Primary Association
Encyclopedia
The Primary is a children's organization and an official auxiliary
within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It acts as a Sunday school
organization for the church's children under the age of 12.
The Primary theme is "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children".
The Primary motto is "Faith and Service". Its official colors are red, yellow and blue—the subtractive primary color
s.
in Farmington
, Utah
, and adopted churchwide in 1880 under the direction of Louie B. Felt
who served as the president of the organization through 1925. Rogers was concerned because younger Latter-day Saint children had too much unsupervised
time due to the long hours that fathers and older sons kept on the farms and mothers and older daughters in the home. In particular, Rogers felt that the younger boys in the community were becoming unruly and mischievous. With permission from church leaders and under the initial direction of General Relief Society
President Eliza R. Snow, Rogers organized a Primary Association for her local Farmington congregation on August 11, 1878. Two weeks later, the first meeting was held on August 28, with 215 children in attendance. That day, boys were specifically taught not to steal
fruit from orchards and girls were taught not to hang on wagons. In addition, they were given lessons on faith
, manners
, obedience
, and other worthy principles.
May Anderson
, the second general president of the Primary Association from 1925 to 1939, initiated what became Primary Children's Hospital
in Salt Lake City (now part of Intermountain Healthcare
). Anderson also helped establish kindergarten
s in Utah
. In the 1970s as a result of the Priesthood Correlation Program
, the Primary Association was renamed Primary.
Since 2010, the general presidency of the Primary has been composed of Rosemary M. Wixom
, President; Jean A. Stevens, First Counselor; and Cheryl A. Esplin, Second Counselor.
and church-related activities to approximately one million Latter-day Saint children. In most congregations, optional nursery
care and supervision is available for children from age 18 months to age 3. Classroom instruction begins for three-year-olds and continues to age 12, with classes grouped by age. At age 12, the child begins to attend Sunday School and the Young Men or Young Women programs. The Primary has its own songbook
, made up of original songs and hymns
modified for children.
Where participants, classrooms or teachers are limited, multiple age-grouped classes may be taught together. In most congregations, all Primary classes are co-ed. However, it is not uncommon to have separate classes for boys and girls in Valiant 11.
Auxiliary organization (LDS Church)
An auxiliary organization is a secondary body of church government within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is "established for moral, educational, and benevolent purposes." As their name suggests, LDS Church auxiliary organizations are ancillary to the governing power of the...
within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It acts as a Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
organization for the church's children under the age of 12.
Purpose, objectives, theme, motto and colors
The official purpose of Primary is to help parents in teaching their children to learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. The official objectives of Primary are to:- Teach children that they are children of God and that Heavenly FatherGod the FatherGod the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
and Jesus Christ love them; - help children learn to love Heavenly FatherGod the FatherGod the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
and Jesus Christ; - help children prepare to be baptized, to receiveConfirmation (Christian sacrament)Confirmation is a rite of initiation in Christian churches, normally carried out through anointing and/or the laying on of hands and prayer for the purpose of bestowing the Gift of the Holy Spirit....
the Holy Ghost, and to keep their baptismal covenants; - help children grow in their understanding of the gospel planPlan of salvationAccording to doctrine of the Latter Day Saint movement, the plan of salvation is a plan that God created to save, redeem, and exalt humankind...
and provide opportunities for them to live gospel principles; - help boys prepare to receive the priesthood and be worthy to use this power to bless and serve others; and
- help girls prepare to be righteous young women, understand the blessings of the priesthood and the templeTemple (LDS Church)In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
, and serve others.
The Primary theme is "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children".
The Primary motto is "Faith and Service". Its official colors are red, yellow and blue—the subtractive primary color
Primary color
Primary colors are sets of colors that can be combined to make a useful range of colors. For human applications, three primary colors are usually used, since human color vision is trichromatic....
s.
