A History of the 1929 Benton School Building

Dedicated during the middle of winter, December 31, 1928, the 450-seat auditorium in the new Benton Joint School got its first use as the people of Benton Borough and Benton Township flocked to one of the state's first "consolidated" school systems, a combination elementary-high school. Seventy-five years later, the wrecking ball will descend on the auditorium and what is usually referred to as the "old part" of the school about June 23 as soon as the proper permits are issued.

An 1877 map of the Village of Benton shows a school located on Market Street about where Mr. and Mrs. Rod VanPelt currently live. Both John Appleman and Ben McHenry said they attended the Market Street school as children.

T. C. Smith, former school board member and secretary of both the Benton Borough and the joint school board, in remarks made in 1928, said he was a pupil in a school that was operated on the third floor of the "Rohr McHenry Building," which sat just west of the present Market Street home of Eric and Kelly Kocher, the former manse of the Benton United Presbyterian Church. The first Pennington and Seely Store in Benton opened on the first floor of the large structure. It was one of the 60 structures destroyed by the July 4, 1910, Benton Fire. Remember that route 487 south from the square did not exist at that time.

L. Ray Appleman, a teacher and principal in the Benton schools for 50 years, organized the Benton schools into grades with an established course of study while it was operating in the 6-room frame building. This effort along with his teaching in the Summer School formed the basis for instruction in the high school. The six-room wood frame structure gave Benton a full 12-grade public school system, a rarity in the 1920s for a municipality of less than 1000 residents. Students from five surrounding small municipal districts sent students to the Benton Joint School.

E. E. Beare was principal when the school first gained state recognition as a Third Class high school. In 1913 the school became recognized as a "First Grade" high school. The Benton High School was one of only three in the county at the time getting a First Grade rating. Twenty-three classes graduated from Benton from this school building.

Thomas L. Davis, Dr. Thomas C. McHenry, M. L. Cole, J. F. Ashelman, and F. I. Shultz were on the school board at the time the wood frame school in Benton Borough was built. In 1926, when discussions were held about building a new school to replace the wood frame structure, M. P. Edwards, P. G. Shultz and N. B. Cole were on the board--all sons of former school directors. Edwards and Cole lived in the Township, were on the Benton Township Board, and were instrumental in getting the Township to join with the borough. Several one-room schools were closed at the same time.

The original frame building was no longer large enough for educational purposes. The building was moved east on the lot across the street from Benton Park and through an addition was made "L" shape. This building had outside plumbing and six rooms, three up and three down. It was heated by a central hot-air system inadequate in the coldest temperatures to heat the second floor satisfactorily. Benton experienced lots of trouble with contagious diseases among the school children during that period and in one school term it was necessary to close three times. It was generally felt that the problem could be traced to the inadequate heating system.

The high school building as most students now remember it was built with a sense of community spirit. The school was made possible through the efforts and public spirit of a few people backed with their own personal resources and effort, not by a public school tax. A lot of the credit for the school went to Byron S. Keller and Dr. I. L. Edwards. Area residents worked together in August, 1927, to cut costs and get the school site ready for construction.

The account of the "frolic" appeared in the Argus and more information about the "frolic" can be found immediately following this article. The residents of the Benton School District were in a great mood the day that the article about the frolic appeared, filled with a huge sense of accomplishment. The town--men, women and children--had turned out the day before for what the Argus called a "school frolic." Headline on headline read: "GREAT WORK DONE AT SCHOOL FROLIC HERE," HUNDREDS OF WILLING WORKERS BUSY AS BEES," and "REAL COMMUNITY SPIRIT."

Benton had long had the "Summer Institute" or "Summer School," a program where students who completed the public schools could attend the institute and become certified to teach in the public schools.

In 1915, the Benton school became the center of high school education in the northern end of Columbia County. Some townships had established two-year high schools, but some still went only to eighth grade. Pupils enrolled in Benton's High School to complete the four-year course from throughout northern Columbia County and some students came from adjacent townships in Lycoming, Sullivan and Luzerne counties.

The expanding enrollment at the high school level made it necessary for the Benton school board to consider more space. First the second floor of the Columbia County National Bank on Market Street was rented for the home economics department and a small former shirt factory adjacent to the north border of the school property was taken over and remodeled to serve as the "Ag" building. In 1917, the school purchased the home now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Koons, and used it for the home economics department.

L. Ray Appleman, a teacher and principal in the Benton schools for 50 years, was primarily responsible for organizing the Benton schools into grades with an established course of study while it was operating in the 6-room frame building. This effort along with his teaching in the Summer School helped form the nucleus and build the support for the high school.

The Borough and the Township residents worked on the project. Mrs. Guy Miller, Leona Masten, Mrs. C. K. Albertson, Mrs. Charles Seely, Mrs. Dallas Hess and Mrs. Ray Keeler were among the leaders in the organization. Volunteers did their projects well enough to be able to purchase a piano for the auditorium that was used for at least 30 years for entertainment in the park and in the auditorium.

After completion, the auditorium was described as "large, airy and well lighted. The stage gave ample room for school entertainment using large groups, much like the garden club meeting on the stage. It was fitted with footlights and hung with a blue, sunfast velour curtain. A black valance with a monogram "B" was at the top of the stage arch." Under the auditorium was a large basement room for "a play room for the smaller pupils on stormy days."

Garden Club Meeting "on the stage," as viewed from the balcony
Picture courtesy of Gerealdine Yost Laubach

Some of the beams in the ceiling of the basement were reportedly from the McHenry Distillery, and during the demolition of the auditorium in 2003 these beams could be seen, the charcoal from the burned Distillery clearly visible.

The building was heated with a steam heating system supplied by a "Harrisburg Star water boiler." The ventilating system was the unit type which delivered fresh warm air to each room.

