USA > Kentucky > Madison County > Glimpses of historic Madison County, Kentucky > Part 9
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It seems that the original trustees failed to act, and so the General Assembly, by an act approved in 1814, appointed Curtis Fields, John Patrick, Moses M. Rice, Anthony W. Rollins, and Archibald Woods, trustees of the Madison Academy, with the same powers
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that had been granted to the former trustees. The new trustees must have acted henceforth because it is a matter of record that they purchased, for the sum of one dollar, one and one-half acres of land from Robert Caldwell, lying on the north side of Richmond. The deed, dated June 15, 1816, provided that the land was to be used for the sole purpose of erecting a building thereon for the sole use of the Madison Academy and for no other purpose what- ever.
The Madison Academy, sometimes called Madison Seminary, had a long, successful existence. With the rise of the Madison Female Institute, the Madison Academy became the Madison Male Acad- emy. It continued to function until around 1874 when it ceased as such and was later known as the Richmond or Caldwell School. On May 3, 1890, the General Assembly made it possible to transfer the property of the Madison Academy to the Richmond school sys- tem. Some time thereafter the city erected a building on the lot and used it for school purposes until 1921 when it was destroyed by fire. After that the lot remained vacant until 1940 when it was sold to the Commonwealth of Kentucky for $1,200.00.
Silver Creek Academy-The first trustees of this institution were Lemuel D. Bennett, James Blythe, William Chenault, and Wil- liam Heatt. Records show Joel Hume and his wife, Polly, deeded to the trustees on September 24, 1844, a plot of two acres of land "lying and being in the County of Madison and State of Kentucky on the waters of Stone Lick branch of Silver Creek for the sum of one dollar and the benefits of the Silver Creek Academy."
Very little is known of Silver Creek Academy, but it seems reasonably certain that private schools were operated some years before and after the Civil War at the old brick schoolhouse in the present Peytontown community. The Academy seems to have been a well-established subscription school, taught by one teacher who was the master of a group of bad boys. On March 15, 1871, by an act of the General Assembly, Silas Cobb, R. I. Martin, and James Y. Peyton, trustees, were authorized to sell the Silver Creek Academy property. It appears, however, that the property was not sold but merely merged into the district or county school system. The old brick building was used as a one-teacher school for many years later.
Richmond Female Institute-This institution was incorporated
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by the General Assembly of Kentucky on January 22, 1845. The first trustees were John F. Busby, Thomas H. Christopher, Albert G, Irvine, Samuel C. Kirkendall, John Smith, and Charles J. Walker. The trustees were empowered to elect a president and other officers from their number. They were, also, given authority to fix by-laws, make rules and regulations for the management of the school, hire teachers, set tuition rates, expell or suspend students for cause, and to confer appropriate degrees.
Very little seems to be known about the Richmond Female Institute. It is certain that S. H. Stephenson was principal of the school in 1845. William McClanahan possibly served as principal some time later.
Some ten or twelve years after the founding of the Richmond Female Institute, the Madison Female Institute was established. Soon thereafter the former ceased to exist, but nobody seems to know whether or not one merged into the other.
Madison Female Institute-By an act of the General Assembly of Kentucky, approved January 26, 1858, the Madison Female Sehool was incorporated. The first trustees were Thomas H. Barnes, Thomas S. Bronston, William Chenault, John A. Duncan, Clifton R. Estill, William Harris, William Holloway, Thomas S. Moberly, Robert R. Stone, Samuel Stone, William J. Walker, and William H. White. The trustees, a corporate body, could sue and be sued. One important duty of the trustees was to appoint from them- selves a president, a secretary, and a treasurer. Their duties, also, included the selection of teachers and the preparation of by- laws, rules, and regulations for the successful management of the school. They could admit boys under ten years of age if they considered it wise to do so.
In 1865 the Madison Female School was authorized by the General Assembly to borrow not to exceed $10,000 and mortgage land and other property to secure payment. The same act changed the name of the institution to Madison Female Institute. The school operated under this name until it went out of existence in 1919.
Following the battle of Richmond, in late August 1862, the building, located near where Madison high stands today, was used for hospital wards. Both Union and Confederate soldiers, wounded in battle, were cared for there by teachers and students. The
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school was used as a hospital for several months. In February 1863, the trustees of the institute lodged a claim against the United States and in 1915 received $5,200 for damage done the property while it was used as a hospital.
After the Civil War the Madison Female Institute became famous as a southern finishing school for girls. Other than Kentucky some of the states represented in graduating classes were Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. In 1906, a young lady from Havana, Cuba, was in the graduating class. From 1857 to 1910, 248 young ladies re- ceived diplomas.
There were fourteen teachers in the institution in 1907-1908.
