xt7cc24qnt80 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7cc24qnt80/data/mets.xml Engle, Fred Allen Kentucky -- Clark County Engle, Fred Allen 1928 University of Kentucky thesis, 7 p. l., [6], 166 typewritten l. port., illus. 28 cm. Accession number: 2012ua047. Box number: 2012ua047-0349. Call Number: Theses 1928. theses Theses 1928 English University of Kentucky  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection.  Clark County (Ky.) -- Education The History of Education of Clark County, 1928 text The History of Education of Clark County, 1928 1928 1928 2023 true xt7cc24qnt80 section xt7cc24qnt80  

           

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 Fred Allen Engle, A. B.

Graduate School

College of Education

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

1928

 

 THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION OF CLARK COUNTY

Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School
of the University of Kentucky in Partial
Fulfilment of.the Requirements for
the DegreeioffMSsten,ofggr$g;

Fred Allen Engle

Richmond, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

1928

 

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I. SCHOOLS PRIOR TO 1838

A. County White Schools 1779~183
l. Clar: County
2. First Schools
3. Winchester Academy
4. Eecknerville
5. The Magruder School
6. Summary

CHAPTER II. SCHOOLS FROM 1888 to 1890

A. County White Schools
1. Establishment
2. Report of County Commissioners
3. Tables I ~ III
B. County Negro Schools
1. Education of Slaves
2. The First Negro Schools
C. Extinct Private Schools
1. The Hickman School and Others
2. Winchester College
3. The Chaney School and Others
D. Winchester City Schools
1. Origin
2. Historical Statement
E. Winchester Negro Schools
1. Origin
2. Historical Statement

Summary
CHAPTER III. SCHOOLS FROM 1890 to 1928

A. County White Schools

1. Origin

2. Historical Statement

3. Buildings

4. Teachers

5. Attendance

6. Financial Support

7. Tables IV—VI

8. Extra Curricular Activities

 

 9’
10.

County Graded Schools
Clark County High School

11. Summary
B. County Negro Schools

1.
2.
3.

Origin
Tables VIInVIII
Summary

C. Winchester City Schools

10
2.
35
4s
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Historical Statement
Buildings and Equipment
Attendance

Table IX

Teachers' Salary Schedule
Financial Support

Rules and Regulation of the Board of Education
Banking

Library Facilities

Cost Per Pupil

Course of Study

The Opportunity School
Summary

D. Winchester Negro Schools

19
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Historical Statement
Buildings and Equipment
Atteniance

Table X

Course of Study

The Playground

Summary

E. Extinct Private Schools

1.
2.

French Academy
The Poindexter School

F. Active Private Schools

1.
2.
3.

Winchester Academy
St . Agatha Academy
Kentucky Wesleyan College
a. Act of Incorporation
b. Historical Statement
0. Historical Summary
d. Aim and Purpose
e. Course of Study
f. Extra Curricular Activities
g. Pupil Charges
h. Financial support
i. Teacherst Salaries and Qualifications
3. Table of Presidents
k. Kentudky Wesleyan College Graduates

 

 CONCLUSION
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I BIBLIOGRAPHY

Attendance

Cost Per Pupil

Buildings

Rules of Conduct

Admission

Marking System

Graduation

Percent of Students from Clark County

. The Academy

Summary

PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS

PRINCIPAL CONTRIBUTORS

VITA

 

 INTRODUCTION

I. Purpose of Study

C.

To preserve the educational records of Clark County.

To show the development of our school system by giving
data of educational tendencies in costs, attendance,
tee.ch er qualifications, equipment, supervision and
orgar i etion.

To promote educational progress in order that all future
Chang es in our school system may be constructive and
helpful, not destructive and harmful.

To put on record the date of the pioneer schools, pro—
cured from the oldest citizens, who in a few years will
have passed away.

To furnish data of the white and colored schools that
comparison of the two groups may be made.

To compare the costs of educating a child in the past
and in the present.