History
Primary was first organized in 1878 by Aurelia Spencer RogersAurelia Spencer Rogers
Aurelia Read Spencer Rogers was the founder of Primary, the children's organization and official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
in Farmington
Farmington, Utah
Farmington is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 18,255 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Davis County...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and adopted churchwide in 1880 under the direction of Louie B. Felt
Louie B. Felt
Sarah Louise Bouton Felt was the first general president of the children's Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1880 and 1925.-Early life:...
who served as the president of the organization through 1925. Rogers was concerned because younger Latter-day Saint children had too much unsupervised
Childcare
Child care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
time due to the long hours that fathers and older sons kept on the farms and mothers and older daughters in the home. In particular, Rogers felt that the younger boys in the community were becoming unruly and mischievous. With permission from church leaders and under the initial direction of General Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
President Eliza R. Snow, Rogers organized a Primary Association for her local Farmington congregation on August 11, 1878. Two weeks later, the first meeting was held on August 28, with 215 children in attendance. That day, boys were specifically taught not to steal
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
fruit from orchards and girls were taught not to hang on wagons. In addition, they were given lessons on faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
, manners
Manners
In sociology, manners are the unenforced standards of conduct which demonstrate that a person is proper, polite, and refined. They are like laws in that they codify or set a standard for human behavior, but they are unlike laws in that there is no formal system for punishing transgressions, the...
, obedience
Vow of obedience
The Vow of Obedience in Catholicism concerns one of the three counsels of perfection. It forms part of the vows that Christian monks and nuns must make to enter the consecrated life, whether as a member of a religious institute living in community or as consecrated hermit...
, and other worthy principles.
May Anderson
May Anderson
May Anderson was the second general president of the children's Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1925 and 1939. Anderson also served as the first counselor to general Primary president Louie B...
, the second general president of the Primary Association from 1925 to 1939, initiated what became Primary Children's Hospital
Primary Children's Medical Center
Primary Children's Medical Center is a 252-bed children's hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is owned by Intermountain Healthcare and operates in affiliation with the University of Utah...
in Salt Lake City (now part of Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Health Care, Inc., DBA as Intermountain Healthcare, and formerly known as Intermountain Health Care , is a non-profit healthcare system and is the largest healthcare provider in the Intermountain West. Intermountain Healthcare provides hospital and other medical services in Utah and...
). Anderson also helped establish kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. In the 1970s as a result of the Priesthood Correlation Program
Priesthood Correlation Program
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Priesthood Correlation Program is a program designed to provide a systematic approach to maintain consistency in its ordinances, doctrines, organizations, meetings, materials, and other programs and activities...
, the Primary Association was renamed Primary.
Since 2010, the general presidency of the Primary has been composed of Rosemary M. Wixom
Rosemary M. Wixom
Rosemary Mix Wixom has been the general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April 2010. She is the twelfth general president in the history of the Primary, the organization that is responsible in the LDS Church for the instruction of children ages...
, President; Jean A. Stevens, First Counselor; and Cheryl A. Esplin, Second Counselor.
Chronology of the general presidency of the Primary
| No. | Dates | General President | First Counselor | Second Counselor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1880—1925 | Louie B. Felt Louie B. Felt Sarah Louise Bouton Felt was the first general president of the children's Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1880 and 1925.-Early life:... |
Matilda M. Barratt Matilda M. Barratt Matilda Moorehouse Barratt was a member of the first-ever general presidency of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1880 to 1888.... (1880—1888) Lillie T. Freeze (1888—1905) May Anderson (1905—1925) |
Clare C. M. Cannon (1880—1895) Josephine R. West (1896—1905) Clara W. Beebe Clara W. Beebe Clara M. Woodruff Beebe was the second counselor in the general presidency of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1905 to 1925.... (1906—1925) |
