I wanted to show the structural underclothing and the dress at the same time so people could see the structure and layers of clothing, but only partial accuracy was possible for me. I looked for pattern companies dedicated to historical reproductions. I also got ideas from actual pieces of nineteenth-century clothing from BYU’s historical clothing storage. Every piece came from a different source. One item I drafted myself (the drawers— I even hand-stitched them, but that took more than fourteen hours). I used unbleached muslin so these under layers of clothing will last a long time.

I wanted the dress to be more authentic than the under clothes. Silk taffeta was the most commonly used fabric for these types of dresses. However, 100 percent silk taffeta is stiff and crunchy, and it would have deteriorated quickly. (Modern taffeta is made of mixed fibers.) Marilla was part of the pioneers’ silk-making endeavor, in which the Saints raised their own silk worms and wove their own fabrics from them. Marilla most likely made her dress from scratch, growing the worms, weaving the fabric, and constructing the dress, so I found a business in Thailand that makes hand-woven, 100 percent silk fabric and used that to make this dress.

Marilla put a lot of effort into looking her best. This is evident in the design details included in her outfit, like the diamond smocking on the bodice and the pleating down the front of the skirt. Her great-great niece Marilyn Daniels says that Marilla loved fashion and would make most of her own clothes, which was very common, and even expected in the nineteenth century. In our era, industry and ready-made clothes save us a lot of time that we can use to further our education and serve others. Do you know where your clothes come from before they get to the department store? Do you notice the detailed designs in your clothes? Have you ever made any items of clothing yourself? How did they turn out and how much time did you spend on the project?

Drop by the basement rotunda area of the Education in Zion Gallery in the JFSB before December 15^th to see the exhibit. Remember to take a close look at the details on the dress and in her picture.

Melissa DeGuire, Theater Arts Major

A sketch of the dress

My ORCA grant exhibit on the dress of Marilla Lucretia Johnson Miller Daniels is still on display for a few more days. It comes down on December 15, 2011. The dress and undergarments will be donated in March to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneer (DUP) Museum in Springville. There it will be displayed again before it is donated permanently to the DUP collection in Springville. Although the dress and under clothing will probably not always be on display, it would be possible for it to stay out for several years without the threat of deterioration because of the type and quality of fabric I chose to use.

The exhibit honors the life of Marilla Daniels, who was one of the early Mormon pioneers. She helped to found the city of Springville with her husband, William Miller, who is sometimes referred to as a “Bogus Brigham.”[1]. Marilla used her education to speak out for woman suffrage and had a strong testimony of Joseph Smith. Having been a teacher in Nauvoo and in the LDS Church (Primary for ten years and Sunday School for twenty), she supported the work of her first husband to establish schools in each of Provo’s five districts. By 1857 there was a school in every district.[2]

You can find the exhibit in the JFSB at the bottom of the spiral stair case in the basement rotunda. It is a part of the Education in Zion Gallery, but it will not be there much longer, so make sure you see it before it is taken down on the 15th.

Melissa DeGuire, Theater Arts Major

Karl G. Maeser statue on BYU campus

I often think about my favorite person in the Education in Zion Gallery. Of course, I love the Savior and the prophets, but also near the top of my list is Karl G. Maeser because he was the type of leader I hope to one day become. His dedication to the developing Brigham Young Academy and its students set the course for what BYU has become today.

Many people were initially afraid of Maeser, a strict, German immigrant. From faculty and student descriptions, I imagine him to have been a serious disciplinarian with a giant mustache. I currently have a female version of Maeser as a professor, but without the mustache. She is also from a different country, often bringing her cultural perfectionism into the classroom. She expects much, and students cringe every time they are called on.

Although both Maeser and my French teacher were and are terrifying on some levels, I also feel a deep respect for them. I have learned, through the course of this semester, that my professor has high expectations because she wants us to be successful students and learn all that we can. As I have come to know her personally I have discovered that she is a woman of deep faith who works to build the character and intelligence of her students.

Likewise, Karl G. Maeser’s high expectations helped to shape his students in spirit and mind so that they could be prepared to be leaders in their communities. The gallery has numerous stories of his high expectations, yet there are even more instances of his compassion. While he was intolerant of misbehavior, he was also quick to forgive and had exceptional Christlike attributes. I am grateful for that type of leadership at BYU, historically and currently. As I prepare for graduation, I hope to continue developing those skills so that I can have the same impact on others that figures like Karl G. Maeser and my foreign language teacher have made.