The course of study was divided into primary, intermediate, and collegiate. The primary course was "for the youngest pupils" and included "all studies and such a length of time as fitted them to enter the intermediate course." The intermediate course pre- pared for the collegiate department and, in 1910, included orthog- raphy, reading, penmanship, geography, elementary arithmetic, graded lessons in English, and United States History.
The college department, in 1910, included the following schools: school of mathematics, school of English, school of history, school of natural science, school of mental and moral science, and evidence of Christianity, school of Latin, school of modern language, school of music, school of expression and physical culture, and school of stenography, typewriting, and bookkeeping. Completion of the course of study in the collegiate department enabled girls to enter eastern colleges.
By joint agreement of the City Board of Education, the County Board of Education, and the trustees of Madison Female Institute, July 5, 1919, the property of the Madison Female Institute was leased to the City Board of Education for ninety-nine years on two conditions: First that the property was to be used for educational purposes only, which included the maintenance of a first class high school and, second, the school would be accessible to Madison County white high school pupils "upon such terms and conditions as may be fair and reasonable."
Foxtown private schools-Beginning about 1845 or 1850 several wealthy families of the Foxtown community of Madison County
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conducted exclusive schools. These families usually madc ar- rangements with the president of some eastern college, most often Yale, for the services of a young gentleman of very high character to conduct their school. The schools generally ran for ten months beginning in September.
The teacher received about $75.00 per month, exclusive of board and lodging, which came in the form of rotation with the families concerned.
The course of study included Latin, Greek, algebra, geometry, higher arithmetic, English, and any other subjects required for entrance to a standard college. Quite a few students entered the freshman class at Yale and other colleges after having completed the course in these private schools.
Texas Seminary-Shortly after the Civil War some of the fathers in the then Texas neighborhood of Madison County organized a seminary for the education of their boys and girls. The trustees were J. Ayers, J. S. Griggs, and M. S. Grinstead, who were deeded two acres of land in Texas, now College Hill, by Jonas S. Griggs and wife for the sum of $1.00. The Texas Seminary issued stock at $25.00 a share, and the deed showed the sale of fifty-eight shares to people in the region.
The school was under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and very able teachers were sent to the school by the church conference. The seminary drew students from eastern and central Kentucky while it flourished and during those times "every house was a boarding house." The term generally started in Sep- tember and ran for nine months. Some time before 1890 the school became a rural school in the county common school system because the Church ceased to support it.
Elliott Institute-This Academy was authorized by an act of the General Assembly of Kentucky on March 30, 1882. The first trustees were Neland Jones, Webber H. Sale, and J. P. Simmons, Sr. Milton Elliott was president and owner. The president filled vacancies on the board of trustees, appointed and removed teachers, prescribed the course of study, and set up rules and regulations for the manage- ment of the institution.
The course of study included three departments: the primary, the preparatory, and the collegiate. The school year was divided into two terms of four and one-half months each, the first beginning Sep-
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tember 7, and the second on January 25. The school was supported by the student fees. At the height of its popularity, the school enrolled 127 students drawn widely from Kentucky localities and a few other states, notably North Carolina, Texas and Missouri.
Mr. Elliott was an excellent school man for his day. In 1893, he left Elliott Institute to become president of Garrard College at Lancaster, Kentucky. After he left, the Kirksville Institute operated under new management for a few years but finally gave way to the Kirksville public school about 1900.
Kingston School-The Kingston School Joint Stock Company was authorized by an act of the General Assembly of Kentucky on Feb- ruary 9, 1886. The project resulted from the efforts of the Kingston Masonic Lodge Number 315, cooperating with individuals who felt the need for an institution of higher learning in the Kingston com- munity. The first trustees were J. W. Bales, William Boulware, and J. H. West.
The company secured about an acre of land for the school, and a building was erected in 1885. For many years after the erection of the school both grade and high school pupils were charged tuition. The school operated as a successful high school until around 1904. Soon thereafter interest began to decline and the school ceased to operate. The original building still stands in Kingston today, now used for other purposes, as a reminder of educational developments of yesteryear.
Walters Institute-When Central University united with Centre College at Danville, upon the urging of the Alumni Association of Central University, most of the physical plant valued in excess of $150,000 was reserved for a preparatory school to be known as Walters Collegiate Institute, according to the deed in 1902. Walters Institute received the educational building and campus exclusive of the five houses known as the four professors' houses and the Chancellor's house. The original incorporators or trustees included twenty-one prominent citizens of Richmond.
The Walters Collegiate Institute opened as a preparatory school for boys in the fall of 1901. The Institute continued to operate until the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School was established in 1906. In that year Walters Collegiate Institute, with Central University consenting, transferred about twenty-three acres of land embracing the main part of the old Central University property to the board of
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regents of Eastern Kentucky State Normal School. In 1910, the re- mainder of the property of the Walters Collegiate Institute was sold to the Normal School.
