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Show : Development Of Bingham Canyon Schools : Taken from "History of Bingham Canyon" by Beatrice Bea-trice Spendlove The first educational system in Bingham was crude in the extreme. Prior to 1876 townspeople towns-people (who had children of school age) subscribed money for a teacher's salary and for school expense. A committee selected a teacher and a building or room. All the children from 6 to 18 years were grouped In a room to learn the three R's. Early teachers in the Canyon had a well rounded education ot ff year's schooling. A graduate of the eighth grade was eligible to teach. In 1876 Bingham became district dis-trict 43 and came under jurisdiction juris-diction of the Salt Lake county school district and the county superintendent of schools. Bingham Bing-ham had three trustees who were elected for a two year term by qualified voters of the district. These trustees were given authority auth-ority and duty to secure and maintain schools and teaching .equipment, to hire teachers and visit the schools at least once each terra In a supervisory capacity. ca-pacity. It was left to residents and taxpayers to Judge needs of the district. Trustees could assess and collect col-lect annually a tax of of 1 on all taxable property. If necessary neces-sary trustees had authority to collect tuitions. Students bought their own slates and books. In 1931 a law was passed which provided that $25.00 would b a a"1"1 orj each school child from the state school fund. From 1876-1896 the average salary of Bingiham's teachers was $47 a month for men and $25 for women. One of the early day Bingham students speaks of his experience experi-ence in this manner: "The first school I went to was in a Methodist church house just above where the town hall is now. We didn't have grades then like you do now. We went by readers. We had the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th readers and hen you got into history. Tliea eu took the 5th, 6th and 7th reader and then you went into geography; geo-graphy; that is if you , stayed that long. Most of the ,kld3 were such big fellows that by the time they reached the 6th reader read-er they'd quit and get a Job." A standard examination was required for graduation, prepared prepar-ed and conducted by the county superintendent and trustees, was given candidates. Under the county school district dis-trict supervision the cchool was divided into grades, with consideration con-sideration for age and subject matter. In 1896 Mt. C. L. Countryman, Country-man, who taught eight grades, 55 students, In one room became a teacher In Bingham. By 1899 there were 207 students stu-dents and it became necessary to hire five teachers. The number num-ber of subjects was increased. July 1. 1905, all the small districts in the valley atid Bingham Bing-ham were consolidated into the Jordan school district. Each pre-clact pre-clact was ilYa the rifbt to elect a trustee. At present the Bingham member, Dr. Paul S. Richards, is president of the board, which selects the district superintendent. In 1907 the Bingham high school was established and the first classes held in the basement base-ment of the present Bingham Mercantile. Later a three room building was constructed. School bond elections later raised funds for larger, brick buildings and soon the camp boasted elementary elemen-tary Junior high and senior high schoolsi By 1915 there were three commodius, modern school buildings, Including equipment, a qymnaslum, swimming pool and 21 teachers. In 1924 a 12 room high school was erected. It was turned over to the elementary school In 1930. The $250,000 high school was built at Copperton. Junior and senior high school students from Bingham are transported to school by bus. There are 1200 teachers In the elementary, Junior Jun-ior and senior high schools, requiring re-quiring 34 teachers. Present sources of revenue for Jordan school are property taxes, state school fund ($25 per child) utility taxes and corporation taxes. tax-es. The mines at Bingham come under heading of corporations. 70 of the local school tax Is provided by the mining companies. com-panies. - The expressed belief ot Dr. Paul S. Richards Is that the mental level and educational attainment at-tainment of the mining people in Bingham would compare favorably fa-vorably With those of the people peo-ple ot other communities in the Mt, . |