Jackson County, Tennessee

Schools

A History of Schools in Jackson County
Current Jackson County Schools


A History of Schools in Jackson County, Tennessee

Montpelier Academy

Schools and academies are almost as old as the County. In 1806 at Williamsburg, Sampson Williams and Moses Fiske located the first formal academy in the county. Sampson Williams was one of the leaders of the settlement of Williamsburg and Moses Fiske was a native of Massachusetts and a graduate of Dartmouth College. He came to Tennessee for the purpose of setting up a mission school for the Cherokees. Fiske and William also founded Fisk Female Academy at Hilham (which was then in Jackson County). This school was said to be the first women's college south of the Ohio River. The Academy at Williamsburg was known as Montpelier Academy. It was in operation for about one hundred years--incorporated in 1806 and closed after 1900.

In 1837-38 the academy was moved to a site near Gainesboro, which would be more convenient to the whole county. This building was destroyed by fire in 1877, was then rebuilt in 1882. Montpelier Academy was sold at public auction to J.E. Staffort. R.A. Waite was principal of Montpelier in 1899. Others who taught there were Lizzie Karn and Ada Thaxton.

Peter Turney attended the academy in Williamsburg and later became Governor of Tennessee.

Philamath

Philamath school was located in Tinsley's Bottom on the Cumberland River in Jackson county near [what is now] the Clay County line. About the year of 1858 this building was erected for church and educational purposes. Professor Garland Krykendall, his brother William and Mack Moore were among early teachers at Philamath. For several years the school continued its great work and gained its place on pages of history. Many well known men received their education there; among some of the prominent men who attended school at Philamath were the Honorable Benton McMillan, a statesman and an orator of the highest type; George H. Morgan, ex-speaker of the Senate in Tennessee noted for his generosity and his christian devotion; M.G. Butler, ex-attorney general of the fifth Judicial circuits; S.R. Fowler, a leading physician and farmer; [and] D.E. Plumlee, physician, lawyer and leading orator of the fourth Congressional District. Other prominent men attending were Judge Erasmus Lee Gardenshire, Judge John J. Gore, and Marion Harris, a well known early preacher. on March 10, 1904 the school was destroyed by fire.

Flynn's Lick Normal

Flynn's Lick Academy was built on property donated by Dudley Haile in the late 1800's. Located in the beautiful creek valley one mile from the Cumberland River, four miles south of Gainesboro. People attended from all over the upper Cumberland, Jackson and adjoining counties. A large dormitory was built near the school building. The dormitory accommodated thirty two people, and was run on a style that it did not cost any person over three dollars-fifty cents per month. In payment of board, anything in the way of provisions were taken at the market price.

The early faculty were: W.H. Adamson, Primary; H.L. Craddock, Latin, Higher Mathematics and Sciences; Fannie Hawthorne, Music; Lillie Haile, Intermediate Branches; A.E. Rich, Librarian; J.T. Tracy, Greek, psychology, didactics and logic; Nettie Tracy, German; R.M. Tracy, history of commercial law.

School continued at this location until the schools in Jackson County were consolidated.

Rules for Teachers 1872

Some of the early districts had a number of rules that specified what a teacher could or could not do while under contract. For example: the women were not allowed to keep company with men, nor ride in a carriage with any man unless he was her father or brother. Her dress was not to be shorter than two inches above the ankle and she should wear at least two petticoats. The men were not to be shaven in a barber shop. He was allowed to use one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings if they went to church.

Each day they. were to fill lamps and clean the chimneys, bring a bucket of water and scuttle of coal for the days sessions. After ten hours in school the teacher was allowed to read the Bible or other good books, but not loiter in town or travel beyond the city limits.

The teacher who performed his duty faithfully and without fault for five years was given an increase of twenty-five cents per week in his pay. Provided the Board of Education approved.

Other Early Schools

Some early schools were, Chicken Coop, Cumberland Valley Preparatory School, Granville Seminary, Jennings Gap, Tannerhill Lodge, Male and Female Institute, Teels Chapel, Wartrace Academy. The number of schools increased until by 1926 there were over sixty in the County. A school was located within walking distance of all children. As transportation became available, schools began to consolidate, until over a period of years the schools in Jackson County decreased. The Elementary and Secondary system in 1980 consist of three elementary schools. (Dodson Branch, Fox Elementary and Gainesboro, Elementary) with grades K through eight, one high school, grades 9 through 12. Click here for a photo of the old Gainsboro High School, circa 1906.

[At the time of this writing, 1989] The elementary system has a total of 1164 students with 63 teachers. The high school has 519 students and 23 teachers.

Jackson County High School is located three miles north of Gainesboro on highway 56, near the Cumberland River. The high school is recognized as a perennial power in Class A basketball. Click here for a photo of the 1935 girl's team.

