--- 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: 31 number: 1 published: 1927-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, “Current Events,” *Improvement Era* 31, no. 1 (November 1927): 76–78." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3101unse 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: improvementera3101unse start_page: 76 end_page: 78 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1927-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3101unse 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. --- # Current Events Current Events A Study for the Advanced Senior Class M. I. A., 1927-28 Suggestions by the Committee Class leadership is more than class teach- ing. Some of the best class leaders in fact do little class teaching, but they see to it that the class is well taught and they are always present at the exercise. These class leaders have already secured the serv- ices of persons who have the time and ability to make a special feature of some lesson in one of the manuals or some topic of current events. For example, the class leader, knowing the subjects to be treated, mentally or by inquiry, sur- veys the community for "teaching timber," say from five to ten capable men and wo- men, and prospectively assigns each to a lesson to prepare and present on a definite date. He th n secures their ac- ceptance of the assignments. This will create a wide interest among the com- munity leaders, insure thorough prepara- tion for presentation, and draw a good attendance. It will also give more time for the regular teacher's preparation and give him the "satisfactoriness" of success, for others, by others, under his leader- ship. One of the chief aims of the Advanced Senior Class is the fostering of education- al and social neighborliness. One of the most effective means of reaching this aim is the "guest evening" plan, which pro- vides that early in the season each of the enrolled members of the class formally in- vite some one who is not a regular class member to attend the class as his or her guest. This will accomplish three things: first, an anxiety concerning the quality of the session; second, an increase of attend- ance; third, a stimulation of the teacher to be at his or her best. These special teachers, however much they may enrich the lessons, will make the material in the manual the core of the lec- ture. They should be informed of this expectation. 1 — Religion and Social Science Take a Holiday" Says Science Should a Bishop. "Science Leads us Nearer to God" De- clares an Eminent Scientist. The claims of these two lime lights are published in the Literary Digest, October 1, 1927, pp. 32-33. What does the Bishop mean by Science "Taking a Holi- day?" Do you favor such a holiday? If you do, why? And if you do not, why? According to the Scientist, what kind of a being does Science reveal a man to be? What does it reveal God to be? What does Science lead us "straight" to? What is his belief concerning the purpose of every- thing that happens? What do you think of the testimony of the great scientist given in his last paragraph? On what points do you not agree with Dr. Pupin. "The Great Scientist?" Wherein do you agree with him? What trend in religious sentiment do you see in the prayer on page 34 of the fun in- What hymn? Literary Digest, October 1 ? Is compatible with faith in prayer? effect would humor have on a What about jokes in sermons? The "Thing" in Families This is the title of a cooperative article published in the October number of the Reader's Digest, condensed from the Out- look of September 7, 1927. The authors brand as "untrue" two quite popular ideas: 1. That children of small families have a great advantage over those of large families, and 2. That the more successful people are, the less likely they ar: to have children. The "brand" has behind some very in- teresting and quite conclusive evidence, showing that in five different lines of activities the students from the larger fam- ilies systematically excel the others: 1. In the class room: 2. In extra-curricular ac- tivities other than athletics; 3. In athletics; 4. In senior votes; 5. In college earnings. CURRENT EVENTS 77 "In the class room the men who re- mained unmarried ranked lowest of all." There is an almost steady increase in suc- cess from the unmarried men to the men with six or more children. The article is certainly something more than mere 2 — Politics /. The League of Nations There are three outstanding affairs in the world today which command first at- tention: The Revolution in Russia, the Revolution in China, and the League of Nations. From the standpoint of govern- ment and politics, the League of Nations is undoubtedly the greatest experiment which man has attempted in the history of gov- ernments. No thoughtful person has ever expected it to be a thing of magic or a cure-all for the ills of man. The League's fundamental aim is to bring about an attitude in the minds of men and governments which will result in the use of mediums of peace rather than mediums of war in the settlement of dis- putes between nations. The League is, therefore, so organized that it may act as a medium through which the thought of all peoples may be expressed and where griev- ances may be aired. It has departments for dealing with economics and labor, with child welfare and slavery, with care of women and transportation of arms, and with administration of backward peoples. The International Labor Office, which is part of the League organization, has already become probably the world's greatest re- search center in problems dealing with industry and labor. The League has brought into being the International Court of Justice which acts as a court to try International disputes. The League prop- er acts through its main governmental agency the Secretariat, which with its one hundred and one various departments is permanently established at Geneva, Switz- erland. The policy forming departments of the League are the Council and the Assembly. The Council meets from time to time, and is mad: up of permanent representatives from the major Powers and non-permanent representatives from nine of the minor Powers. The