Layton makes way for buildings by cutting old trees By MITCH SHAW Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau mishaw @standard.net LAYTON — Ruby Price has been a staple in the Davis County school system since 1950, and on Friday; a group of construction workers at Layton High found a way to say thank you. Using a chain saw donated by Mike Slosar, who works for MS Construction, crews from MS and Ascent Construction cut large pieces out of two tree stumps on the north side of Layton High and presented them to Price. The stumps are remnants of what were large oak trees that once sat in the front yard of Pri¢'2’s old home. The trees were cut down in April to make way for con- - . ~ struction of a new building on the north side of Layton High. The new building will house 90 new classrooms and allow ‘See TREES | Page 4A rees From 1A thé school to stop using porta- - ble classrooms. Before Layton High was built in 1965, Price’s home stood on a piece of land On North Wasatch Drive that is now the northeast corner of the:school campus. ... The trees, which Ascent Construction’s Justin Brady estimates to have been 50 to 60 feet tall before they were cut down, were planted by Price and her husband in the early Bate, m ERIN HOOLEY/Standard-Examine stump of a tree she On Friday, Ruby Price, 94, feels the piece of a | Layton High now is what of e outsid ago years 60 planted about in Utah and wanter r teache School property. Price was the first black a piece of the tree she planted as a memento. 1950s. Head custodian Rod South- am said he counted the rings after the trees were cut, and although some were blurry, each trunk had close to 60 rings. The 94-year-old Price began her teaching career in 1950 at the Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City. She was the first black teacher in the state. She later taught at Verland Park Elementary, which sat only a few hundred yards from where Layton High is now. - “T loved teaching,” Price said. “I think education is the | backbone of this nation.” Price retired from full-time teaching in the 1970s but continued as a substitute at junior high and high schools throughout Davis County. Price said when she left her home and Layton High was built, she always cherished driving by and seeing the trees she and her husband planted all those years ago. “T thought those trees would be here for at least 100 years,” Price said. “I always thought it would be nice for the students to come out here and sit under- neath them and study — or at } : least pretend to study.” The arrangement to give Price pieces of the tree stumps came about by coincidence. On the day the trees were being removed, Price and her daughter happened to be driving near Layton High and saw them coming down. “Ruby and her daughter came and told us about how they planted those trees,” Brady said, “so we thought maybe we could cut a nice piece out for her as a keepsake.” Price plans to have the chunks of tree sanded down, laminated and engraved. Ruby Price was devoted to teaching our children, regardless of color Iam writing about Ruby Price, a teacher who de- serves special praise and recognition for the wonderful job she has done educating our children. She is more than 100 years old now and is still as intelligent and devoted as she ever was. I feel the praise and honor she received on her 100th birthday was not nearly enough. She was the first black teacher to teach in Utah, but being black has nothing to do with her intelligence and devotion to teaching our children. After all, skin color is only a color. She taught all children, regardless of skin color or faith. She taught in the Davis County schools for many years. All children were there to. be taught, and she taught them. She even Standard-Examiner photo Ruby Price was the first black teacher to educate in Utah. She has taught many area residents, as well as their children, grandchildren and even great-grandchilaren. taught me a few things. She taught my children, srandchildren and even some of my great-grandchildren. If all teachers would follow her lead, we would have the best educational system in the United States. Orlee Johnson Layton \ Coalition, Layton woman protest death penalty at courthouse By DAN WEIST Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau dweist@standard.net SALT LAKE CITY — Ruby Price’s voice was clear and strong as she made her point at the entrance of the downtown courthouse. “Thou shalt not kill,” said Price, a 94-year-old Layton woman who quoted the Bible again and again as she spoke against the death penalty Friday. Price said she knew the anguish of a violent loss — her father died at the hands “Thou shalt not kill? — RUBY PRICE, 94-year-old Layton woman whose father was murdered in 1943 the group Utahns for Alter- Se = S. aa ' Pee The Associated Press of a murderer in 1943. Price’s statement came as a surprise to some leaders of | natives to the Death Penalty, who didn’t know she was coming to their news conference. UTADP is a statewide coalition of organizations and concerned individuals work- ing to end capital punishment in Utah. Price, they discovered, is one of them. “We believe ‘Thou shalt not kill.” How can you believe nine commandments and leave one out?” railed the elderly woman, flashing moments of strength and conviction before sitting to rest. Standing beside Price was Bishop John Wester, of the Salt | Lake City Catholic Diocese. “For the state to take a life is to assume the prerogatives of God. We don’t believe that is morally permissible,” said Wester, whose diocese in- INSIDE: Condemned _ Utah killer chooses firing squad/3A cludes Top of Utah. UTADP members, like Wester, want a moratorium on further executions in Utah while an independent com- mission studies. capital pun- ishment, which they say 134 countries and 15 states have abolished in law or in practice. UTADP believes the process has a high cost, is ineffective in deterring crime and risks imposing the death see DEATH | Page 3A junity Connection1 recognizes unselfish service. uum Bookstore and at the Weber woman who was freed from slavYWCA, which later became the ery before the »OER E d oe an : es ri go te ca Civil War and 5 ’ This year worked for award winners are: women’s Founder/ Lifetime Community ‘ Adelante Mujer — Pat HisOtero, panic Employ- which now has one of the largest volunteer corps in Utah. In 1996, over 12,000 people volunteered and provided more than and has been honored with numerous recognitions for her courage, integrity and leadership. The award is named for a | Program Manager in the EEO office 100,000 Sojourner Truth — Ruby Jewell Timms Price, former civilian representativeto the Layton City Council who has held many other offices, received dozens of awards ment at IRS, who took the initiative to track targeting employees and place overlooked Hispanic employees into development assignments. . Arts and Humanities Rosa Moraga Barrow, — Mary creator and director of the Writers Read- ing Series at the Though Contin- who spends time from Head Start to universities promoting stories, poetry and the enrichment of lives through books. She is also a Chilean rights. Service — Barbara Hatch. YCC volunteer coordinator, who organized the volunteer program, public service hours. _ County :~ Li- _ ; brary, mortgage stories and poetry. through ba Be FS Blayne Christensen and Greg Chapman, who helped helped low income, culturally diverse, and young families have access to financial counseling, the Courage and ment Commit— Bar- bara Wightman, who left an abusive marriage to writer of short Corporate Courage to Care — First Security Bank, Mortgage Department, seuesehihe and firsttime homeowner infori ae: Sw cea ee = YER | to drive, join a ogy and social teach herself square dance club, teach herself to type and become a computer expert. She has completed a degree in sociolState work at Weber University and has helped » See SERVICE/2B Frank S. and Desseria L. Satterwhite Satterwhite Frank and Desseria niversary friends. with their Satterwhite will celebrate their 50th wedding anfamily and They were married in Ogden on March 1, 1947. She was born in Shreveport, La., and he was born in. Gahagan, La. They have been members of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church for more than half a centuTy, in addition to their community service in the NAACP and the American Legion. He retired in 1980 from Hill Air Force Base after 37 years of service. He is involved in youth recreation and plays golf. Her interests include gardening and she is also a sports enthusiast. ‘4 CD mtg They have four daughters, Alice F. Glenn, Ogden; Linda Bradford, Shreveport, La.: Zetta Browning, Gilbert, Ariz.; and Sylvia Franklin, Houston, Texas, in addition to three sons-in-law and 10 grandchildren. They plan to travel throughout this year to spend time with their daughters’ families. 7 |