Beehives

September 4, 2011

Katie has had a wonderful 1^st. year participating in the Young Women’s program at Church. She has been actively working in Personal Progress Program. As a Beehive she decided to develop a skill that was a requirement for young women, “Beehives”, back in the 1920’s. Care successfully for a hive of bees for one season and know their habits. See history below;

In the 1920s all young women who belonged to the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association were called Beehive girls, regardless of their age. They were arranged in groups called “swarms,” and their leaders were called Bee Keepers.

Upon entering the Beehive program, each girl was required to memorize the Spirit of the Hive, the Beehive motto: “On my honor each day I will have faith, seek knowledge, safeguard health, honor womanhood, understand beauty, know work, love truth, taste the sweetness of service, feel joy.”

The Beehive program included three ranks: Builders in the Hive, Gatherers of Honey, and Keepers of the Bees. To achieve each rank, girls were required to fulfill 14-16 foundation requirements and 36 additional requirements of their own choosing. At one time there were 373 requirements to choose from. Here are a few sample requirements:

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

         Sleep out-of-doors or with wide-open windows.

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

         Clear sagebrush, etc. off of a half acre of land.

         Care for at least two kerosene lamps daily.

         Without help or advice, care for and harness a team of horses at least five times; drive 50 miles in one season.

         Identify 12 kinds of lace and tell the reasonable price and appropriate use of each.

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

In the 1960s, some of the requirements to earn emblems for the Beehive bandalo included:

         Strive to get your full nine hours' beauty sleep each night this month. Make it a habit!

         Increase your self-confidence by acquiring a good posture (sitting, standing, and walking).

         Politeness in all things is the mark of a lady. Practice at home being considerate and polite. Learn to accept directions graciously. Conscientiously try to improve.

         Make the dinner hour joyous by improving table manners of the entire family.

         Look for something beautiful every day for two months.

Over the years, the classes, requirements, and awards have dramatically changed.  A young woman today is more likely to make a meal for her family, care for a younger sibling, read her scriptures daily, or learn a piece on the piano. But the goal of learning to make the world a better place through service and self-improvement has been the same throughout the history of Young Women!

Our friend and local Bee Keeper Brain Hall started our family with a hive in 2010 and this year we have two hives one of which has been Katie’s to care for successfully.  Yesterday we harvested 4 gallons and hope to harvest more later this month and still leave plenty of honey for the bees to live on through the winter. 

Rachel has enjoyed the bee keeping also.  She was excited to come home to beehives in our yard. Rachel has been wanting a hive for years. When she lived in Idaho she took a course on bee keeping.