The Great Depression of the 1930s created a financial crisis in education, causing Benton school teachers to work for several years at almost half pay.

In 1930, Hill’s Business College of Little Rock was established at Benton High School, where citizens of Saline County could take night classes.

For the 2012–14 school years, the Benton Panthers competed in the 6A Classification within the 7A/6A South Conference as administered by the Arkansas Activities Association.

Benton and Bryant High schools meet for the first game of the season in Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium.

The rivalry started when a group of students from Bryant painted a panther statue pink, so in response Benton students dropped a load of pink marshmallows from a helicopter on Bryant High's football field in 1974.