The entire educational system exceeds minimum state standards.

Vocational

The Tri-County Vocational Technical School, serving three counties, Jackson, Clay and Macon, is located in the extreme western end of Clay County, near the corner of Jackson and Macon County. Courses are offered in Auto Mechanics, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Health Occupations, Welding, Food Service, Cosmetology, and Adult classes. The Courses are designed to fit the needs of local industry.

Note: This excerpt is from: Jackson County Tennessee, by Moldon Jenkins Tayse, 1989. Ms. Tayse was the county historian for Jackson County for years prior to her death in 1998.


Current Jackson County Schools

These are the schools shown on the USGS 1:24,000 (7.5 minute) topographical maps, as determined from the USGS Geographical Name Information Server (GNIS).

Note: These are undoubtedly NOT all the schools in Jackson County, and as noted, some are historical locations.

Baxter Map
Burristown Map
Cookeville West Map
Dodson Branch Map
Gainesboro Map
Granville Map
Whitleyville Map
Willette Map

 

Feature Name
Latitude
Longtitude

Baxter Map

 

 

Philiadelphia School

361404N

0854019W

Union School

361408N

0853820W

Burristown Map

 

 

Antioch School (historical)

362438N

0853208W

Big Bottom School (historical)

362652N

0853609W

Carlock School (historical)

UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Columbus Hill School (historical)

362305N

0853728W

Fairview School

362313N

0853438W

Greenwood School (historical)

362231N

0853257W

Harmony School (historical)

UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Lick School (historical)

362854N

0853701W

New Hope School (historical)

362238N

0853036W

Old Antioch School (historical)

362432N

0853159W

Pleasant Hill School (historical)

362446N

0853401W

Sugar Creek School (historical)

362608N

0853722W

Cookeville West Map

 

 

Shiloh School

361451N

0853538W

Dodson Branch Map

 

 

Arbor School (historical)

362049N

0853125W

Cedar Grove School (historical)

362156N

0853629W

Center Grove School (historical)

361556N

0853647W

Dodson Branch School

361831N

0853144W

Freewill School (historical)

361749N

0853513W

Gentry School (historical)

361857N

0853344W

Lynn School (historical)

361701N

0853400W

Maberry School

361636N

0853207W

Morrison Creek School (historical)

361948N

0853542W

Pine Hill School (historical)

361504N

0853324W

Stony Point School (historical)

362049N

0853423W

Woodrow School (historical)

362200N

0853702W

Gainesboro Map

 

 

Antioch School (historical)

361635N

0853930W

Big Branch School (historical)

361815N

0854421W

Birdwell School (historical)

362055N

0854126W

Current School (historical)

361734N

0854141W

Dudneys Hill School (historical)

361955N

0853738W

Flynns Lick School (historical)

361942N

0854248W

Forks of Creek School (historical)

361807N

0854237W

Gainesbor o Elementary School

362100N

0853932W

Jackson County High School

362052N

0853926W

McCoinsvi lle School (historical)

361836N

0853825W

Nameless School (historical)

361516N

0854238W

New Salem School (historical)

361850N

0854017W

New Bethel School (historical)

362155N

0854327W

Shady Grove School (historical)

361511N

0854053W

Granville Map

 

 

Corinth School (historical)

361633N

0854945W

Funns Branch School (historical)

361856N

0854924W

Gladdice School (historical)

362053N

0854822W

Granville School

361639N

0854648W

Hollimans Bend School (historical)

361834N

0854756W

Liberty Hill School (historical)

361736N

0854537W

Oak Hill School (historical)

361638N

0854741W

Smith Bend School (historical)

361918N

0854650W

Whites Bend School (historical)

362025N

0854514W

Whitleyville Map

 

 

Allen School (historical)

362925N

0854150W

Arbor School (historical)

362610N

0854045W

Cub Creek School (historical)

362358N

0854305W

Free State School (historical)

362323N

0854137W

Gum Springs School (historical)

362736N

0854422W

Hensley Creek School (historical)

362516N

0854222W

Hurricane School (historical)

362437N

0853815W

Lock Branch School (historical)

362615N

0853825W

SouthFork School (historical)

362716N

0854213W

Stone School (historical)

362337N

0853937W

Whitleyvi lle School (historical)

362658N

0854044W

Willow Grove School (historical)

362857N

0854054W

Willette Map

 

 

Beech Grove School (historical)

362354N

0854813W

Haydenbur g School (historical)

362518N

0854545W

Indian Creek School (historical)

362233N

0854517W

North Springs School (historical)

362756N

0854532W

Sadlers School (historical)

362801N

0854547W


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Jane Hembree Crowley
Charles Reeves, Jr.,

Jackson County Coordinators
This page last updated: 27 July 2000