Assembly of the League opinion — propaganda. A study and dis- cussion of it will prove profitable. At the close of the discussion of this article let the class vote as> to whether their opinions on the subject have been changed or not. and Industry meets once a year in September. The Assembly is the League's: representative body, it is the primary policy-forming in- stitution of the League, it provides for the League's revenues, it directs the League's expenditures by the adoption of an an- nual budget. It is the institution which accepts new members, which elects the non- permanent members to the Council, which reorganizes the League and directs the af- fairs of the League's various departments. It is an assembly for debate and discussion. All nations represented in the Assembly are in theory on an equal, and each na- tion member, regardless of its size or in- significance, has one vote. We should pay attention at this time to the eighth meeting of the Assembly. The outstanding accomplishment was the strength of the position of the small na- tions in the League, and the declaration of Dr. Stresemann. representing Germany, that Germany was willing to accept the Compulsory Arbitration Provision of the World Court protocol. Germany is the first of the Great Powers which has been willing to take this great step, many of the smaller powers have already accepted it. References: Time, Literary Digest, League of Nations News. The Neiv Republic, The Nation (for weeks during the month of Sep- tember) . Review of Reviews (for month of October) , Current History (for month of October) . Questions for discussion and study 1 . How many nations adhere to the League Covenant f 2. What nations are still non-members? 3. What is the status of Canada in the League of Nations? 4. What interesting thing happened in regard to Can- ada the last election of non-permanent mem- bers on the Council? 5. What will be the probable effect on the British Empire in this election? 6. What is meant by the term British Commonwealth of Nations? 7. Iden- tify Aristride Briand, Sir Austin Chamberlin. Dr. Stresemann, Dr. Nitobe, Viscount Cecil of Chelwood. 78 IMPROVEMENT ERA 3 — Science and Discovery /. The Darwin Shrine The British Association for the Ad- vancement of Science has recently an- nounced plans looking towards the pre- servation of Charles Darwin's old home as "an international shrine." It is sug- gested by one writer that "this historic old home, in the village of Down in the Kentish uplands, may in future years rival Shakespeare's at Stratford-on-Avon, asi a place of interest." At its last annual meeting in Leeds, this same Association was addressed by Sir Arthur Keith, a noted anatomist who re- affirmed Darwinism in an address entitled, "Darwin's Theory of Man's Descent as It Stands To-day." Questions 1. Who was Charles Darwin? 2. What, specifically, was his contribution to science and human thought? 3. Is there any way in which in anti-evolutionist can consistently revere Dar- win? See Current History, October, 1927, pages 96-103. II. Fluid Fuel Science is trying hard to "increase the nobility of energy" by converting coal into a liquid form, or "converting its energy into energy in the electrical fluid." The transmission of power is an im- portant matter for the future of civiliza- tion. The distribution and quality of hu- man life on the earth's surface, will be greatly affected by it. Questions 1 . Upon what chemical principles can "fluid fuel" be produced? 2. What forms of liquid fuel are now widely used? 3. What has been the effect on our economic and social life, of the transmission of power by wire? See Scientific Monthly, September, 1927, page 281. ///. Facts About Fasting While men are perhaps the most sensi- tive of all animals to nutritional changes, recent scientific studies go to show that he can experience a considerable decrease in food "for prolonged periods" without harm. The Carnegie Institution has re- cently published a book on fasting which summarizes the researches of Dr. F. C. Benedict and Professor E. C. Ritzman. The general conclusion of these author- ities is that "fasts of long duration, con- ducted under laboratory conditions, demon- strate that even complete abstention from food for a week or longer is not especially distressing, nor does it have injurious ef- fects which can be detected; while a re- duction of 10 per cent in weight can easily be brought about in a few weeks, with no bad effects, by merely reducing the total caloric intake." Questions 1 . How extensively is fasting employed as (a) a therapeutic measure, and (b) as a religious rite? 2. What is the state of mind of one who fasts? Is one more or less sug- gestible during and immediately following the fast? What is significant in this fact for the religious life? 3. Do these researches tend to support the fasting practice of our people? See the Literary Digest, October 8, 1927, page 26. IV. Poison Ivy According to a recent report the best remedy for poison ivy is, of course, one that destroys the cause of the ailment which follows contact with this plant. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends "the use of a solution of per- manganate of potash to stop the itching, blistering irritation that follows contact with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. Five percent of the compound in water is all the prescription your drug- gist will need." This treatment is rec- ommended only as a remedy for poisoning that has already taken place. For individ- uals who know that they are likely to be poisoned by contact with the plant the following simple wash is recommended: "five per cent solution of ferric chloride in a fifty-fifty mixture of water and glycerine. This is to be washed on all ex- posed parts of the skin and allowed to dry there, before going where the dangerous weeds grow. Questions 1 . What is the specific action of poison ivy on the human skin? 2. What are the distinguishing marks of poison ivy which can be pointed out to children and others in order to prevent contact with the plant? 3. What other plants are poisonous (a) internally, and (b) externally? See Scientific Monthly, September, 1927. pages 283 and 284.