| 2 | 1925—1939 | May Anderson May Anderson May Anderson was the second general president of the children's Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1925 and 1939. Anderson also served as the first counselor to general Primary president Louie B... |
Sadie Grant Pack Sadie Grant Pack Sadie Grant Pack was the first counselor to May Anderson in the general presidency of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1925 to 1929.... (1925—1929) Isabelle S. Ross (1929—1939) |
Isabelle S. Ross (1925—1929) Edna H. Thomas (1929—1933) Edith H. Lambert (1933—1939) |
| 3 | 1940—1943 | May Green Hinckley May Green Hinckley May Green Hinckley was the third general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1940 until her death. She was the stepmother of Gordon B. Hinckley, fifteenth president of the LDS Church.May Green was born in Brampton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England.In... |
Adele C. Howells Adele C. Howells Adele Morris Cannon Howells was the fourth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1943 until her death.... |
Janet M. Thompson (1940—1942) LaVern W. Parmley LaVern W. Parmley LaVern Watts Parmley was the fifth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Parmley was the first woman to be awarded the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.LaVern Watts was born in Murray, Utah. She married Thomas J... (1942—1943) |
| 4 | 1943—1951 | Adele C. Howells Adele C. Howells Adele Morris Cannon Howells was the fourth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1943 until her death.... |
LaVern W. Parmley LaVern W. Parmley LaVern Watts Parmley was the fifth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Parmley was the first woman to be awarded the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.LaVern Watts was born in Murray, Utah. She married Thomas J... |
Dessie G. Boyle |
| 5 | 1951—1974 | LaVern W. Parmley LaVern W. Parmley LaVern Watts Parmley was the fifth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Parmley was the first woman to be awarded the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.LaVern Watts was born in Murray, Utah. She married Thomas J... |
Arta M. Hale (1951—1962) Leone W. Doxey (1962—1969) Lucile C. Reading (1970) Naomi W. Randall Naomi W. Randall Naomi Harriet Ward Randall was a Latter-day Saint songwriter and author and a leader in the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... (1970—1974) |
Florence H. Richards (1951—1953) Leone W. Doxey (1953—1962) Eileen R. Dunyon (1962—1963) Lucile C. Reading (1963—1970) Florence R. Lane (1970—1974) |
| 6 | 1974—1980 | Naomi M. Shumway Naomi M. Shumway Naomi Maxfield Shumway was the sixth general president of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1974 to 1980.Naomi Maxfield was born in Provo, Utah. She married Roden Grant Shumway.... |
Sara B. Paulsen (1974—1977) Colleen B. Lemmon (1977—1980) |
Colleen B. Lemmon (1974—1977) Dorthea C. Murdock (1977—1980) |
| 7 | 1980—1988 | Dwan J. Young Dwan J. Young Dwan Jacobsen Young was the seventh general president of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1980 to 1988.- Biography :Dwan Jacobsen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah... |
Virginia B. Cannon | Michaelene P. Grassli Michaelene P. Grassli Michaelene Packer Grassli was the eighth general president of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1988 to 1994. She was a member of the general presidency of the Primary from 1980 to 1994.Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Michaelene Packer was raised in... |
| 8 | 1988—1994 | Michaelene P. Grassli Michaelene P. Grassli Michaelene Packer Grassli was the eighth general president of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1988 to 1994. She was a member of the general presidency of the Primary from 1980 to 1994.Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Michaelene Packer was raised in... |
Betty Jo N. Jepsen | Ruth B. Wright |
| 9 | 1994—1999 | Patricia P. Pinegar Patricia P. Pinegar Patricia Peterson Pinegar was the ninth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1994 to 1999.... |
Anne G. Wirthlin | Susan L. Warner |
| 10 | 1999—2005 | Coleen K. Menlove Coleen K. Menlove Coleen Kent Menlove was the tenth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1999 to 2005.... |
Sydney S. Reynolds Sydney S. Reynolds Sydney Sharon Smith Reynolds was the first counselor to Coleen K. Menlove in the general presidency of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from October 1999 until April 2005. She then served for three years with her husband Noel B... |
Gayle M. Clegg |
| 11 | 2005—2010 | Cheryl C. Lant Cheryl C. Lant Cheryl Clark Lant was the eleventh general president of the Primary organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 2005 and 2010.... |
Margaret S. Lifferth Margaret S. Lifferth Margaret Swensen Lifferth was a counselor to Cheryl C. Lant in the general presidency of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2005 to 2010.... |
