Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Comparative Study Of The Book Of Mormon Secret Combinations And The American Mafia Organization, Ray G. Morley

Theses and Dissertations

The Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses, sacred scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have woven into their pages a brief history of secret combinations on the "American" continent. Secret combinations have caused the destruction of three previous civilizations that have existed on this continent.

The prophet Moroni warned the Latter-day American inhabitants that "This secret combination... shall be among you..." (Ether 8:24).

The evidence summarized in this study leads one to the conclusion that the American Mafia Organization (Cosa Nostra) is the same organization warned against in sacred scripture.

A History Of The Schools And Educational Programs Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In Ohio And Missouri, 1831-1839, Orlen Curtis Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a history of the schools and educational programs organized and maintained by the LDS Church while the saints resided in Ohio and Missouri between the years of 1831 and 1839. The instructors, curriculum, organizational structure, and the purpose of each school is given when information in these areas was available. In Kirtland, the Church organized the School of the Prophets, School of the Elders, Kirtland High School, Hebrew School, a singing school, a writing school, and a few grammar schools. The Church leaders in Missouri organized the Colesville school, a school in Independence, Far West School, and …

An Analysis Of The Speaking Style Of Charles W. Penrose, Kent Shelley Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the public speaking style of Charles W. Penrose. The problem was investigated by using the elements of a speaking situation, the speaker, the speech, the audience, and the occasion. Three speeches were used; namely, "Remarks on Union" given on January 19, 1879, "Women Suffrage" given on June 3, 1889, and "Graphic Glimpses of Pioneer Life" given on February 4, 1924. Seven selected criteria were used as guidelines for the evaluation of the speeches; namely, accuracy, clarity, propriety, economy, force, striking quality, and liveliness.

The following conclusions resulted from the evaluation of the …

The Perception Of Sacred Space: The Case Of Utah And Other Sacred Places In Mormondom, Roger L. Henrie

Theses and Dissertations

Sacred space is that part of the total environment which is perceived as sacred by individuals and religious groups. Sacred places may be conveniently divided into five generic categories: mystical, historical, and functional sacred places; and homelands, and places connected with the future fulfillment of prophecy. Sacred places of all five types are found in Mormondom. The temples, as mystical sacred places, were the most sacred. The Sacred Grove was the most sacred historical place. Utah was the most sacred present homeland. The future City of Zion, believed by many to be built in the future in Jackson County, Missouri, …

Home Recreational Activities And The Effect They Have In A Family Home Evening Program, Dwight Rees Butikofer

Theses and Dissertations

The problem in this study was to investigate the effect that home recreational activities have on the attitudes of family members toward a family home evening program. A questionnaire was constructed to gather data regarding these attitudes. The questionnaire was then administered randomly to 250 families residing in Sharon East, Sharon West, Provo, and Provo East Stakes in Provo, Utah. All of the families were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were families of one or more children and held regular family home evening.

The findings indicate that the children had a more positive attitude toward …

Attitudes Concerning Birth Control And Abortion As Related To Lds Religiosity Of Brigham Young University Students, Erlend D. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study was an analysis of the relationship between LDS religiosity of college students and their attitudes concerning birth control and abortion.

The respondents in this research were LDS college students attending Brigham Young University Fall Semester 1970. Goodman and Kruskal's gamma and a difference of means test were used to measure association and difference to determine the statistical significance of the responses as related to religiosity and attitudes concerning birth control and abortion.

The results of the study showed that (1) there was a positive relationship between conservative attitudes toward birth control and abortion and one's degree of measured …

A History Of The Relief Society Magazine, 1914-1970, Patricia Ann Mann

Theses and Dissertations

In January, 1914, the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought out the first issue of what was to become the Relief Society Magazine. Before this, the women of the Church had been served by the Women's Exponent, founded in 1872 as the second women's publication in the west. During 1914, the Exponent's successor was a monthly guide to the Relief Society's coursework, known as the Bulletin. In January, 1915, it became the Relief Society Magazine.
The magazine became a leader in the Relief Society work as a forum for idea …

