So we’ve entered a new decade! High hopes for happiness and prosperity are mingled withconcems over inflation. energy shortages, aud other economic problems as we turn from the 70’s and advance into a new ltyyear span. There are other concerns too, as war clouds gather in parts of the world. The Soviet Union is flexing its muscles alter years of military buildup. its bold and unwarranted march into tiny Afghamstan has added new apprehensions and caused America to consider military registration, a prelude to any return to the draft. We say the 70’s are behind us. But they’re not. really. You cannot package up any 10-year period by itself and file it away. Always mere are overlaps – planning and projects that span eras of time. oftm many decades. Meantime. in a continual process of change. erstwhile players on the stage of life ste aside. having made their imprint to be replacecr by new aenerations with their own hopes and ambitions, erniniscent of the Old Testament passage from Ecclesiastes: “One generation passeth away. and another generation cometh: but the earth a ideth forever.” This writer has observed activities and ae complishments here in Utah’s heartland for four decades as a member of the Herald staff. three of them as editor prior to retirement last October. And what growth we’ve observed! The face of Utah County has changed tremendously, with marked change also in neighboring .1uab and Wasatch Counties. Population-wise, Utah County has grown from 56,900 in 1940 to an estimated 190,000 today. it became t.he second largest county in the state with the 1970 census which showed 137.776 inhabitants to 120,278 for Weber. previously No. 1 behind Salt Lake County. Provo. the county seat. has climbed from 18,071 in 1910 to 53,131 iu 19f0 and an estimated 70,000 today. The Intermountain Chamber of Commerce directory also lists Ogden, traditionally the No, Z Utah city, at 70,000, Thus. it’s possible Provo will overtake Ogden in the 1900 federal census something that is yet to be determined. The story of some projects. institutions, and developments in Utah County has extended pretty mudr over the entire 40-year period. Four examples: -Brigha.m Young University. whose growth was dramatically accelerated in the fifties celebrated its Centennial in 197H6 riding high Scores of new buildings plus academic expansion made spiraling enrollment possible. The roll passed the 25.000 mark in September 1970. Since then it has been controlled at about that level although this yur it is at a temporary high of 26.000. One of the highlights of the 70’s was installation of a new BYU president. Dr. Dallin H. Oaks, in 1971, to succeed Dr. Emest L. Wilkinson who held the post about two decades. -Ulah Technical College. which started in 1941 as the Central Utah Vocational School. now o ates from a sprawli campus bei develo atjgrem as well as fromrfgie Provo loca-lgon. Enrloilq mart doubled in the 70’s toi.000-plus (dag and mm schools cornbinedl. Wilson W. Sorensen as hea the school for 35 years. first as director, then president. 1-le took the reins in 1945 from the original rtlirector. H. E. Johnson. ‘ -Geneva Works was built starting in 1942. it was operated during the remainder of World War I1 by the government. Later the plant was purchased by U. S. Steel Corp. The valley’s biggest payroll. the plant currently employs about 5.000. The decade of the 70’s was a period of some expansion. but of escalation of government regulation, by EPA and OSHA. specially. With costly environmental controls required and the problem of “steel dumping” on the West Coast by foreign producers, Geneva wound up the decade fightingIfor its life, with most of the citizenry obviously in ll support of the comPMN-The Central Utah Project was in various stages of planning for many years before it was approved by Congress iu 1950. While it ir well-advanced in construction. the development has been slowed by sometimes-inadequate appropriations, environmentalist interference. and inflation. Comple tion still swears far away. With so many variables. who can say what the decades ahead will bring? Seven political, ine dustrial, and civic leaders expressed that same view when this wrlter approached them early in 1950 for their predictions on future growth in tah County. The seven, however. agreed to try the gussing ame anyway. Their names and their answers to %ve specific questions appear on Page 12-C (to the .Ieft) in a reproduction of a page from the Progress Edition of 150. We have to say the seven leaders did quite well in eases covering the period to 1975. How their Utah gunty population estimates for the year N00 will stack up remains to be seen. With the booming chances are moat of the participants wil have been too conservative. What were other highlights of the decade of the 70s? Most of you readers were here. too. What would you say? We’ll note some of our impressions in the remainder of this space and you can add to the list: The Osmonds. Utah’s premier family of entertainers. built studios in 1977 in Orem and have continued