LDS Scene: A Round-up of Important Happenings

• The author of Jesus the Christ, Elder James E. Talmage, maintained a journal from December 1879, when he was 17, until his death in July 1933. This 30-volume personal record of the noted educator, scientist, author, and Church leader has been donated to the Brigham Young University Library by the Talmage family. At 17, Elder Talmage became a teacher at Brigham Young Academy. He later received a bachelor of science degree from Lehi University in Pennsylvania and the doctor of philosophy degree from Illinois Wesleyan University. He served as a city councilman, alderman, and justice of the peace in Provo, Utah; president of the Latter-day Saints College in Salt Lake City; and president and professor of geology at the University of Utah. He was named to the Council of the Twelve in 1911.

• Construction is under way at the Hawaii Temple Visitors Center for a special educational area for the many Japanese visitors who visit the temple. The area will house some of the displays originally created for Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan, as well as a small theater with Japanese-language Church films. The visitors center is becoming a focus of great interest for tourists to the islands. In a program initiated in April 1972, tourists now may ride a tram from the Polynesian Cultural Center to the visitors center. During the first two months of this year the tram conveyed 9,000 visitors. A second tram will be in operation this summer. The number of Japanese visitors to the two centers is expected to reach 1200 each week.

• John R. Maestas, a Pueblo Indian from Manassa, Colorado, has been appointed chairman of the Department of Indian Education at Brigham Young University. In this position he will work with colleges and departments as he directs education programs for the 500 Indian students on campus. Brother Maestas also represents BYU on the task committee of the Church Lamanite Correlation Committee. John C. Rainer, Jr., a Taos and Creek Indian from Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, has been named coordinator of Indian Personal Services in the department and will work with the BYU Indian Educational Advisory Council, composed of faculty members and Indian students. BYU has one of the largest Indian enrollments in the United States, with students representing some 75 tribes and blends.

• A demonstration meetinghouse library has been installed on the 24th floor of the new General Church Office Building. The library, completely equipped, offers ideas on layout and storage as well as types of equipment that might be of value to ward and branch libraries. It is open during regular office hours Monday through Friday.

• The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve have authorized a name change for the External Communications Department, to the Public Communications Department. Managing director of the department is Wendell J. Ashton, a Regional Representative of the Council of the Twelve.

• Dr. Reed C. Durham, director of the Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah campus, was elected president of the Mormon History Association at its annual meeting in April. He succeeds Dr. James B. Allen, assistant Church Historian. Other new officers include Thomas G. Alexander, associate professor of history at Brigham Young University, first vice-president; Earl E. Olson, Church Archivist, second vice president; and Kenneth Godfrey, Institute of Religion, Weber State College, secretary.