Seagull Girls (12-13 YO Young Women)

The Seagull Girls program was part of the curriculum for young women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It was geared towards 12-13 year old young women (Beehives today).  This program was initiated in the 1920s. They used a journal called "Segolia."  It was part of the Primary in the Church.  The young men became involved in Boy Scouts, and were attending meeting in the evening.  The young women of the same age started to have and afternoon program to spark their interest.  The were encouraged to perform service, and they were active in crafts and other similar projects.  I found my mother's book from about 1940.

This gives and idea of what they studied.  It included memorizing and talking about the articles of faith, which is still part of the primary.  It included a short dramatization of the story of the seagulls saving the Saints.  There is a song that goes with this.  It also included study of health, service, attitude, how others might see you, gardening, serving, etc.  When this aged moved on to MIA, the 11 year old girl were called Seagull Girls. 
http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/05/03/flocks-of-seagulls-1923/

Mormon Polygamy

The Mormon leadership was introduced to the concept of polygamy as earl as 1831, just a year after the Church was restored.  However it was not practiced for some time.  When it was first practiced, it was not open, and so many rumors circulated about sexual impropriety.  The revelation dealing with plural marriage was recorded in 1843.  Polygamy was announced openly for the first time at the autumn conference of 1852, with Orson Pratt giving a sermon to the conference.  Shortly after this, polygamy was an open doctrine through the church. 
To most of the world, Mormon polygamy was lascivious men seeking a harem.  This could not be further from the truth.  Polygamy was exercised only on the spirit of revelation, and only with permission from ecclesiastical leaders.  Men who entered polygamy did not do so to satisfy sexual urges, but to satisfy religious and spiritual urges.  They were gaining their own personal salvation by entering into polygamy.  It is true, not all peoples are required to obey the law of polygamy.  However, for whatever reason, many of the church were asked to enter into polygamy at this time.  Jacob of the Book of Mormon gives a possible reason for this.  After telling the people they should have only one wife, he explains: Jacob 2:30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.  Those who entered polygamy, men and women, had as their goad to raise a righteous generation to the Lord.  They were successful in this.
In 1862 the Morrill Act outlawed polygamy in the territories.  However this was not enforced at the time.  Mormons felt this law violated their religious liberties, and was unconstitutional.  However in 1879 the Supreme Court ruled it was constitutional.  In 1882 the Edmunds Act was passed.  This imposed stricter penalties, and initiated "The Raid" as Mormons called it--an onslaught of federal marshals who were seeking polygamist men (or cohabs as they were called) with the goal of putting them in jail, or their being fined.  The marshal received a bounty for every polygamist they were able to bring in.
The law wasn't effective in ending the practice.  Too many men escaped capture.  Those that were captured served their time, and returned folk heroes.  In 1879 the Edmunds Tucker Act went after the church itself.  Although the church had already been attacked and dis-incorporated, this act arranged for the transfer of church property to the church.  This included the temples. 
In 1890 Wilford Woodruff announced the Manifesto, which ended church support for polygamy.  There were still issues to be worked out, but the Church's official position today is that those who practice polygamy are caught off from the church.  There are splinter groups practicing polygamy, but for a church member to practice polygamy would result in their excommunication.
Bibliography
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2014/01/mormon-polygamy-biography.html

TV Review: ESPN 30 for 30: Survive and Advance: NCAA Championship: North Carolina State: 1983

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiYutivD67E
I started watching this show because I noticed Thurl Bailey was in it.  He is a former Jazz player so this intrigued me.  But then the story grabbed me.  In addition to Thurl Bailey the had Sideney Low and Dereck Whittenburg at guard.  They could shot. Also Lorenzo Charles and Cozell McQueen underneath with Bailey.
Because of an injury to one of their key players, Whittenburg, early in the year, North Carolina State had ten losses.  There was little chance they would make the NCAA tournament without an automatic bid.  They had to win the ACC tournament in order to make it to the NCAA Men's basketball championship in 1983. That would require four consecutive wins against the nations top league.
After their run hey would be known at the cardiac pack.  They played close game after close game.  Wake Forest they beat by one point, North Carolina with Michael Jordan they beat in overtime, and Virginia with Ralph Sampson, a team they hadn't beaten in the Sampson era, they were able to bet by three points and steal the ACC title.
Then began the NCAA tournament.  They were either looking past Pepperdine, or still exhausted from the ACC or something, but with less than a minute to play they found themselves six points behind.  They best foul shooter on their time, missed two one-and-ones to give them a chance to tie, and they won in double overtime.  UNLV was just as hard, but in the end Thurl Bailey outplayed Sidney Green for the victory.  Then an easier game against Utah, but then Virgina again to make the final four.  Again they squeezed out a come-from-behind victory.
In the semi-final they had a bit easier game with Georgia.  But then the final against Houston--Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.  The odds did not give North Carolina State much of a chance.  They were not given any kind of a chance.  They slowed Houston by not letting them dunk the ball.  They usually got energy by living off the dunk.  North Carolina State won the first half, but the second half was different.  They went to Akeem again and again, and Houston took a seven point lead.  However Akeem tired playing in therth  altitude, and North Carolina had their chance.  They benefited from a timely missed foul shot, and had the last shot for a victory.  The shot missed, but Lorenzo Charles rebounded and put slammed it through for the victory.  They were called a team of destiny, which survived nine times in a row.
But this movie is more than basketball.  It shows the team reaction to the death of Lorenzo Charles, and the death of Jim Valvano, their coach.  It shows excerpts of a speech by Jim Valvano after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Mormon Polygamy Bibliography

This is my bibliography of books dealing with Mormon Polygamy:

Arrington, Leonard J., The Great Basin Kingdom, President of the Fellows of Harvard College, 1958; Board of Trustees. University of Illinois, 2005.