To show epast ar d present plans of edu.cation in order
that the tiu ure schools may be wisely promoted.

II. Scope of Study

III.

The study is limited to the history of education in Clark
County. Only those educational policies which pertain
to Clark County will be included in this history.

Source of Data

A studyo of the records in the offices of the County Sup—
erinte nde nt and County Clerk.

A careful study of the recor of the State Departmen;
of Education at Frm UL ort.

A study of the school records in the Winchester Sun and
in the Winchester Democrat.

An analysis of school catalogs, school records, and
school announcements.

 

 E.

F.

The reading of sections of history which refer to
education in Clark County.

Interviews with prominent citizens in various commu—
nities, and interviews with the oldest people in
the County.

In every source of data a confirmation of all dates
was made.

IV. Limitations of the Study

A.

Bo

CD

D.

The material was scattered and much of it was in a
very poor condition.

Most of the old school records have been destroyed,
and some of them are not complete.

The reports are inadequate and inaccurate.

The forms of the reports were changed from time to
time.

 

 CHAPTER I
SCHOOLS PRIOR TO 1838

THE COUNTY SCHOOLS 1779~1838

Ql§3g_ggg§§;§ Clark County, established in 1792 out of
parts of Fayette and Bourbon counties and named after Kentucky's
great military chieftan, General George Rogers Clark, was the
fourteenth county formed in the State. It is in the middle
section of the State upon the waters of Red. Kentucky, and
Licking rivers. It is bounded by Bourbon, Fayette, Montgomery,
Powell, Estill,gandihadisbnfcount12s;' The west end, about one
third of the coudty,:isfinfthezgenuihefhbluegrass region", exp
ceedingly fertile andghiéhlyiimbrOVed. The middle and northeast
portions are more broken yet good farming lands. The east and
southeast portions are hilly and poor oak lands.

The Kentucky river flows along the south part of the county
and a number of tributaries flow into it, which afford it ample
drainage. Among these are Lulbegrud, Boone's, Strode's, Howard's
Four Mile, and Two Mile creeks.

The first settlers of Clark county found some corn fields
that had been cultivated by Indians many years before.‘ They
are some twelve miles east of the city of Winchester and have
always been known as the "Indian Old-Fields";

The settlement of Clark county was early. Venturesome

 

 2.

pioneers early crossed the river from Boonesboro and erected
cabins in the fine country. Strode's Station about two miles
from Winchester on the Lexington Pike, was established in 1779.

The first white settlers came from Virginia and North
Carolina and were almost altogether of Anglo-Saxon blood. They
were of a substantial, solid class, peaceable and orderly in
disposition, and as a general thing disposed to be religious.

The consequence has been a remarkable record for observance of
the law, and for honesty and fair dealing.1

Winchester, the county seat, is an old town. Upon the forma-
tion of the county in 1792 it was adopted as the county seat,
over Strode's and Hood's Stations. by one vote. It was called
after the town of the same name in Virginia and was incorporated
in 1793.2

The tangible wealth of Clark county is $24,708,097. Only
eleven counties have a greater tangible wealth than it has.

Elggt §choolg. Education in these first schools was very
limited. because the educational movements, except as private
affairs, were not readily promoted. Public education was thought
necessary only for the poorer class of people. This idea greatly

retarded educational progress. The early schools of Clark County

 

1. Collins, Richard H., History gi_Kentucgy. Vol.11, p.129.

2. Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, History 93 Kentucgy, p.573.

 

 3.

were private schools. Sometimes one man would hire a teacher
for his family. Sometimes a few friends would hire a teacher
for their children and the cost was divided among the different
families. Schools like these were somewhat of a public nature.

The school house was the familiar log structure, with
greased paper covered windows, puncheon benches and desks, and
a mammoth fireplace.

Dillworth‘s speller and the new Testament were the sole
textbooks; geography and arithmetic were taught orally. Writing
was more akin to manual than mental exercise, and required the
teachers to be expert in making pens as well as marks.

