Bingham Music
School Hymn & Pep Song
Music and Bingham High School are harmonious with one another. A majority of our students are involved in music programs and music has always been an important part of Bingham High.
History of the School Hymn by historian, teacher, Alumni Foundation President, Scott Crump (excerpt from the Bingham High School–The First Hundred Years (1908-2008). pp.122-123
Robert Knotts, a Bingham English and debate teacher, had recently completed writing a poem entitled, “Dreams of Bingham High,” that he felt paid a fitting tribute to the school he had grown to love. Two girls in his class, who had heard him recite the lines, took his composition down to the auditorium where Lowell Hicks was playing the newly acquired Hammond organ. Showing him the poem, they asked if he could put the inspiring words to music. He agreed and while sitting at the organ, he fingered a little melody, writing down the notes as he composed. Over the next few days he added a four-part harmony to the hymn-like composition, and Bingham High’s school hymn was completed.
Harmonies came naturally to Mr. Hicks, an experienced musician, who not only was the Bingham music teacher but also played in the Utah Symphony and on some local radio shows. The student body loved the composition and voted, in 1953, to adopt the piece as the school hymn. This hymn was not intended to replace the school song, but was adopted so that students had something more solemn to sing at official functions like graduation and the conclusion of school assemblies. At first Mr. Hicks or a student played the hymn on the organ, and the student body would sing along. Later, the cheerleaders were added to help lead the singing.
RaNae Holliday Groves (Class of 1954) believed her class was the first to sing the new hymn at graduation and remembered how beautiful it sounded to her then. She still got emotional when she sang it 50 years later. Over the years the hymn became a traditional part of each school assembly, whether it was sung by a performing group like the madrigal choir or the students themselves. The official name of the hymn is “Dreams of Bingham High,” and the words go as follows:
Day is ending, night is blending , stars among the blue
Memories wonder while we ponder school days fond and true.
As the golden sun sets in the west –
We lay our dreams of Bingham High to rest.
We’ll always remember the blue and the white
And faces so tender and dear –
We’ll always remember the stars in the night
That whine on our campus to clear.
We’ll always remember the laughs and the smiles
And the struggles, the sorrows and tears.
But though we may travel o’er many strange miles,
We’ll always remember in May and September –
Bingham High as our happiest years.
Bingham Miners’ School Song
Bingham Sons and Daughters,
Like the mighty waters,
Roll along to to victory.
Tides of Warriors greet us,
With their teams to beat us
But we’ll fight for victory
Onward! Onward! Team against the foe,
Forward! Forward! Our honored banners go.
All our foes will tremble,
As our teams assemble
ON, ON, ON, TO VICTORY!
Second Verse
Hear the echoes ringing,
Hear the students singing,
‘Tis our song of victory,
Colors flying o’er us,
Blue and white before us,
Lead us on to victory
Onward! Onward! Team against the foe,
Forward! Forward! The Bingham Miners go.
Bingham we are with you,
And we’re here to cheer you
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FOR VICTORY!
The school pep song also made its debut during the Copperton years. Sung to the tune of the “Our director” march, the pep song was introduced to motivate and energize teams and fans during crucial times in athletic contests. The words to this song went like this:
Here’s to our dear high school yes, Bingham High
Here’s to our colors, may they fly on high.
Climbing, ever climbing, we’ll ever be,
Leading our colors to victory.
The Miners are the heroes, gallant and true,
They are all fighting for the white and the blue.
Cheering, shouting, yelling: we’ll have fair play, There’s no rebelling we all can say.