Cynthia Burningham Eames, known by hundreds of men and women in this area as the best first grade teacher in the country, was a born teacher. She was an inspiration to the young and an avid sponsor of community spirit.

Cynthia graduated from the old Bountiful High School with honors and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Utah where she also graduated with honors. Going to college and later teaching crystallized a dream the young girl had all her early life. Her father wanted her to be a nurse and urged her to try the profession, but she wanted to teach. She wanted to help people, particularly the young. They were the benefactors of her knowledge and skill.

She spent forty years of her life teaching youngsters reading, writing, arithmetic and how to get along with fellow students. One mother said, "It wasn't just readin', writin', and 'rithmetic Johnny learned in the first grade, but a new standard of behavior, self control and application to work. A whole new world has been discovered, explored and conquered." Her moral code has lived to this day in the lives of her students. Many sing her praises and applaud her teaching methods. She receives thank you notes from all walks of life. Among those who have profited by her patience and knowledge and expertise are a former Governor of the State, college professors, doctors, lawyers, successful men and women, fine stalwart citizens, fathers, mothers, and people whose kindness and concern have helped our community to grow.

When she was a young high school and college student, she went out of her way to help friends and neighbors, particularly the elderly. Many nights she would visit homes of the older friends and read books, magazines and articles to them, because they did not have the energy or the eyesight to read. Her grandparents, Alfred and Mary Ann Burningham, were always delighted with her reading visit and looked forward to her coming.

Cynthia was very active in ward and stake activities and held many positions in the church programs. She was Davis County School's representative to the National Education Association Convention. She was a member and officer in the D.E.A., member of the N.E.A. and for years she kept the Stoker School lunch program running smoothly. The University of Utah regularly sent prospective elementary teachers to her for training because it was understood that the trainee would observe some very fine teaching methods and receive valuable training. In 1960 she received the great honor of being named Davis County "Teacher of the Year" by the Davis District of the Utah Federation of Women's Clubs.

In her early teaching, she taught four grades in one room in the North Farmington School. It was a challenge she met very successfully and well. She followed this experience by teaching two years in the Bountiful Stoker School, then in Teton, Idaho, where she met and married her husband, Laurence. He later became principal of a school in Park City, but tragedy struck and he died in the fall of 1927, leaving Cynthia alone with two preschool children to raise. Realizing that her responsibilities were great, she went back to the classroom in Park City and finished the school year her husband had begun. The following year she started teaching in the Stoker School where she taught for thirty-two years.

She built a home for her family and worked many hours after school making her home and surroundings attractive. She had fruit trees, berries and a vegetable garden. One of her interests, that gave her a great deal of pleasure, was her large peony and iris garden. Every Memorial Day dozens of blossoms were taken to the cemetery to decorate graves of family, friends and acquaintances. She gives away dozens of flowers to her friends and neighbors and I'm sure, they appreciate her gift.

Today (August 10, 1984), Cynthia is very active. She drives her car and takes care of her home and garden. She loves to travel and takes advantage of every opportunity to experience new things. One of her greatest thrills is to go shopping or to attend a community gathering and have people meet her and say, "Mrs. Eames, you were my first grade teacher! Do you know who I am?" Her students have repaid her many times over with their love, concern and friendship.