Bingham High School 50 Years Ago
By Scott Crump
This is the fourth article in the series of articles about Bingham High School 50 Years Ago.
NEW TRADITIONS AT A NEW SCHOOL
During the 116 years that Bingham High has been in existence, it is not surprising that many traditions have been established. Some have passed by the wayside and have been forgotten, some have changed and developed, and others have grown strong and endured. Nevertheless, traditions play an important part at Bingham High School in linking students to their past and giving them perspective for the future.
Just before Bingham moved to South Jordan in 1975, Tom Pazell, a veteran Bingham High teacher and graduate of 1937, told the newly appointed principal, Tom Owen, that past principals had given him the directive to make sure that every sophomore student understood the disciplinary procedures, code of conduct, and culture of Bingham High School. He asked Dr. Owen if he wanted that to continue. Principal Owen thought for a moment about asking him exactly what that meant, and just what he intended to do to the students. However, he reconsidered and simply said, “Yes sir!” Mr. Pazell took the introduction of new students to the Bingham culture and the Bingham way of doing things seriously. (253) Many other faculty members felt the same way for they considered the Bingham culture an important part of every student’s education. One of the best ways of continuing the Bingham culture was orienting students to Bingham’s traditions since they provided a vital link to school’s past. As a result, most old traditions were continued, and new traditions were added at the new Bingham High in South Jordan. The new traditions provided the perfect way for new students who knew nothing about Bingham Canyon or the origins of Bingham High to learn about the Bingham culture and legacy.
PAY DIRT CLUB – HALL OF FAME
A miner in the early days of Bingham Canyon who struck it rich was said to have hit “pay dirt.” Those miners would take a mule, shovel, pick, and dynamite along with a drill bit and double jack (sledge hammer), and work hundreds of hours drilling, blasting, and shoveling. With the combination of hard work and a little bit of luck, a miner might find a rich vein of gold, silver, or copper ore. This was dirt that paid him money and called “pay dirt.” Since striking pay dirt symbolizes a successful miner, the Pay Dirt Club was organized in 1976 to honor successful Bingham graduates. The Pay Dirt Club is Bingham High’s version of a hall of fame. The drive to start this club was led by Linda Sandstrom, a Bingham graduate and teacher at the high school. She selected a committee that included old Binghamites Willard and Norma Nichols, Richard and Agnes “Tillie” Steele, and Virginia Harris McDonald. This committee, along with the student body officers, met to decide on the qualifications and name for the club. At this first meeting, Willard Nichols came up with the name Pay Dirt Club. Commenting on this choice, Mr. Nichols said that every miner looking for riches was said to have struck “pay dirt” when he achieved success; therefore, a club for successful Bingham Miners should be called the Pay Dirt Club. The name was quickly approved, and it was decided that the qualifications for induction into the club would be graduation from Bingham High School and success achieved in his or her chosen field. (254)
Each year new members are chosen by an alumni committee, and formally inducted into the Pay Dirt Club during Homecoming Week. Inductees include doctors, teachers, generals, a former U.S. Treasurer, professional athletes, and prominent business men and women. The pictures of these Miner graduates, which line the main hall of Bingham High, constantly serve as examples of success to current Miners. The following Miners have been inducted into the Pay Dirt Club:
BINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL PAY DIRT CLUB (HALL OF FAME)
1976 IVY BAKER PRIEST (1924) Treasurer of the United States
