"When the teacher, to a hand held up, would ask what was wanted and the answer was "I want a drink," the pupil in the old red school house would go to the one water pail and quench his (or her) thirst from a common dipper that all the school used, returning to the pail the water not drunk. No such thing as germs or microbes were even thought of in those days. And sometimes there were as many as 80 pupils in the school room and only one teacher to grades running from the A, B, C, class to the Fifth and Sixth Readers. The teacher in such a public school had his hands full.

"I can only recall the names of two teachers when I attended: Silas and Alex McHenry. The former believed in the old adage that to "spare the rod would spoil the child," and many an unruly lad would be taught this lesson. But there were some boys that when they knew a "lickin" was coming would deftly stick some green twigs down their pantlegs or under their coats and the force of the rod was very much minimized. I do not recall that Alex McHenry used the rod at all, but perhaps he did. The red schoolhouse with its elevated desks and benches, all on the boys' side being elaborately (?) carved with jackknives by the occupants: the desk for the teacher on a raised platform so that he could command a view of every pupil; the map of the "Solar System at One View" that hung on the west wall; the big stove that heated the room in winter and the bench on which the water pail reposed—-all come vividly to memory.

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Alex McHenry, born 1828, son of James and Rachel Colley McHenry. James was the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Rhone, Benjamin was the oldest son of Daniel and Mary Stephens, Daniel was the son of immigrants, John and Susannah McNeil. Alex taught for 18 years, interrupted by service in the Civil War. He married Elizabeth Buckalew, daughter of James Buckalew.
Silas McHenry, born 1833, was the son of Moses and Martha Edgar McHenry, Moses was the son of Daniel and Mary, above. Silas married Elmira McHenry, who lived at age nine with brother Stott, age 19.

--contributed by Sarah Swisher


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At recess many joined in games or played Anthony Over (or antiover) over the schoolhouse. (The game of antiover is played like this, sayeth my reference book: students would get on each side of the schoolhouse and they threw a ball over the house to the other people. Then whoever caught the ball ran around the house and tried to tag one person from the opposing side.) There was another game played with a woolen ball which was called sock-about, hitting a player with the ball, and when the ball became well soaked up in wet weather you knew when the thrower hit you. Long Tom or town ball was another diversion, as baseball was then unknown here. The Market Street covered bridge on a rainy day also made a good place to play.

One wonders sometimes at the amount of instruction an eager pupil did acquire under such crowded conditions; but the foundations for the future of many Bentonians were laid in this red school house and the academies at New Columbus, Orangeville and Millville afforded a further opportunity for learning that many availed themselves of. We "sang" the multiplication table and capitals and rivers of the United States and "spoke our pieces" Friday afternoons. I recall only two of the reciters: Owen McHenry had a piece entitled "I Wish I Had a Little Wife" and the last verse ended with: "And if she'd die I shut my eyes, Lie down and roll right over" and then "Oney" would lie down on the floor and roll over, to the great enjoyment of the school. Holland McHenry also recited: "All is action, all is motion In this mighty world of ours" and would make the poem more realistic with gestures of his arms and hands.

Spelling bees were also popular and some excellent spellers would make these contests very exciting and caused rivalry among; schools in the other school districts, notably Stillwater and the Karns school, and I can now remember contesting at both places. The little Quaker school house held a private school for the two Quaker families, but it was also a pay school for others, especially in the summer season when the public school was closed. The teacher here was generally a woman and having such a few pupils was able to give them more personal attention than in the crowded public school.

The beautiful new school building and the modern appointments and methods of teaching at the Benton school of today are in great contrast to the old times when "readin', ritin', and rithmetic," the three R's, comprised the groundwork of an education sufficient, it was then thought, to get along on.

The old red schoolhouse lingers in memory. Few of my old schoolmates there are now living and these widely scattered. The "eeny meeny miny mo" of Father Time has tapped the most of them.

This was one of the most important times in the history of the school as it became a first class high school. In 1912, Mr. L. R. Appleman was named as principal. The first class to graduate in the complete four year high school course was the Class of 1916.

A change took place in the adoption of a course in vocational training in 1916 and the school became known as a First Grade Vocational High School, with courses in Agriculture, wood-working, home-making and household arts, "suitable and adaptable to the community in which we live, and valuable aids to its progressiveness." The Academic course offered "is also the best possible and far above the grade of the majority of schools of this size."

During these years the High School has grown remarkably and great credit is due to the surrounding districts which have sent pupils to school, as well as to its patrons in town. The enrollment has increased from 27 in 1906 to 110 in 1917.

Alumni of the school may be found leading successful careers in homes, schools, professions, and industries and may it be supposed that its reputation will not be lost, but will grow better with time, as it has done in the past.

A large two-story addition at the south end of the high school was added during the administration of Ben Pollock. Among the rooms in the addition was a library, laboratory, cafeteria and kitchen with facilities for preparing the food for service at both the high school and elementary school.

A Memorial Service on Friday, April 25, 1919, designated four trees as memorials to Miss Meryl Phillips, a Red Cross nurse who died of pneumonia; Rufus Polk Hartman, who died while serving in the U.S. Navy, also of pneumonia; Doyle Hess and George Remley, members of the U.S. Army who were killed in action during the Argonne Forest campaign.

The four young trees planted along the southern area of the school lot were selected because they stood where the 'four students had all tread in common. A large stone gathered by the students was painted white and placed at the trees were painted white and red, white and blue bunting festooned the guarding posts. Over each tree was veiled a small American flag. A program, consisting of singing the National Anthem, America, and other patriotic war songs; a review of each deceased's service record and readings, was held in the school assembly room.

Giving the service records were: Guy Everitt (Rufus Polk Hartman); Claude Moore (Miss Meryl Phillips); Jarius Hartman (Doyle Hess) and Robert Hosier (George Remley). Miriam Smith gave a reading, "Psalm of the Friendly Trees" and Stanley Wright, "He Who Plants A Tree."

The vocational classes formed a circle around each tree as the class secretaries raised the flags veiling the stones with the deceased's names. The flag was placed in a receptacle on one of the white guard posts and then the students of all grades filed past each memorial placing either an evergreen sprig or a flower around the stone markers.

No history of the Benton Area Schools could be complete without mention of L. Ray Appleman, the man for whom the elementary school is named.

The history of this man is being researched and will be provided soon.