The early history of Bennington College, Vermont, beginning with initial endeavors by Vincent Ravi Booth in 1923, is examined. Topics include: granting of a satisfactory charter to the college; the role of educators such as Amy Kelly and William Heard Kilpatrick in initial curriculum recommendations; electing Robert Devore Leigh as president; recruiting students and the trustees' role; Leigh's Educational Plan of 1929; the opening of the college in 1932; counseling students; salary, tenure, and degrees; traditions at the college; administrators and other staff; visual arts and learning by doing; dance and the contribution of Martha Hill; drama program options; the music program; literature; science; social studies; Leigh's resignation in 1941; and an evaluation of the college's program and performance. Results of the 1941 evaluation include the following: about 70 percent of the students came from private schools; their fathers were professional men or in business or government; 40 percent were Episcopalian; almost all the students scored higher than upper middle class on the Chapin Social Status Scale; entering students in 1940 were at the 60th percentile for national norms on the scholastic aptitude tests; 45 percent of entering students said their major concern was art, dance, drama, or music; one-fourth of all students during the Leigh presidency had no science; sophomores had scored in the top quarter on the national scale on a general culture test; upon graduating, 61 percent of alumnae had continued their studies; and by 1940 two-thirds of the graduates had been or were employed full time. (SW)