Lacrosse-Dane-Green County WI Archives Biographies.....Reynolds, Benjamin M. July 12, 1825 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Roxanne Munns rmunns@uwalumni.com April 13, 2007, 9:46 pm

Author: Unknown

BENJAMIN M. REYNOLDS, A. M., was born at Barnard, Vt., July 12, 1825, his 
parents being Ezekiel and Lydia (Barnes) Reynolds. He lived on a farm, more or 
less, until 21 years of age. At the age of 19, he began preparing for college, 
attending, at first, the Royalton Academy, and finishing his preparatory 
studies at the Thetford Academy, under Prof. Hiram Orcutt, then at its head. 
He entered Dartmouth College in 1848, and graduated in course, paying his 
entire expenses by teaching and different kinds of manual labor. Since 
graduating in 1852, Prof. Reynolds has been engaged steadily in educational 
work. He was Principal of the Windsor, Vt., High School, and of the Bradford, 
Vt., Academy two years; of the High School at Barre, Mass., a still longer 
period; of the Union School at Moline, Ill., one year; Superintendent of 
Schools in Rock Island, and Principal of its High School, nearly four years, 
being the first Superintendent in that city; Principal of the Union School in 
Lockport, N. Y., more than five years; Superintendent of Schools at Madison, 
Wis., six years; Principal of the graded school at Monroe, Wis., one year, and 
in 1873, became Principal of the High School in La Crosse, having at the same 
time charge of the Second Ward School. He has raised the grade of these 
schools more than 100 per cent. One of the leading citizens of La Crosse thus 
speaks of Mr. Reynolds' work here: "Prof. Reynolds' efficiency as an educator 
is noticeable in the noble purpose and diligent efforts of his scholars in 
attainments of knowledge and in the completeness of preparation with which his 
advanced students have entered various colleges, whose acknowledgments of his 
success in this respect are highly complimentary to La Crosse schools, whose 
enviable excellence dates from and is largely attributable to his connection 
with them." Since he has been in Wisconsin, Prof. Reynolds has held a 
prominent position among its educators. He has been President of the State 
Teachers' Association; has been on the committees appointed at different times 
to visit the Normal Schools; also on the committee to visit the State 
University, and in meetings of the State Teachers' Association and in other 
convocations of teachers has been one of the leading men. The Professor is 
preeminently a self-made man, and may truly be called the "architect of his 
own fortune." In his early years, he had good teachers who gave him wholesome 
advice, which he has not failed to profit by. He has an exalted idea of the 
mission of a teacher, and strives to be a model in the profession. Prof. 
Reynolds is a Master Mason. In his religious sentiments, he is a 
Congregationalist. He was reared in the Webster school of Whigs, was strong in 
the faith, and voted with that party till its dissolution, since which time he 
has been identified with the Republican party. His wife was Mary Ann Morey, 
daughter of Mitchell C. Morey, a prominent citizen of Windsor, Vt., and for 
twenty-one years Deputy Warden of the State Prison. They have lost one child 
and have two sons and two daughters living. During the time Prof. Reynolds had 
charge of the La Crosse High School, he sent to the universities at Madison 
and Chicago, and also to Beloit College, some of the best students who have 
entered these institutions. Physically, Prof. Reynolds is about five feet 
seven inches in height, rather heavy set, and weighs 185 pounds. He has gray 
eyes and a full, round face. He possesses most excellent physical qualities, 
being generous, genial, vivacious. He is a man of thorough culture, and his 
influence over his pupils is in all respects healthful and refining.

Additional Comments:
From History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, 1881, p. 786 - 787.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/lacrosse/bios/reynolds328gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/

File size: 4.3 Kb