1896: Back when Layton wanted a local schoolhouse

“Wants a schoolhouse” was a Jan. 24, 1896 headline in the Davis County Clipper newspaper.

Some residents of West Layton were complaining that the nearest public schoolhouse was anywhere from 3 ½ to 5 miles distant from their homes. They noted that this distance equaled thousands of miles in total travel required to take students to the school each year.

(There were no school buses in that era.)

There were some 27 school children in the West Layton area in 1896.

Since taxes were collected annually to build and support public schools, residents simply wanted a school building nearby.

However, it would be another 6-plus years before a school came along. On October 12, 1902, Layton Elementary School opened for grades 1-7, at 339 West Gentile Street.

The land where the school was built was originally owned by the Episcopal Church and housed the St. Jude’s Mission School. However, a fire in 1900 damaged that building and the school system purchased the land for $600.

Since the 4-room school exceeded tax revenues, volunteer labor helped build it.

                   Layton Elementary opened in 1902.
                                            Heritage Museum of Layton photo.

When Layton Elementary opened, all one-room schools in Layton closed, as all students attended there.

(The original Layton Elementary School was torn down in 1984 and replaced with the modern building that is there today on the same site.)

(Additional information supplied by the Layton Heritage Museum.)