Primary Organization Research GuidePrimary Classes

Primary Classes

Primary Organization Research Guide

Elba Ward Primary, 1903

*Year*₁	*Age*	*Name*
1908	4–5	Grade 1
	6–7	Grade 2
	8–9	Grade 3
	10–11	Grade 4
	12–13	Grade 5

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*
1915	4–5	Group 1	Grade changed to Group
	6–7	Group 2	Grade changed to Group
	8–9	Group 3	Grade changed to Group
	10–11	Group 4	Grade changed to Group
	12–13	Group 5 Girls and Boys	Grade changed to Group; Girls separated from boys

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1922	12	Junior Seagull	Group 5 Girls changed to Seagull	Serve gladly.
	13	Senior Seagull	Group 5 Girls changed to Seagull	Serve gladly.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1925	10–11	Trail Builder	Group 4 Girls separated from Boys; Group 4 Boys changed to Trail Builder	I’ll strive to do my best; to be loyal to my Heavenly Father, to honor my parents, to obey tribe rules, and to serve every day.
	12–13	Group 5 Boys	Group 5 Boys discontinued; 12–13 boys moved to Y.M.M.I.A. upon 12th birthday; prior to this there was the option to stay in Primary

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1926	10–11	Bluebird	Group 4 Girls changed to Bluebird	The world needs happiness.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1928	8–9	Zion’s Girl or Zeegee	Group 3 Girls separated from Boys; Girls name changed to Zeegee or Zion’s Girl	Be honest.
	8–9	Zion’s Boy or Zeebee	Group 3 Girls separated from Boys; Boys name changed to Zeebee or Zion’s Boy	Be honest.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1929	Preschool	Beginners	Includes boys and girls	Little builders, build away! Little builders, build today! Build a tower pure and bright, Build it up in deeds of light.
	6	Group 1	Includes boys and girls	Little builders, build away! Little builders, build today! Build a tower pure and bright, Build it up in deeds of light.
	7	Group 2	Includes boys and girls	Little builders, build away! Little builders, build today! Build a tower pure and bright, Build it up in deeds of light.
	8	Zion’s Girl or Zeegee	9-year-old girls moved to Home Builder group	Be honest.
	8	Zion’s Boy or Zeebee	9-year-old boys moved to Trail Builder group	Be honest.
	9	Trail Builder: Blazer	Trail Builder group divided by ages	I’ll strive to do my best.
	9	Home Builder: Lark	Girls put into the Home Builder group and divided by ages	Love lights the way.
	10	Trail Builder: Trekker	Trail Builder group divided by ages	Reverence my Heavenly Father in word and in deed.
	10	Home Builder: Bluebird	Girls put into the Home Builder group and divided by ages	The world needs happiness.
	11	Trail Builder: Guide	Trail Builder group divided by ages	Be loyal to my country; honor my father and mother; do a good turn daily.
	11	Home Builder: Seagull	Girls put into the Home Builder group and divided by ages	Serve gladly.
	12–13	Mi-kan-wee or Pathfinder	Activity program for older girls instead of having them graduate to Y.W.M.I.A. Discontinued in 1934.	Have faith, be brave, be strong, be true, move forward.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1951	Under 4	Nursery	Age change	No motto: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like a compass, is a guide helping boys and girls find the Right Way.₂
	4	Beginners	Age change	No motto: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like a compass, is a guide helping boys and girls find the Right Way.
	5	Group 1	Age change	No motto: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like a compass, is a guide helping boys and girls find the Right Way.
	6	Group 2	Age change, name change from Group 1	No motto: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like a compass, is a guide helping boys and girls find the Right Way.
	7	Co-Pilot	Name change from Group 2	No motto: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like a compass, is a guide helping boys and girls find the Right Way.
	8	Top-Pilot	Name change from Zeegee and Zeebee	“I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). I will try to follow Him.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto₃*
1956	3	Nursery	Age change, specify 3 years old
	4	Sunbeam	Name change from Beginner; Sunbeams become part of the Skylet group	4-year-olds give a sparkle of light and warmth to the world about them.
	5	Star	Name change from Group 1	Primary Stars by their example will guide their associates to a better life.
	6	Rainbow	Name change from Group 2	The rainbow is meant to inspire the child to be a promise keeper too.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1959	9	Lihoma: Gaynote	Name changed from Home Builder (girls) to Lihoma (Little Homemaker); Lark changed to Gaynote	I will bring the light of the gospel into my home by greeting the day with a song.
1960	10	Lihoma: Firelight	Name changed from Home Builder (girls) to Lihoma; Bluebird changed to Firelight	I will bring the light of the gospel into my home by greeting the day with a song and by giving joy to others.
1961	11	Lihoma: Merrihand	Name changed from Home Builder (girls) to Lihoma; Seagull changed to Merrihand	I will bring the light of the gospel into my home by greeting the day with a song, by giving joy to others, and by serving gladly.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*
1961	3	Moonbeam	Name changed from Nursery

