Beetdiggers everywhere: Party time!

Calling all Beetdiggers ...

It is highly likely, if you happen to be one of the approximately 80,000 people who have attended Jordan High School in Sandy over the past 100 years, that the above statement sent chills down your spine.

For a brief instant, you may have thought, as I did as I was typing it, that you were back in Mr. Barrett's home room English class, covered in acne, listening to Mr. Crump read the morning announcements over the intercom, to be followed by a rousing lecture regarding diagramming sentences.

But calm down. Relax. High school is over, and like a jury trial, they can't try you for it again.

The above clarion call to all Beetdiggers is because it is now centennial party time.

The old school is turning 100. The first class, which numbered seven, entered in 1907. Either you or Mr. Clark can do the math.

The school got its name from the nearby Jordan River, which got its name from the original Jordan River of Bible lore. The "Beetdigger" nickname came about because in the old days school used to be called off for a couple of weeks every fall so students could help dig and harvest the abundant local beet crop, which has long since been replaced by stucco houses in developments with names like Willow Oaks.

But the nickname, despite periodic attempts by unenlightened newcomers to drop it, has remained, as has the school, although the building on State Street that served students from 1914 through 1996 is now a Larry H. Miller movie theater — and how's that for progress? — and has been replaced by a new campus a few blocks farther south.

In anticipation of hitting the century mark, the alumni association started formulating party plans several years ago. The result is the mother of all school bashes, a kind of junior prom, senior progressive, homecoming dance and Dogpatch Drag (an old Jordan tradition) all rolled into one.

Over the course of two days in July — Friday and Saturday, July 6-7 — there will be a Friday night entertainment extravaganza at the 22,000-seat Conference Center in Salt Lake, followed by a full Saturday of exhibits and entertainment at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy.

Music, fashion and history from the 10 decades Jordan has been alive will be featured. At the expo center, 100 booths will display memorabilia from every single year. Included will be a car of corresponding vintage, playing music from the day.