The teachers were generally of Scotch or Irish extraction,
with now and then a Yankee. Unhampered by textbooks, each teacher
gave full scope to his peculiar theories, and seldom failed to
include a liberal use of the rod.

The courses of study in different schools varied. All the
schools were independent and the subjects taught were not always
what the pupils needed but what the instructors were able to
teach.3

' Since the first schools were private schools, only those
who could afford to pay a teacher, received an education. Schools

were not always located where the pupils could most easily attend.

 

3. Battle, Perrin, Kniffen, History of Kentuogy, p.220.

 

 The location was determined by the landowner who leased or do~
nated a plot of land for the school.

In the early fort schools, smooth boards of wood were used
for paper, and the Juice of oak balls for ink; The children
learned to write and work examples from cepies set them by the
teacher.

The first school in Clark County was taught at Strode's
Station about two miles from Winchester on what is now the Winn
Chester and Lexington Pike. The first teachers were John Rice,
Colonel William Sudduth. and Thomas Parvin. Thomas Parvin was
a practical printer and had been an apprentice under William
Bradford. John Bradford of Lexington secured the help of Parvin
in printing the Kentucky Gazette. Thomas Wright taught the horn-
book here.4

Probably the first school house in Clark County was on the
Four Mile Road which is now known as Muddy Creek Pike. In the
first court record book on page 104 there is a reference to a
school house on the Four Mile Road in the year 1793. There is
not any trace of this house at present or any other record perm
taining to it.

Winchester Academy. "On December 18. 1798 an act establish—

ing the Winchester Academy was approved." This act reads:
"Section I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that Robert

4. Clark County Chronicles (Old Newspaper Clippings).

 

 5.

Clark, Jr., Richard Hickman, William Sudduth. David Bullock,
Dillard Collins, John Irwin, Patterson Bullock, and Robert Elkins,
shall be, and they are hereby constituted a body politic and
corporate, to be known by the name of Winchester Academy, and

by that name shall have perpetual succession and a common seal,
with the power to change,the same at pleasure, and as such shall
beauthorized to exercise all powers and privileges that are on.
Joyed by trustees, visitors, and governors of any college or
university within this State, not herein limited or otherwise
directed."

"Section 2. The said trustees shall hold their first
stated session in the town of Winchester, in the County of Clarke,
on the third Monday in March next; and they, or two thirds of
them at least, shall then, or as soon as they think proper, fix
, upon a place for a permanent seat of said academy, and proceed

to erect buildings thereon; and until suitable buildings and

regulations are made at such place, they may commence and pro»
ceed in the institution at any other place they shall Judge
proper."

"Section 3. The said trustees or their successors, by the
name aforesaid, shall be capable in law to purchase. receive,
and hold, to them and their successors, for the rise and benefit
of said academy, any lands, tenements and rents, goods and
chattels, of what kind scever, which shall be given or devised
to, or purchased by them for the use of said seminary, and also
to demand and receive from the collectors, or other persons
appointed by the original subscribers to this institution, such
sums of money or peoperty as may be collected or subscribed for,
from the said subscribers. Nb donation given or received for
the use of this seminary, shall be appropriated to the use of
any other seminary. The said trustees by the name aforesaid,
may sue or be sued, plead or be impleaded, in any court of law
or equity in this state."

”Section 4. The said trustees shall hold two stated sessions
in each year, at such time or place as they shall Judge proper;
and in case a sufficient number of members do not attend, to
constitute a heard, these who shall attend,may adjourn to any
day previous to the next stated meeting, and shall give ten days
previous notice thereof."

"Section 5. Seven members shall be sufficient to constitute
a board for the transaction of all business respecting said
seminary, excepting those cases particularly excepted."

 

 “Section 6. The assent of a majority of two~thirds of the
trustees shall be necessary to perform the following business;
to elect and fix the salary of the president, to fix the perma—
nent seat of the seminary, to alienate, sell and convey any
lands, tenements or rents, belonging to the seminary, to approe
priate any sum exceeding one half part the amount of the funds.“

"Section 7. The trustees shall have power from time to
time, to establish such by-laws and regulations, rules and ordi-
nances, not contrary to the constitution and laws of this state,
as they shall deem necessary for the government of said academy."