1976 COLONEL AVERY MASTERS (1933) Military colonel, served at the United States Pentagon
1976 DR. ANDREW CONTRATTO (1925) Medical doctor, heart specialist in Massachusetts
1976 DR. LENORE RICHARDS (1935) Medical doctor, one of Utah’s first women surgeons
1977 IVOR PICKERING (1935) Mining executive, Vice President of Kennecott Copper
1977 DR. PETER PITCHOS (1931) Law enforcement, Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California
1978 THEROS “TED” SPEROS (1934) Businessman, manager and owner of Lamb’s Café in Salt Lake
1978 GEORGE SLUGA (1960) Educator, history teacher and coach at Bingham High
1979 DENNIS NICHOLS (1963) Health care provider, acclaimed organist, and pianist
1980 VIRGINIA HARRIS McDONALD (1934) Educator, Bingham High dance teacher, and Minerette advisor
1980 MITCHELL MELICH (1929) Lawyer and politician, Utah State Senator, Republican candidate for governor of Utah in 1964, and solicitor in the US Department of Interior
1981 HAROLD CHESLER (1929) Businessman, manager of the Princess Theater in Bingham, owner of Salt Lake Theatre Candy Distribution Company
1981 PEARL MILNER WAGSTAFF (1960) Creative artist, dance instructor, and educator
1982 NICHOLAS VIDALAKIS (1946) Businessman, owner and operator of the Family Center Malls
1983 GENERAL JOHN L. MATTHEWS (1950) Educator and military officer, adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, teacher, and principal
1983 BRUCE HARDY (1974) Athlete, professional football player for the Miami Dolphins
1984 DR. RUSSELL SUMNICHT (1934) Dentist, commanding officer of military dental clinics, president of International Men’s Clubs
1984 KENNETH SHULSEN (1960) State corrections administrator, warden of the Utah State Prison
System
1985 WILLIAM R. BOREN (1947) Educator, superintendent of Weber County School District, Utah State Office of Education administrator
1985 FRED ROBERTS (1978) Athlete, professional basketball player for the NBA
1986 JIMMY BROWN (1944) Businessman, founder and co-owner of Stevens and Brown Sports stores, served on the National Sporting Goods Board of Directors
1986 FARLEY GERBER (1978) Athlete, won the NCAA National Steeple Chase Championship
1987 DELMAR SCHICK (1944) Educator and administrator, teacher and coach at Bingham High, principal of Hillcrest High
1987 DR. NED BROWN (1949) Social worker, earned PhD in social work, co-founded a drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospital
1988 ELLEN VIDALAKIS FURGIS (1944) Business woman, extensive civic involvement, and service
1988 DR. JOHN KNUDSEN (1947) Doctor of Dentistry, extensive work with civic organizations, and community service
1989 DR. WILLIAM DALE CRUMP (1949) Doctor of Dentistry, school board member, service with civic organizations, author
1989 ALTA MILLER (1922) Educator and administrator, vice-president of the National Association of Child Educators
1990 OLE HERVILLA (1928) Businessman, owner and operator of the Little River (California) Inn
and Resort
1990 MARION DUNN (1941) Journalist, renowned sportswriter for local newspapers, and president of the National Football Writers of America
1990 J. CAL CRUMP (1947) Educator, coach, counselor, and vocational coordinator for Bingham High
1991 BRENT OVERSON (1968) Politician, Utah State Senator, Chief Assessor of Salt Lake County, Salt Lake County Commissioner
1991 GRANT PULLAN (1953) Educator, assistant superintendent of Jordan School District
1992 CLEO GROVES RILEY (1942) Educator, Wyoming Teacher of the Year
1993 NANETTE SANTISTEVAN NOBLE (1952) Educator, first woman Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Jordan School District
1994 GORDON RUSSELL LOVELESS (1942) Businessman and mechanical engineer, executive vice president, chairman, and managing director of Chicago Bridge & Iron
1994 ANN PACHINA SLATTERY (1946) Athlete, nationally acclaimed bowler
1995 RICHARD DOTSON (1960) Educator, college professor at Southern Utah State University, 1993-1994 Professor of the Year
