The Improvement Era began publication in November 1897 as the official organ of the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations. The Young Woman’s Journal, in print since October 1889 as the organ of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Associations, merged with the Era in November 1929 to become the “Organ of the Priesthood Quorums, the Mutual Improvement Associations and the Schools of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” The magazine appeared monthly until December 1970, and was replaced the following month by The Ensign and The New Era.
Both the Era and the Journal were obviously intended to be read by young people as well as their leaders: Both magazines carried stories every month about church programs and activities for teens, missionary stories, and articles about preparing for life’s duties while one was still young and at home. Especially in its earliest decades, the Era printed at least as much material from secular scholarship (Biblical studies, psychology and educational theory, health studies) as it did purely LDS writing. Perhaps that was aimed as much at the magazine’s adult readers as its younger ones, but there was no clear dividing line between “this is for adults” and “this is for kids” and I have no reason to doubt that older teens and precocious younger ones read much of what was printed.
Somewhere along the line, the Era ceased being the magazine of the young people and became entirely geared toward adults. I don’t know just when to date that change – after World War II, surely, but it was too gradual to be able to point to a particular issue and say “this is when it happened.”
By February 1960, the editors realized the youth of the church had been left behind. That month they began including a short section called “Young People, here’s something for you!!! a sparkling new section” in that issue, christened the “Era of Youth” by the July 1960 issue.
The “Era of Youth” was a 10-20 page section of the Era, heavy on photographs, cartoons, and white space, often printed in the very center of the magazine, without page numbers, so that it could be pulled out as if it were a separate publication. Dating was by far the most frequently covered topic – how to date, what not to do on a date, how not to despair if you weren’t dating. Other issues gave generic pep talks: “Do what you know is right. Take a stand. Identify yourself as one who has the gumption to stick by your standards in spite of what ‘everyone else’ is doing” (October 1961).
Sometimes I see short but solid articles; most often, though, the “Era of Youth” was marshmallow fluff, expecting little of young people and offering them even less. (In. My. Opinion.) As a sample, I have reproduced the entire “Era of Youth” from the March 1964 Era. This is it. The sum total of guidance, inspiration, and support offered directly to the young people of the church in March 1964.
Thank heavens for the arrival of the New Era in January 1971.
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Words are fascinating. They’re tools and symbols and games, if you like. They’re a collection of letters or a mood maker.
They sound alike and spell different — tear and tier or not and knot or pray and prey.
They look the same but mean something else — litter and litter. What’ll you have puppies or scrappaper on the lawn? [sic]
Take the o from board and you’re talking about poets. Add an s to hear and you are in the clipping business. Change mad to dam and tort to trot. Rhyme cord and fjord and tasty and pasty. Scramble the letters in slat and you are low man on the totem pole.
Say square and what you mean depends upon your generation.
Say surf and today you are talking about athletics on the dance floor instead of at the beach.
The bat of an eyelash or the tilt of the head can change no to yes in a moment. Yes, words are fascinating. Taking a new look at some old words in your life is a gay way of spending a day and might possibly give you an insight into making the most out of what you are to work with, whether it’s words or opportunities and talents!
And that’s what this issue is all about.
Elaine Cannon
DISCONNECT your social life from your church life and the outcome is apartheid.
SHY Why? You are a child of God. And that’s something. And so is everyone else. So why be shy?
LOVE: a splendid way of feeling, not to be confused with any less lofty emotion.
TELEPHONE: is a tool is a terror is a trial is a treat — depending on who is doing the calling and how.
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FACSIMILE: something which you might do until the real thing comes along — unless you are talking of love, or life itself.
SAFETY: Be safe in your driving … you’re [sic] whole future is pinned to it.
BOYS who learn to use their priesthood just as they learn to use a car accomplish great good for Heavenly Father (in his name and for his purposes) among his children on earth.
ELEPHANT: good for joke telling but better for reminding that remembering is smart for people as well as elephants.
GIRLS say the poets are sugar and spice and everything nice. Would rollers and hair spray be more near the truth?
PROPS in your life: legs sturdy from exercise; conscience pricked by the Holy ghost; mind quickened by learning, parents who love you.
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TWIST your thinking like your dancing, twist your friends around your finger, twist your dad’s arm to get your way and one day you’ll wish you’d played it straight.
SCHOOL: a building to some, a system to others, a precious time in your life to the wisest among you.
OVERWEIGHT: he who eats much gains much; also loses much!
DOUBLE date doubles dating pleasure on a more the merrier basis.
UPSIDE DOWN values can bring heartbreak. Putting first things first, top things on top, takes some self-discipline but reaps rewards.
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TRIO: can be fun when it’s a singing situation but not so fun when it’s two-is-a-couple-but-three-is-one-too-many.
PURE: what soap is and everyone ought to be.
EMBARRASS a friend thoughtlessly, and you may find he is one no longer.
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RESIST temptation and tattling and compromising your standards, no matter what.
LONELY AND TOGETHER: if all the lonely ones got together, what a happy crowd that would be.
JUMP around from friend to friend, from job to job, from hobby to hobby and you get nowhere, very fast.
ADD to your knowledge of the gospel and add strength to your convictions.
HIGH principled people walk tall!
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SQUARE up your behavior and round out your life.
DISAPPEAR: concentrated effort in the right direction can make most bad habits disappear.
CAREER: it isn’t so much what you do as how you do it. Plan, dream some, prepare, and then perform when that day comes.
BOAST of your busyness and you’ll soon find yourself with nothing to do.
ECLIPSE is a sun thing or a moon thing but it can happen to people when a bright star is on the scene.
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LOUNGE in front of a TV set, around the house, the church, the street light, the corner store and watch the rest of the world go by. Lounge is another way of saying lazy.
CONSCIENCE can be a young adult’s best friend. Cultivate one!
COZY: Peace of Mind creates a cozy feeling.
ADJUST
SKIING is like life … uphill and downhill and tracked with exciting patterns.
DEPTH: in your innermost part, in the very depth of your soul you should know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his kingdom on earth. Pray for this knowledge.
Say what you mean — and mean what you say
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