2,174 Comments for Bennett School for Girls

I find J. Margolis tribute moving as well, as I do Pat's. Thanks, wanderer, for attempting to even photograph Halcyon. Let us remember her as she was, for it is our memories that live on, even if the place itself doesn't. Or, perhaps Halcyon does live on in our collective memories, those are the ones that count. We should be grateful for those memories and for what she stood for. Keep us posted.

Ratchet man- keep up on progress or there lack of it as it' ll be another 368 days before I get back is the fence a joke or what

wanderer- so great you got around to halcyon! i am a confirmed
architecture obsessive, and have looked at so many great buildings
in America, but there is just sometthing about seeing this one up
close, that is just somehow very thrilling, i guess...

J Margolis, thank you so much for your post, it says so much,
so succinctly, yet so very poetically. I find it very moving.

it IS time to lay Halcyon Hall to sleep, to the realm of all our collective
dreams of her. Or maybe it is Halcyon Hall herself who dreams, and
we are merely bit actors in her dramatic teleplay.

I selfishly hope though, she sticks around a little longer.....

stuey is a jerk..lol

just got back nite from seeing the old girl and am glad i knew of the collapse or would've been shocked-however i looked at my last years pics and saw the same white antenna attached to the chimney of the right of the collapse and wire going into the window below-what is this? if the place is dangerous what purpose does it serve ? yep a fence is around it but not too intrusive-i walked as much of the area behind Bennet Commoms as i could but the trees are soo big it looks the same as years to past -windows broken out -the integrity of the building pretty good- my pics were blocked by the trees on the front of the building not muxh worthy of posting- sorry Flora-njoyed the trip and am determined to see her again next-as am sure she'll be there

When a building falls down 'it dies' so to speak, but its memory remains somewhere - perhaps within the memories that are left in the hearts and minds of those who remember it as it was over so many years. Truth always exists as a measure of our world - much like another dimension that all of the hypocrisy and heartlessness cannot erase. The "Millbrook Fathers" never did have much of a heart and soul when it came to Bennett College and it cannot surprise anyone associated with the college that money, property, profit and minutae are
their only concern. All of those years, all of the young women who passed thru those halls, all of the lectures, plays, classes, receptions, achievements, problems, snow-covered lawns, friendships - the walls and stones and staircases and windows remember and retain them.
Halcyon stands a broken beauty and she disentegrates hour by hour - but not as some giant relic of the past or, for Millbrook's Fathers, some hulking wreck undeserving of compassion...but as a testament of what we value in this world, how we treat our history, what purpose our memories serve and, most of all, the power of lasting values. Halcyon may fall, but perhaps it needs the rest like the sleep that comes from beautiful things having transpired and served those it embraced so well.

Thank you Pat, for the eloquent response. Wanderer, it would be great to see some of your pictures of Halcyon, if and when you do take them on your visit.

Kudos Pat- holding the old tongue in valor of a G rated post- everything U said is true when I first went to Millbrook I thought of it as a Stepford village but Norman Rockwell is better - and the remark of antique driven village is also true however it seems to be the trend here- Pa. IA.---- and the real estate cabals drinking feverishly- are they throwing out the baby with the bath water ? U'll see me by the side of the road taking pics but how close do I dare go? should I paste a no trespassing sign on my back -when I get back from my visit U can be sure i'll lbeat my gums on this one

thank you flora, i had seen that article, one of the more informative
and accurate pieces in recent memory. Glad that they got their info from
direct , informed sources.Covered a bit of history, and put the record straight about what alot of people DID try to do back when it was still
doable. Millbrook would have been enhanced once again by
what Halcyon Hall brings [brought?] to the village, instead of this
massively regrettable pain- in -the -ass- for everyone. But, it was not
to be. That's how it goes...

i think it is very important that people understand that there were
people, institutions, and interests that really did try very, very hard
to do what people advocate for here, when they see mott's amazing
photos of Halcyon. And that there was a window of opportunity,
and it sadly passed. It is an object lesson, for, and from, all perspectives

the village and the college always had a frosty relationship, as it
often is in these scenarios.
Timothy Leary probably didn't make that any easier , but did
make Millbrook a remarkably more culturally open and tolerant place.But when i was a little kid, i remeberer
the distinct identity of Millbrook as a college town, and the commerce
it brought to the village. Which dissappeard overnight in 77.


But before then, I remember the Old Millbrook, from my grandparent's
generation, from the old photographs, abandoned railroad lines,
the old slate stones in the tribute gardens,stories from older people
like Louise Tompkins, who told me so much about how amazing
and wonderful Millbrook's history was, and how important it all is.
Her regret was how little of it was photographed, that words
would not do these great things justice, some too wonderful and grand 'to be believed'...
the abundance of grand fairytale estates passed down through familys[.many of which i saw disappear like Halcyon surely will]
and the lingering past that surrounded one, that was very traditional,
and as close to a Norman Rockwell town that I can think of. And it
looked the part. Out of central casting.
Ms Bennett's progressive girls school was such a HUGE part of that
vignette, as was crazy HJ Davison's nutty hotel in the first place.

the antique boom became the post bennett focus for the village,
which pushed the [century old] weekender real estate phenomenon
into hyper celebrity overdrive, and now the business of Millbrook is
..... Millbrook itself.

so fencing is going up,but is Halcyon coming down? i doubt it will
very soon. but nothing makes somewhere nice look like #$%^
quicker than a bunch of chain link fence,right. ? Millbrook's real
estate cabals are horrified and drinking feverishly

as far as what replaces it all, i'll just throw it out there that the scenic
beauty of Millbrook and environs is what has made it attractive
from day one [described in the 1890's as resembling the Isle of Wight
and parts of Devonshire in the UK]

accordingly, they put something cool here to look at

whatever replaces it... try not to #$%^ it up, ok?

wanderer,hope you enjoy your visit, Millbrook is always beautiful in the fall. as you know. i'd venture you'll still be able to get some photos
of SOMETHING interesting here.
ok, cheers all

at least the pic was recent but stated the demo won't make it for Oct 1- was holding my breath- can always take a pic thru the fence

Found an interesting article called "The Rise and Fall of Halcyon Hall" on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's website. It is dated August 2011, so is fairly recent. Just Google that site and the article should come up. Pat might be interested in it, as might others also.

i have been thru the gamut of sites and nuthin' new but a really wowie one is done by F,A. Manzi- quoted on the board earlier- excellent on side shots and worthy of searching for however maybe the"Independent" will have some of the fence- I'd be interested if they do or will Ratchet inform us
search under Bennett school or Halycon hall

Are there any recent pics, Wanderer, Pat, or anyone else? Would be interesting to see some. What sites are they on?

looks like I may have to do a shimmy to get a back view of the old girl progress ruins my fun but the folks in Bennett Commons will surely see a surge in INVADERS - not a hint for anyone- will try download new pics on Picasaweb {?}

Fence, huh? Wonder when that started. Who knows what happens Oct. 1? Maybe nothing. Seems that Halcyon is tearing itself down nevertheless. Interesting reading Pat and Wanderer.