1995 JOHN ANDERSEN (1942) Industrial engineer, journalist for US Mining Co. and Varian Associates
1996 DON GUST (1950) Educator, coach and athletic director at Hillcrest High, professional baseball
scout
1996 GEORGE ADDY (1944) Educator, BYU history professor, author
1997 JOHN GORIS (1956) Civil engineer, U.S. Bureau of Mines researcher, selected US Mines Federal Engineer of the Year
1997 D. TOM LOVAT (1957) Educator, coach, professional football coach for the Green Bay Packers.
1998 DENNY SIMKINS CARLISLE (1952) Educator and administrator, principal of Bingham High (1986-1994)
1998 LINDA LONG SANDSTROM (1960) Educator and administrator, principal of Alta and Hillcrest High Schools
1999 NORMA NICHOLS (1928) Extensive community service, served on Primary General Board for the LDS Church, originator of the CTR (Choose the Right) ring, helped found BHS Alumni Foundation
1999 TOM JAMES (1956) Businessman, President of Asset Deployment, Inc. of Southern California
2000 JOAN BEARD THOMPSON (1952) Lawyer and judge, one of first women to be a U.S. Federal Administrative Court judge
2000 ANTHONY “TONY” J. MONTOYA (1940) Social worker, promoted causes for senior citizens, authored Hands Across New York, worked with groups concerned with service for the aged
2001 NED MILLER (1950) Businessman, CEO of long-term health care facilities in California
2001 NORBERT MARTINEZ (1958) Businessman, originator and owner of Mama Maria’s Mexican food products
2002 DENISE PARKER (1992) Athlete, bronze medalist in Women’s Archery at the 1988 Olympic games in Korea and a silver medalist at the 1992 Olympic games in Spain
2002 GREG NEWBOLD (1985) Artist, illustrator, nationally acclaimed graphic artist
2003 VICTOR ROBLEZ (1946) Structural engineer, principal partner of major structural engineering firm, involved in design of many major buildings in Utah and across the nation
2003 HARRY PAPPASIDERIS (1958) Electrical engineer and businessman, launched a number of revolutionary printing products while working at Xerox
2004 SCOTT CRUMP (1970) Educator, Bingham High history teacher, 2004 Utah Teacher of the Year, historian, and author
2004 GEORGE DIMAS (1947) Social worker, originator of Hughes Act of 1970, which recognized alcoholism as a disease
2005 WAYNE RAY (1946) Social worker, YMCA work, wrote a health and fitness column for Portland’s Oregonian Newspaper and dubbed Portland’s “Father of Fitness”
2005 RICHARD “DICK” PETERSON (1942) Educator, science teacher, and Utah State Office of Education administrator
2006 GEORGE LENDARIS (1970) Doctor and physical therapist, pioneer in sports medicine
2006 JAMES PRIGMORE (1961) Musician and composer of more than 500 compositions, and musical director of the Pioneer Memorial Theater
2007 MARK KOURIS (1979) Lawyer and judge, Utah State Court judge, assistant attorney general, assistant federal defender, and deputy district attorney
2007 ROBERT COWDELL (1948) Miner and electrician, Kennecott Copper electrical supervisor, city councilman, and extensive community service
2007 THOMAS BROWN (1948) Educator, professor of French and Italian at BYU, chairman of Honors Program, and author of numerous textbooks
2008 RANDY BRINKERHOFF (1964)
Businessman, city councilman and school board member.
2008 REID TATEOKA (1972)
Lawyer, civic leader, and mission president
2009 MARILYN RICHARDS (1968)
Educator and administrator, principal of South Jordan Middle and
Jordan High Schools and Jordan School District School Board
member.
2009 JOHN SALTAS (1972)
Journalist, founder, editor and publisher of Salt Lake City Weekly
newspaper.
2010 MICHAEL BELL (1972)
Lawyer, military officer, mission president, and assistant attorney general of Utah
2011 JUNE HOLMES GARRITY (1946) Journalist, writer, designer and editor of corporate news magazines including Kennecott’s Kennescope.
2011 GARY L. HATCH (1982)
Educator and administrator, professor of English at BYU, chief
reader of national AP English test, director of BYU Honors Program,
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education
2012 SHERMAN MARGETTS (1971)
Businessman, civic leader, and mission president.
2013 ROBYN HILL BERGSTROM (1973)
Educator, professor of communications, and dean of the College
Business and Communication at BYU-Idaho
2013 JACK MANNION (1955)
Educator, coach, and administrator in the Clark County (Las Vegas),
Nevada School district and civic leader
2014 CRAIG BURTON (1969)
Businessman, real estate developer, civic leader and mission president
2014 CARMEN FREEMAN (1972)
Accountant, Jordan School District Board member, Mayor of
Herriman City and civic leader
2015 CLAUDIA PARRY ANDERSON (1965)
Inventor, international businesswoman, Mayor of Bluffdale City,
civic leader, and founder of educational foundation and school to
teach deaf children to talk
2015 JOEL SATO (1974)
Educator, coach and athletic director at Bingham High School, Utah
Coach of the Year, and member of the National High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame
2016 DAVID L. GOURLEY (1970)
Educator, school administrator, principal of Taylorsville High School,
and Granite School District assistant superintendent
2016 REBECCA CHAVEZ HOUCK (1978)
Journalist, non-profit organization administrator, civic leader,
community activist, politician, and member of the Utah State House
of Representatives
2017 JAMES MARGETTS (1985)
Educator, college dean, and musician
2017 ROBIN PILCHER (1970)
Firefighter, paramedic and first responder
2018 CLAY BUTTERFIELD (1967)
Educator at Bingham High, rancher and farmer
2019 GARY AND DEANNE BILLS CURTIS (1963 & 1965)
Miner (Gary) High school administrative assistant in the Jordan
School District (Deanne)
2020 (NO AWARD GIVEN)
STRIKING PAY DIRT
Since 1982, the annual pay dirt drilling ceremony at the beginning of the school year has become a tradition that links current Bingham Miners to their historic past. By the 1980s, most of the students at Bingham High had no connection with Bingham Canyon, and it was felt that a tradition was needed that reconnected them to the mining heritage of Bingham High. After the story of an old-time miner’s quest for pay dirt has been explained at the Opening or Homecoming Assembly, students are challenged to seek pay dirt in their own academic, athletic, and activity endeavors throughout the year. A few students representing various groups in the school are then given the honor of ceremonially beginning the school’s pursuit for pay dirt that year. Donning a miner’s hat and using an old double-jack and a drill bit, student body officers, class presidents, new administrators, and other spotlighted students or guests drill a rock taken from Bingham Canyon. The two student leaders who hold the drill bit with a board enjoy watching, along with the student body, the variety of drilling styles that are a part of this popular Miner tradition.
