World Symposium on Hunger

I attended the Symposium on World Hunger held at the Spectrum in Logan in 1981.  This was my last year at Utah State.  I remember attending with my mother.  I also assume Charlie and Dianna were there.
John Denver and the Mormon tabernacle Choir sang.  I remember the choir performed "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and several other songs.  I don't remember the discourses, but I do remember they predicted ending world hunger by the end of the millennium which would have been 2000.
I don't have any pictures, but here is a rehearsal picture I found.  That is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the back ground in rehearsal clothing.  They were dressed up for the Symposium.

The high light of the evening was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and John Denver performing "I Want to Live" a John Denver song.  I also remember the Spectrum being pretty much full.  It was a wonderful free concert.

Fires in Hyrum

I was thinking about fires in Hyrum during my growing up years.  Hyrum had a volunteer fire department.  It was common to follow the fire ruck to see what was going on if the siren ever went off.  (It wasn't common.)  Our neighbors across the street had a fire.  If my memory doesn't escape me the Hailstones were living in the home.  It was pretty scary, but everyone escaped.  You know how rumors are, and the rumor was someone was playing with matches in a bedroom.  I don't know if there is any truth to that.  The house was a total loss, and the Hailstones moved to a different home in Hyrum.  There was also a fire at the Doctor's Offie.  We were at school, and all got close enough to see what was happening.  We were so relieved to know it wasn't the theater burning down, which was next door.  However a few years later, the movie theater did burn.
Most other fires I noticed were grass fires and that kind of thing.  I am not sure if any other structures had fires in Hyrum during the time we lived there.  I am sure there are more.

Christmas Program Hyrum Second Ward: 1975

Before my mission, And and Sherry Nelson, a young woman a year younger than I, were put in charge of our ward Christmas Program, Hyrum 2nd Ward.  How we were assigned this I am not sure, but it was quite a large task for young people.  I think people thought I was more talented than I was, however without Sherry's help it would have all fallen through.  We did get help from several different organizations, and insisted that they help us with skits and songs etc to fill in the time of the program. I personally ended up in a couple of skits.  In one I was an angel and someone put glitter in my hair.  Sherry narrated if I remember correctly.  The theme was finding the true meaning behind Christmas.  I remember my younger brother's age did something with the Red Baron and Snoopy.  Of course our evening ended with Santa Claus.  Tom Smith use to be the best Santa Claus.

Pioneer Day Children's Parades

Every year as a youth, the Pioneer Day Children's Parade was something to look forward to.  This was usually celebrated on Primary Day close to the 24th of July.  Back then you had primary one day a week outside of Sunday meetings.  During the summer this meeting was held during the day, and when school was in session was held after school.  There was always an organized parade for the fourth.  Children would decorate their bikes or wagons up in pioneer style, or just in streamers.  Our usual get-up was a loin cloth.  My mother had sewed a loin cloth to shorts so they were modest, and then we would paint our faces with crayon.  That was how we participated in the Primary parade for many years.  We often had really short hair for the summer, so our entire costume was never very authentic.  I know Weldon escaped this costume by decorating his bike one year, but usually there was no escape.  My mom liked things organized, and Indian loin clothes were organized.
In Hyrum we would take the parade around a block.  Around the block in Hyrum is a half mile.  I also participated twice in Carbondale (Illinois).  Here there was a busy street in front of the church, so our parade was around the parking lot a couple of times.  Of course the Carbondale Branch had a smaller showing, but some years in Hyrum the parade would extend for half a block, although the roads were wide and the Primary organizers usually had us three or four across.  I don't remember singing any songs, but I am sure there was an opening while we waiting for more children to gather who might be running late.

Art I like: America's Art

America’s Art: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Theresa J. Slowik, Abrams, New York in association with Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2005.

This book of art very much reads like a history text.  It covers very briefly the history of the United States, from early settlers, the land, the fight for liberty, early farming, Westward expansion, the Civil War, the Rise of Industry, the cities, The renaissance, the Southwest, the Great Depression, folk art, WWII, and then our current state of being with the technology revolution. 

This is also good for a looking at book, with many different types of art.  I think I enjoyed the folk art best.  This book included early photography, modern photography, sculpture, painting and other mediums. 

Some of the favorites are:

“The Girl I left Behind Me” by Eastman Johnson

“Orion in December” by Charles Burchfield

A painting and statues of Thomas Jefferson, a painting of George Washington, and a bust of Abraham Lincoln. 

“Aurora Borealis” by Frederic Edwin Church (to some represented the end of the Civil War and God’s pleasure with the Union victory.

“Plate” black on black by Julian and Maria Martinez

Duckwater Shoshone Tribal School: Basketball Coach

My first year in Duckwater I helped out by coaching the basketball team for the K-8 schoold.  This was a joint team with kids from both the Duckwater County School and the Duckwater Tribal School.  We practiced in the Tribal gym.  We played Lund twice, Ely Junior High  School once, and a parochial school in Ely.  We played close in a couple games, but Ely Junior High really skunked us.  We improved through  the year however.  Some of the he kids on the  team were Chris and Stephen Powers, Willie Blackeye, Willie Morago Amy Halstead and Kathy Hanks.
We did have some problems with playing in a disciplined style and getting into s set pattern, but as we set more realistic goals during the year we felt OK about the way things turned out.  We especially had problems with pressure and controlling the ball.  We lacked a good guard or a way to break a press.  The second year I was in Duckwater their were less kids of playing age and less interest so we didn't field a team.

July Fourth in Hyrum for the Big Celebration

Growing up in Hyrum, we participated in numerous July Fourth Celebrations.  I remember when I participated in Hyrum Little League, that we were often lined up and marched down Main Street as part of the parade.  Everyone would be in their uniform.  Walking a mile or more was hard back when you were young.  A highlight of the parade was the Sky View Marching Band when I was growing up.  Mountain Crest High School was not yet built.  Sometimes the Logan Band would also participate.  Floats were all home made, and usually on a trailer behind a vehicle.  Sometimes they were sponsored by wards and I remember helping with decorating some.  The parade has always had lots of horses.  And with horses come popper scoopers.  I think Weldon worked one year as a pooper scooper.  These were usually young men.
But the parade didn't start our day.  The day would start with Dad hauling us kids down to Hyrum Square where the Lion's Club would offer a Chuck Wagon breakfast as a fund raiser.  I loved those, and I can still taste the pancakes and butter and syrup.  It was a big feed which would take place under the covered pavilion by the big outdoor fireplace.
After breakfast, then we would head home before heading to the parade.  Usually we would line up to watch the parade close to our home.  We never saved spots, and sometimes regretted that when we didn't get a good place to watch the parade.  However there was usually someplace we could fit in. Dianna was in the parade one year, riding on a float.  This was probably about 1969.
After the parade there were activities by the Square.  We would watch the parade and then drive down to get there more quickly.

This picture isn't from the parade, but it shows our uniforms form the days we would have been in the parade or played on the Square.

As a youth we often participated in an Independence Day baseball game.  I know Weldon and played in games when we were young, and then we participated by coaching.  We would make sure there was a team coming to play us that day, and there were some good games.  These were mostly Little League games.  The game would usually start about 2 p.m. so it wouldn't interfere with other activities.  It just wasn't Independence Day without a good ball game.  Usually we played without spectators, but this day allowed us to play in front of people.
Hyrum usually had fireworks.  I remember one year they were over the lake.  They have also been presented at the Square.  There was also often a youth dance which was fun when we were a bit older.
In the days when I was growing up, we usually didn't have runs.  I know a run from the canyon, as well as a mile run down Main Street have become popular.