"Section 8. _The trustees shall elect a president, treasn
urer, and clerk, to their own body, and so many professors,
tutors, or masters, as may be necessary; and upon the death,
resignation, or legal disability of any of the trustees, pres—
ident or other officers of said academy the board of trustees
shall supply the vacancy by ballot."

"Section 9. The president and officers of the academy
shall have fixed annual salaries, be subject to the direction
of the board of trustees, and continue in office during good be-
havior."

"Section 10. The president of the board of trustees shall
have power to call special meetings of said trustees, and it
shall be his duty upon the request of three of the, to do the
same; but upon any called meeting, ten days general notice shall
be given by the president previous to the meeting."

"Section 11. If at any time, a member of the board of
trustees shall absent himself from three stated meetings suc—
cessively, unless for good cause shown and approved by said
trustees, in such case, his seat shall be considered be be
vacant, and the board may proceed to fill his seat with a new
member." 5

In section 2 of an act approved December 22, 1798, Win—
chester Academy received six thousand acres of land as an one

dowment. The trustees were also authorized to raise by lottery,

5. Littell, Laws 9; Kentucky. Ch.146, Vol.II.

 

 and by subscription, any sum not exceeding $1000, for the purpose
of enabling them to erect buildings, to purchase books and nec-
essary apparatus for the Academy, or to defray the expenses
necessary in securing the donation of land granted to it.

The act provides "That it shall be left wholly in the dis»
cretion of the said several trustees, what subjects shall be
taught in the Academy, whether the English language, writing,
arithmetic, mathematics and geometry only, or the dead and
foreign languages, and other sciences which are generally taught
in other academies or colleges in this commonwealth. If the
said trustees, or their successors, do not, within ten years
from the passage of this act, severally establish a public
school, consisting of twelve schools at least, and in which
there shall be at least taught the English language, writing,
arithmetic and the common branches of the mathematics, the lands
acquired in virtue of this act, by the said trustees so failing,
Shall revert to this commonwealtha"

The trustees did not complete the process of acquiring the
donation of lands, nor did they provide the instruction for
twelve schools as the law required. In 1808 the legislature
issued the land to them and extended the time two years for
providing the instruction.

On April 20, 1810, John Baker deeded to the Winchester
Academy one acre of land just outside the city limits to be
used as a school site. The Academy was then moved from a site
which is now the Mahan Grocery Company opposite the Fanny Bush
SChOOlo 6

"After this date the academy entered upon more prosperous

6. Littell, op. cit., Ch.162, Vol.II.

 

 8.

days. In 1814 it was under the direction of Mr. Amzi Lewis,
late of New York, who undertook to give instruction in spell-
ing, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, the Latin
and Greek languages, and the various branches of mathematics.
Not such a light task for one lone man, considering that he
had also to provide the rodrwielding that formed such a big
item in the educational bill of fare."7

Willis Collins had charge of the Academy during the
thirties and forties. His picture hangs in the court house
in Winchester and he is buried in Winchester Cemetery. The
Academy continued until 1844 when it became a municipal insti—
tution under control of the town trustees. In 1873 this house
and lot were being used for common school purposes.

Bedknerville, Kiddville, and Bush Settlement are places
which had the most noted private schools.‘ These later became
public schools of Clark County.

An interesting picture of the schools of 1803 is given by
Mrs. Tevis in her first school at the Bush Settlement. "I was
handed over to the master, Mr. Petticord, who seated me beside
one of the larger pupils, bidding her, 'teach the little one”
her A, B. C‘s from a board upon which they were pasted. I
recollect distinctly the house and the school itself, which
was a model in its day; —~a square room with a fireplace
large enough to hold a half cord of wood: a puncheon floor;
hard rough wooden benches without backs; and openings in the
wall of an oblong shape, opposite the door for a window. with
crevices enough in every direction to admitta free circulation
of air. The furniture consisted of a desk at which the teacher
was placed or perched far above the miserable urchins. a fer-

ule, a rod, and a pile of books complete the picture.”