At the close of the year, at the Inauguration Assembly for the new student body officers, graduating seniors who have rendered outstanding service to Bingham High and have attained high levels of academic achievement and citizenship, are awarded the Pick Award. Faculty members nominate deserving seniors whose selfless service has helped school programs throughout the year and whose scholarship and citizenship are exemplary. The ten Pick Award winners each year are given a special pin with two crossed miner’s picks. The most outstanding senior boy and girl in the three areas of service, scholarship, and citizenship receive the Pick and Shovel Award. Recipients of this award receive a medal engraved with the Bingham coat of arms that entitles them to lifetime admission to Bingham High School events.
THE MINER’S CANDLE / LIGHT
A tradition started in the mid-1980s to provide closure to the current school year and transition to the next school year was the lighting of candles as part of the inauguration of the new student body officers. At the beginning of the Inauguration Assembly, usually after the Pick and Shovel awards have been presented, the student body is reminded that the success of any year comes only through the collective efforts of many dedicated Miners. Their efforts are compared to “old time” miners who had to work hard to achieve success. The students are shown various miners’ lights, including a Sticking Tommy (a candle in a metal holder that can be stuck into the side of a tunnel) and a carbide light, and told that an essential element of an underground miner’s success was a reliable source of light. As miners labored hundreds of feet underground in dark and sometimes damp conditions, light helped them discover possible dangers. A flickering light warned the miners of a lack of fresh oxygen. A light could prevent falls down deep shafts, spot unsafe rocks, or even help miners discover the mother lode. Seven blue candles standing aside seven white candles on the stage table are then lit, one for each current student body officer. They represent the lights of all the students at Bingham High that have been shining throughout the year as well as the lights and traditions of all the Bingham Miners who came before them. It is pointed out that historically candle light has been used to represent some new truth or tradition one has learned or come to appreciate, and now it is time for the current student body officers who have represented everyone throughout the past year to pass on their lights to next year’s officers who will then become the custodians of the school’s traditions for the upcoming year. All the current officers have a chance to say a few final words after which they announce their successors who are escorted with Olympic fanfare to the stage by their parents. The new officers light their white candles with the flame of their predecessor, after which the returning officers blow their candles out. After the oath of office is administered to the new student leaders, the new president delivers his inaugural address to the student body. The Miner’s Candle Ceremony has proven to be an effective tradition in not only bringing closure to the student body for the current year, but also for providing transition to the upcoming year.
BURNING THE ‘B’
For many years in the old city of Bingham a huge bonfire was built near the Copperfield Tunnel at the upper end of Main Street by City Hall as a rally point for football pep rallies. After Miner fans had been worked into a frenzy around the fiery conflagration, they celebrated by dancing down Main Street in a snake formation that wound in and out of Bingham City’s many businesses. (255) Reminiscent of these bonfires in Bingham’s early years, a tradition was started at the new school in South Jordan of burning a large wire block “B.” It is burned twice a year at the Homecoming Pep Rally in the fall and at graduation or the yearbook stomp at the end of the year. The 1980 Coppertoniandescribed the typical Homecoming burning of the “B”:
With game day drawing near, the school was at her finest. The spotlight moved outdoors in the moonlight to a rip-roaring pep rally…With spirit sky-high the crowd watched silently as the Bingham “B” was burned and anticipation mounted for the football game. (256)
The 2000 Coppertonian added:
Continuing the long-lived Bingham tradition, students gathered to watch the blazing “B.” As the “B” burns, so does pride in the hearts of the students. (257)
Many students felt that burning the “B” was one of the best parts of Homecoming and another student recalled that when she saw the burning “B,” she wanted to scream, “I’m a Miner!” (258) At graduation the burning “B” took on a different significance. Kevin Thompson (Class of 1991) remembered thinking that, as he watched the “B” burn through graduation night, it represented the culmination of high school spirit and a lot of hard work and sweat. Another senior reminisced about the time he walked out on the football field after graduation and saw the “B” lit up. He remembered standing there with friends who would soon be going in many different directions—knowing that their relationships would never be the same—hugging everyone and crying as the burning “B” brought closure to his high school experience. (259)
