The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-11-14
BENNINGTON SCHOOLS
sta,f,l.sg OF "a YEARS AGO
An Article Probably Written BY Sup
erntendent at That
Tiy1a

Following is an article about the
public schools in Bennington taken
from copy of the Rutland Herald of,
Sept 20, 1892;
The Bennington graded school dis
trict was incorporated by the legisla-
ture in 1870. For the first few years
the school houses which were located
on Union street were anything but at
tractive, and were unsuited TO their
uses In 1878 a few OF the leading
men in the district began to move for
"a school house that would be credit
to the village. Among them were A.
B. Valentine, the late II. e. Bradford
the late f. C. White, Rev. DR., Bost.
wick Hadley, r. NJ. Luther, C. b. Hurl.
burt, H. G. Root l.. F. Abbott and E.
d. Bennett. The project met with
much opposition and several meetings
were held and it was not until early
in 1874, after a largely attended and
stormy meeting, that it was voted to
erect "a school house at a cost not to
exceed $4,000 and a building com
mittee was appointed meetne
was afterwards called to rescind the
vote, bat to no purpose Az soon al
possible The corner stone was laid
with appropriate exercises. and in the
fan The building vas occupied for the
hrst Time. Today it Is model
school house in it appearance and ap
/ polntmonts and second 10 none in
Vermont The building stands iii Tie
icenteg of plot OF land contuining
labont three acres almost in the center
lot the village The grounds are well
supplied with elm and maple trees.
The school house which is brick. is
two stories high, surmounted by a
mansard roof giving it the third story
Below is high basement, we'll light.
ed, which is used by the scholars
rainy days. The entrance is from
School street into a vestibule, which
is surmounted by tower. The
building contains Is rooms devoted to
schools. The floors of the halls and
stairs are covered with thick mating
and at each end are rooms supplied
with wardrobe hooks. Each room is
wainscoted abory three feet with hard
wood. The walls and ceiling are hard
finish, tinted light draD color. In
each room is running water and wash
sink. and all are supplied with clocks
ana other necessary school apparatus.
and the higher departments with full
sets of Johnstones maps. as well as
globes. reference books, etc. Every
school room is furnished with slate
blackboards. in the third story is
hail with seating capacity OF 1850.
1t has a piano, large operate stage
with foot lights, etc, and is used en-.
tirely for school purposes.
Out of an enrolment of 1851 chill.
dren in the district between and 20
years of age 600 were registered on
the school rolls the last year, and the
registry during the two weeks, of the
present term gives promise of larg.
er number this year The total mum
Der of nonresident pupils was 80. and
tuition received from them amounted
to $3.50.
The number of teachers Including
the superintendent is 16--Charles S.
Davis, superintendent; Herbert w
Downs. director of music; Helen O.
Rogers, principal of high school; Hat
tie Haven, first assistant; b. Agnes
Collins, second assistant; Maude
Carpenter ninth year, grammar; NJ
Agnes Leonard. eight year, grammar:
Ella Collins, C junior school No. s:
NJ Blanche Sibley, school No. Z, Z
junior; Edith Russell, school No. 6, A
junior; Claudia Ross. school No. 5
primary; Julia A. White. school No
a Mrs. NJ. ]. w, Hicks, school No. 3;
Cora b. Whitney, school No. 2, and
Clara Bottum school No. 1, chart
The total expense of the schools the
past year was about $500.
At present there are So students il
the high school, all that can be accom-