Waubonsie Township was established for a district and to provide a high school education for the pupils in and around Benton, Iowa, by Sam HALL, Harry BARKER, Frank RYCHNOVSKY, Tom HALEY, and, I believe, Dora VAUGHN.

They built the best schoolhouse in Ringgold County, and hired the best teachers. They taught Latin and everything needed for entering universities and colleges. The pupils of Benton became teachers, musicians, doctors and member of other professions.

Benton had a really good band in my younger days. Walter CROSS was their leader for a long time, then they had Tom WEIR from Blockton, Iowa; they had a band stand. I wish I could remember more of the players. I remember Chester WALLACE, clarinet; Lewis RYCHNOVSKY, valve trombone; Verne KEMBERLING (sic), snare drum; Asa KIMBERLING, bass drum; and, I believe, Ralph GROVES and Chester KIETH (sic). There must have been fifteen or more players in the band.

Benton had a Chautawga (sic) every summer, for years; also, Hatcher Players. There was a nice opera house.

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. Pp. 177-78. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

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