–Eryn Lane, Art History Major, Education in Zion Gallery Educator

A sketch of the dress

In fall semester 2010 I saw some ads for ORCA grants. It was exciting to think I could get money for a project that would give me experience while boosting my resume and portfolio.

I teamed up with a good friend who also was applying for a grant. She had a contact at the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers museum in Springville who found a woman—Marilla Lucretia Johnson Miller Daniels—whose story connected to Utah pioneers, Relief Society, and Woman Suffrage. Although an important woman in local Utah history, Marilla is not well known to modern generations. We decided to recreate her dress and the structural underclothing of it, doing extensive research on dyes, fibers, and sewing techniques used in the late nineteenth-century.

To my surprise, my proposal won the grant; unfortunately, my grant partner’s proposal was not chosen and she became too busy to continue with the project. I struggled to condense our large project into something one person could complete, but I still wanted to achieve two goals: (1) to demonstrate the clothing construction of the era, and (2) to bring Marilla’s history to light. Although I was excited, I was also unnerved because I had never made a historical reproduction before and I wasn’t sure if anyone would be interested in my project.

To complete the grant I needed:

1. A project that had value and educational worth.
2. A faculty member to be an advisor.
3. A place to display or present the project.
4. A timeline of what would be accomplished and when.

The best advice I can offer prospective ORCA grant writers is to be specific from the beginning about the details of your project and be sure to allocate your time and energy wisely.

My project will be on display in the basement rotunda area of the Education in Zion Gallery in the JFSB from November 8 to December 15, 2011.

Melissa DeGuire, Theater Arts Major

Although reasons probably are as varied as the people involved, I wonder whether geographical proximity played any role? Theoretically, Saints outside the Salt Lake Valley had less interaction with Church leaders, and perhaps that allowed more doubt or bad habits to take root. Maybe Saints in these communities did not adequately teach their children the gospel, and as a result the youth had difficulty developing testimonies. Finally, it’s possible that members were so busy with settling a new area that religion may have been perceived a leisure activity, since their energy was necessarily devoted to farming, ranching, and other endeavors that helped sustain life.

In late 1855, President Brigham Young began sending missionaries to help members recommit to the gospel. Historians have called this period the “Great Reformation” or the “Mormon Reformation.” Jedediah M. Grant, a councilor in the First Presidency, began preaching in many Mormon communities. He first called people to repentance, then he instructed them on what was expected of worthy Saints. As a sign of recommitment, many Church members were rebaptized. In fact, Grant spent so much time in the water re-baptizing that some think the exposure may have been a factor that led to his death.

I believe Brigham Young’s concern for struggling members to strengthen testimonies is still valid today. While rebaptism is no longer practiced, we can lift, encourage, inspire, and bless others. One way we might help others who may be struggling is through home or visit teaching. And while geographical proximity issues have been overcome by communications and technology, there is still the issue of whether our hearts and spirits are drawing close to the Savior.

Jacob Bromley, Exercise Science Major, Education in Zion Gallery Educator

13th Ward Relief Society

In September there was a knock at my door. When I opened it, no one was there. Looking around I saw a book lying on the doormat with a note tucked inside. The book was a new publication from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titled Daughters in My Kingdom: the History and Work of Relief Society.

While reading the preface I came across these words:  “Relief Society is not just about women who lived in the past; it is also about women all over the world today who make and keep covenants.”  Reading this made me feel special, like I was part of something larger than life.

It also made me reflect upon the place where I work. The Education in Zion Gallery is not just about men and women in the past or even those only at BYU. It is also about men and women all over the world today who make the most of their education by combining the spiritual and secular.  In this way we make an education for the whole soul and truly are part of something larger than life.

Anna Silver, Theater Arts Education Major, Education in Zion Gallery Educator Supervisor

In it, Lund describes divine signatures as follows, “Sometimes, the Lord sends His blessings in such a highly unusual, dramatic, or precisely timed manner, that it might be likened to a ‘divine signature.’ It is as though the Lord ‘signs’ the blessing personally so that we will know with certainty that it comes from Him” (p.20).

As I’m reading Divine Signatures, I’ve been reflecting on moments in my life where divine signatures have been influential in my testimony and the growth of my personal relationship with God. There are many small ones and a few rather large ones. And I feel that we could all benefit from reflecting on these signatures in our lives.

Working at the Education in Zion Gallery in many ways has been a divine signature for me. I needed a job, but it took a whole semester for me to find one after many interviews and conflicts with my schedule. Then God, when I had learned better how to manage the demands of my major, gave me the blessing of working at the gallery. I won’t preach too much, but I feel that working here has helped me recapture the vision of why I even came to BYU. It was perfectly timed and has been a blessing in numerous areas of my life.

