OCR Text |
Show Mormon Boys In Uniform 1 :i . (From 'the Ifiles of tfne Utah i Writers' Project WPA) At a time -vhen youth train-ir,g train-ir,g programs are 'being sub-1 i erlcd to criticism in almost alL.J countr-es, it is interesting to ; turn the spotlight back tnrough -t the .years to early batter-day ; Saint procedure in outfitting 1 the Nauvoo Legion. The Nau- 4 voo Legion was the official mi- A litia of the city vOhich bore that i named during the 1840"s when the Mormons settled in Illinois j Joseph Smith was persona! -compandor Of the Legion which we authorized hy the legislature of Illinois. ;.. Among the divisions of tne Legion as organized in Utan was a group 'known as the : "Junior Riflemen" composed o. , Mormon, -youths under eighteen ,; years ' age. This group was , carefully trained in the arts ot Ware and the use of !firear,ms , This early training stood the ,,, pioneers in good stead during . the colonial period, for toe Legion, fee Utah militia, wa, 3 ikept in semi-active service for ,, mny years in Utah, with man' ;j tamer "Juniors" ascending to important officers posts as time went on. . ... . j? A new innovation in militia y personnel appeared in 1857, Uen the "Hope of Israel was , organized and outfitted by f Brigham Young. At the cele- i Ibration marking the ten'th an- j: mversary df pioneer entrance t; into the ISalt .Lake Valley, tlhe h "Hope of Israel" gave a precis- t ion demonstration of military (maneuvers while the Artillery company of the Militia saluted them with an artillery barrage. It is interesting to note that this group, with a grown lead- , er 'military, woodcraft, and camping activities, antidated 1 the Boy 'Scout movement by a half-century, yet served much the same -function in the society I of that day. |