The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-05
THE FIRST SCHOOL.

The First School House in the Town OF
Remington In the Days Of
Indians and wolves-A site with His
tory.
The first school house ever erected in
the town of Bennington stood twenty or
thirty rods southwest of the present site
of the old First Church in Bennington
Centre. 1t was Il snrll, low structure
and built entirely of tG!nIrack logs "..i;' +!
were obtained in n swamp near Oy. In
accordance with vote of the town, May
o. 1903, "to raise SO on each right OF land
in Bennington for building a meeting
house and school house, work ON the
school building was begun in late August
following, and tradition says it was ready
for occupancy five days afterward. A
stone fireplace, however, was put in
about two months later. No lime with
which 10 make mortar could be procured
at the time, and the joints were made
tight with clay. There were no desks
nor benches in the school room during a
portion of the first year, but seats were
provided, fifteen inches high, made from
the sections of logs, like a butchers
block.
After great deal Of patient search a
teacher, Miss Harvey of Deerfleld,
Mass, twas engaged to take
charge of the school until near
Christmas day at six shillings a week If
the money can be raised. Untortu-
nately, Just at that time an uncle OF
Isaac Webster of Bennington had beon
captured by the Indians, and large packs
of wolves were reported to be roaming
around in all directions. The route
which Miss Harvey must take to reach
Bennington was lonely and full of dan
ger, as there was scarcely house or
Well-broken road this side of the HoOsac
Mountains. The lady doubtless valued
her personal safety far more than her
salary of six shillings week, and so she
refused to carry out her engagement
The people were indignant at the course
Miss Harvey had taken, and Immediately
set about obtaining another teacher
John Fassett, a prominent settler, was
sent to Albany and Hudson, with in
structions to secure a God-fearing school
master who was not afraid of all the In
dams and wolves that ever hOwled in the
New Hampshire grants-meaning all
that territory which was afterward called
Vermont. Mr. Fassett returned at the
end of week aud reported at an infor-
NAL proprietors meeting that the nearest
he had come to getting teacher was
that while in Albany he had heard that
an experienced schoOlmaster had just
come over from England and that he was
in Connecticut. At this juncture the
first pastor of the old First Church, Rev.
Jedediah Dewey, or 'Parson' Dewey as
he was frequently called, informed the
meeting that he would teach the school
until such time as the services of good
teacher could be procured. His offer
was accepted, but how long he taught
or what compensation he received is not
| known.
School opened on the afternoon OF the
! first Tuesday in October and a number
of settlers had gathered at the school
house in honor of the event. Tradition
/ saws the day was close and muggy, and
| that in the course of an hour after the
school had assembled thunder shower
! of great severity set in. Binding
flashes of lightning, deafening peal OF
thunder and deluges of rain hushed all
into sOlemnity ut Il time so late in the
season for such storms. Deacon Stephen
Story, who was present, said at the clost
of the storm that during its prevalence
he could only think of Shakspeare's lines
in Orchard H."
Lets talk OF graves Of worms and epitaphs;
| Maze dust our pa: er. aud with rainy eyes
| Write sorrow on the bosom of The earth "
The lines ever afterward made a deeI
impression upon ParsOn Dewey, and a
funeral occasions and other times III
often quoted them. Some time befor
his death he requested that the words b'
used as an epitaph upon his tombstone
His grave is in the old part of the GENE
terry at Bennington Centre, and at it
head is pretentious slab which bear
the above lines. 1t may be mentioned
incidentally that Parson Dewey is TIN
only person who has ever died in Ben
nington that has been houored with al
epitaph from Shakespeare. The fact o
Parson Dewey's connection with the frs
Bennington district school was obtained
from report of few remarks made b,
"a well known Cheshire, Mass, minister
Rev. John Leland, at the twcnty-eightl
annual session of the Salisbury Baptis
Association at POwnal, in June, 1903.
1t is not known who succeeded MI
Dewey as teacher. For about year IL
printed textbooks were. used, as nearl
all the instruction was oral The frs
books that were used by the pupils con
sisted of leaves Of cap paper, brought OF
horseback from New Jersey and sewe
together. Into these homemade book
certain parts of printed textbook wer
copied. The only person who is know
to haze attended the first term of schOc
in the old log school house was Davi
Robinson, afterward General David, VIII
was then lad of about ten years OF age
This fact was brought out at the layin
of the cornerstone of the old brick acad
envy at Bennington Centre i'll 1921. !
school was regularly kept in the 10
school house until about l17j. At tina
, time the upper story of the porch Of til
old First Church was fitted up for schOC
purposes and the school was transferre
to the new quarters, where it was main
tanned for many years, at first as dis
trict school and afterward as seleC
! school. 1t is not certainly known wha
became of the log school house, thong
I the late Hiram Waters said that he ha
been told by Gov. Isaac TichenOr that h
thought the students of Clio Hall,
E hourishing seat of learning chartered i
. 1850, took it away pieccmeal for kindlin
wood. At a much later date, on til
north side OF the playground Of the oil
: school house, was built the printing
I house in which William Lloyd Garriso
{, edited the journal Of the Times.-TrO
: Times.
[The public is indebted to DR.. II.
: Day of this town for the above sletcl
He has been long time collecting ii
! facts upon which it is based. 1t j
! therefore, a valuable contribution
local history, although Bennington
/ rich in early lore that has already bee
I published. Further articles are prom
G ised, some of which will be written f.
u u the BANNER.-ED.
l. Masonic District Convention.
,In.;. n.,,,.n,,Lin,, Of ihn Snrnnd w