6 THE ACORN erative Mercantile Institution, and several canal companies. Like all other broad-minded men, he is greatly interested in the education of the young, and is now a member of the Stake Board of Education. As a member of the Board, he has done a good work and it is to him we owe much for the growing success of our institution. JOHN WATSON. John Watson is one of Ogden's most prominent business men. His position as manager of the Zion Co-operative Mercantile Institution shows that he is experienced along these lines to be able to bring the store to its present standard. He was born April 19, 1853, at Walkington, Yorkshire, England. When he was eight years old the family moved to Goole, where he attended the common and grammar schools until he was fourteen years of age. He entered the office of an engineering and shipbuilding firm, remaining two years. He was with an attorney in the commercial branch of the office for one year, after which he entered as an apprentice before the mast on a seagoing vessel. After a year of this work he entered the office where he had been first employed and remained until 1881. In that year he set sail for the United States on the steamer Woming, and came directly to Utah, reaching Salt Lake City in June. He was employed by the Z. C. M. I. and in 1884 became manager of the Ogden branch. Since then a steady growth has been noticed. He has also been connected with the Utah Loan and Trust Co., and Eccles Lumber Co., and is now interested in the Amalgamated Sugar Factory. In public life he is a familiar figure, taking deep interest in educational matters. He served for three years as a member of the City School Board of Education, and at this time is one of the Weber Stake Academy Board. In this position he is ever ready to advance the school and to give advice. He was for two years a member and Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of the Reform School, now State Industrial School, and President of the Board of Trustees for the State School for Deaf, Dumb and Blind. During 1888 and 1889 he was a member of the City Council, and was one of the organizers and directors of the Ogden Chamber of Commerce. He served one year on the Fire and Police Commission Board. Brother Watson was married in 1875 to Mrs. Sarah Seaton, of Yorkshire. England. They became converts to the teachings of Mormonism in England in 1877 and were baptized at Hull. During the time he has lived in Utah he has been a faithful member of the Church. He was Superintendent of the Fifth Ward Sunday School for fourteen years. In 1884 he was made a member of the Seventy-seventh Quorum of Seventies, ordained a high priest in 1891, and set apart as a member of the High Council of Weber Stake. On November 8, 1900, he was ordained Bishop and set apart to preside over the Fifth Ward. He also assisted to reconstruct the Ogden Tabernacle in 1893. Bishop Watson has ever been undaunted by obstacles and has attacked every difficulty with determination. His own power has secured his present success. THE ACORN 7 THE ACORN. Published monthly by the Students of the Weber Stake Academy. EDITORIAL STAFF. Joseph Stimpson, '03 Editor in Chief Lizzie McKay '04 Literary Orhnda Woolley, '05 James Wood, '06 Exchange Delphia Hetzler,'05 Exchange Marion Higginbptham, '05 Athletics Glen Thompson, 04, Katherine Keeler, '04 Miscellaneous Walter Emmett, '04 Local Elizabeth Pearce, '03 Alumni BUSINESS STAFF. Angus Berlin, '06 Business Mgr Clyde Lindsay, '04 First Ass't. Mgr Reuben Saunders, '05 Second Ass't. Mgr Charles Brown, '07 Circulation Wm. Manning, '05 Subscription EVILS OF CRAMMING. Every year near the end of school there is always a rush in the work. The students have all they can do and some undertake even more than they are capable of doing. There is just so much to finish before the end of the year in order to get through the course. A common saying is, "If you want anything done well give it to someone who has all he can do." It seems that the instructors know the meaning of this perfectly well, because, when they see that the students have all they can do they begin to lengthen the lessons probably they want the remaining work done well. Most of all, though, the students are worrying about their examinations, which, they seem to suppose, decide their fate. As far as we know, none of the Professors are so much attached to the final examination plan that they place the success of the stud- ent on that alone. The class record is taken into consideration so that daily preparation is more necessary than preparation for examinations. Then the reviews from time to time show also the work of the student. All of these taken together enable the teacher to find almost accurately the standing of the student. Therefore, as no great value is placed upon the final examination, no great worry should be placed upon it. This being true, an injurious tendency among students should be done away with. Besides the work they already have to do they must (?) prepare for the final test; and this they do in a very unsystematic way. They begin at the first of the book, and try to memorize the whole thing so that they can really write a book for examination. As soon as the test is over the knowledge they have CRAMMED into their heads is gone. It leaves them almost worse off than they were before. There seems to be a striking resemblance between these people and some who go to extremes in eating. They cram their stomachs till they are miserable thinking, maybe, that they will not have to eat Very soon again but it does them more harm than good. Crammed knowledge is about as nourishing to the soul as crammed food is to the stomach. This may be a rude comparison, but the former is as foolish and injurious as the latter. We advise you to avoid it. The mind as well as the body has often been impaired by such work. To avoid this we must prepare each lesson well; then examinations will come easy. There may not be a right and wrong way to prepare lessons but there is a better and a worse one. If the lesson is studied thoroughly and