Not to disparage the victims of the recent virginia tech massacre, but the true worst school massacre in us history happened on may 18, 1927. Americas first school bombing is a book by arnie bernstein, published by university of michigan press, ann arbor, mi, in 2009 synopsis edit. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Ninety years ago, a school in bath, michigan was rigged with explosives in a brutal act that stunned the town the bath school bombing in 1927 remains the. Het bloedbad op bath consolidated school bath school disaster was een. On may 18, 1927, a massive explosion rocked the bath consolidated school, destroying an entire wing of the school. This month is 90th anniversary of bath school massacre. Survivors recall 1927 michigan school massacre two former students of michigans bath school remember a deadly bombing and its aftermath. Two ump titles are michigan notable books university of. Murderers, and more specifically serial killers, are considered among the lowest members of society. Early in bath massacre, author arnie bernstein mentions william faulkners famous quote the past isnt dead. The massacre in bath made national news, and the name andrew kehoe became synonymous with evil.
Photos courtesy of bath school museum and um pressthirtyeight children were killed in the 1927 bombing of the bath school. Michigan the states most notorious criminal cases by tobin t. Bath school massacre memorial bath township, michigan. The author hits all of the high points, or should that be the the low points of michigan crime. Evil of bath school disaster remembered 89 years later. Michigans bath school massacre remains deadliest of its. The story takes place in 1927 in the small town of bath, michigan, where a farming community built their first consolidated school after a history of oneroom schoolhouses. A farmer and school board member used explosives to destroy his farm buildings, and the consolidated school, in bath, michigan.
Bath massacre by arnie bernstein overdrive rakuten. On may 18, 1927, the small town of bath, michigan, was forever. The horror of the sandy hook school shooting that left 20 children and seven others dead is immense, and there are parallels between the connecticut tragedy and a 1927 school massacre in michigan. Thirtyeight children and six adults were dead, among them kehoe, who had literally blown himself to bits by setting off a.
Arnie bernstein, author of bath massacre november 14, 2015 by tonya blust 1 comment arnie bernstein is a chicago author who wrote a book about a crime whose effects are near and dear to my heart. On may 18, 1927, the small town of bath, michigan, was forever changed when andrew kehoe set off a cache of explosives concealed in the basement of the local school. The michigan historic site marker about the 1927 bath school disaster in james couzens memorial park in bath, may 15, 2007. The attacks killed 38 elementary schoolchildren and 6 adults, and injured at least 58 other people. University of michigan regional, 9780472033461, 216pp. Stateside spoke with the michigan history centers rachel clark and author arnie bernstein, whose book is titled bath massacre. On may 18 of that year, a former electrician who was a handyman at the local school in the small town of bath, located in the middle of the state. As the committee described it on may 18, 1927, an explosion rocked the small town of bath, in clinton county, when dynamite planted by andrew kehoe detonated in the basement of the local school. Set of 5 real photo postcards of the devastation in bath, michigan on may 18, 1927, when a school board member, andrew kehoe, set off dynamite in the school, killing dozens of students and adults. Ninety years ago, a school in bath, michigan was rigged with explosives in a brutal act that stunned the town. Even the most recent school shootings like columbine, sandy hook, and parkland pale by comparison.
Thirtyeight children and seven adults were violently blown apart and murdered that may 18 morning in 1927 in bath township, michigan, making it the worst school massacre ever in the united states. Massacre in michigan the bath school disaster page 2. The bath school disaster, also known as the bath school massacre, was a series of violent attacks perpetrated by andrew kehoe on may 18, 1927, in bath township, michigan, united states. Please note that there is normally a two week turn around for ichats to be completed. Ninety years ago, a school in bath, michigan was rigged with explosives in a brutal act that stunned the town the bath school bombing in 1927 remains the deadliest school massacre in u. Bath community schools welcomes volunteers across the district. The school massacre that shocked bath, michigan may 18. By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization. Americas first school bombing university of michigan press. In his book he presents a history of the worst school attack in.