Vicki F. Matsumori Vicki F. Matsumori Vicki Fujii Matsumori was the second counselor to Cheryl C. Lant in the general presidency of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2005 to 2010.... |
| 12 | 2010— | Rosemary M. Wixom Rosemary M. Wixom Rosemary Mix Wixom has been the general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April 2010. She is the twelfth general president in the history of the Primary, the organization that is responsible in the LDS Church for the instruction of children ages... |
Jean A. Stevens | Cheryl A. Esplin |
Class names
The names of the classes in Primary have varied over time. The following is a partial list of names that have been applied to different age groups in Primary, as of January 2010, the names of the classes were changed to the age of children entering the class, i.e., 4 year olds are in the class CTR 4. Previously, names were indicative of the age children would turn the coming year, (4-year-olds in CTR 5)| Age (on January 1) | Present Class Name | Past Class Names Used |
|---|---|---|
| 18 mos. | Nursery | Rainbows |
| 3-year-olds | Sunbeams | Moonbeams |
| 4-year-olds | CTR 4 | Sunbeams Stars CTR 5 |
| 5-year-olds | CTR 5 | Stars CTR 6 |
| 6-year-olds | CTR 6 | Rainbows CTR 7 |
| 7-year-olds | CTR 7 | Zion’s Boys Zion’s Girls CTR Pilots Co-Pilots Top Pilots Targeteers CTRs CTR 8 |
| 8-year-olds | Valiant 8 | Zion’s Boys Zion’s Girls CTR Pilots Co-Pilots Beacons Top Pilots Targeteers CTRs Valiant 9 |
| 9-year-old girls | Valiant 9 | Larks Gaynotes Home Builders Lihomas Merry Miss Valiant 10 |
| 9-year-old boys | Valiant 9 | Hatchets Trail Builders Blazers Valiant 10 |
| 10-year-old girls | Valiant 10 | Bluebirds Firelights Hearths Home Builders Lihomas Merry Miss Valiant 11 |
| 10-year-old boys | Valiant 10 | Wagon Wheels Trail Builders Trekkers Valiant 11 |
| 11-year-old girls | Valiant 11 | Bluebirds Merrihands Home Builders Lihomas Merry Miss Valiant 12 |
| 11-year-old boys | Valiant 11 | Arrows Guides Trail Builders Blazers Valiant 12 |
| 12-year-old girls | See Young Women Young Women (organization) The Young Women is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... |
Seagulls Home Builders Lihomas Mi-kan-wees |
| 13-year-old girls | See Young Women Young Women (organization) The Young Women is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... |
Seagulls Home Builders Lihomas Mi-kan-wees |
Primary in the church today
Presently, the worldwide Primary provides Sunday schoolSunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
and church-related activities to approximately one million Latter-day Saint children. In most congregations, optional nursery
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
care and supervision is available for children from age 18 months to age 3. Classroom instruction begins for three-year-olds and continues to age 12, with classes grouped by age. At age 12, the child begins to attend Sunday School and the Young Men or Young Women programs. The Primary has its own songbook
Children's Songbook
The Children's Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official songbook for children in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was first published in English in 1989...
, made up of original songs and hymns
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymns
This article is about LDS church hymns in general, for the book, see Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Latter-day Saint hymns come from many sources, and there have been numerous hymn books printed by the Church since its organization in 1830...
modified for children.
Where participants, classrooms or teachers are limited, multiple age-grouped classes may be taught together. In most congregations, all Primary classes are co-ed. However, it is not uncommon to have separate classes for boys and girls in Valiant 11.
See also
- Children's SongbookChildren's SongbookThe Children's Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official songbook for children in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was first published in English in 1989...
- CTR ring
- I Am a Child of GodI Am a Child of God"I Am a Child of God" is a Latter-day Saint hymn and song for children. The lyrics were written in 1957 by Naomi W. Randall and have been translated into over 90 languages...
- Priesthood Correlation ProgramPriesthood Correlation ProgramIn The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Priesthood Correlation Program is a program designed to provide a systematic approach to maintain consistency in its ordinances, doctrines, organizations, meetings, materials, and other programs and activities...
- Relief SocietyRelief SocietyThe Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
- The Friend (LDS magazine)The Friend (LDS magazine)The Friend is the monthly English language children's magazine published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is aimed at those of Primary age , approximately ages 3 through 12...
External links
- Official Primary Website
- "Primary Makes Me Happy" : 2003 on-line exhibit on the history of Primary
- Official curriculum for Primary