Show 4 I I I I a aSTELLA I STELLA RICHARDS Stella Richards s 's Serves n if 53 Years in n MIA B. B By Grace Manwaring St Stella ll Richards 78 78 of Nap rap les lea Se Second nd Ward is still attending attending attend attend- ing MIA after fter over 53 years years' of service ser in this organization Miss Miss' Richards started her career in MIA by teaching the youngest age group of girls prior to her graduation from the Uintah Academy She graduated graduated grad grad- from the College in Salt Lake City and then attended at tended the University of Utah When she returned to the valley val ley by she taught the Gleaner age group SHE WAS serving nerving as president president pre pre- of the In n Naples Nap les lea when the Young Ladles Ladies Journal was was joined with the Improvement Era publication publication public public- atlon and they held a mock wedding in the ward which filled filled fill fill- ed the ward chapel to capacity Miss Richards also recalls while she was serving as president president pre pre- a contest held between the east and west side of the road which brought out every everyman everyman everyman man with the exception of two to the final night as a bar bar- was the prize for the winning side of the street MISS RICHARDS has held many different positions in the Mutual Improvement Association Association tion Including drama director in Davis Ward and speech speech- drama director in Maeser Ward She left in 1918 to serve a full time mission to the Eastern Eastern East East- ern States which kept her away away from home for 26 months She also served four short time missions during her summer vacations vacations' from school IN IN 1928 1928 she she sp spent t three three months in Vancouver B. B C. C the following summer she was wasat wasat wasat at Tacoma Wash in 1930 she shee was at Seattle Seattie and then in 1931 she 1931 she worked at Eugene Or Oregon gon Mis Miss Richards has been noted not ed for and has produced many fine pageants however she feels that one of the outstanding out standing pageants was the one she directed while at Eugene Oregon when they used the University stadium and had 20 hand carts in the production and received a write write-up in the London Times Also while at Eugene the Organization Invited invited ed Miss Richards to take a aw w week ek on radio She was the first missionary to to represent the Church on the radio in that area This program was continued for four years with the missionaries taking tak ing tog turns with the other IN THE early twenties Miss Richards directed several pageants pageants for the and also directed the the Centennial pageant pageant held in Vernal in 1947 w which lich commemorated the coming coming com com- ing of the pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley At At this time the county officers officers of of- sent Miss Richards to 10 Salt Lake City to o obtain information information in in- formation and material for the pageant While in Salt fait Lake City she took instructions in square dancing and came back and taught square dancing dancing ing big at Maeser Glines Clines the Scout JI House use in Vernal Davis and Jensen Wards A LIFE OF service ser being her main objective Miss Richards Richards Rich Rich- ards has worked in the Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day School organization for over 46 years and served on the Stake Sunday School board two different times She has hasal al also o been a visiting teacher in the Relief Society organization for 12 years as well as serving serving servo ing as a teacher in this organ organ- Miss Richards has taught Inthe in inthe inthe the public school system in the valley alley for 40 ye years rs When she com completed her 40 years of teaching the Jensen community community ity honored her as Queen for fora a Night at a special program where she was feted for her life liCe of service SHE SPENT eight different summers in Logan doing temple temple tem tem- pIe work and in 1949 she turned turned turn turn- ed to research work which has netted over family names names nam nam- es as well as the research she has done for other families The Uintah Stake MIA board will honor Miss Richards this evening Thursday at the monthly leadership meeting for her years of MIA service This will be in connection with theMIA the theMIA theMIA MIA Centennial which will be beheld beheld beheld held in June In Salt Lake City in conjunction with the annual June conference SPECIAL programs over the church will be held to help commemorate the organizing of a young ladies association November 18 18 1869 which was introduced by President Brigham Brigham Brig Brig- ham am Young to help the young ladies in the church to improve themselves spiritually and to develop their abilities in the theart theart theart art of singing speaking drama dance and all activities that would be upgrading and beneficial beneficial bene bene- to an individual I |