The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1964, Page 41

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
39
as a cultural and directive force in
human affairs, she later became the
leader of the most extensive historical
project ever undertaken in Utah.
At the age of six she began her edu-
cation in the public school of Scofield,
a little mining town in Carbon coun-
ty. Two years later the family moved
to a small community in Skull Valley
where Mr. Bearnson was employed by
a mining company. There were only
a few children in the neighborhood,
but a small school house was erected
and a private teacher hired. Mrs. Car-
ter attended this school for three
years; then her mother felt that the
children were not getting adequate
training and moved the family to
their former home in Spanish Fork.
Mrs. Carter graduated from the Public
School and High School in that city
and then came to Salt Lake City where
she graduated from Henager’s Busi-
ness College. While attending school
she worked for her board and room
and during the summer months earned
enough money to pay her tuition by
working in a cannery. At different
periods in her life she has taken
courses in the Brigham Young Univer-
sity at Provo, Utah, and the Univer-
sity of Utah in Salt Lake City. She has
written many short stories, pageants
and historical sketches which have ap-
peared in church and other publi-
cations. She also has written and direct-
ed road shows, helped compile coun-
ty, town and ward histories, receiving
honorable mention for services render-
ed.
Thoughout the years of her child-
hood and young girlhood, Mrs. Carter
served in every auxiliary of the Church
°f Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At the age of fourteen she taught a
group of Sunday School children. Two
years later she was called by those in
authority to teach girls of her own age
in the Mutual Improvement Associ-
ation which lead to her appointment
to the Nebo Stake Young Ladies
M ut u a 1 Improvement Association
Board. Eler special work was to pre-
pare ithe outlines and to present at
their Union Meetings the lessons for
all .the wards to follow. It was at this
particular time that Mrs. Carter, with
her partner, won fifty-two debating
contests for which she had done a great
deal of research. She claims that this
intensive study gave her the incentive
to continue in this line of work. Al-
ways there were those who helped.
First, her mother who urged her to
seek knowledge and to grasp opportun-
ity; Bishop Robert McKell who
promised her great blessings if she
would continue to teach, and President
Jonathan Page of Nebo Stake, who,
by his words of encouragement, chal-
lenged her to do her best.
Although Mrs. Carter served as a
member of the Nebo and Palmyra
Stake Relief Society Boards and later
as counselor and president of the Salt
Lake City Second Ward Relief Society
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints for thirteen years, she re-
garded her work as a teacher as being
most important. For many years she
taught a large genealogical class, hop-
ing to instill within the hearts of its
members a desire to do research work.
On June 14, 1917, she was married
to Austin Carter in the Salt Lake
Temple. (Mr. Carter died in June
1962). They made their home for many
years in Spanish Fork where they re-
sided until 1926, when they moved to
Salt Lake City. Three children were
born to them, Boyer Austin, Paul
Bearnson and Kathryn Marie.
Throughout her busy life she has
maintained a wholesome family life.
Her three children graduated from
High School and attended the Univer-