The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-11-01
BENN|NGTON'S s
SCHOOL SYSTEM
IS ONE OF BEST
New and Complete Outfit and
Competent Teachers
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED
For Many Years Bennington Has
Met Every School Call With.
out Vote of Opposition

Pahiic expenditures are increasins
W leaps and bounds. But it is stil
true that most states, towns and vii
lages spend more money for theil
schools than for any other depart
ment. Since the coming of the auto
mobile, streets and highways have
Deen rapidly gaining on schools il
financial Importance, The publ,
school system may fail to hold III
place financially, but If it ever lose.
/ first place in actual Importance, Il
will be because our much boasted
American Democracy has given way
to some totally different and, to US
less desirable form of organization
A town or city school department
Is in many respects a large business
enterprise, whose profits are earned
and whose dividends are paid IN
things which are more valuable than
money--in leadership, in increased
brain power, in heightened ideals. in
patriotism, in civic responsibility in
capacity to enjoy life and in ability
to make living.
The Bennington Graded School Dis
trict Is business whose present bud
get calls for an expenditure OF about
eighty thousand dollars a year This
article is intended to give superficial
view of its organization, its plant and
/ It's work
According to the date on It's cor
poration seal the Bennington Graded
| School District, the agency through
which the village of Bennington now
conducts its school system, was found
ed in 1870, This is by no means the
beginning OF public education in Ben
nington, but this article is concerned
more with what we now have than
with the history OF local education.
The affairs OF the school district
are controlled by board of seven
trustees, one iroEa each waid elected
by the voters at large, but each repre-.
senting the ward in which he lives.
The term of office is three years.
Each year, Immediately after the
school meeting these trustees orga-
nize by electing one of their mem
bers president and another secre.
tary. The president then appoints
four subcommittee OF three mem
bers each in order that matters which
do not require the attention of the
entire board may be more expedi-
tiously attended to. These standing
committees are the committees on
teachers. on finances, on supplies, and
on buildings.
The executive officer of the trus-
tees and of the subcommittee is the
superintendent OF schools, who, in
addition. exercises supervision over
class room instruction and performs
the other duties usual with the ofiice.
At the present time he is employed to
devote his full time to the affairs Of
this district, plan which insures
much closer control and prompter ac-
ton than is possible where the super
intendent divides his time among aev'
eral villages or towns,
The above type of organization IS
in complete accordance with the best
recognized principles of modern prac.
tice. according to recent report OF
the American City Bureau.
The buildings and equipment own
ed by the district are valued at about
two hundred and sixty thousand dol
lars, but 1t would cost double this
amount to duplicate them at present
prices.
The largest, and also the Oldest, OF
the buildings is the so.cailed GRADED
School on School street. 1t is a sub
stantial, dignified threo-story struc-
ture of brick and stone, containing a
large assembly hall. twenty-one class
rooms. cooking room and wood
working room The Office OF the su'
perintendent is located in this build
ing.
/ The original building was erected
about fifty years ago, but two addl
tions have been made since that time
and II now accommodates about DO,
nupils In it are two kindergartens
and two rooms of each of the first liVe
grades, three rooms OF the sixtf
Grade. and on the top floor the junior
high school which is made up OF th'
seventh and eighth grades.
/ The wide deep lawn in front VIII
It's towering shade trees and old fash
ioned fountain and the playground a
the sides and back, forms an appro
ate setting
AT one side is house owned Dy th'
school district and occupied by on
Of the two janitors required to iire tn'
boilers and keep the building cieal
and its grounds in order. Within
wear this house was enlarged ana pu
lin first class condition.
The second building to be erecte'
was the one on Gage street 1orlnerl'
) known sometimes as Primary Scaou
No. 9, but more generally called Tn
Seventh Ward School. It Is nov
known as the Cora b, Whitne
school. in honor OF the remarkaDl
woman who was so long it's principa
This is an unusually attractive an
well-kept tourroom building whici
by reason of its condition and moo
ern appliances, the visitor would NOR
readily believe to be ten years oi