A description of the new building from a Benton Argus article concerned its dedication on December 31, 1928. The article revealed the great pride of the community in its new school. Excerpts from the description noted:

"It is a two-story building with steel frame and brick walls. The wall finish is ivory colored Textone. The wood trim is stained light and varnished. The floors are double wood throughout, except in the toilets and entrances, which are cement.

At the ends of the halls the entrances and stairs are located. A third and main entrance comes into the middle of the hall from the front of the building. There are eight standard classrooms and the stage will also be used as a classroom.

There are laboratories for science, cooking, sewing and agriculture. The cooking laboratory contains a cafeteria where lunches are served at noon. In connection with the Home Economics Food Laboratory is a small dining room and a girls' rest room. One classroom on first floor contains the library of about 2,000 volumes and a small room on second floor above the stage will be used as a teachers' room.

Folding doors between the rooms of the seventh and eighth grades make it possible to open them into one large room for assembly work. The four toilets are modern although the building has excellent natural lighting by windows. It is completely equipped with electric lights. An emergency system, as required by the state, is installed that will enable lights to burn for 3 hours, in case of power failure. Although there is practically no ornamentation the building is exceptionally comfortable and workable. It measures up well with the present day ideas in school construction. It is a building that any community could feel well satisfied with."

A great factor in the success of the Benton schools was L. Ray Appleman. The faculty for the new school in its first term was L. Ray Appleman, principal; Blanche Shultz, assistant principal; Alvin C. Sutliff, supervisor of agriculture; Aurabel Pelton, supervisor of home economics.

Elementary - Harriet Hagenbuch, first grade; Marcella Hess, second grade; Helen Mendenhall, third grade; Esther Chapin, fourth grade; Helen Long, fifth grade; Mary Savage, sixth and seventh grades; and Carola Fritz, eight grade.

High School - Wayne B. Renschler, science and agriculture; Flora Fritz Henderson, English and music; and W. R. Jones, history and Latin.

Participating in the Dedication Service of the 1929 school building were Elmer E. Shultz, joint school board president; Rev. L. V. Barber, invocation; Rev. W. R. Jones, greetings; a speech by W. W. Evans, county superintendent of schools; Walter H. Witman, architect; T. C. Smith, joint board secretary; Rev. W. H. Patterson, benediction. The Dedication Address was by Dr. Frank C. Laubach, home on furlough from missionary work in the Philippine Islands. Other speakers were from the Department of Public Instruction.

An editorial comment by Percy Brewington, editor of the Benton Argus, noted: "The wonderful community spirit developed in this (school) project, was really the means whereby the goal was gained. It would have been nearly impossible to have built so well, had it not been for the work of hundreds of men, women, boys and girls who dug the foundations, cellar and laid the foundation walls."

The men and boys of Benton Borough and Township school districts drew the commendation for their willingness to give generously of their energies and tools to do the construction work within their capability. Much of what was done by community-minded citizens has stood the test of time. Women of the area provided food and beverages for volunteers doing excavating and foundation work.

The large auditorium seated 450. Graduations, plays, assemblies and other public school activities were frequently held in churches or the local movie theatre, even though it had a small stage. One of the problems the board faced was financing the purchase of 458 sturdy "opera chairs" for the auditorium. The women of the two school districts "got wind" of the need and formed a Civic Club. The women of the community took on the task of raising the more than $2,000. They staged plays and musicals to raise the money. Cash donations were never solicited.

Their fund-raising projects turned out so well that they were also able to purchase a piano for the auditorium. The piano was used for over 30 years for entertainment in the park during the Summer months as well as other public functions plus its primary role in the school program.

Area residents worked together in August, 1927 to cut costs and get the school site ready for construction. The account of the "frolic" appeared in the Argus.

We'll let the article tell what transpired the day before.

"We challenge any community in the world for its size to equal ours in community spirit and effort. This proud boast was again given concrete performance when hundreds of men and boys turned out yesterday to help on the foundation of the new consolidated school building and the work accomplished was marvelous. Hundreds and hundreds of feet of ground, about one quarter of a mile, was dug for foundations. There was (sic) twenty-six tons of cement mixed and used in the construction of the foundations.

Two cement mixers, one large and one small, besides three boards where the cement was mixed by crews of men, were in operation from 8 AM to 5:30 PM. Eight teams were use in scraping and many trucks in hauling dirt, stones, cement, etc.

Men and boys from Benton Township, Jackson Township, Fishingcreek Township, Sugarloaf Township, and Benton Borough, were on the job and all worked harder than if they had been paid for it. Men as old as 90 years and boys as young as five years were willing laborers, and it was real hard work.

Now the ladies were there too, scores of them and two well-prepared meals were served, and the food was abundant and appetizing, with choice of meats, many vegetables, side dishes, with pie, cake and ice cream as dessert.

The work done was estimated from $1200 to $1500, but the wonderful spirit displayed was worth many times the dollars saved the school district, and we do not believe there was one participant who does not feel better for the part taken in the wonderful community effort, despite the many aching arms, bodies, and blistered hands today, and it was practically a unanimous vote, when the men seated at the supper table, when the question of another frolic to be held Wednesday, August 31, was proposed. At this time the forms for the foundations proper will be ready and the remainder of the cement work will be completed."

The concrete cornerstone of the 1927 consolidated school shows on the left side of this picture taken during the 1946-1947 school year. This class became the graduating class of 1957. The teacher was Marcella Ash. In 1927, when still single, she taught second grade under her maiden name, Marcella Hess.

How many can you recognize?

Waiting for school to "leave out" in front of the high school in 1940.

Photo courtesy of Lee and Carolyn Remley