Did You Know Nellie McKnight Actually Went To School In Rockville?

VERNON, CT — Did you know that on of Ellington's most celebrated citizens went to high school just down the road from the former home-turned-museum that bears her name but it wasn't exactly in town?

That's right, it was Rockville High School when it was actually in the heart of Rockville. It was across from the courthouse — also a former school — on Park Street. The building is no the central office complex for the Vernon public school system.

Records recently popped up at the Ellington Historical Society, which then shared them with the Vernon Historical Society. Until Ellington had its own, students from town would attend the school in Rockville. In 1910-11, four of the 25 graduating seniors were from Ellington, while eight of the 33 juniors were from town.

Nellie McKnight was a sophomore during the 1910-1911 school year and would graduate in 1913. She attended the school with eight other Ellington sophomores – Ruth Mignon Adams, Elizabeth Agnes Cannon, Mary Gertrude Hayward, Frank William Hirth, Annetta Louise Klee, Frederick Joseph Reid, Ina Lulu Richman and Bessie Mae Slater.

Here's what they studied:

Eventually, Ellington High School was chartered and its athletic teams are now known at the Knights. Click here to learn more about Nellie McKnight and the museum.