Poplar School

Submitted by Roxey R. Heslop

Poplar was a branch of the Plain City Ward and it received its name from the long rows of Poplar trees on both sides of the street. The school district was organized in 1891. First school was held in the home of Peter Me Cue located about 3475 West 1975 North. James L. Robson was the first teacher followed by Mrs. W. Winslow and Myra Gray.

A one room school house was built about 1894 at 3320 West 1975 North. This picture is not the Poplar school which had no windows in the front but on the west side and there was a wood shed at the back but it is very similar in many ways.

The teachers were Bessie Zinn, Blanch Bagley, Fred W. Dalton, Naomi Tracy, Emma Anderson, Sarah Stevenson, Etta Brown, Lottie Heniger, Minnie Rudiger, Melvina Wayment, Esther Stewart, Welthy Lake, and Pearl Tracy.

The Poplar School House was the center of church and social activities. Sunday School was organized 3 Sept. 1894. Primary and Religion were held there.

Dances were wonderful. Everyone danced and the young folks were taught to waltz, two-step, quadrille, polkas, schottishes and others that were popular at that time. Richard Lund with his violin accompanied by his daughters, Annie or Alminda on the organ. Often lunch was served. Children's dances were held.

The Poplar Lane people were like a united family. Everyone went to church and attended all social events. All the children played together.

Nearly all of the folks have gone but those who are left en30y wonderful memories of the days of activity, associations and inspiration that was brought from the one-room school.

PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILT IN 1906

This was located on the site of the present Plain City Elementary School. It included elementary through tenth grade in later years. The last year the tenth grade was held in the school was 1947. After that, it remained in use as an elementary school. The front windows were bricked over and later the front doors were bricked when the gymnasium was added to the east. Still later, a cafeteria was added to the west. The building was demolished in 1955, leaving the later additions and adding a new addition of classrooms to the east that same year.

The Plain City School Hot Lunch Program was organized by Clara Skeen Thomas, wife of George Sidney Thomas. Clara Thomas was the first to start the Hot Lunch Program at the Plain City School 19231924.

She received $1.00 per day. She served vegetable and tomato soup, chip beef gravy on mashed potatoes and chili. These were purchased at the cost of three cents a bowl. With this money she received from the food, she would buy the materials needed to prepare the next meal.

For years, she cooked and prepared the food at her home. She would have to take it up to the

school each day. This would consist of three blocks each way. Later the school purchased a coal oil stove, which made it possible to prepare the food at the school. Each year the Hot Lunch program started in November and ended in March. Clara Skeen Thomas cooked and prepared the hot lunch at the Plain City School for eleven years and never missed a day.

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

SUBMITTED BY ELMER ROSE

Oh what progress in education when in 1926, Weber High School opened its doors for Weber County students. This high school is located on Washington Blvd. and presently occupied by the Adult Education Center.

Elmer Rose, of Warren, drove a bus to accommodate the northwest area of Weber County. Mr Rose's route covered several miles each day. He picked up all the high school students from Warren and both elementary and high school students from the south end of Plain City. He dropped the elementary students off at the Plain City elementary school. The students near the street car tracks were left to ride it to the high school.

Mr. Rose then continued his route through the North Plain City Road, back along highway 84 to within a reasonable distance from the street car line. Then after passing the Harrisville Brick Yard, he picked up those in Harrisville along the route to Ogden City limits.

On the route going to the high school, Mr. Rose picked up the Parr West Elementary students and delivered them to the Farr West School. He returned down the North Plain City Road picking up the elementary students for Plain City School.

The bus contracts to maintain and operate these units of transportation were awarded by bids. The lowest bidder getting the job if his outfit met the approval of the school board.

The inside of the bus had a bench on each side facing the center. The girls usually occupied these seats. In the center was a bench called a straddle seat. The boys were crowded together astraddle this bench.

This first bus was small and about 30 students were crowded into it. The students gave this bus the nickname of "Cracker Box". He often chartered his privately owned bus to take scouts, F.H.A., and other groups on excursions and other activities.

Mr. Rose removed the bus body from its chassis during the summer so that he might use the truck for farm trucking.

This picture is of the second privately owned bus maintained and operated by Elmer Rose. This bus had a larger capacity, accommodating about 50 students.

The first buses to transport students to Weber High School in 1926 were operated and maintained by the individual owners. The contracts were let to the person whose bid was accepted by the Board of Education. Since these first buses were individually owned, the owners often used them for $H, scouts, temple, and various other excursions and activities.

Owners often used them for hunting trips.. Family and friends slept in them for overnight lodging away from home. The straddle bench was removed to make room for the bed.

Some owners removed the bus body from the chassis and placed another bed on the truck, so as to utilize it for farm trucking during the summer.

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School transportation has evolved from the horse-drawn school wagon to the giant sized yellow school bus.

Todays students ride to school fairly comfortable. The buses are warm, the seats padded, the radio plays popular music. These luxuries were undreamed of by the students who rode in the white top covered wagon, or the horse drawn sleigh in the midst of winter.

SUBMITTED BY RUTH FOYERS