The Y.M.M.I.A. was organized June 10, 1875, by Junius F. Wells under the
direction of Brigham Young. Its purpose was to provide lesiure time
activities, particularly along spiritual and cultural lines, for the young
men of the Church. Later, athletics were made a prominent part of the
program.
As news of the organization of the Boy Scouts of England in 1909 and the
Boy Scouts of America in 1910 was received by our Church leaders, the Scout
idea was investigated by the Athletic Committee of the Y.M.M.I.A., and in
the summer of 1911, the Scout movement was officially recognized in this
association. Scouting with its spiritual background and ideals, appealed
to our Church leaders as an excellent activity program for its boys. Even
before that time, some enterprising boy leaders in various parts of the
Church had organized troops along lines recommended by the Boy Scouts of
America. On November 29, 1911, on motion of President Anthony W.
Ivins, then a member of the General Superintendency of the Y.M.M.I.A.,
the M.I.A. Scouts were officially organized by the General Board.
From that time, Scouting moved forward in the Church very rapidly. In the
Improvement Era for March, 1912, Vol. 15, was printed the first
statement of the purposes and plans of the M.I.A. Scout movement.
It provided that Scout meetings should be held for thirty minutes immediately
preceding or following the regular M.I.A. meeting on Tuesday night.
Dr. John H. Taylor, who had previously been appointed Athletic Director of
the Y.M.M.I.A., was given definite responsibilities for promoting Scout work
in the stakes and wards under the direction of the Athletic Committee which
included Lyman B. Martineau, Chairman; Hyrum M. Smith, Oscar A. Kirkham, B.F.
Grant, B.S. Hinckley and John H. Taylor.
At the June Conference of 1913, on Saturday afternoon, June 7th, a M.I.A. day
celebration was held at Wandamere, and the program was devoted entirely to
Scout activities. This was the first general Scout gathering in the
Church.
The first lessons for the M.I.A. Scouts were published in the
Improvement Era for January, 1913, volume 16. Twelve (12) lessons
were including covering such subjects as the Fundamentals of Scouting,
Organization, Leadership, etc., tying of knots, troop drilling -- following
United States Infantry regulations for the purpose of obtaining discipline
and efficiency in moving the troop as a body -- bandaging and First Aid, the
Story of the Flag, physical development, stars, compass, etc.
May, 1913, the M.I.A. Scouts, upon invitation from the National Council,
affiliated with and became a part of the Boy Scouts of America. The official
action of the Executive Board of the National Council was taken May 2, 1913,
at which time the General Board of Y.M.M.I.A. issued a charter covering the
entire Church, and Dr. John H. Taylor was given a special commission as
representative of the National Council in charge of all M.I.A. Scouts. At
the same time, Oscar A. Kirkham was made Deputy Commissioner. The National
Charter of the M.I.A. Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America was issued May
21, 1913, which becomes the official date of entry of the M.I.A. Scouts into
the National Organizaion.
This arrangement continued until 1919, when local councils were organized in
Salt Lake City and other sections, Oscar A. Kirkham becoming the first
Scout Executive of the Salt Lake Council, and later, Associate Regional
Executive of the Twelfth Region which includes Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and
California. He also became affiliated with the Regional Office of Region
Eleven in order that he might have contact with L.D.S. Scouts, particularly
in Idaho.
There are approximately 24,000 Boy Scouts in the Church in 1934, which
included 7,000 Vanguards who were Senior Scouts. The Vanguard movement was
inaugurated in 1928 and is now developig rapidly into an aggressive Older Boy
Movement amoung the Scouts of the Church. It has been approved by the
National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. L.D.S. Scouting is now
organized in stakes and missions throughout the Church.
Scouting continued under Y.M.M.I.A., its sole sponsor, until 1928. During
this year, it was named as the activity program for the Deacons and Teachers
of the Aaronic Priesthood of the Church through the Y.M.M.I.A. as an
auxiliary and aid to the priesthhood.