This is an odd committee that I’ve found, in one form or another, into the 1960s. I do not know whether it had the sanction of the Church, or whether it was a loose association of stakes, or even just a group of individuals claiming affiliation with stakes. Their chief purpose seems to have been to encourage merchants to follow the laws preventing minors from buying alcohol and tobacco, in a vaguely vigilante way. By that, I don’t mean to imply that they took illegal action, but only that, as citizens, they watched businesses and wrote letters warning them that, say, minors had been seen loitering in the entry way of nightclubs, or that it appeared that young teens were buying tobacco from such-and-such a store, and that if such suspicious behavior continued, the Law Enforcement Committee would bring pressure on police and prosecutors to take action against the offending business.
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Well, with BYU’s announcement today that caffeinated beverages will be sold on campus that’s one less thing for this comittee to worry about.
Thanks Ardis, that’s an unusual bit of history. At first glance I wondered what a government document was doing on Keepapitchinin.
With a little help from google I’ve found some more details. In the early 1940’s the committee was announced in the Melchezidek Priesthood section of the Improvement Era,
There’s also an article from the Salt Lake Tribune on October 7, 1942 regarding a “girl’s curfew” suggested by the committee (the full article is behind a paywall, so no more detail than that unless someone reading this has access to past issues of the tribune).
One more of the type of stake assignments I have been fortunate to avoid.
Outstanding, Seth!
This is my cue to recite my oft-expressed conviction that Keepa’s readers are the best in the bloggernacle, contributing their own research and experience to supplement a post. I have access to the newspaper database for the article you found (quickly typed, not proofread):
Salt Lake Tribune
7 October 1942, 13 (cont’d 24)
Board Votes Adoption of Girl Curfew
Ordinance Gains Approval of Soroptimist Club
Salt Lake city’s “girl curfew” ordinance was formally adopted by the city commission Tuesday – and at the same time approval of the ordinance waw expressed in a letter to commissioners from the Soroptimist club.
The ordinance, submitted by A. Pratt Kesler, assistant city attorney, makes it unlawful for any unmarried girl under 18 years of age to appear on streets or in public places within Salt Lake City between midnight and 5 a.m. unless properly chaperoned.
The letter from the Soroptimist club, signed by Mrs. Roy H. Bitner, president, reported the board of directors of the club had approved unanimously the proposed curfew ordinance and added: “We wish it were possible to apply such regulations to certain types of women of all ages for the duration of military personnel in our community.”
The ordinance was sought first by the alcohol-tobacco law enforcement committee of DLS stakes of Salt Lake county, and its preparation, was ordered by city commissioners after Attorney Kesler reported there appeared no legal obstacle other than difficulty of enforcement. Commissioner George D. Keyser voted against the ordinance on the ground it “will never be3 enforced.”
The Soroptimist club also indirectly approved Mayor Ab Jenkins’ attempts to get fresh air equipment for city fire fighters … [unrelated material]
Grant, if you’re glad you’re not on the committee enforcing alcohol and tobacco laws, I’ll be you’re REALLY glad not to have to enforce curfew on unchaperoned girls!
Yes.