Differential Effects Of Reward And Punishment On Subsequent Altruistic Behavior, Sharon Browning

Theses and Dissertations

In today's complex society, no one can be independent and survive; people must help others. There appear to be limits on help giving or at least some conditions under which help is not given. For example, why did thirty-eight people stand silently and watch Kitty Genovese being murdered without one person calling the police or offering any assistance? In addition to making people more interdependent, our rapidly expanding technological society may also account for increased im-personalization and accompanying apathy and alienation. However, the research which has been done in the area of altruism or helping behavior seems to indicate that …

An Evaluation Of The Adequacy Of Selected Formal Church Programs In Preparing Male Members To Enter The United States Air Force, James R. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Church programs in preparing young Latter-day Saint servicemen to accept and live the gospel of Jesus Christ as determined from the opinions of servicemen and bishops. The teaching programs, counseling, continual Church activity, Church publications, and the preservice and inservice Church orientations were evaluated for their effectiveness in teaching the five objectives: Testimony building; commandment living; continual activity, missionary work, and patriotism.

One hundred eighteen servicemen, who had completed basic training and were attending technical training schools, along with seventy-seven bishops provided the information used in this study. …

An Analysis Of The Role Of Temples In The Establishment Of Zion, C. Max Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations

The establishment of Zion has been a goal of interest to every dispensation. The building of temples and participation in temple ordinances has likewise been a practice of many generations throughout history. In the present dispensation, Joseph Smith declared the need to construct temples in connection with the building of a Latter-day Zion.

The purpose of this study has been to discover a correlation between temple activity and the development of the Church membership in their preparation for the establishment of Zion. It has been concluded that the temples do perform a very significant role in the development of the …

A Review Of Statements Made By Certain Leaders Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Which Refer To Various Objectives, Activities, And Desirable Experiences Inherent In Well Organized And Properly Conducted Physical Education And Recreation Programs, G. Newton Deshazo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to locate and examine statements within the writings and recorded speeches of certain leaders of the L.D.S. Church which refer to various objectives, activities, and desirable experiences inherent in well organized and properly conducted physical education and recreation programs.
Data dating from 1830 through 1969 were gathered from the resources and through the services provided by the historical libraries of the L.D.S. Church and Brigham Young University. Available biographical and historical information was presented to denote circumstances possibly influencing the statement itself, the significance of the statement, or the intent of the statement.
Without …

An Analysis Of Level Of Activity As It Relates To Information Source And Two-Step Flow Of Communication In A Formal Organization, Carma Lois Wadley

Theses and Dissertations

There is a model of political communication which was developed by Elihu Katz and Paul F. Lazarsfeld, termed the two-step flow of communications theory, which this writer believes applies to the communication process of formal organizations. It is also the opinion of this writer that the two-step flow has a definite relation to the activity level of the members of the organization.
It will be the purpose of this study to look deeper into this problem. The specific formal organization discussed will be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
A study of this nature will have significance …

A Political Biography Of George Henry Dern, Robert W. Wells Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will review the political life of George H. Dern emphasizing the utah period. The last chapter will briefly describe Dern's activities after the completion of his second term as governor of Utah in 1932.

History Of The South African Mission Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, 1853-1970, Farrell Ray Monson

Theses and Dissertations

The history of the South African Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1853-1970) describes the progress of the Church in South Africa from its inception until the present time. Missionary proselyting activities in the land are traced, and the major historical developments of the mission are discussed.

In 1853 three missionaries began Mormon proselyting activities in the Cape Province and within six months they had baptized forty-five persons, established two branches, and organized the first conference of the Church.

Despite mob violence and opposition from the clergy, civil authorities, and the press, the Church continued to …

So This Is How You Run A Media Center: Organizing, Administering, And Developing A School Instructional Media Center - An Annotated Bibliography, Shelby Elaine Strand

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to look into the administrative needs of the media specialist working in a school situation, and to provide for him resources and suggestions on administrative procedures. These would include general examples and descriptions of media center operations, sources and selection of media and equipment, standards for media centers, and specific methods used in technical processing and other administrative activities.

