EARLY SANDY SCHOOLS - Sandy, UT - Utah Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This Sons of Utah Pioneers historical marker describes the development of schools in the early years of Sandy City. The plaque is located at, 8781 S 250 East, in the historic area of the city. The marker reads:

Sons of Utah Pioneers

EARLY SANDY SCHOOLS

Sandy's first school building, a single room, was constructed on this property in 1881. However, the community's first classes of learning were held somewhat earlier at an unknown location in a log cabin. Dimensions of the first school building built were 25 x 45 feet. Furniture included a number of chairs and a few long benches. Seats were shared, side by side, in three rows. The teacher's desk and the stove were also in the room. During the colder months children took turns bringing in wood and coal to keep the fire burning in the stove. Older boys brought fresh water daily from the old well in Sandy business area. At lunchtime each boy and girl drank from the single long handled dipper. Forty students of all ages attended Sandy's one-room school the first year. Sadie Tripp was the first teacher. She taught almost for two years, then was joined by Miss Gibson and Flora Tripp. Later John Smith and William T. Stewart became part of the faculty. The first Principal was James B. Jensen. Stewart's contributions in Sandy and elsewhere were recognized by John R. Park, first president of the University of Utah, when he named the University's Elementary Training School for the young teacher. Books used in Sandy's first school were The Pacific National Wilson Readers, Ray's Arithmetic, Penney's Grammar, and the famous McGuffy Readers. Students furnished their own books, pencils and slates. Boys in the class cleaned their slates by spitting on them and then wiping them with their shirt sleeves. The girls were more gentile. They brought small bottles of water and rags to do the job.

In the evening the school house was used for debates, spelling bees and town meetings. As time passed, the school was expanded to two rooms - then more. In the early 1880's, a high school, two-story, dark red brick, replaced the expanded framed structure. Its 8 rooms, 4 on each floor, met the early needs for more than 15 years. Construction of the new three-story, 12 room school, at the east end of Main Street in 1907 marked the end of most but not all elementary education on that site. Some of the smaller classes still met here when the new school became overcrowded. As the elementary students moved out, their older brothers and sisters moved in. Area education leaders decided in 1908 the vacated grammar school should become the first permanent home of Jordan High School.

Site No. 11 Temple Quarry Chapter, Sons of Utah Pioneers Dedicated July 4, 1986

Marker Name: Early Sandy Schools Marker Type: City County: Salt Lake City: Sandy Group Responsible for Placement: Sons of Utah Pioneers Date Dedicated: July 4, 1986 Marker Number: 11 Web link(s) for additional information: http://history.utah.gov/apps/markers/detailed_results.php?markerid=2174 Addtional Information: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark. If possible please post a photo of you OR your GPS at the marker location. Also if you know of any additional links not already mentioned about this bit of Utah history please include that in your log.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   06/23/2021 HikingSeal visited it 09/02/2011 Chasing Blue Sky visited it

View all visits/logs