"At twelve o'clock which was known by a mark on the door

7. Clark County Chronicles.

 

 9.

sill, the primitive clock of our forefathers. the school was
turned out for two hours recreation and dinner. Our dinner
eaten, how heartily we ramped, bent young saplings for riding
horses, made swings of grape vines, or rested on the green
under the wide spreading beech trees until we were glad to
hear, 'books! booksl'. At the sound of this we ran eagerly
to our seats and began to can over our A, B, C's, to spell

A bitselfa (a by itself a). b-e—l, Abel; boa, ba. k—e-r,
baker; c—i-dre-r, cider. while a class read aloud, "An old
man found a rude boy, etc; the teacher, meantime, passing
around the room, rod in hand encouraging all to ‘say out',
which was done with a will, and without any apparent confusion,
because each one minded his own business, and not that of
another." 8

Becknerville. In the early part of the nineteenth cen»
tury, Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Throckmorton came to Becknerville and
established a school known as the ”Settlers' Boarding School“.
The building, a commodious log structure, has fallen to decay.
The site is marked by the old "Gray Spring, inexhaustible still".
Here the daughters of the southland received the accomplishments
of 'long ago'; music on the harp and harpsocord. etc.

"Needlecraft. netting, tufting. etc., were skillfully done.
Today our great grandmothers' old faded samplers with the al—
phabet worked in capitals and small letters and the initials
of each member of the family and a little verse with scattered
rosebuds here and there are treasured souvenirs of the 'long
ago‘. NO dream could have pictured to the pioneers who

plodded over the Wilderness Road to Kentucky's fertile soil,
the progress of the passing years."9

Edwin Clinton Hickman conducted a private school at Beck~

nerville from 1830 to 1861, the time of his death. His school-

8. Tevis, Mrs. Julia A. Autobiography, p. 54.
9. Jones, Anna E. Personal Letter.

 

 10.

room was a log structure in the chestnut grove adjoining the
lawn of Joel Hickman, his father's home; and Just across the
road from "Caveland", the home of General Richard Hickman, his
uncle. Edwin Clinton Hickman was one of the most remarkable
personalities and one of the best educated of men in his time.
He was a physicist, a breeder of plants, an astronomer, a
chemist, and a manufacturer of perfumes and drugs. He spent
much of his time in his laboratory, conducting experiments. He
was a poetical genius. and was the author of a small work on-
titled "Scraps of Poetry and Press", published in 1854.

His impression on his community was so great that, although
a poor section in the river cliffs, it has ever since been one
of the most cultured parts of Clark County.

Mr. Hickman was greatly interested in the establishment of
public schools in Kentucky. He wrote, "Colleges and universi-
ties should receive the fostering care of government, but
they cannot be made accessible to the great mass of the people.
The people, the masses. must be educated or our attempt at
free government will be a failure. Without an efficient
system of common schools, who can tell how much talent is lost,
which properly directed, might prove not only of incalculable

service to our common country, but a blessing to the human
family?"

"Popular education is the great palladium of our liberties;
and they who, actuated by an ardent desire for their country's
welfare, cooperate in establishing in Kentucky a system of
common schools, by which education with all the pleasures of
which the cultivated mind is susceptible will become the common
inheritance of our children, will be Justly regarded by pos-
terity as the true friends and benefactors of the State, when

 

 11.

the memory of mere timewserving politicians and all opposers of
popular education have been consigned to a merited oblivionJQQ

In these private schools attendance was small as only those
who were able to pay tuition could attend. Twelve and one—half
cents a day was the usual rate charged.

Reading, writing, arithmetic, and grammar were taught
mainly in lower grades, while Latin, Greek, science, and high*
er mathematics were taught in the upper grades.