Books, periodicals, pamphlets, government documents, and materials available through ERIC with recent publications dates were searched. A number of sources were eliminated in an effort to prepare a practical and useful bibliography. A good portion …

A Proposed Course Of Study For Prospective Secondary Education Teachers Of The Social Sciences In The Use Of Educational Media And Media Centers, Shelby Strand, Joe Abbott, Paulette Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that prospective teachers have a very limited knowledge of educational media and media centers, and that little is presently being done to correct this deficiency. The intent of this study was to develop a course of instruction which would give the prospective secondary teacher of the social sciences the knowledge and acquaintanceship necessary to enable him to make intelligent and effective use of educational media and the school media center.

The course was first planned in advance and then actually taught to a group of secondary education majors in the social sciences. A day-to-day account of the …

The Introduction Of Asian History Into Utah High Schools, Carol M. Hinckley

Theses and Dissertations

Asian history is increasingly recognized by experts as a necessary part of a high school student's world history experience. Asia is important for them to study because of its great intrinsic value and because of Asia's relationship with the United States in the future. To date, however, in Utah there are no separate Asian history courses being taught and few teachers include Asia as an important part of the world history course.

Schools in other parts of the nation have instituted practical Asian history courses and Utah can follow their example. Teachers should consider how much time can be devoted …

Effects Of Four Different Modality Training Programs On Iq And Reading Readiness Performance In The Lower Socio-Economic Level Kindergarten Child, Marilyn Segal

Theses and Dissertations

Four perceptual training programs were incorporated into an individualized kindergarten curriculum for disadvantaged children. One program stressed general auditory and visual perceptual skills, a second auditory skills specific to decoding, a third visual skills specific to decoding, and a fourth auditory and visual skills specific to decoding. Each of the four treatment groups were taught by the same teachers. Post-tests included IQ, auditory and visual measures of reading readiness, and two learning rate tests, the Murphy-Durrell learning rate test which uses a look-say instructional method, and a parallel learning rate test constructed by the investigator using a linguistic instructional approach. …

The Dream Mine: A Study In Mormon Folklore, Joe Stanley Graham

Theses and Dissertations

In September of 1894, John Hyrum Koyle, Jr., said that he was shown in a dream or vision a large, rich deposit of gold and an underground storehouse of artifacts hidden by people of Ancient America. This dream was the beginning of a mining venture which has never produced anything of value, has been opposed vigorously by both officials of the LDS Church and the State, yet has claimed supporters numbered in the thousands.

The mine has profoundly affected (and continues to affect) the lives of many families who have come into the sphere of its influence. The lore of …

An Analysis Of Byu 1963 Women Graduates' Present Status As Mothers In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Phyllis Ann Roundy

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to survey the practices and feelings of a selected group of young mothers concerning: (1) their family life and (2) their activity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A Readership Study Of The Instructor Magazine, Vern Maeser Young

Theses and Dissertations

"The Instructor" magazine of The Deseret Sunday School Union of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1966. In a message of congratulations to the publication, the First Presidency of the Church pointed to the unique role "The Instructor" performs today in promulgating effective religious teaching. The message stated, "The articles contained therein, the editorials, and the Sunday School supplemental lesson material, have contributed much to the gospel training in the Church. It is a very superior magazine, being unsurpassed by any in its field." Because of this 100th anniversary and the unique role …

The Measurement Of The Instructor Variable In The Instructional Process By A Rank Order, Forced Choice Procedure Along Five Basic Dimensions, Martha Louise Green

Theses and Dissertations

In the present study, a rating of professors as a variable in the learning process through a dimension rank order technique was made by 316 undergraduate students. An instructor evaluation instrument was used. This instrument was administered to students who were asked to rank order their professors on five basic dimensions of instruction.

