2,174 Comments for Bennett School for Girls

What a waste of beauty and relaxtion! Such a shame!

It looks inviting and and evil in a strange, twisted sort of way.

It is a shame...two of the best years of my life. What happened to the Bennett riding facilities on RT. 44/ What happened to the Grape Shade.
As Bennett approached bankruptcy, alumnae were promised that there would be a way to keep up w/ other alumnae thru Pace. Never happened.

Thank you again, Mr. Motts, for the glorious photos. Time indeed is a thief, shame on us for allowing such beautiful architecture to lie in ruins. Mr. Ratchet, thank you for keeping us informed. If not for folks who believe in preservation, all of our history would be left to vandals and developers...

Well the floor must be in good shape because thoes tubs are friggin heavy! I had to move one down a flight of steps once.

I too, grew up around Bennett and could not be swayed from attending this college. While my memories of many of the other students are not as fond as others, my memories of growing up around this beautiful school and my time there (sans some students) was delightful. I have missed this school and what it stood for since I left.

As the old saying goes, there's always funding for those "good 'ole boys" prep schools, but when it comes to women, either these women or their husbands still seem to think there are better things in this world than providing for a secular education for their daughters.

I can't tell you how proud I am that my own daughter attended a girls high school and is now attending an all women's college. The difference between she and her other friends who have attended coed schools is like night and day. Poise, confidence, interest, goals, drive, ambition, compassion, grades, and a true sense of self. The work she puts into her studies is unwaivering-something she is very proud of.

Although Bennett, such a beautiful school and part of an eclectic community, can never be recovered from it's demise, it remains all the more important to continue to support other women's bastions of education to ensure our future women leaders will continue to thrive.

Of the many historic places to save, this would have been one of the more esthetic locations in the Hudson Valley to save. But then again, so would all of them.

How does a community prevent the sale of a historic icon sich as this to someone who could never fulfill the potential of such a large building? Preservation? Historic Society? Town Council, Federal Grants, Historic Preservation? How many hands must be in the pot before it will undoubtedly spoil the broth?

Look like something out of silent hill.

I might be wrong, but I second the opinion that this is part of the stacks and reading room of the library just off the center courtyard. My father taught here from '62-'72 and I spent many an hour in the room. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Pat R, if you see this, contact me at pj1550@hotmail.com and fill me in on the latest. Thanks.

There were no drugs ingested here, it was part of the college president's office suite.

Man, you guys should have seen it! I went there and it was great. I remember standing there and hearing that Kennedy had been shot and then going up to Yale to see my boyfriend. What a weekend. Please, any classmates???

This is my old college and I went up and down that staircase a million times. This is sooo spooky to see. I wish I could find some of my old classmates---class of 1964.

This is the theater where they would show film series that would be unheard of in other schools. I saw my first Bergman film, The Hour of the Wolf- here at the age of 10. My folks also let me see Un Chien Andalou- Dali/Bunuel, at about the same age. Maybe I should discuss with them why it seemed appropriate.....Hehhh.

The firs floor, straight ahead was the dining hall. Moat of the women ate there, but it was also where they held large functions and banquets.

That was part of the college president's office. He lived in the large house up on top of the hill to the east on the drive that went past the gym and onto the theater.

It is so sad to have followed this over the years and to see that the ulitmate fate is going to be demolition. From reading all these posts, that does seem to be the outcome, does it not? Capitalism wins out, profits are to be made by a few large firms and most of the residents of central Millbrook proper seeing none of the windfall. I understand the arguments on both sides. It is a huge, beautiful, ungainly building. As a historical site, how would it contribute to it's own survival? As anyone knows who had seen it whole and thriving, it was a melange of very small rooms tied together with some beautiful common areas. How could this have been put to use, prior to falling into pieces, as a self sustaining whole. The town of Millbrook seems to be thriving now, but when I left, the center was merchants and comfortable working class. I know I simplify, but the part about the town caring- I think they did, but it was to daunting, out of sight, and maybe to some extent, certain folks did see the value of such a great piece of land so close to a soon to be hipster NYC investment ideal.
I grew up across the street from this building. I looked out the front windows of our home and saw it rising up from that ultra steep hill. That incline served as a great snow sledding location for years. I learned to ride my bike on the circular concrete walk that was on the southwestern lawn, to ice skate on the golfcourse ponds behind the theater. I explored the buildings as only a child can- finding treasure in the hallways after the women had gone home for the summer. Learned my climbing skills- on the stone work and huge trumpet vines that made up the south wall- which later would stand in good favor when I taught mountain rescue in the German Alps. I remember when all th traffic used to go around the Bennett circle, before the road was cut through the hill to the south and bypassed the road through Bennett. After that road was finished, the corner store located on the circle went under. I remember all the cool houses that the college provided for the teachers- each different, old and character filled. Nostalgia and memories, that is what that hugh edifice represents for me.

My father taught there from '62-'72, so this is really a piece of my life being torn down. I won't be the first person to loose something that is dear to them, but it still stings. What really strikes me as odd, it just how rapidly it has happened. I am not that old. When I see pictures of the two houses that sat north of the presidents house, the de la Volpes and the one of the wonderful single older woman teachers , the place where we watched the Millbrook fireworks- all in disrepair, it looks like they have been vacant for a century, not less than 30 years. Why ....that is all I'm wondering. I'm not going to imply subterfuge, that has been done better, in other places on this thread, but lordy.

Another thing that needs saying is that Bennett was for women. This was a place of independence- some of whom were ahead of their time with regards to what women could accomplish. It broke some of the molds and supported independence. I was there in the sixties, so there were all sorts of stories of the more adventurous students spending time with the good Dr. Leary, located just north of town.

The biggest question is where were all the alumni? I had babysitters who are now 30 years into their soap opera starring runs. Not everybody who went to Bennett was from a wealthy family , but I do know Francesca Hilton is an alum, as was one of the bridesmaids in Lucy Bird Johnson's wedding. I'm almost certain that a Bennett education helped some of these women succeed in a monetary fashion. If not residents of Millbrook, why not these graduates? I've never seen a school so ignored by alums that most probably have gone onto fairly lucrative professions.

Anyhow. I'm just venting. Like I said, I've been following this for years, hoping for a change in the status and doing nothing about it except watch. For that, I had a hand in this as well.

I can be reached at pj1550@hotmail.com