B. Y. U. Leadership Week

B. Y. U. Leadership Week By Dr. Joseph S. Amussen It has been my good fortune to have a delightful experience. I attended Leader- ship Week at the Brigham Young Uni- versity.* Here, once a year, the leaders in our religious and cultural activities can come and, during one week, receive intensive in- structions on subjects in which they are interested. Recreation, history, journal- ism, music, psychology, home problems, farm problems, improvement in teaching, theology, art appreciation, literature, gen- ealogy, scouting, are among the subjects taught. "Since the establishment of Leadership Week, seven years ago, thou- sands of men and women from all over the West have come to the institution and here they have received the means of living a richer and more joyous life. The in- spiration and information which they have carried home have been radiated through hundreds of communities." f The theme of Leadership Week this year was "Man's Quest for Joy," and a particularly helpful program was given. In addition to the regular class instruc- tion of the faculty members of the uni- versity, there were given during the course appropriate addresses by our Church lead- era, as follow: Elder Stephen L. Richards, "Joy Through Wholesome Association." Elder Melvin J. Ballard, "Joy Through Self-Mastery." Elder David O. McKay, "Joy Through Self-Realization." Elder Richard R. Lyman, "Finding Joy Through Intellectual Growth." President Heber J. Grant, "Leadership in Civic Righteousness." Dr. Adam S. Bennion, "Joy in Pioneering." Elder B. H. Roberts, "Legacy of the Pio- neers." President A. W. Ivins, "The Husband- man of Tomorrow." Elder George Albert Smith, "Finding Joy Through Service to Others." Each evening there was a dance, play, concert or reception to add to the pleas- ure of those attending. Each noon the B. Y. U. cafeteria served a wholesome and well prepared lunch. To sum up, we were fed in the very best way, spiritually, aesthetically, men- tally and physically. To illustrate how the subjects seemed to correlate themselves, I will relate a little experience of my own. Under the heading, "Man and his Physical Environ- ment," Dr. Carl F. Eyring gave a lecture on "Waves and Wiggles," and illustrated with a rope, with one end fixed and the other quickly moved, how an impulse or wave-like motion could be sent down the rope and would be reflected back to the starting point. He illustrated this with long-coil springs; then explained the vibration back and forth in musical strings, and in columns of air in wind musical instruments. It all showed how impulses, messages and sounds are carried back and forth in the physical world. The next hour I attended Dr. A. N. Merrill's class, on "Improvement in Teach- ing," and listened to Miss Myrtie Jensen demonstrate how lesson material can be enriched with story, song, poetry and mottoes. She chose "Prayer" as her sub- ject for demonstration. Listening to the beautiful thoughts she expressed on prayer, and having just come from Dr. Eyring's class on "Waves and Wiggles," my thoughts seemed nat- urally to connect the two together. "Why. yes," I thought, "prayer is a logical thing. Just as we can in the laboratory touch one end of a stretched cord and the im- pulse going to the other end is reflected back to us, so is there a bond or relation- ship holding us to our Father in heaven, and prayer is the impulse at this end and ♦January 23-27. 1928. •j-p. S. Harris, president of the Brigbam Young University.

B. Y. U. LEADERSHIP WEEK 407 the answer to prayer is the reflection back." Other analogies suggested them- selves and were amplified by the lecture, next morning, on "When Space Talks and Sings." Then came a lecture on "Things Great and Things Small." and we ware told that the smallest units of matter are like in- finitesimal solar systems, with varying numbers of electrons revolving in differ- ent orbits around a central nucleus. Then we were shown on the screen pictures of planets and the solar system, clusters of stars, and then universes. At the end of the lecture. Dr. Eyring said: "Speaking as a scientist, my greatest hope is that at some future time my Father will give me a world to work with, and that I will learn how worlds are made, and that after that he will give me a cluster of stars. It may sound egotistical but that is what I hope." Susa Young Gates, who was persent and taking a decided interest in the pro- ceedings, exclaimed: "That is> not egotism, that is Mormonism." And so it is. ^Opinions of a Cheerful Yankee, p. 116. Hollywood, California. An especially fine program was ar- ranged on recreation with demonstrations of socials, dances and games. I heard praise of all the classes, but no criticism. Irving Bachellert states that in his view the most dangerous persons in a democ- racy are indifferent parents' and college professors without reverence. The instructions we received during Leadership Week and the way in which they were given served to demonstrate that our teachers were not only pro- gressive but were also reverent. As to the boys and girls who are study- ing under these instructors. I can best de- scribe them by the word, "gentle." They are gentle in all the lovely meaning of that term. Were I a parent, there is no other school I would rather have my boy or girl attend than the Brigham Young University at Prove To all our leaders throughout the Church and to those who wish to become leaders. I commend the Annual Leader- ship Week. Life What is life with all its beauties? What is life with all its gloom. Tucked away in man so mortal, trying ever just to bloom? There's a soul in every human, tarnished often, you can see; But there's hope for all who seek it, plodding to eternity. In the turmoil of your travels, in the tasks that come your way, Stop and think and feel the gladness that is ushered in each day: When the sun is slowly sinking through the shadows in the west, Then's the time to ask your question, have I tried to do my best? Look at nature in her beauty; she is urging you along. Ever onward, ever upward, on the pathway of the strong. Never cease your steady climbing, reach the goal of happiness; There you'll gain life's greatest blessing when your soul is there at rest. LOWELL BIDDULPH