Goodspeed, History of Tennessee, p. 828.
The first school-house in Haywood County was built in the Taylor neighborhood by the Taylors and others. It was also used for the holding of religious services. The name of the first teacher is not now known. Schools were established in Brownsville in 1827, and the pioneer teachers there were Mrs. W. C. Russell and Mr. Hume. The first school-house south of the Hatchie River, was built in the Alexander neighborhood in 1828, and Oliver Alexander, who is still living there, taught the first school in it. He was then only sixteen years of age, and was succeeded in his school by a Mr. Cook, who came from the East as a professional teacher. The early schools of the county were all managed on the subscription plan, and the tuition usually charged was $10 per year, or $1 per month for a shorter time. As the country became settled and villages established, academies were also established at various points throughout the county, and among the leading ones was the Brownsville Female Institute, founded in 1842 at Brownsville. This school flourished with moderate success until the beginning of the civil war, when its doors were closed. It was under control of the Presbyterian Church.
The Brownsville Female College was established in 1850 at Brownsville, by the West Tennessee Baptist Convention. Its first president was Rev. J. B. White. Judge W. P. Bond, R. S. Thomas, Hon. D. B. Thomas and Dr. J. C. Jones were prominent among the first trustees of the college. From its inception to the beginning of the civil war, the college had uniform and substantial success. Then the students returned to their homes, and a local school only was taught in the college buildings during the war period. In 1865 collegiate classes were again organized, and from that time forward, and until the present able president took charge of the college, it met with varied success. Hon. H. B. Folk, A. M. Austin, E. A. Collins, Ron. D. 0. Thomas, A. C. Estes and Hon. P. T. Glass are prominent members of the present board of trustees. The faculty consists of Prof. P. H. Eager, president; Mrs. S. E. Rowan, lady principal; Miss M. P. Thomas, principal of primary department; Miss Sallie Anderson, principal of elocution and art; Miss Annie E. Linn, principal musical department, and Mrs. Emma Alston, matron.
The Wesleyan Female College, at Brownsville, was chartered in 1870, with A. H. Bradford, S. H. Bradford, John Williams, P. Yancey and others as trustees. The average number of students has been about sixty. The faculty consists of Rev. John Williams, A. M., president; Miss Jennie Warren, M. C. L., and Miss Mollie Williams, M. C. L., assistants, and Mrs. M. D. Watkins, musical directress. The college is pleasantly located, and has been very successful, both in paying its expenses and in educating the students entrusted to its care.
The Union Female Seminary at Brownsville was established in 1884, by a board of trustees consisting of T. B. King, A. Steinberger, John Clinton and others. It became a chartered corporation in August, 1886. It commenced its first session September 1, 1884. and has met with flattering success. The faculty consists of Rev. T. W. Raymond, principal; Miss Kate McFarland and Miss Bettie Mann, assistants. This school admits males up to the age of ten years.
The Brownsville (Methodist) District High School, established at Dancyville, in 1884, under the management of a board of trustees, is doing an excellent work.
Under the free school system, the following statistics are given for Haywood County for the year ending June 30, 1885 – Number of schools – white, 40; colored, 57; Teachers employed: white – males 19, females 20; colored – males 39, females 16. Scholastic population – white-males 1,369, females 1,348; colored – males 3,083, females 2,983. Number of pupils enrolled during the year: white – males 671, females 695; colored – males 1,480; females, 1,505.
History of Haywood County, 1989: After Brownsville Baptist Female College closed in 1897, F. R. Ogilvie rented the building for a school and in 1911 the county purchased the property for a high school.