Bentley High School (Livonia, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
George N. Bentley Senior High School, also referred to as Bentley High School, was a public high school in the city of Livonia, Michigan
, a western suburb of Detroit. The first public high school in the Livonia Public Schools
district, it was open from September 1947 through June 1985. The school's first graduating class in June 1950 had 95 students. The school closed because of low enrollment.
in Redford Township or Plymouth High School in nearby Plymouth
. Because the city was growing, the decision was made in 1945 to build a high school in the city. Most in the community wanted to call the school Livonia High School, but it was eventually named after George N. Bentley, a former student at Elm Elementary School in the district and a school board member at the time of the school's groundbreaking in 1946. The original two-story building also housed seventh and eighth graders during the first few years of operation. As the population of Livonia grew during the 1950s, the school required expansion. During the 1950s, two wings, a gymnasium, auto shop area, pool, auditorium and multi-purpose room were added to the school.
, which opened in the 1962-63 school year. During the 1961-62 school year, over 600 Franklin High School sophomores shared Bentley High School with the school operating on a dual schedule: Franklin teachers and students began classes later than the Bentley students. During the 1960s, the school underwent additional expansion as another wing, a library, addition to the cafeteria, music rooms, and home economics classrooms were added.
Faced with operating four public high schools and shrinking enrollment, the Board decided to close a high school. Bentley was the obvious choice as it was the oldest facility, it's operational costs were the highest, and major renovations were needed for the entire building. The decision to close the school was announced in May 1983 and the school finally closed with the graduation of its final class in June 1985. All remaining underclassmen were distributed among the other three public high schools based on residential proximity to each school.
but currently sits idle.
Livonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
, a western suburb of Detroit. The first public high school in the Livonia Public Schools
Livonia Public Schools
Livonia Public Schools is a public school district in southeastern Michigan Metro Detroit area, serving most of the city of Livonia and the northernmost portions of Westland. It is one of the top 5 ranked school districts in Michigan, as it has been since the 1960s...
district, it was open from September 1947 through June 1985. The school's first graduating class in June 1950 had 95 students. The school closed because of low enrollment.
Beginnings
Before the school was built, high school students in the district attended either Redford Union High SchoolRedford Union High School
Redford Union High School is a public educational facility in Redford, Michigan - a suburb of Detroit; the school is affiliated with the Redford Union School District. RUHS's colors are blue and gold; the official mascot is a Panther...
in Redford Township or Plymouth High School in nearby Plymouth
Plymouth, Michigan
Plymouth is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,132 at the 2010 census. The City of Plymouth is an enclave completely surrounded by Plymouth Charter Township, Michigan.-Geography:...
. Because the city was growing, the decision was made in 1945 to build a high school in the city. Most in the community wanted to call the school Livonia High School, but it was eventually named after George N. Bentley, a former student at Elm Elementary School in the district and a school board member at the time of the school's groundbreaking in 1946. The original two-story building also housed seventh and eighth graders during the first few years of operation. As the population of Livonia grew during the 1950s, the school required expansion. During the 1950s, two wings, a gymnasium, auto shop area, pool, auditorium and multi-purpose room were added to the school.
1960s
Because of continued growth in the district, ground was broken for a second high school named Franklin High SchoolFranklin High School (Livonia, Michigan)
Benjamin Franklin High School, also referred to as Franklin High School, Livonia Franklin and FHS, is a public high school located in Livonia, Michigan, a suburb west of Detroit.-History:...
, which opened in the 1962-63 school year. During the 1961-62 school year, over 600 Franklin High School sophomores shared Bentley High School with the school operating on a dual schedule: Franklin teachers and students began classes later than the Bentley students. During the 1960s, the school underwent additional expansion as another wing, a library, addition to the cafeteria, music rooms, and home economics classrooms were added.
1970s and 1980s
The 1970s started with strong and steady enrollment, peaking during the 1974-75 school year (the school district itself actually peaked in enrollment during the 1970-71 school year). As the decade progressed and the Detroit economy experienced a downturn, the school and district were losing students rapidly. By the early 1980s the district had lost 51% of its peak enrollment. A freshman class was added to Bentley High School for the 1979-80 school year, the first ninth grade class in over 20 years.Faced with operating four public high schools and shrinking enrollment, the Board decided to close a high school. Bentley was the obvious choice as it was the oldest facility, it's operational costs were the highest, and major renovations were needed for the entire building. The decision to close the school was announced in May 1983 and the school finally closed with the graduation of its final class in June 1985. All remaining underclassmen were distributed among the other three public high schools based on residential proximity to each school.
After closure
After the school closed, the building and facilities were used for adult education, youth sports, and community groups. Most of the building was demolished in 1998, removing roughly 70% of the structure. The remainder was still used for adult education until the rest of the school was demolished in 2001. The Livonia Recreation Center, which was built on the site, opened its doors in 2003. A senior lounge in the new building is dedicated to preserving the memory of Bentley High School. Keepsakes in the room include pictures of the school, a portion of the former gymnasium floor and composite photos of all graduating classes of Bentley High School. The Bentley track and field was also preserved for use by Livonia sports teams, as was the baseball diamond, which was last used by Madonna UniversityMadonna University
Madonna University is a private, non-profit, Catholic university located in suburban Livonia, Michigan, on the western perimeter of metropolitan Detroit. Conducted by the Felician Sisters, it has extension campuses in Southwest Detroit, Orchard Lake, Michigan Madonna University is a private,...
but currently sits idle.