During this period the small private schools flourished in
various parts of the county. The school rooms were usually log
structures and were built by individuals or by subscriptions.
Many of these schools continued into the public school period
until after the Civil War. Some of them lasted for only a short
time and some were not in continuous session from year to year.

Salem school was another one of the famous county private
schools. Chiles Coleman taught this school in 1820. He was in
1828 by Nelson Prewitt who conducted the school for several years.
C. C. Copeland was conducting a private school here for boys
only at the outbreak of the Civil War.11

Egg Mggruder fighgglp The Misses Magruder taught a private

school in Winchester in 1825. This school was continued by them

10. Information about Edwin Clinton Hickman was furnished by
Annie E. Jones and Lucien Beckner who have his works.

11. Mrs. H. M. Jones, Interview.

 

 12.

for several years and was the only school in the city during
that period. It was a very noted school of its day.12
Information concerning extinct private schools prior to
1838 is very meager. There are but few records of these early
schools. The information secured was by personal interviews
with the older citizens of the county. from old newspapers,
and from the scanty records. These schools were private enter—
prises and served the people before the public schools were es—

tablished.

figggggx, This chapter deals with the pioneer period of
Clark County's schools. A few statements about the value of
these schools would be appropriate. The life of the pioneer
was ordinarily coarse and rough. In the struggle for existence
which was in agricultural pursuits principally, he had very
little time for educational advancement. Then the need for edu—
cation was not great as new. In most cases, the families were
large. The children usually followed the occupations of their
fathers and continued to live on the farm. At that time and
under conditions brought about by such living, only the tradi»
tional three R's seemed to be necessary for an education. This
type of training is the kind the early schools attempted to
furnish. These schools, which were the forerunners of the dis~
trict schools, obtained a good many years and did a good work in

their days

12. Miss Eva French, Interview.

 

 CHEPTER II
SCHOOLS FEOM 1838 _ 1890

COUNTY WHITE SCHOOLS

Establishment. The General law establishing a system of
common schools in the State was approved February 16, 1838.
After this date the people began to show a great desire for ednr
cation. Progressive men were elected to the legislature. They
imposed a tax, which was increased from time to time. The term
which was only three months at first has been increased until
now we have seven and eight month s terms in our rural schools
which are free for all children.

Districts were slowly established, because the act provided
that the districts be laid off in the counties by surveyors
named by the county court. No district was to have more than
one hundred pupils nor fewer than thirty pupils. This provision
of the law materially delayed the adoption of the school system,
because the law was construed to mean that the districts had to
be actually surveyed by a competent and practical surveyor. Ser-
vice of such surveyors was expensive and many county courts re—
fused to make the necessary appropriations for this work.

After the districts had been laid off the county court had
to take the vote of each individual district as to adopting the
system and levying a local tax. The amount of the tax and the

length of the term were indefinite matters. A majority vote

 

 1-".

a

14.

g =
3
i

decided the case.

At first district taxes had to be supplemented by donations
and tuition. The people gradually became accustomed to taxes
and it became possible to raise enough money in each district
to meet all expenses. The terms most often were short, a large
per cent of the children did not attend school, and the teachers‘
salaries were low.13

The schoolsystem during this period was a voluntary system.
Every community decided for itself by majority vote whether a
public school should or should not be adopted.

Reports g: Commissioners. The first record of district

schools in Clark County is found in the report of R. T. Dillard

1843—44. It is as follows:

"Number of districts operating 4
Children in districts 253
Average at school 133
Number of months 1
Two districts 1 each
Two districts 2 each
Number of children in the county between 14

the ages of 5 and 16 1840"

The report for 1845~46 is much better:

”Number of districts 9
Children in districts 667
Average at school 352
Children in county age 5 to 16 1857
Number of months taught 3 to 9"15

15. Hamlet, Barksdale, gigtory g: Education in Kentucky.
14. Biennial Report of 1843~44.
15. Biennial Report of 1845~46.

 

 Commissioner Dillard's report of 1847—48 showe an in-
crease in number of districts, number of children in districts,

average at school, and number of months taught. It is as

follows:
”Number of districts 18
Number of children in districts 1274
Average at school 518
Number of months taught 8 to 12
Cost of each pupil per quarter $0.90 to $475
Average $2.95%" 16

The district schools were organized when the people came
to see that a community could do more work working together
than each working separately. These early district schools
received but little aid from the state and were poorly at»
tended, but they were a step toward a still larger and better
plan for carrying on the work of education.