Before there was columbine, before sandy hook, before parkdale, there was bath, michigan. Today, bath middle school sits directly across webster road from where the consolidates school used to stand. Thirtyeight children and six adults were dead, among them kehoe, who had literally blown himself to bits by setting off a dynamite. Andrew kehoe was the school board treasurer and was very upset with the constant increased taxes of the school district and was seemingly upset when he lost the bid for the bath township clerk position.
Published march 16th 2009 by the university of michigan press. Chicago author arnie bernstein has turned a tragic piece of michigan history into a searing and painfully compelling story in his book, bath massacre. Mardi link, author of when evil came to good hart on may 18, 1927, the small town of bath, michigan, was forever changed when andrew kehoe set off a cache of explosives concealed in the basement of the local school. These 10 famous homicides in michigan will never be forgotten. A park and memorial dedicated to the victims of the deadliest school massacre in american history. This affecting and thoroughly researched book is at its heart a local history gathered around a single tragic incident. Thirtyeight children and six adults were dead, among them kehoe, who had literally blown himself to. Thirtyeight children and six adults were dead, among them kehoe, who had literally blown himself to bits by setting off a dynamite charge in his car. Following the massacre, people from all over the united states began to help bath recover and rebuild. He was convicted for one of the murders, though it is suspected that he was responsible. Bath massacre takes readers back more than eighty years to that fateful day, when andrew kehoe set off a cache of explosives concealed in the basement of the local school, killing thirtyeight children and six adults. Americas first school bombing by university of michigan press on may 7, 2009 on the morning of may 18th, 1927, in bath michigan, andrew p.
Arnie bernstein talked about his book bath massacre. Ancient history encyclopedia receives a small commission for each book sold through our affiliate partners. With seemingly endless stories of school violence and suicide bombers filling todays headlines, bath massacre serves as a reminder that terrorism and largescale murder are nothing new. The book is wellwritten, welldocumented, and extraordinarily gripping. Massacre in michigan the bath school disaster around 8. Thursday, may 18, is the 90th anniversary of the bath school disaster, the deadliest school massacre in the nations.
The 1927 bombing that remains americas deadliest school. The schools creation was controversial, but monty ellsworth wrote in his book about the disaster that consolidated schools had. Massacre in michigan the bath school disaster legends. Two university of michigan press titles were selected as 2010 michigan notable books recently. Prior to his timed explosives going off at the bath consolidated school building, kehoe had murdered his wife. The attention to detail in such a small work 6 pages is good and provides a solid. The bath school massacre occurred on may 18, 1927 and was committed by a man named andrew kehoe. Chicagos civil war connections and hollywood on lake michigan. Discover bath school massacre memorial in bath township, michigan.
An additional 58 adults and children suffered injuries in the explosions. Bath, michigan may 18, 1927 is etched into the fabric of a small michigan town bath township, known for being home to the worst mass murder at a. Collins was at the center of a series of high profile homicides, known as the michigan murders, that rocked the ann arbor and ypsilanti areas in 19671969. About 10 miles northeast of lansing, bath township, which contains the unincorporated village of bath, was your typical michigan agriculture community in the early 1920s. Be sure to read the 2019 district newsletter for the most up to date information. These are original, unused postcards and in very good condition. See more ideas about disasters, school, mass murder.
Michigans bath school disaster remains deadliest of its kind in us history 89 years later, bath township, mich. Also known as the bath school massacre, as of today it remains the deadliest attack on a school in u. A native of chicago, arnie bernstein is the author of the hoofs and guns of the storm. As the book goes on, we get to know kehoe quite well. Americas first school bombing bernstein, arnie on amazon. Neighbors began to rush to his farm when about the. Oldest surviving student recalls how awful it was irene babcock, who is 109, remembers that fateful day may 18, 1927 when a.
Bath massacre paperback americas first school bombing. On may 18, 1927, the small town of bath, michigan, was. On may 18, 1927, the small town of bath, michigan, was forever changed when andrew kehoe set off a cache of. On may 18, 1927, in a horrific conflagration of dynamite and blood, a madman forever changed a small michigan town. Michigans bath school disaster remains deadliest of its.
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