General Primary Organization

With the approval of President John Taylor, and after noting the rough and carless behavior of boys in her Farmington, Utah neighborhood, Aurelia Spencer Rogers received the calling from her local Bishop and began planning the first meeting of the Primary Association. On Sunday, August 25, 1878 she stood at the entrance to the meeting house and welcomed over 200 boys and girls. During the next decade the Primary Association was organized in almost every Latter-day Saint settlement. Sister Louie B. Felt was called as the first general President of the Primary in 1880, however the Relief Society organization continued to take responsibility for organizing Primaries. Sister Felt and other general officers began taking more responsibility for organizing and developing the Primary after 1890. In 1902 the Children's Friend magazine began. In 1913 the Primary began contributing to pediatric hospital care, this program culminated in 1952 with the completion of the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Contributions from Primary children helped support the hospital. Beginning in 1929, the Primary organization took more responsibility for the spiritual training of children, lessons were planned for three weeks of the month and an activity on the fourth weeks. Primary meetings were held midweek until the consolidated meeting schedule was introduced in 1980. Learn more