The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-07
MISS ELIZA CLARK
Aged Bennington Teacher Now Llv
ing In Los Angeles

Aged bennington eacner NOW LlV-
ing In Los Angeles
The following from the Los Ange
les Times of April 81 will be of more
than passing interest to many of the
older residents of Bennington, who
knew Miss Clark as teacher at the
old academy:
Her life work as an educator sue
cessfully finished, Miss Eliza Clark,
who was the first woman superinten-
dent of public schools in the country,
is spending her last days with the
same tranquility that marked her
more active career in the Hollenbeck
Home, No. 573 South Boyle avenue,
in this city.
Now sc years old Miss Clark looks
back over a long and useful career as
a teacher. AS a disciplinarian she
was successful although she was con-
sistently opposed TO corporal punish
ment in schools. Her pupils are
scattered through many States and
among them are men of prominence
and achievement. OF those who have
visited her in this city recently are
Rev. F. II. Seeley, d. d., pastor of the
Delhi IN. " Unitarian Church; Tho
mas Eagan, ex-District Attorney of
Troy, N. Y; Rev. William Eddy, pas
tor of the First Unitarian Church OF
Cambridge, Mass, and DR.. S. p. Nc
Kinney of this city.
miss Clark's success as a teacher
is even more remarkable because she
had no opportunity to attend school
and from early childhood has been
elf-taught.
Miss Clark came into the shadow
OF the Green Mountains, Sunday
June 10, 1927, at Bennington, VT. In
the winter of her life she adjusts the
cares. perplexities and tribulations
confronting her with the same philo.
sophical stoicism and tranquility as
In days of yore, believing that no
good is accomplished by open combat
or belligerent tactics.
she was the youngest of four chill.
dren, and so delicate of constitution
| that through her childhood she was
treated with tender consideration
The fact that her family physician.
predicted she would never reach the
| stage OF womanhood, = which she casu.
| ally learned, seemed to make a sol
| emn impression upon her.
| Her early life was spent in the
| open and in the garnet of her fathers
| printing office, where were stored
| books and papers from the beginning
| OF the affairs of the country. belong.
ing to her grandfather.
AT II years of age she began TO
| teach in a private school. After n
| short time she went to Clarenceville
| can, spending one year there as
teacher in a girls boarding school.
| from Clarenceville she went TO Fall
| River. Mass, to teach a private
school, after which she entered Ben.
nington, tVt) Academy, as assistant
teacher. From this town she went 70
Manchester, Vt, at the solicitation
Oh the associate principal, TO teach in
Burr d Buttons seminary, a prepar.
atory school for collegiate course.
| Ihis led up to the consummation
OF her strongest desire, that of es-
tablishing private boarding school.
considered womans highest aim in
those days. She organized such a
school in company with two sisters
at Bennington. After four years of
successful, conscientious work. she
was Obliged to sell out on account of
nervous collapse. eliminating in com
piete breakdown. After recuperatine
she was engaged for seven years with
institute work in Vermont.
| In the spring of 1870 she substi-
tuted for town superintendent of
schools, at Bennington, acting two
months. She was then urgently soil
cited to allow her name used as a can
didate for town superintendent of
schools. Her consent was reluctant.
as she feared she might not have on.
portunity for following up her net
scheme of humanitarian and milan.
thropical work.
Her election was by popular vote
and made her the first woman school
superintendent in the country. She
crusaded against corporal punish.
ment. AS town superintendent she
served two years and a half being
twice reelected.
| Following her resignation she was
elected preceptress of Troy. n. Y.
High School. She was in the edu.
cauonal harness at that place twelve
years. When she was examined for
position or preceptress she was ask.
ed where she was educated by
my mothers fireside." she replied
Today she AYERS that she would have
liked to give more explicit answer.
but prompted by modesty, she re.
Trained.
AT the expiration of twelve years
service in the Troy High School. she
was offered position as supervisor
OF drawing in the Troy public schools
She filled this position three years
and at the same time taught during
the summer months in the depart,
ment of industrial drawing in the
summer school of the Chauiauaua
Literary and Scientific Institute.
About this time she received an
invitation TO come to California. She
responded with gratitude. as she felt
hat this ideal climate might prove
beneficial TO her as well as TO her
wo sisters. who were nearly AT the
verge OF the grave, and entirely de
pendent upon her for support. She
taught in the Coronado High school
md other schools for six years.
with old age creeping on. she
sought rest in the Hollenbeck Home .