The rank ordering demonstrated meaning in standard scores among instructors by a paired comparison transformation, and since parameters (a complete department) were used, absolute values were obtained. There was clear evidence to indicate that students could reliably and significantly discriminate between instructors on five basic dimensions of …

A History Of The Deseret Alphabet, Larry Ray Wintersteen

Theses and Dissertations

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the years 1852-1877, introduced to its membership a form of rhetoric (writing system) called the deseret alphabet (phonetic alphabet). This experiment was intended to alleviate the problem of non-communication which was created by the great influx of foreign speaking Saints into the great Salt Lake Valley.
The alphabet was developed and encouraged by the Prophet Brigham Young and a few followers. Much to their dismay the members of the Church did not have the same vision of its workability as did its promoters.
This new alphabet appears not to have met …

The School Of The Prophets: Its Development And Influence In Utah Territory, John R. Patrick

Theses and Dissertations

Four separate and distinct Schools of the Prophets were organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph Smith Jr. organized the first school in the spring of 1833, and it functioned periodically until 1837. Brigham Young organized the second school in December 1867, as a part of the University of the State of Deseret. It functioned until August of 1872 when Brigham Young disbanded it because members failed to adhere to its rules. Three months later he reorganized on a limited basis a third school in Salt Lake City. This school existed until the summer of 1874 …

The Role Of The Seminary Teacher As A Counselor As Judged By Stake Presidents, Bishops, And Seminary Teachers, George M. Peacock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the counseling role of the seminary teacher. Answers to the following were sought:
1. Are there significant differences in the counseling role of the seminary teacher as seen by members of stake presidencies and bishops, and as seen by seminary teachers themselves?
2. Is there a consensus among teachers and Church leaders concerning the counseling role of the seminary teacher?
3. What is the counseling role of the seminary teacher?

The following conclusions were drawn:
1. There were significant differences on six of the twenty-five items. No pattern of difference was shown. …

History Of The Davis County Clipper From Its Inception In 1891 To The Present 1970, Cammon I. Arrington

Theses and Dissertations

To write a descriptive history of the Davis County Clipper and its editors was the purpose of this study.

The first person involved with the newspaper was Lamoni Call who had been printing a small brochure to advertise his business. He asked John Stahle, Sr. to join him in printing some news along with the advertisments.

Regular publication began early in 1891 under the name of the The Little Clipper. Dissolution of the partnership came in 1894. Mr. Stahle maintained the editorial side of the newspaper his entire life. His son John Stahle, Jr. lived and loved the printing …

A Study Of The Factors Affecting Lds Institute Enrollment Among Students From Homes Of Parents Who Are Inactive In The Lds Church, Boyd Leslie Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if there are differences in characteristics of home environment, school environment, or within the students themselves, between college students enrolling in classes taught at the LDS Institute of Religion, who come from homes where both parents are "inactive" in the LDS church, and a similar group of students who do not enroll.

Religious And Secular Correlates Of The Lds Family Home Evening Program, Gordon E. Mauss

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and explore three phenomenon of the L.D.S. Family Home Evening Program: (1) the nature of religious commitment in an L.D.S. sample, (2) the degree of participation, (3) the relation of certain religious and secular variables.
The data for the study were made available to the researcher by A. L. Mauss, as part of a larger study designed to measure the impact of Urbanism upon Mormonism. The instrument, modeled after the Glock and Stark studies, was adapted to a random sample of 958 members of the L.D.S. Church in Utah.
The nature of …

A Study Of The Utilization Of Selected Church Periodicals By Lds Seminary And Institute Of Religion Personnel, Dennis G. Murdock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the use of selected official and unofficial Church periodicals by Seminary and Institute personnel of the Church with the objectives and purposes of those periodicals. It was also to determine the relevancy of those periodicals to the department personnel and their students. The magazines studied were: The Improvement Era, The Instructor, Church News, Impact, Brigham Young University Studies, and Dialogue.

The most prevalent concern about all religious press in the ninteen-sixties has been their relevance to real life. This study discovered that there was a variety of opinions about the relevance of …

A Historical Study Of The Nauvoo, Illinois, Public School System, 1841-1845, Paul Thomas Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes the historical development of the Nauvoo, Illinois, public school system, 1841-1845.
Many church, civic, and social organizations offered a wide variety of learning experiences to the citizens of Nauvoo. A set of questions was devised for this study to distinguish and to describe the Nauvoo school system from the multiplicity of educational offerings.