Sod-Turning

Plans for Bennington College, an institution to release promising young women from strict curricular bondage, began to be realities last week. In the ancient, green-hilled Vermont town of Bennington, famed for its historic white homesteads and its annual production of 500,000 Kiddie-Kars, gathered many a distinguished well-wisher for the ground-breaking exercises. Robert Devore Leigh, 40, onetime Williams professor, president of the new college, led the ceremony. The audience eyed him appraisingly, a pink-cheeked, bespectacled scholar who is expected to infuse Bennington with the same stirring liberalism he had shown at Williams. Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Vermont novelist and trustee of the college, made an address. Other speeches were made by President William Allan Neilson of Smith College, Director William E. Rappard of the Geneva School for Higher International Studies, Governor Stanley Caleb Wilson. Dr. Vincent Ravi-Booth of Bennington turned the sod, first step in the building of four semi-permanent wooden structures to be clustered about the nuclear structure, a large, remodeled barn.

Designed to educate girls of exceptional talent without forcing them to undergo uncongenial group requirements, Benning ton will pose no entrance examinations. Girls will be chosen on the findings of scholastic aptitude tests, examination of their school records. Especially proud are Bennington's founders of the fact that vocational and cultural courses will be combined, that fine arts will be recognized as one of the four major fields of concentration. During her last two years a student will be given credit for nonresident work. Every girl will be encouraged to give free rein to her individual tastes.

Although $1,265,000 has been raised, Bennington will have no faculty endowment. Tuition charges will be flexible, will be fitted to all costs. That such a scheme may be expensive need not terrify indigent girls of talent. Full scholarships will be available for one-fourth of the student body.

In September 1932, Bennington will open its doors to 80 freshmen. The class will be separated into four equal groups which will remain together throughout the course.

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