed Collins. 690 IMPROVEMENT ERA He Prayed and Paid his Tithes "Early in life my mother taught me to say my prayers and to pay tithing, " said Andrew L. Rogeis, of Snowflake, Arizona, now on a short- term rnission in California. "Today, I am seventy-two years of age," he continued; "I don't owe a cent to anybody, I am bearing my own expenses on this mission; and I am strong and healthy as a boy. Throughout my life I have never tampered with tobacco, liquor, tea or coffee, and I have never gambled." As an evidence of the value of paying tithing, Mr. Rogers relates an interesting incident. About nine years ago he consummated a business deal with a certain person, in the terms of which it was agreed that he was to receive an amount of money each year. This party failed to keep his agreement, and several years passed without any payments having been mad'1 He tried to make the collections but was entirely unsuccessful. He and L wife were getting old, and it was his wish to do temple work, but the mon was a necessary element to that accomplishment. The thought occurred to him to pray about it. In his prayer, he said, "Father, you know my age, condition and desire; and if I can collect that account, I will pay the tithing on it in full, and if there is anything else I can do that you want done, I will be on hand to do it." Shortly afterwards, he received an entirely new thought — Why not take up the matter of a settlement with a certain other person, who was closely related to the one who signed the agreement? He tried it. The result was, he received every cent of the money due b'm. including the interest. He kept his promise to the Lord, put the remainder of the collections in the bank, together with other savings, and today tit is in a happy condition, with health, vigor and joy in the service of the l.^-d He obeyed the laws upon which certain blessings are predicated — he is now enjoying those blessings. Mr. Rogers was called in 1876, by President Brigham Young, to help settle Arizona. Much of the country then was a wild desert, with few whites and many Indians. "But I always loved the Indians," he said, "and gave them the best I had." In his continued residence of over half a century in Arizona, he has seen many wonderful changes. He went ther? in that early day as a single young man. Now he has a wife and ten children. His mother, Aurelia S. Rogers, was inspired to start the first Primary in the Church. — San Pedro, Calif. Ferron Has Its Leadership Convention In March, Ferron, Emery county, Utah, held its first leadership con- vention. The school men led the movement, and were backed by the ward officials in arranging the first program of its kind ever held in that part of the state. Dean Peterson, principal of the Ferron high school, had charge of the work, although he had some enthusiastic assistants in Dean Bench, Velyn Baylis, Mr. Jamison, the director of music, all members of his faculty, and town boosters who seemed to be headed by L. W. Peterson, a member of the Emery county school board. Five instructors from Brigham Young University, two from Utah Agricultural College and two from the Y. M. M. I. A., were secured for the three days' program. These men and women gave regular courses in various branches of learning and also assisted by giving kctures in the general assemblies. Claude Cornwall, of the M. I, A. General Board, and President Guy C. Wilson, who has charge of teacher training for the Church, were both present. Mr. Cornwall had charge of the recreational subjects and led in recreational activities, which included games and dancing. WESTERNERS IN ACTION 691 The people were enthusiastic in their praise of the convention which attracted many people who had heretofore paid very little attention to Church activities or to community enterprises. From the first day's program to the concluding one on Sunday evening, the spacious gymnasium and as- sembly room of the Ferron school building was crowded with people eager to gather from the visiting speakers information as well as inspiration. A vote was taken to see whether the Leadership Convention should be continued another" year. Despite the fact that all expenses were paid by 'ocal subscription and entertainments which were given in connection witn ihe covention, the vote was unanimous for making the convention an annual affair. — H. R. Merrill. Supr. Chas. E. Embly, Gunnison stake, Box 102, Centerfield, Utah, forwards ihe following picture of the M Men Champions. Mayfield ward, Gunnison stake. Top row, left to right: C. H. Christenscn, coach; Joe Willardson. forward: Ivan Hanson, forward; Don Lyman, center; Roy Bough, guard and captain. Bottom row: Nels Bogh, forward; Lee Larson, guard; Cleo Bogh, center; Udell Christiansen, guard; Blaine Anderson, forward; Ray Larson, guard (not on picture). The school children of Descret, Oasis and Delta at the unveiling of the monument they erected marking where Father Escalante passed, October 2. 1776. Principal William McSwain of Deseret-Oasis made this trip with Doctor Herbert E. Bolton, following the trail of Escalante from his diary. 692 IMPROVEMENT ERA Photo by Frank Beckwith. Then McSwain was chosen chairman for Millard county and this monument is the result of his work. The school children donated five cents each, and the fund so raised made possible this fitting testimonial. Photo by Frank Beckwith. President A. A. Hinkley of the Deseret stake addressing the throng witnessing the unveiling of the monument at his birthplace, .Cove Fort, Utah. April 26, 1927. Cove Fort was built in 1867, and this monument was unveiled, therefore, on the sixtieth anniversary of its building.