Arrington, Leonard J., and Davis Bitton, The Mormon Experience: A History of the Latter-day Saints, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1979.

Bateman, Ronald R., Of Dugouts and Spires: The History of South Jordan, Utah, South Jordan City Corporation, 1998.

Bowman, Matthew, The Mormon People: The Making of an American Faith, Random House, New York, 2012.

Daynes, Kathryn M., More Wives than One: Transformation of the Mormon Marriage System 1840-1910, Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, 2001.  Google Books
http://books.google.com/books?id=8RuWiM2-YYAC&pg=PP4&lpg=PP4&dq=Kathryn+M.+Daynes&source=bl&ots=7ML1S4kBw4&sig=I7Jtcs1zJjYaZFAyOYtad341vRQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HEHdUpHkMobpoAT1u4LAAQ&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=Kathryn%20M.%20Daynes&f=false

Embry, Jessie L., Mormon Polygamous Families: Life in the Principal, University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1987.

Johnson, Joel Hills, autobiography http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/JHJohnson.html

Lds.org, topics, Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah.
http://www.lds.org/topics/plural-marriage-and-families-in-early-utah?lang=eng

Millennial Star 1853 xv

Rupp, Mary Ann Thompson, History of my Grandfather: Isaac John Wardle, DUP Desert Rose Camp, Bannock County, Idaho.


Taylor, P.A.M. “Expectations Westward: The Mormons and the Emigration of their British Converts in the Nineteenth Century, 1965.

Van Wagoner, Richard S., Mormon Polygamy: A History: second edition, Signature Books, Salt Lake City, Ut, 1989.

Wardle, Isaac, missionary letters, undated

Wardle, Orrin Dermont, Mary Ann and Isaac John Wardle: A Story of Their Lives, unpublished.

Wardle, Sophia, letters to Isaac while on his mission in England, 1879.

Jubal Early and the Invasion of Washington

Jubal Early

While the Rebels were penned outside Richmond, Robert E. Lee sent Jubal Early on an invasion of the North, with the hopes of freeing prisoners and capturing Washington is possible.  The Union had poor defense in the Shenandoah Valley, concentrating most of their troops also around the siege of Richmond.  Early easily traveled up the valley with only minor skirmishes.  They crossed the Potamac  in early July, and headed towards Washington. 
On the Union side, John Garrett, president of the U&O Railroad visited General Lew Wallace and informed him something was afoot.  General Wallace, without orders and of his own initiative, decided to investigate.  Wallace developed a defensive position at Monocacy.  This position offered defense of the turnpikes to both Baltimore and Washington.  It was a strong position but he only had 2300 local troops.  Jubal Early had nearly 15,000.  Two brigades of the sixth corp. under Brigadier General James Brewerton Ricketts had left Petersburg a few days before.  They took steamboat and train to reach Wallace before the confederates attacked.  The defending force with the reinforcements was over 5500.  The terrain wasn’t favorable for the attackers, but they did have more artillery.  The defenders were able to force Early’s side to play their cards, tipping their hats to Washington.  They were also able to hold their position most of the day, slowing down Early’s advance to Washington.  When Wallace’s men retreated, Early established headquarters in the town, and the road to Washington was clear.  However Early’s side had been depleted.  The men were exhausted and strung out.  When Early’s men headed to Washington only 8000 infantry were able to answer the call. 
Upon arriving outside Washington, a quick attack may have allowed Early’s troops to capture Fort Stevens.  However Early allowed his men to rest and regroup.  In the meantime the fort was fortified, and the opportunity was lost.  Early’s raid came within site of the Capitol, but they did not have enough strength left to capture it.
General Lew Wallace was initially blamed for the defeat at Monocacy.  However later General Grant praised him for saying Washington with his taking initiative, establishing a defensible position, and slowing the Confederate invasion.

Historical Documentary: The Heavens are Opened: The Docudrama of the Restoration

This short docudrama is produced by Living Scriptures in 1993.  It shows actors portraying the different characters involved in the restoration, with historical narration.  It presents the atmosphere in Palmyra when the first vision took place.  This movie is dated, because it does not show the restored old Smith farmhouse.  It does have the new farmhouse which helped build.  The first vision is one of the most spiritual experiences of God visiting Joseph Smith as a boy.  However the vision of Moroni was much more known to people originally.  Joseph did not record the First Vision until much later. 
This portrayal also takes us through Joseph receiving the Gold Plates, and the beginning parts of the translation.  It shows some of the early hardships, how evil conspiring man, who claimed Joseph was deluded, would still try to steal the gold plates, which they didn't believe he had.  Joseph had to go to great lengths to hide the plates.
However eventually, with the assistance of Oliver Cowdery the work of translation could go forth, an the heavens were further opened and the priesthood was restored and the first baptisms in this dispensation performed.

Centerville Horse DrawnTrains

When the  main rail line went through Newark, (now a part of Fremont, California) they were worried they were being left out.  This was corrected by a branch line.  The branch line was proposed in 1878, and it took until 1882 for the narrow gauge line to be finished.  The Southern Pacific Coast rail would have three passenger runs daily to connect with the train line in Newark.  The unique thing about these trains is that they were not drawn by locomotives, but by horses.  The passenger runs would be one car drawn  by one horse.  There were also cargo trains, which carried more weight and would be pulled by more horses.  The branch hauled 300 tons of freight in 1885, and 5000 tons in 1898.  It hauled produce from the farmer, mostly dried fruit.  Centerville was known for its apricot orchards.  This local branch would serve the people of Centerville for over 30 years, with a horse-drawn train.

http://www.spcrr.org/centervi.htm