Chapter 11 PIONEER ENTERTAINMENT We find in turning to the early history of the Church, socials and entertainments played a great part in activites of the Saints. These conducted in accord with high ethical standards, were condoned and adoped by leading authorities as a vital means of energizing and stimulating individual faith and activity in Church. The influence they exerted for good, extended down through the years even to the present time, but was demonstnated more impressively during trials and tribulations the Saints experienced in Missouri and Illinois during the days of unrestrained persecutions when much of their property was confiscated and many of them lost their lives. It was not an uncommon occurrance for them to assemble around a sizzling bonfire in the evening after a perilous day's travel and hurriedly eaten supper to reminice trials of the day, engage in singing and enjoy music of a banjo or a harmonica. Any entertainment consisting of band music, singing by the Saints, selections played on string instruments and talks by President Young and other Church authorities was held in the spring of 1846 at the Mormon camp located on the bank of the Missouri River at Council Bluff, Iowa. In attendance besides the Saints, were a number of towns people and a large number of Potawatomee Indians. The program naturally was enjoyed by the Saints, but to a much lesser degree by the city residents and Indians ex-hibited an unusual interest in the band music and singing. The evening's activities closed with a dance which brought interrogations by an unfriendly townsman in attendance, who gloated in the hope he would expose the deceit of the Mormon leader and his religious philosophy by requesting President Young to explain why he permitted his people to dance which was in violation of the purported belief of Mormons and traditions of their Church. President Young's reply to the sharp, stinging inquiry cast some apprehension concerning the fate of the skeptic inquirer when he said, "We Mormons are a peculiar people. We believe in participating in good, wholesome entertainments that measure up to the high ethical standards required by laws and principles that govern our Church. Dancing, he retorted, when so conducted is one of those diversions. We believe there will be more dancing and jollification in Heaven than there will be in hell. History of the Saints during early days of the Church receding and some years after their arrival in these valleys, is the story of a people who had sacrificed, suffered persecutions, and privations, had endured trials and hardships, all for the Gospel sake and their religion. On more than one occasion when it appeared these oppressed Saints were doomed to destruction at the hands of their cruel persecutors, words and music of that immortal hymn, "Come, Come Ye Saints," strengthened their morale and brightened their hopes and aspirations with assurances they would live to enjoy the serenity of freedom to worship God unmolested under their own "vine and fig tree." In a review of the social and entertainment life of our community, we find they were of a type and character that reflected the humble status of men and women who colonized and pioneered our settlement. Friendly, neighborly visits and house parties that were instituted by the Saints in the early days -132- of the Church, served to relieve tensions, strains, and worries during adversities of those troubled times. These soul-warming, faith-building types of enjoyment, humble as they were, seemed to exert unusual influence in drawing and binding Church members of our community together for over half a century after Slaterville was colonized. Exchange of visits, and frequent gathering of nearby families at one or another's home of an evening after an honest day's work, it was not unusual for them as pant of their entertainment to gather around a bonfire, sing old-time melodies, and dance to music of a violin or banjo. During winter evenings, which were sometimes severe, house parties were held during which games of various kinds, singing, reciting, storytelling, etc. were sources of amusement. In later years after a molasses mill was established in the settlement, honey and molasses candy pulling panties were frequent attractions for both parents and children. Harvest time, yielding the life-sustaining fruits of the soil and human toil, was always a season for rejoicing by a thankful people. Families went from one home to another where men and often women and children, took sides in corn husking contests which were not only a means of strengthening neighborly ties, but each family's corn crop was soon stored safely in the crib for winter. Such gatherings as this, where the spirit of good will and interest in a neighbor's welfare prevailed, always concluded with a dinner, a spred of food participating families brought with them, which they blessed and ate in the same jovial manner they pursued their day's labor Serving dinner, it is understood, became an established custom with the Pioneers both in private and public activities. All who took part in public gatherings either before or after a building was erected to serve Church, school, and public entertainments, generally brought with them enough food for themselves and some to share with the less fortunate. A very special event that stands out predominantly in the history of Slaterville took place July 24, 1859, an account of which was obtained form a diary that belonged to Henry Holley Sr., one of the earliest of Pioneers to settle. It appeared from recordings there the Pioneers who were slowly getting settled from effects of trouble they had with the Federal Government, favored observing that day with fitting services to commemorate the arrival of President Brigham Young and the first company of Pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley, and at the same time reflect their loyalty to the Government. Wetting for the occasion centered around the log cabin, the first public building in our locality, that stood on the corner directly north across the street from the home of Delmore Baird, and a bowery was erected to shield those who gathered to celebrate from the burning sun. On the morning of the 24th, almost everybody in the settlement turned out. The program, which was of a religious and patriotic nature, started promptly on time and well under way when a stagecoach was observed in the settle-ment headed toward the place of gathering; and upon arrival to the great -133-