A walking history of Granite School District, retired teachers and staff keep their minds sharp by getting together every month for book club. This book club has been going strong for more than 30 years.
Lucy Anna Bywater is the leader of the group. She retired in 1992 and was a former counselor at Cyprus High and Granite Park.
Bywater remembers when Granite Park used to be called Granite Junior and was located on the Granite High School campus.
The book club members meet the second Wednesday of the month. “That is the best day to meet because, in my time as a member of the book club, there have only been five storms on that day,” said Bywater.
Depending on the day there are typically 15 to 25 members and they discuss their thoughts on the book they are reading. The members make a space where everyone is able to speak and share their thoughts and feelings on the book.
This month they were reading Where the Crawdads Sing.
Members of the club nominate a book to read and they vote on what book will be read next. Whoever nominated that book leads the discussion for the next month.
Members who didn’t get a chance to read are still encouraged to come and sit in on the discussion. This gives them a chance to see if the book is worth reading in the future.
The book club originally consisted only of Granite School members, but other districts have joined in and some even bring friends along to join in on the fun.
“The book club has broadened the books that I would have read and got me reading things that I might not have picked, but really enjoyed,” said Bywater.
As they were reading about an author, a member stated that the author was 70 and another member joked saying, “She’s just a kid.”
In discussing the book some topics jog memories of different teaching practices and activities they used to do.
Members of this book club believe that reading is the most important thing they can do to keep minds sharp and be well-educated.
Different members bring snacks for the club to enjoy some food while they talk and chat about the book that was read.
Bywater say that the Utah Education Association has been great in providing a place for them to meet every month. They even said that if they moved locations, they would always have a place for them to meet.
We value these educators and thank them for the endless patience, motivation and persistence!