In the Commissioner's report of 1850 there were thirty»
four districts. This represents an increase of twenty—five
in four years, as there were only nine districts in 1846.

The number of children served increased over 700%. The at~
tendence increased 600%. The length of the term was lengthened
so that some of the schools were in session for eleven months.

The report is given below:

"Number of districts 34
Number of children in districts 2282
Average number of children at school 911

16. Biennial Report of l847~48.

 

 16.

Number of months taught 3 to 11
Cost of tuition per quarter #1.00 to $7.00
Amount of public money used by

districts $24.60 — $103.20“ 17

The report of 1860 shows that the districts increased
from thirtynfour to thirtynnine, that there were fewer children
in the districts, and that the average attendance was eight

percent less. The length of the school term remained about

the same.18

"Number of districts 39
Number of children in districts 2041
Highest number at school 1209
Lowest number at school 469
Average number at school 835
Number of months taught 3 to 10
Cost of each child for three months

counting the highest number $2.18 —$11.10
Amount of money received from the

State by districts $25.20 ~ 164.40"

18

In 1865 the following report was sent to the State Super—

intendent by County Commissioner Winn:

“Mr. Winn visited each year nearly every district in the
county and was highly gratified with the condition of the
schoolsa The school houses were good, the teachers competent,
the trustees efficient, the schools well conducted. He hopes
for the present year to be able to report every child of
suitable age in the county." 19

In 1869 the number of districts in Clark County had
reached forty—one. The number of children remained about the

same, but the attendance had decreased at this time. The low

 

17. Biennial Report of 1850.

18. Biennial Report of 1860.

-’/
/

«SQ

I

 

 l7.

attendance undoubtedly was due to the Civil War which had a
great disintegrating influence on the schools of Kentucky.

The report for 1869 is given below:

“Number of districts 41
Number of children in districts 2099
Highest number at school 1099
Lowest number at school 413
Average number at school 729%
NUmber of months taught 3 to 11
Cost of each child for three months count—

ing the highest number at school $2.14.- $8.40
Amount received from State by

districts in 1868 $25.11 - $174.50
Amount received from State by

districts in 1869 $22.04 - $165.68“ 20

Clark County Commissioner D. J. Pendleton in 1871 made
a very lengthy and full report in which he compared the con-
dition of the schools of that date with the condition as re—
ported in 1869. He reported that there were more schools
being taught and that the length of the school termzwas longer.
He said that a complaint was being made in which he Joined
that there was not enough money being distributed to adequately
maintain the schools. He encouraged a union of the small dis»
tricts, a fundamental change which has slowly been evolved in
Clark County. He found that some of the larger districts de»
sired division. His report is as follows:

"I hereiith send my annual report, which is not entirely
complete, owing to the failure of the Trustees of a few dis»

triots to bring in their annual reports: though notified
through the county paper nearly or quite two months ago that

 

20. Biennial Report for 1869.

 

 18.

they ought to be promptly made out, and returned to me by the
first of July.

"In complianca with your request to write you in regard
to the common school interests of my county, I shall now try
to do so; and following the order of your special inquiries
as laid down in your circular, reply thus briefly.

"1st. As to ’the results of the common school experiments
under the State law, for the current year, as compared with
the preceding law', etc. By examining the reports of Trustees
for the school year ending December 3lst, 1869, I find that
only thirtywtwc districts had schools taught, and twenty—two
out of the thirty—two districts continued their sessions for
three months only; while the reports of the Trustees for the
school year just closed show that schools have been taught in
thirtymseven districts and out of that