Other Types of Private Schools-During the heyday of private school development in Madison County many other ventures in that type of education could be found. For example, many schools of the subscription type, rather exclusive in character, existed in and around Richmond. These schools seldom went beyond the ele- mentary level, and generally the lower grades were taught.
Some private schools of this type included those operated for a time by Miss Alice Brown, W. Rodes Shackelford, Henry S. Green, Mrs. J. A. G. Williamson, Mrs. French Tipton, Miss Sudie Russell, Miss Louise Freeman, Doctor Walker, Miss Sallie Wainscott, and Professor Woodward. Schools like these were usually of special interest to comparatively small groups of individuals.
EDUCATION FROM 1837 TO 1900
The General Assembly of Kentucky, in two acts approved Febru- ary 23, 1837, and February 16, 1838, provided for the beginnings of public education in the Commonwealth. The second act established a system of common schools in the State. This legislation marked the start of public education in Madison County. From 1837 to around 1900 the public school became fairly well established in the County.
Early School Legislation-The act of 1838 provided for a State Board of Education consisting of the Attorney General, the Secre- tary of State, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. School districts were to be laid off in the counties by surveyors ap- pointed by the County Court. Each County was to have five school commissioners to manage schools, and each school district was to have five trustees elected by the people in the district. The first school commissioners in Madison County were Daniel Breck, John Duncan, Jacob White, and Henry Goodlow. The school commis- sioners were appointed by the State Board of Education on theory but, in fact, by the Superintendent of Public Instruction until 1849 when that power was given to county courts.
This early school legislation had some serious defects which tended to hamper the development of local school systems. It merely permitted local people to levy school taxes if they desired;
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GLIMPSES OF HISTORIC MADISON COUNTY, KENTUCKY
it made no provision for building schoolhouses; no plan or super- vision was set up, county courts interpreted the law to mean that districts must be laid off by expert surveyors, an expensive bus- iness, and so many courts refused to appropriate funds for the surveys. Teacher qualifications were not defined and no plan was suggested for their education; the Superintendent of Public In- struction was a minor state official. His chief duty seemed to be the collection of local school statistics.
The County Court at a meeting on July 2, 1838, arranged for the surveying of school districts in Madison County. The county sur- veyor was to be assisted in the work by twelve other surveyors and report back later.
The early school commissioners in Madison County seemed to take limited interest in the common schools. This is shown by the fact that they made very meager and irregular reports to the state from 1838 to 1850.
Buildings and Grounds-During the whole period from 1837 to 1900 the need for better schoolhouses was imperative. In 1846 R. T. Dillard, Superintendent of Public Instruction, reported that school- houses "are too small, built without taste, and almost without form .. . very often on the most ineligible sites .... "
In 1871, Commissioner Stivers reported that the schoolhouses in Madison County "are almost wholly inadequate to the require- ments made of them, generally poorly lighted and ventilated ... almost totally unfit to be used in cold weather."
In 1884 Commissioner S. D. Parrish reported that "little atten- tion is paid to public education ... Schoolhouses are in bad condi- tion and seem to be growing worse. Only seven or eight fit for the purpose and many of them unfit for horse stables."
Teachers-During the period school commissioners and district trustees examined teachers for the common schools and granted certificates. The examinations were usually oral and very brief, being confined many times to one question. The requirements for teachers were very low. In 1871, Commissioner S. D. Parrish re- ported that the low standards of the public schools of Madison could be traced to the general "incompetency of teachers and school officials."
In 1870 the General Assembly passed an act making it the duty of the commissioner in each county to hold a teachers' institute for
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the general improvement of the qualifications of the teachers. The first teachers' institute in Madison County was held in December, 1870, but it was poorly attended. After that tardy beginning, the teachers seemed to take institute work more seriously for many years, and many prominent persons made their appearance before the Madison County teachers' institutes. Topics often treated in the institutes included primary reading, primary geography, primary writing and teaching composition.
As late as the nineties about half of the white teachers held second class certificates, and nearly half of the colored teachers held third class certificates.
There was little or no supervision except by district trustees who were generally ignorant of its requirements.
School Term-Before 1900 the school term in the common schools was short. For some years after 1838 state school funds were dis- tributed on the basis of a three-months school term. In 1869 the term was extended to five months, but in neither case was the length of the term mandatory upon local school districts. Any dis- tricts wanting a longer school term could extend it by raising addi- tional funds from local aid, private or public. Some districts took advantage of this opportunity.
Course of Study-In 1845 parents or guardians were given the right to select and furnish textbooks. The result was that often each pupil in the same class would have a different textbook. In 1852, the State Board of Education secured the power to adopt books for the common schools. Apparently state-adopted text- books were used in Madison County after that, although uniformity did not seem to exist in 1884, for Commissioner Parrish tried to obtain reasonable uniformity in the textbooks used in the common schools in Madison during the eighties.
