The 1916 Beehive and the 2008 Beehive

Last night was Mutual Night. We tied humanitarian quilts.

I am in the Young Women's in my ward and I love it. I love the program, and I love the girls. As I tied the quilt I pondered my own lack of quilting skills and other home art skills. I wondered why my mother and my mother's mother, and her mother before her had so many more skills than I do. Was it necessity? Desire? The times?

In Young Women's we have what is called 'Personal Progress' http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,6885-1,00.html.  It is a goal setting program that helps Young Women develop a testimony of Jesus Christ.  They have certain requirements to complete to develop their testimony and earn their Young Woman Medallion. While visiting the Young Women Resource Room (see previous blog), I was handed a list of 19 out of 373 requirements for a Beehive girl in 1916. I love this:

1916 Beehive Requirements (Originally prepared for June Conference in 1969.  Referenced by President James E. Faust at the May 2000 General Young Woman Meeting (text found in Ensign, May 2000). http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-4-38,00.html

1. Care successfully for a hive of bees for one season and know their habits.

2. Give the distinguishing characteristics of six varieties of hen and cattle and tell the good and weak points of each.

3. Exterminate mosquitoes over an area of one-half-square mile by pouring a little kerosene on the surface of all standing pools of water twice each month during April, May, or June.  Six girls may do this and each receive one award, or one girl can receive six awards.

4. Make two articles of underwear by hand.

5. Cover 25 miles on snowshoe in any six days.

6. Learn to float in the Great Salt Lake and propel yourself 50 feet.

7. During three consecutive months, abstain from candy, ice cream, commercially manufactured beverages, and chewing gum.

8. For one month, masticate your food so thoroughly that it slips down without any visible effort at swallowing it.

9. Care for at least two kerosene lamps daily.

10. For three months take care of milk and cream from at least one cow and see that the pails, pans, strainer, and separator are thoroughly cleansed.

11. During two weeks, keep the house free from flies or destroy at least 25 flies daily.

12. Have your toilet moved to an isolated place in the garden.  Have a frame of chicken wire built about three feet away and plant quick-growing vines such as cucumber or morning glories to screen it from observation.

13.  Whitewash your toilet inside and out.

14. Know and describe three cries of a baby.

15. Without help or advice, care for and harness a team of horses at least five times; drive fifty miles during one season.

16. During two summer months, clean ice chest thoroughly twice a week.

17. Discover ten reasons why the Columbine should be made the national flower.

18. Clear sagebrush off of one-half acre of land.

19. Know six blazes by Indians.

I love this list.  It makes me want to attempt to get my 1916 medallion.
Today, our struggles are more spiritual.  It does not take as much effort to stay alive, but it takes spiritually rugged young women to keep their spirits strong and pure.  Hence, today, we are not required to clear land, or care for a Beehive, but we are required to study, pray, develop our talents, serve, and love.  That is how the Beehive of today gets her Medallion.