Betty Lou Benson (1922 - 1937)

Born 4 Mar 1922 in Bridgeport, Lawrence, Illinois, United States

Died 18 Mar 1937 at age 15 in New London, Rusk, Texas, United States

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Biography

15 year old Betty Lou died in the New London school explosion. Daughter of Clarence & Helen. They divorced in the 1920s and Helen married Noah Curlee. Sibling: William.

When the explosion occurred, Helen was standing at their kitchen sink and saw the roof rise, then fall. What a horrible sight that must have been, and knowing your child is there!

24 years later, her brother William admitted to causing the explosion. He confessed to sabotaging the gas lines under the school because he was angry that he had been caught smoking. He had details, including specifications on the pipe never made public. William had helped his stepfather install the school plumbing system. “My stepfather owned a pipe yard and I worked with him,” said Benson, a convicted burglar. “I knew plenty about oil and gas pipes, but I didn’t really intend to kill anybody.” His sister died in the explosion, and he spent many of his adult years in mental institutions, trying to deal with the grief. His confession started a firestorm, but on the same day authorities talked about prosecuting, his lawyers issued a denial. William had recanted his confession. “I just wanted to play the big shot,” he said. The case for sabotage was officially closed.

The New London School explosion occurred on March 18, 1937, when a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroying the London School of New London, Texas, a community in Rusk County previously known as "London". The disaster killed more than 295 students and teachers. As of 2017, the event is the third deadliest disaster in the history of Texas, after the 1900 Galveston hurricane and the 1947 Texas City disaster.

London School did not publish a yearbook in 1937, instead substituting a memorial book that recognized all of the students and teachers who had died during the disaster.

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12870376

• https://upload.latest.facebook.com/newlondonmuseum/posts/2381539008614901

• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-22-mn-14795-story.html

• https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/admitted-arsonist-william-estel-benson-sits-in-a-police-news-photo/514682460

• https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc977844/

• https://www.whaleoil.net.nz/2017/04/photo-of-the-day-1017/

• https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/367568?page=3#sr-13698618

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_London_School_explosion

• http://nlsd.net/Cenotaph.htm

• https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/artifacts/1936-london-school-yearbook