Attendance-School attendance in the common school in Madison County was generally low for the entire period ( 1837-1900). From 1850 to 1869 the average daily attendance was around 39 percent based on the census. Attendance reports from 1869 to 1890 are meager and definitely inadequate. In 1884, however, the average daily attendance was 27 percent based on the census. The dom- inance of private schools apparently influenced attendance in the public schools. The first compulsory school law was enacted in 1896, but there was little attempt for years thereafter to enforce that
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law. It did seem, however, to improve attendance a little.
School Finances-State support for the common schools was very meager throughout the period. For example, the state per capita allowance was 60 cents per pupil in 1853; $1.10 in 1863; $.72 in 1867; $2.00 in 1871; $1.40 in 1883. This situation vitally affected the development of the common schools of Madison County throughout the period.
Colored Schools-Before the slaves were freed in 1865, some large plantation owners taught their slaves reading, writing, and arith- metic. For example, both Green Clay and Cabell Chenault taught their slaves to read and write.
Schools for the colored people of the state were first provided by an act of the General Assembly approved February 14, 1866, which appropriated for their schools all taxes paid by their race in the state except enough to support their paupers. The per capita for white and colored schools was equalized in 1882.
Colored schools in Madison County were very inferior. Most of their schools were taught in colored churches or rented houses. Prior to 1884, there were only two or three good, comfortable schoolhouses for colored children in the County. Conditions were not much better in 1900.
PUBLIC EDUCATION FROM 1900 TO 1955
During this period the public school expanded and became a permanent institution in Madison County as well as in the Com- monwealth as a whole.
Some Legislation Affecting Administration-The General As- sembly of 1908 abolished the local district as the unit of school ad- ministration and set up the county as the unit of administration. As a result of this legislation, commonly referred to as the "county Administration Law," Madison County became one school district, with the exclusion of the Berea Independent Graded School and the Richmond Independent District. The county school district was divided into five educational divisions, and the educational divi- sions were divided into sub-districts with three trustees for each sub-district school. The sub-district trustees of each educational division composed the division boards of education, and the chair- man of each division board composed the county board of educa- tion. The county superintendent of schools, elected by popular vote
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since 1884, was a member of each division board, chairman of the county board of education, and treasurer of the county school fund.
In 1920 the county school administration law was revised and amended. This act provided for a county board of education of five members elected from the county at large, with authority to appoint a county superintendent of schools for a term of not more than four years. Some opposition developed to the countywide election of county board members, and so the General Assembly fixed the time of the election of these officials at the regular No- vember election. This practice prevails in Madison County at the close of the period.
By law the requirements for service on the Madison County Board of Education were low in the early days of the county administra- tion law, and many sub-district trustees could neither read nor write. After 1920 members of boards of education must live in the educational division from which they were elected and be eighth- grade graduates. Because of the serious abuse of the sub-district trustee system the General Assembly of 1934 abolished the sub- district trustees and gave the county superintendent the right to nominate teachers.
Prior to 1920 the county superintendent of schools was selected by political parties, and the educational qualifications for the office were very low. There were no requirements for professional train- ing. In 1926 however, certification requirements were revised, mak- ing it necessary for a county superintendent to hold a certificate based on sixty-four semester hours of college work with twelve hours in education. In addition, the candidate had to show evidence of four years teaching experience and present a transcript of six semester hours in public school administration earned in a standard college. Beginning in 1934 county superintendents of schools were required to hold a certification in administration and supervision based on four years of professional preparation in a standard college. Since 1952, they must hold a provisional certificate in school administration and supervision based on the Masters of Arts Degree in Professional Education with a major in school administration. These practices affecting county school administration have improved the ad- ministration of schools in Madison County.
Improvement in Buildings and Grounds-The period opened with several log schoolhouses in use in Madison County, but all these
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had gone by 1917. In 1905 one hundred frame schoolhouses were used. By 1933 the school system had fifty-nine frame buildings and eleven brick buildings. Since 1933 the number of schoolhouses has declined through consolidation of schools. There has been a very significant decrease in one-room schools in recent years.
The value of school property increased from about nine thousand dollars in 1900 to over four hundred thousand dollars in 1933. Today the total school plant is worth much more than that.
Teachers-As late as 1909 only one teacher in Madison County held a normal school certificate, but by 1916 the number holding that type of certificate had increased to 15. In 1932 3 teachers had no college training; 43 teachers, 1 to 63 semester hours of college training; 40 teachers, 64 to 119 semester hours of college; and 22 teachers had 120 or more hours of college preparation. In 1954-55 there were 7 emergency teachers in the elementary schools; 30 teachers with 64 to 95 semester hours of training, 15 teachers with 96 to 127 hours training, and 30 teachers with A. B. to 30 semester hours training, and 1 teacher with an A.M. degree. All high school teachers held college degrees in that year.
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