--- 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: 34 number: 2 published: 1930-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "*Improvement Era* 34, no. 2 (December 1930). Salt Lake City: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, December 1930." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3402unse 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: improvementera3402unse curator_note: Internet Archive issue scan; advertising omitted. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1930-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3402unse publication_year: 1930 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 1930, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Improvement Era, December 1930 DECEMBER, 1930 I Vol. 34 No. 2 RETUftN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Music is Everywhere By OSBOURNE McCONATHY &e&3 The Hand-Me-Down Baby By RUTH M. MARSHALL ©^© Cactus Blooms By HARRISON R. MERRILL e*&& The Blue Spruce By IVY WILLIAMS STONE CHRISTMAS MORNING ^i^M^iy^ri^vaY^uY^o^ii^Ni.^x wrwwmwwwwmwmm r*w»w»WAw ■ ■--■ a ?"::-:— ^'^i ™ ~'i~£^z*i?-~'~ ■"' a ;; s^*w r.'/.-' S: & /U, SSS Let Chickens Buy Your Home and Life's Income ITH the completion of our first twenty-five "Home and In- come Units" and with 50,000 select pullets now in production the soundness of our plan is being attested by scores of visitors every day. Our second project of 1 6 units is all sold and we are now offering our third subdivision consisting of 50 acres situated in the choicest part of Midvale. The blue prints are now ready and you should make your selection at once. A large egg grading plant is being rushed to completion and our mammoth brooding plant with a capacity of 40,000 chicks every month will be ready to receive the first consignment in December. If you are interested in acquiring a modern home embracing a life's income in Utah's most favored location, write for detailed information or beter still, come and see the evidence of the only thing of its kind and the most practical and finest thing of its kind in America. Midvale Home Finance Corporation MIDVALE, UTAH 3Sfe&- JE8— . 'X' m H rrf ■iTTiPrT RTHT'hfT r 5fei The Improvement Era for December , 1930 65 FOR ECA8T WILL get ready and then per- haps my opportunity will come." These words of Lincoln's are used as an introduction to an article under the title of "The Essentials of Public Speaking," by Dr. An- thony F. Blanks, of the Univer- sity of California. In no com- munity in the world is there greater need of a knowledge of the rules governing public speaking, for in no other community is such a large percentage of the people called up- on, often without previous notice, to arise and express their thoughts. This article will be a valuable ad- dition to our literature on the sub- ject. «&*§&&*- ■\T7ERE the cataclysmal events described in the Book of Mormon actual occurrences, or did they merely exist in the imagina- tive brain of some modern dream- er? I. B. Ball, of the University of California, discusses this subject very entertainingly. He has spent a vast amount of time in research work along this line, and is kind enough to give Era readers the benefit of his findings. AN article of absorbing in- terest to writers will appear in our next number. The possibilities of this Church as a field for the story writer has long been recog- nized. Comparatively few people get through this life without hav- ing felt the urge to put their thoughts on paper. Those who have responded to this impulse, though their work may never have appeared in print, have been com- pensated for their effort in the joy of having created something. This article will stimulate our young people, and also the older ones to earnest endeavor along this line. "V/f ANY volumes have been writ- ten and innumerable sermons delivered on the subject of faith, and yet we know very little about this fundamental principle. P. Joseph Jensen, of the Church His- torian's Office, has prepared a thought-provoking article entitled the "Psychology of Faith" which we shall be glad to present to our readers. The I im pro venue mi t Era Melvin J. Ballard Business Manager Clarissa A. Beesley Associate Business Manager George Q. Morris Rachel Grant Taylor Chairmen Era and Publicity Organ of the Priesthood Quorums, the Mutual Improvement Associations and the Department of Education of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints CONTENTS Title Page Editorials- — ■ Life's Sweetest Story; If More Would Do It Hugh J. Cannon 67 To Give and to Receive Elsie T. Brandley 68 The Hand-Me-Down Baby — A Short Story Ruth M. Marshall 69 Star of Evening — A Poem Ruth B. Musser 72 A Gold Star Pilgrimage Ada B. Hinckley 73 Poetry 76 A Legend Grace McKinstry To My Mother Gladys Hendcickson The Party Ardyth M. Kennelly Fancy ^ Estelle Webb Thomas God Must Love the Autumn Edith Cherrington A Gray Day Grace Ingles Frosf I Would Not Part the Curtains Ida R. Alldcedge Cactus Blooms — A Short Story Prof. Harrison R. Merrill 77 Foods for Health Adah R. Naylor 81 Who Sent Santa Claus — A Short Story Grant Align Caproni 82 A Christmas Message — A Poem Weston N. Nordgren 83 Music Is Everywhere Osbourne McConathy 86 Expatriation (Chapter Five) ...Hugh J. Cannon 88 Merry Christmas Friend — A Poem Blanche Robbins 90 The Daughter of a Fool — Short Story Blanche Kendall McKey 92 A Prayer at Christmas — A Poem Nona H. Brown 94 A Really Merry Christmas — A Short Story Margaret C. Moloney 96 The Blue Spruce — A Short Story , Ivy Williams Stone 97 Christmas Prayer — -A Poem R. J. C. 100 It's Christmas Eve — A Poem Prof. Harrison R. Merrill 102 Blessings Follow the Era 103 Mutual Work — Executive Department 104 Adult Department 106 Gleaner Girls Department 106 Beehive Girls Department „__ 106 Report of Accomplishment 107 Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 1 103 Act of October, 1917, authorized July 2, 1918. Manuscripts submitted without the statement, "At usual rates," are con- sidered free contributions. Photographs, unless their return is especially requested, will be destroyed. Published monthly at Salt Lake City by the M. I. A. General Boards; $2 per annum. Address: Room 406 Church Office Building. 66 The Improvement Era for December, 1930 A Gift W, to Li^ht the Way HILE the world is in its present quandry, and economic conditions unsettled, why not make your Yuletide offerings prac- tical. And what is more practical than a year's subscription to the Improvement Era, each issue of which will take encouragement, entertaining information, inspiration and general spiritual uplift into the homes of your married children, or other relatives or friends, as the case may be. 'Tis a gift to light the way and give guidance to families and in- dividuals; in times of trouble or calm — hardship or plenty — and the gift retains Christmas joy throughout the year. (T5he Improvement Eva — the outstanding Church magazine — and the only general Church magazine — should be on the read- ing table of every Latter-day Saint home. It is easy to find "something" to read these days — there are myriads of publications, many of them sold at unbelievably low prices — but the moral quality is not up to Latter-day Saint standards- — it surely isn't the kind you would have influencing the lives of your children. Encourage your family to read the Era. Read ^lllitlliijliiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiij Please send the Improvement Era for Christmas to | the following: | ($ enclosed) I 1 1 1 the Era yourself — give it to your children for Christmas. Many single articles and stones are worth more than the year's subscription price. Write in the blanks provided at the bottom of this page, the names and addresses of those you desire to receive this joyous Christmas gift, and send to the Era with remittance, and we will attach to the first copy a beautiful card, wishing them a "Merry Christmas" from you. Subscription $2 a Year Send to 406 Church Office Building Salt Lake City, Utah 2. 3. | Merry Christmas From: 1 | (Your Name) 1 | (Address) _ _. 1 ^iiiiiiiiuiiniiiunuiiiiitHiMiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiimniiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiniiniiiHimiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiMiitiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiic