Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1976 A History of the Growth and Development of the Primary Association of the LDS Church From 1878 to 1928 Conrad A. Harward Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the History Commons, Mormon Studies Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons, and the Sociology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Harward, Conrad A., "A History of the Growth and Development of the Primary Association of the LDS Church From 1878 to 1928" (1976). Theses and Dissertations. 4772. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4772 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. 11176 D A HISTORY OF THE GROWTH anidAND dhvel0developmentJ mif1nt OF THE PRIMARY association OF THE LDS CHIJRCHCHURCH FROM 1878 TO 1928 A thesis presented to the department of chuchchurchchu ch history and doctrine brigbrighamham young university in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree master of arts by conradconradconcoprad A harward april 1976 this thesis by conrad A harward is accepted in its present form by the department of church history and doctrine in the college of religious instruction of brigham young university as satisfying the thesis require- ment fforor the degree of master of arts A r7anraan 7 owardhowardbowarowar H barkobartenbarrenbartonn committee ChachairianchabrianChainchainfaanirianirlanfaanbaanbhan r c a r ayixyi lamar garrard committeecoiimdttee member 5335g33s gn4na zatedabedt lamar C faf4 departmentire ai typed by sharon bird 11 acknowledgments the writer would like to acknowledge with deep gratitude the willing assistance and helpful suggestions given by dr howard barrenbarron dr lamar garrard and dr burt horsley in the preparation of this manuscript gratitude is expressed to the staff of the church historians office the primary general board office and the davis county library staff in farmingtonC utah for their generous help A special thanks is expressed to carol olsen and S K marqaretmargaretmargarecCD hess of farmington to dennis dodoyledoyieY 1eae karentren imlay carol andrus and sharon bird all of whom rendered valuable assistance in typing researching and reading the manuscript the writer expresses a tender word of love and appreciation to his wife madeline who lived through the many hours of research and writing with a determination to help the project succeed she gave up countless hoursflours of companionship in support of the wriwritersLerscers desire to achieve this goal iiiliilil TABLE OF CONTENTS paepace acknowledgments iii chapter 1 ictroductiontntroductionintroduction i STATEMENT OF TIIETItlletileIE PROBLEM 2 justification OF TKFTHE STUDY 2 delimitationsLIMITATIONSDE OF THE PROBLEM 3 r pittmoptttmo TTTOMC 1 af4fnsftmj j i ntk if U c v 3 DEIHODMETHOD OF proced111PROCEDLTJE 5 2 tiieTHE FIRST primaryprimakyPPIMARY association 8 c0ddi1tconditionsransons0ns 1850 TO 1878 9 A CHILDRENS organization BIRTH 0OF DFAA ainAN I1IDEAdeaDF 0 0 14 THE FIRST PRIMARY association 18 QUARTER ATDAND fumrumANNUALualJAL MEETINGS 25 primakyPRIMARYPRLUARY birthplace ilclicHONORED110NORED 29 A bronze plaque presentedprese nnedntedanted 30 mural paintpaintinpaintingin gift aj3j31 swiwry 33 ivi v v chapter daaepaaepage 3 GROWTH AND development OF THE PRIMARY PROGRAM 35 NUMERICAL GROWTH 1878 TO 1900 36 PRIMRYPRIMARY PROGRAM 1878 TO 1900 39 LEISURE TIME activities 1878 TO 1900 41 PURPOSES objectives AND GOALS 44 SPECIAL PROJECTS AND activities 19001928190019281900 1928 0 50 fairs and entertainments 50 dress reform project 4 52 world war I1 projbrojprojectsectsacts 53 miscellaneous projects 0 55 LEVELS OF PRIMARY administration 0 57 the general level 0 57 the stake level 0 58 the ward level 59 TYPES OF PROGRAMS 60 regular arlprlprimarynary 61 the neighborhood primary 61 the home primary 63 T priesthood supportSUPPORTsupporrsupporipoRr 0 64 ANNUAL conferences AND conventions 67 VI chapter page FIELDS OF ACTIVITY AS ASSIGNED IN 1913 69 practical religion 69 ethics 70 economics 71 sociology 71 athletics play 72 NUKERICALNUMERICAL GROWTH 190019291900 1929 73 A JUBILEE celebration 74 SUMMARY 78 4 GRADING COURSES OF STUDY AND CLASS CHANGES 0 0 0 1 83 GRADING 187819281878 1928 0 0 0 0 83 COURSES OF STUDY 87 PRIMARY HOURS 0 91 the lesson hour 91 the story hour 92 the busy hour 93 the social hour 94 THE SEAGULL GIRLS 95 purpose 96 the seagull girls program 97 fields of seagull work 100 vii chapter page emblem colors pin and uniform 102 graduation 103 conclusion 104 THE TRAIL BUILDERS PROGRAM 104 A brief history of trail building 105 the trail builders program to 1929 108 the name 109 purpose of trail building work 109 the four trails SHSK 110 the trail builder emblem 112 the handbook log 112 the trail builder guide code 113 trail builder uniform 113 tests and badges 114 the treasure chest 114 activities and handcraft 115 SUMMARY 116 5 SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS 118 enlistment AND attendance PROBLEMS 118 A PROBLEM OF FINANCES 0 0 0 0 123 financing the general board nickle fund 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 124 viii chapter page the dime fund 128 PROBLEM RELIGION CLASS CONFLICT 131 PROBLEM SUMMER adjournment 133 A PROBLEM OF AGE 137 THE BOYS AGE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED 139 the girls age problem Is resolved 144 SUMMARY 150 6 AURELIA SPENCER ROGERS PRIMARY MOTHER 155 AURELIA SPENCER GIRL 0 0 0 157 AURELIA SPENCER PIONEER GIRL 163 AURELIA ROGERS PIONEER WIFE AND MOTHER 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 166 AURELIA S ROGERS CHURCH WORKER 169 AURELIA SPENCER ROGERS WOMAN HONORED 173 SUMMARY 4 0 176 7 GREAT AND NOBLE ONES 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 178 LOUIE BOUTON FELT JUNE 1880 OCTOBER 1925 179 early life 180 wife and church worker 182 general primary president 187 ixIX chapter page MAY ANDERSON FRIEND OF CHILDREN OCTOBER 1925 DECEMBER 1939 198 early life 198 general board member 202 general president 205 MAY GREEN HINCKLEY JANUARY 1940 may1mayaMAY 1943 209 ADELE CANNON HOWELLS JULY 1943 APRIL 1951 1.1 213 IIALAA VERN WATTS parleyPARMEYPARMLEY MAY 1951 OCTOBER 1974 218 SUSUMMARYz 221 8 SOME NOTABLE contributions 0 0 0 0 223 THE CHILDRENS FRIEND MAGAZINE 224 need of a publication 225 birth of the Childchildrensrents friend 228 growth and development 232 THE PRIMARY CHILDRENS HOSPITAL 240 the 1922 expansion 0 244 contributions TO MISSIONmissionarykRYmry WOPKWORK 251 THE contribution TO THE LIVES OF THE PRIMARY WORKERS 0 0 0 0 22535 3 RESULTS IN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN 254 SUIWSAKYvry 1 salsol 0 257 x chapter page 9 SUMMARY 260 bibliography 266 appendixes A AURELIA SPENCER ROGERS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 271 B PRIMARY association INCLUDED IN JUNE conference 0 0 0 0 0 0 274 chapter 1 introduction the primary association of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is a most significant organi- zation in the teaching and training of latter day saint children it has been given the responsibility of con- ducting weekdayweek day religious training for children ages four to twelve years of age companion to that assignment is the responsibility of directing leisure time and recrea- tional activities for the children of the church unlike other church auxiliary organizations the primary associa- tion is charchargeded with assisting parents in the preparation of the older primary boys for ordination into the aaronic priesthood hundreds of thousands of children have had their lives touched by the primary associations over the ninety seven years of its history thousands of devoted women have rendered many hours of selfless service in providing life touching experiences for the children the results 1 2 are seen in the church in the home in the community and in the life of each individual child statementSTATEMFNTSTATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM it was the purpose of this study to trace the historical development and major contributions of the pruprimarynaryuaryassociation from its inception in 1878 to 1928 areas of consideration are 1 conditions that led to the birth of the primary movement 2 its growth and development during the Priprimarysmarys first fifty years 3 some of the major problems faced and how they were solved 4 some of the prominent people involved in the movement and 5 the basic contributions justification OF THE STUDY A review of materials on the primary association organization revealed that there has not been a complete treatise on the subject since it is a major auxiliary organization of the church it is most worthy of consid- erationeration As the church becomes a more worldwideworld wide organi- zation each of its auxiliary organizations assumes a greater importance and significance A study of the 3 primary association will make available resource material about the organization and its contributions to the church membership delimitationsLIMITATIONSDE OF THE PROBLEM the scope of the study has largely been confined to the period of 1878 to 1928 some background material will be considered before 1878 and there will be some extension beyond the year 1928 in an attempt to preserve continuity the study will be confined to the general movement and growth of the primary movement mention of stake and local organizations will only be incidental some areas of the general Cgrowth will not receive deep consideration as they could produce complete theses by themselves this study is not intended to be a comparison between other auxiliary