to woo audiences “live” and on television Previous Osmond video network programs have expired. but Marie will open a new variety show on NBC this fall. Meantime, the family is planning an extensive road tour in this country and abroad this spring and summer. Film actor Robert Redford, who has resided in the North Fork of Provo Canyon for many years and built a new home there in recent yea rs. was one of the big stars of the decade and is involved in movie makin also. Mr. and NE-s. Redford tthe former Lola Van Wagenen of Provo) are good friends of the Osmonds and the two families and others are doing a great deal to’put Utah County on the map in the entertainment world. Some “old-standby” business institutions of the valley closed their doors during the 70’s, including Taylor’s, Chipman’s, and Provo Bakery. Many other businesses and industries had their beginnv ings during the decade as part of the unprecedented commercial growth in the area. Tite most dramatic of the new developments is University Mall at Orem. which opened in 1973 with about Z0 businesses. Today there are 126 companies in the complex and a substantial increase in volume has been recorded in each year of the operation. 1’he rua1l’s primary trade area is Utah Valley, but it draws from Wasatch. Juab, Carbon, Millard. Sevier and other counties also. Provo’s downtown business district was modernized during the decade, with exciting changes, particularly on Center Street and University Avenue. The project served to stabilize and expand business and broaden the sales tax base. Numerous new schools were built in the valley The Stevens Henager College established itself in Provo. and the 88-yearold junior college now has 330 students working for business associate de ees. S-rrovo opened its new City Center in 1972 – and rased the old “post office building” at Center and University which served as “city hall” for many years. Utah Valley Hospital built a new multi-story addition at a cost of some $19 million. with Sl.! million raised by community subscription in a tremendous show of public generositv and cooperation Highway construction continued through the 70’s. Plans for a dramatic widening and improvement in the Provo Canyon road were unveiled in 1970. But the project met with environmental opposition and requirements. Now the impact statement for a new version of the improvement has been okayed and the project cleared for detailed design. The Utah County Fair, after an interim of Ill years, was revived in 1976 and turned out to be a splendid success. it is held annually in Spanish Fork where facilities have been leased by the county. Utah County continued to rank No. 1 among counties of the state in farm income. The Utah Junior Livestock Show, reputedly the oldest such show west of the Mississippi. was held each syear in May during the 70’s in Spanish Fork. The ow. which has established a great tradition among young livestock raisers of the state. got its start n 1918. At that time, an old-timer related. a group of cattlemen had an argument on who had the est bull So each owner tied his animal to a tree at the park. An outsoi-town judge determined the wicner. From this unusual beginning. the stock show evolved. The Daily Herald moved into a new plant in February 1970 and unveiled it to the public in a May open house. Probably more building was accomplished in the valley than any previous decade Among the projects under way isa large addition at the Utah State Ho?itaI. Wilderness Associates recdved approval to ruld a year-around resort and ski area in the mountains east of Provo. After getting clearance in some 32 hearings over a period of years. the sponsors ran into financial problems which were delaying the project as of the end of the year. Employment in Utah County was at a reasonablyhigh level, with the jobless rate repeatedly under state and particularly national averages Jobs increased to keep pace with population growth The LDS Church has had 12 presidents – and four of them have served in the last decade. Longrevered President David 0. McKaly died Jan. 19. 1170. He was succeeded by Joseph ielding Smith, who in tum was succeeded. at his death. by Harold B. Lee. President Lee died after a relatively short tenure and was succeeded by Spencer W, Kimball the current president. Utah County and many of the cities launched a “solid waste” program to handle and recycle the mounting volume of garbage. But the contractor ran into financial difficulties and defaulted. The project is currently shelved. Unitisil Way, organized in 1065 in Utah County grew considerably in the 70’s, with the mnnber of agencies assisted enlarged from 13 to 1B. The curreltl. president ls Dick Marshall of Ma leton, while Jack Holmes of Provo is executive director. The WN-80 fund drive is still under way. Tite counties of Central Utah joined in 1976 in celebrating the nation’s Bicentennial. with numerous patriotic-building events. Gov. Calvin Hampton completed an unprecedented three-term iizvemorship in Utah and was succeeded by Scott Matheson.