God knows us personally and gives us His signatures so we can see His hand in our lives.

–Dan Shirley, Industrial Design Major, Education in Zion Gallery Educator

Joseph’s example of study was an incredible one. When he had questions, he did all he could to find the answers. When confronted with the realization that he did not know which church to join, he sought for answers by studying the scriptures, talking to his parents and family, attending various religious services, and asking questions of the local ministers and church leaders.

Much of our learning will come in the same way. In fact, it often feels like this is the only way we are to learn while here at BYU. We spend hours studying, memorizing, and doing all we can to learn and understand the material we will be tested on. While this is an important part of the learning process, it is only that: a part.

To truly be God’s student, our learning must come in more ways than this. Upon studying and doing all we can, we will be given experiences that further our growth. This was certainly the case with Joseph. In the midst of his trials at Liberty jail, the Lord told him that “all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7). Similarly, there is much to be gained through our experiences at BYU. We, too, will have challenges and opportunities for the Lord to teach us—it is our responsibility to recognize these lessons.

We can be God’s students as we receive personal revelation. It almost goes without saying that Joseph learned largely in this way. As we seek to be worthy and invite the Spirit into our lives, we also will be taught by revelation. The promptings we receive will put the information we are learning into perspective and help us see the relevance and application of the material.

I had such an experience recently as I read my American Heritage textbook. As I was learning about the tools the nation’s founders used in creating our government, I realized that these same principles ought to be used when founding and forming our families. My perspective of what I’m learning in the class has now changed because of a simple prompting from the Spirit.

May we always remember the way the Prophet Joseph Smith was taught and always seek to learn in this way: through study, experience, and revelation.

-Kirk Perry, Education in Zion Gallery Educator

These students learned about the educational heritage within the Church through the medium of storytelling. The event consisted of groups of students coming into the gallery and then rotating to eight separate storytelling stations.

I had the opportunity to play the part of John Swenson, a student who came to Brigham Young Academy (BYA) in 1886. My story shared John’s experience of meeting Karl G. Maeser, the founding principal of BYA, and being influenced by his powerful example. I told my 90-second story 108 times throughout the three days the gallery participated in NSO.

Sharing John’s experience that many times made it clear to me that one righteous individual can have a powerful influence for good in our lives. It encouraged me to pay attention to the good around me as well as look for opportunities to serve the people in my life.

Collectively, the gallery educators told eight separate stories about using our talents, abilities, and education to serve others. These stories showed how sacrifice and dedication from many individuals have made the Church Education System what it is today.

The gallery message illustrates the gospel principle that learning is for the whole soul, the spirit as well as the intellect, and shows the results that can come from diligent study and service. Not only does Brigham Young University seek to teach this principle, it also offers the invitation “Enter to Learn, Go Forth To Serve” to anyone entering its grounds.

Nearly 3,000 students were able to get a sampling of the gallery during NSO. This experience showed me the power and meaning of the message presented in this gallery. Physically, it is one of the most beautiful locations on BYU campus, and I encourage you to come enjoy the atmosphere and be reminded of the aims and purpose of this great university.

– Jared Gay, Public Relations Major and Education in Zion Gallery Educator

Liz Lemon Swindle's Why Weepest Thou

hoped to see the body of her beloved friend and teacher.

Of course, she had once been taught the doctrine of the resurrection, but, as His death became a reality, I suspect that the image of His prophesied glorious return must have proved an almost unimaginable one – even for such a faithful woman.

I think we’ve all stood with Mary Magdalene at some point in our lives.  Maybe we haven’t seen the empty Garden Tomb, but we’ve had moments when our futures looked a bit bleak.  We’ve all felt the loneliness creep in perhaps at the loss of a loved one or at the end of a good chapter in our life’s book.

Some of us in college may have questioned why we ever began our journey in education and puzzle over where exactly it will lead us. For those of us at school in Provo, some of us have wondered if we’ll ever see the sun again!

Indeed, the roads through life, love, education, career, and so forth will sometimes take us through “tunnels,” or periods of darkness and uncertainty.  But, as Mary soon discovered, there is always a light at the end of them.

The Lord does not leave His children comfortless for long if they’ve marched through the tunnels of life with faith.  One day, perhaps in spring, we too will realize that He has been with us all along.
“Jesus saith unto her, ‘Mary.’ She turned herself, and saith unto him, ‘Rabboni’; which is to say, ‘Master’.”
John 20:16

– Karen Mckay, Art Education Major and Education in Zion Gallery Educator