Episode 281: Scott Crump Takes Us Back in Time; 100 Years of JSD

In 1905 a loaf of bread cost 4 cents, a gallon of milk 29 cents, you could buy a brand-new car for $500, and in 1905, Jordan School District was established.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you back in time to the earliest days of Jordan School District, from historic classrooms to the first graduating class of five at Bingham High. Join us on a journey 100 years in the making with historian and retired teacher Scott Crump, who authored a book you’re about to hear all about ‘The First 100 Years: A History of Jordan School District.”
Use the form below the audio transcription and enter to win one of the beloved books.
Audio Transcription
Scott Crump:
When Jordan School District turned 100, they asked me to really write a trilogy.
Anthony Godfrey:
So when you see the bus stop at the railroad crossing, that's the result of that tragic accident in the 30s in Jordan School District.
Scott Crump:
We're not going to send it up to the rough Bingham High School.
[Music]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. In 1905, a loaf of bread cost $0.04, a gallon of milk cost $0.29, and you could buy a brand new car for $500, and in 1905, Jordan School District was established.
On this episode of the Supercast, we take you back in time to the earliest days of Jordan School District, from historic classrooms to the first graduating class of five students at Bingham High School. Join us on a journey 100 years in the making with historian and retired teacher Scott Crump, who authored a book you're about to hear all about, "The First 100 Years, A History of Jordan School District." Listen and find out how you can enter to win one of these beloved books.
[Music]
We're here at Bingham High School in the alumni room talking with local historian and former Bingham High School teacher Scott Crump. Thanks for taking time with us.
Scott Crump:
You're welcome.
Anthony Godfrey:
Scott, tell us about some of the projects you've been involved in as a historian over the years.
Scott Crump:
I was a teacher here for 37 years. I taught all at Bingham High School. I taught history and government. Following in the footsteps of my father, he taught at Bingham High School for 36 years. We overlapped a few years. But I love history. I just remember, clear back, when I was in elementary school, the PTA had a history of Copperton and Copperton Elementary that I attended. And I just was so interested in that. Because I knew people who were like the first people to live in Copperton. I loved it so much that when I went to college, I majored in history. And as part of my senior project, everybody had to do a senior writing project of some kind. I chose to write the history of Copperton. So I did a small history of Copperton, which would later become a book. And that was the first history I published back in '78, I think.
And after that, then it just gets in your blood. So I was asked to write the history of Riverton, where I eventually would move. So I co-wrote a history of Riverton. And then was asked to write a history of the Bingham Copper Mine that they sell up at the souvenir place. So that's my biggest seller there.
Anthony Godfrey:
Do you ever go up there and secretly autograph a couple of copies? You've got to take a Sharpie into the store and do a little secret autograph there.
Scott Crump:
I could, but I haven't done that yet. But when Jordan School District turned 100, they asked me to really write a trilogy because I wrote the history of Jordan School District and then Jordan High School, then Bingham High School.
Anthony Godfrey:
What's crazy is that Jordan School District's 100-year celebration was now 20 years ago, and I remember it. I remember the logo that went with it, and we're thumbing through the book here that you wrote. It's really quite amazing. And there are some very memorable things that happened throughout the history of Jordan School District. So 120 years later, what are some of the things that you remember from putting this together about Jordan School District?
Scott Crump:
First of all, there was a lot of opposition to forming the Jordan School District because each community, there were about 36 communities that had their own school district. So every community, whether it be Sandy or Herriman or whatever, they had their own school district area, Bingham had its own school district. And the state urged the school districts to consolidate. The reason why is because the small school districts could only afford to do grades 1 through 8.
Now, most people only went to grades 1 through 8, but when you graduated from grammar school in the 1800s, that was basically it. But in the late 1800s, Utah started to have a few high schools like West and East High School or Salt Lake City High School. And so the only way you could afford that kind of education is for many communities to put in tax ...