BINGHAM VICTORY LIGHT /FLAME
Lighting the “B” in the Copperton years of Bingham High meant taking strings of lights and a generator up on the block “B” on the Oquirrh Mountains and illuminating the “B” for Homecoming and graduation. During the South Jordan years, lighting the “B” took on an entirely different format. In the mid-1980s, student leaders felt it would be nice to publicly announce victories won by Bingham’s many sports teams. At the same time the family of Bingham’s legendary coach Bailey Santistevan wanted to contribute funds to the school to create a tribute to Coach Santistevan. The two groups came together to create Bingham’s Victory Light. Vocational students constructed the light, consisting of a square of four metal “Bs” surrounding an Olympic-like gas cauldron, on the south side of the football stadium. (260) The memorial Victory Light was dedicated at the 1986 Homecoming festivities. The Prospectorrecorded the event:
The official dedication of a memorial built in honor of Coach Bailey Santistevan was made by Mr. (Bob) Wood and Mr. Cal Crump. Many people who once knew Coach Santistevan came to see this memorial and witness the dedication. Four (metal) “Bs,” placed in a square on bricks, stand just south of the football field. Concentrated in the center is a torch to be lit at any time of a victory favoring BHS or a special event taking place at Bingham. (261)
The plaque on the memorial’s base reads:
Dedicated to Bingham’s Sons and Daughters in memory of Coach Bailey J. “Sandy” Santistevan who instilled in those he touched the quest for excellence and brought to Bingham High School a winning tradition. Coached 1928-1954. (262)
At the dedication ceremony, Bailey J. Santistevan Jr. had the honor of lighting the Victory Light first. Later it was decided the light should be lit only when a Bingham team won a state championship. Since that time it has been proudly lit many times announcing championship victories to all who passed the home of the Miners.
PINNING CEREMONY
In 1981, soon after he was appointed principal of Bingham High, Bob Day (1980-1986) decided he wanted to do more to recognize student achievement. He felt that recognition was needed for non-athletic students whose achievements went unnoticed. He loved to collect pins himself, so one day while looking through a school award catalog, he picked out a pin he thought students might like. He ordered about three dozen pins that first year and called students down to his office to congratulate them and then award them a pin. Faculty members also received pins for outstanding accomplishments. (263) From this small beginning, the pinning tradition evolved over the next 25 years. By the time Tom Hicks (1998-2005) finished his tenure as principal, the pinning ceremony included a meeting (usually in the Alumni Conference Room), some type of treat, a talk by the principal about Bingham traditions, a Bingham handshake, and the recipient saying, “Thank you,” then, “It’s a great day to be a Miner.” (The two-handed handshake symbolized how a Miner would handle a pick and shovel and also that these tools were work tools that represent a solid work ethic. In addition, it represented the fact that Miners were expected to get involved and do their best.) Pins at this time were designed by the student body officers soon after they took office in the spring and custom made during the summer. Around 2,500 pins were awarded each year and once gone they would never be replicated in exactly the same way. (264) Principal Hicks outlined the evolution of the ceremony:
“It’s a great day to be a Miner,” was added sometime during the 1999-2000 year when I was pinning Scott Winder in the library. Scott was a Student of the Month and he was excited to be part of a recognition luncheon (sponsored by) the Foothill Rotary Club… In his excitement he said, “It’s a great day to be a Miner!” I liked the statement so much that I made every student say it after they received their school pin. In the beginning, some students became more respectful and more completely considered what the statement actually meant. It has become a huge thing at the school and the students now just expect to say, “It’s a great day to be a Miner.” One time while the student body president (Michael Reeder) was pinning the members of the Jordan School District Board of Education, a board member actually said that she didn’t want to say, “It’s a great day to be a Miner” because she was an Alta Hawk. The President said that if she didn’t say it, she wouldn’t get a pin. The Board member then said, “It’s a great day to be a Miner (and very quickly added) and a Hawk,” and he gave her a pin… We have pinned literally thousands of students, parents, alumni, patrons, community members, faculty and staff, district, state and national government people and even some international people with whom we have come in contact. (265)
Over the years the pinning ceremony has become an integral part of the Bingham experience. It encouraged achievement in Bingham’s academics, activities, and athletics, promoted the Bingham culture, and allowed the administration to demonstrate its appreciation and care for Miner students.