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1964	6	CTR Pilot	Name changed from Rainbow	Choose the right.
	7	Right Way Pilot	Name changed from Co-Pilot	Live the right way by following the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1970	3	Moonbeam	No change
	4	Star A	Name change from Sunbeam; also discarded the term Skylets	When I am kind and when I obey, I give the world a happier day.
	5	Star B	Name change from Star; also discarded the term Skylets	When I am kind and when I obey, I give the world a happier day.
	6	CTR A	Name change from CTR Pilot	Choose the right.
	7	CTR B	Name change from Co-Pilot	Choose the right.
	8	Targeteer A	Name change from Right Way Pilot	I aim to live the teachings of Jesus Christ
	9	Targeteer B	Name change from Trail Builder: Blazer (boys) and Lihoma: Gaynote (girls)	I aim to live the teachings of Jesus Christ.
	10	Merrie Miss A	Name change from Lihoma: Firelight (girls)	I will radiate the light of the gospel.
	10	Blazer A	Name change from Trail Builder: Trekker (boys)	I will prepare to receive and honor the priesthood.
	11	Merrie Miss B	Name change from Lihoma: Merrihand (girls)	I will radiate the light of the gospel.
	11	Blazer B	Name change from Trail Builder: Guide	I will prepare to receive and honor the priesthood.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1971	3	Sunbeam	Name change from Moonbeam	A Sunbeam truly gives light and life to the world.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1980	18 months	Nursery	Nursery falls under Primary organization rather than Junior Sunday School or Relief Society₃

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
1995₄	18 months–2 years	Sunbeam—Nursery	Name change from Sunbeam	Sunbeams bring light and happiness to their families and friends.
	3–4	Sunbeam 4	Name change from Sunbeam	Sunbeams bring light and happiness to their families and friends.
	4–5	CTR 5	Name change from Star A	CTRs follow the example of Jesus as they choose the right.
	5–6	CTR 6	Name change from Star B	CTRs follow the example of Jesus as they choose the right.
	6–7	CTR 7	Name change from CTR A	CTRs follow the example of Jesus as they choose the right.
	7–8	CTR 8	Name change from CTR B	Valiants study the scriptures and live the teachings of Jesus.
	8–9	Valiant 9	Name change from Targeteer A	Valiants study the scriptures and live the teachings of Jesus.
	9–10	Valiant 10	Name change from Targeteer B	Valiants study the scriptures and live the teachings of Jesus.
	10–11	Valiant 11	Name change from Merrie Miss A and Blazer A	Valiants study the scriptures and live the teachings of Jesus.
	11–12	Valiant 12	Name change from Merrie Miss B and Blazer B	Valiants study the scriptures and live the teachings of Jesus.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*	*Motto*
2000	18 months–3 years	Nursery	Sunbeam to Nursery	Adjustments to Nursery, including using Primary 1 manual for Nursery
	3–4	Sunbeam	Name change from Sunbeam 4	Sunbeams bring light and happiness to their families and friends.

*Year*	*Age*	*Name*	*Change Made*
2018₅	11	Valiant 11	Valiant 11 class discontinued with new age advancement procedures

Sources:

1. Early class name information gathered from Carol Cornwall Madsen and Susan Staker Oman, Sisters and Little Saints: One Hundred Years of Primary (Salt Lake City,: Deseret Book, 1979), appendix 4.

2. Carol Cornwall Madsen and Susan Staker Oman, Sisters and Little Saints: One Hundred Years of Primary (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979), 209.

3. See “Organizations Offer Preview of Programs,” Church News, Feb. 9, 1980.

4. See “Naming Primary Classes,” First Presidency letter, Feb. 2, 1995.

5. See General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 12.1.3, accessed May 14, 2020, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Primary Themes