Utah's second-largest district plans to celebrate centennial

By Loretta Park

Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau

Sun, 08/28/2011 - 9:53am

Images

(Photo courtesy of Davis School District) This photo of the original Davis High School at 325 S. Main in Kaysville was probably taken before 1920, says Suzanne Cottrell, Davis School District’s centennial coordinator. The building was erected in 1914, and rooms were added as student enrollment rose. In 2004, a new Davis High School was built around the original building while classes continued. When construction was complete, the old building was demolished, Cottrell says. In 1911, 2,730 students attended 31 schools in the district, and 27 of those schools had only one to four rooms. Today, nearly 67,000 students attend 86 schools in Davis School District, which this year is celebrating 100 years of educating students.

(ANTHONY SOUFFLE/Standard-Examiner) The original Davis High School at 325 S. Main in Kaysville was erected in 1914, and rooms were added as student enrollment rose, says Suzanne Cottrell, Davis School District’s centennial coordinator. In 2004, a new Davis High School (seen here) was built around the original building while classes continued. When construction was complete, the old building was demolished, Cottrell says. In 1911, 2,730 students attended 31 schools in the district, and 27 of those schools had only one to four rooms. Today, nearly 67,000 students attend 86 schools in Davis School District, which this year is celebrating 100 years of educating students.

FARMINGTON -- Davis School District has been in the business of educating children for the past 100 years.

It all began when the county's student population reached 2,500, said Suzanne Cottrell, the district's centennial coordinator.

Before July 17, 1911, the county had 13 school districts. West Point, Bountiful and Kaysville each had their own school district.

But the county consolidated all of the districts within its boundaries to form Davis School District, now the second-largest school district in Utah.

In 1911, 2,730 students attended 31 neighborhood schools. Of those, four schools had eight or more rooms, while 27 schools had one to four rooms, according to the district's website.

Today, nearly 67,000 students attend 86 schools, with the newest one -- Centennial Junior High School -- opening this fall in Kaysville.

"I want to stress, Davis School District has always put learning first," said Marian Storey, district school board president and a retired teacher.

Storey, who taught Advanced Placement English at Davis High School in Kaysville until she retired 16 years ago, said today's district has to meet the challenges of teaching students the basics while incorporating technology.

Also challenging is the fact that the demographics of the county have changed since the district was formed 100 years ago.

Back then, students came from farms. Today, students in the district speak more than 50 languages, Storey said.

Cottrell has spent many hours reading about the history of the district.

She said one thing she learned is that the hot lunch program started in the 1920s. The district hired a woman who worked out of her home, making soup using meat provided by the district and vegetables provided by the students.

The woman would bring the soup to the school a half-hour before lunch and fill up the students' tin cups, which they brought from home, Cottrell said.

The district is working on several events to commemorate its 100 years, she said.

One of those is a read-a-thon set for Feb. 1, which marks 100 days of the traditional school calendar.

"It is still in the planning stages, but we hope every school will have a read-a-thon that week," Cottrell said.

Students who graduate next June may also see a special watermark or symbol on their diplomas, commemorating the 100th graduating class of the district, she said.

"That is what we are here for, to see these kids graduate."

Something to submit?

To submit alumni stories and photographs or to nominate a notable graduate, go to http://www.davis.k12.ut.us and click on “Visit Our Centennial Website,” or you can reach Suzanne Cottrell, the district’s centennial coordinator, at 801-402-5173 or sucottrell@dsdmail.net.