As a kid going to school in Nephi, we often felt more at ease talking to one of the school janitors more than the teachers. They provided support, jocularity and friendship.

If you went to school in Nephi, Utah during the 1950's or sixties, we may remember Frank Greenhalgh, Ron Worwood, Charlie Williams; Erv Jarrett, Sherm Jones, Rex Tolley or Leonard Linton. I remember them all and had the chance to be a janitor along with six of them. Mr. Linton was born in Nephi when Utah was still a Territory. He was the son of Sam and Elizabeth Jenkins Linton and stayed in Nephi his whole life, passing away at ninety. For many years, he was the janitor in the ole Central School and wore clean bib overalls, retiring in 1960. During the same span of years was janitor Irvin Jarrett, who worked as a custodian for 21 years. I had the great opportunity of working with this high work ethic man, who drove an old truck, but could fix anything in the Central School with a pair of pliers and baling wire. Around the valley, there wasn't a fence he couldn't fix, or a person he wouldn't help. He died at the age of 89, being the last of 7 brothers and 3 sisters who preceded him in death. Charlie Williams was from Mills and was the bus driver for many years, then gave that up to be the janitor and moved to Nephi. He was one of the Juab County greats, and one of the last great Blacksmiths around, who had a shop in west Nephi for several years, then at his home. He could bend and weld anything, and a great personality to go with it. I know of no student or teacher that didn't like Sherm Jones, and he wasn't afraid to tell you if you dropped something on the floor and forgot to pick it up. Ron Worwood knew how to cut the football field, and didn't get to upset when we would grab on the back of the mower and let it drag us until it stalled, pulling a string of four teenagers. I pay tribute to all of these guys who kept the halls clean, and yet true gentlemen.