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Education/Schools - Historical Notes

Tennessee Code Annotated
Tennessee Attorney General Opinions

Board of Education

The following acts once affected the board of education in Sullivan County but are no longer operative. Also referenced below is an act which repealed prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

  1. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 418, created a county board of education for Sullivan County. This act defined the powers and duties of said board and fixed their compensation and tenure of office, and provided for the appointment of members to said board. This act was amended by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 799, so as to set the compensation of the members of the county board of education at $100 per annum and the compensation of the chairman of said board at $125 per annum. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 418, was repealed by Private Acts of 1971, Chapter 163.

Superintendent or Director of Schools

The acts referenced below once affected the office of superintendent of education in Sullivan County, but are no longer operative. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

  1. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 654, provided for and regulated the election of superintendents of schools in Sullivan County. This act was repealed by Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 103.
  2. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 417, provided for the election of a county superintendent of public instruction by popular vote in Sullivan County. This act was amended by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 525, so as to set the compensation of the county superintendent at $2,400 per annum. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 525, was repealed by Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 437.

General Reference

The following acts constitute part of the administrative and political heritage of the educational structure of Sullivan County but are no longer operative since they have either been superseded, repealed, or failed to receive local approval. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

  1. Acts of 1806, Chapter 8, established Jefferson Academy in Sullivan County appointed William Snodgrass, John Punch, Elkanah R. Dulaney, Abraham Looney and William Bond as trustees for said academy. This act was amended by Acts of 1807, Chapter 56, so as to name William King Jr., William Deery, Nicholas Fain and David Yearsly trustees of Jefferson Academy.
  2. Acts of 1807, Chapter 78, appointed John Rhea and James Kings as two of the thirty trustees appointed to the College of East Tennessee.
  3. Private Acts of 1832, Chapter 76, directed the clerk and treasurer of the board of common school commissioners of Sullivan, Bledsoe, Marion, Washington, Greene, Cocke and Sevier counties to perform all the duties that were required of the late agents in said counties, under the same rules, regulations and restrictions as were provided for the bank agency of Campbell County.
  4. Acts of 1851-52, Chapter 150, allowed the children of the several common school districts, near Cedar Spring Academy in Sullivan County, to draw from the common school fund to attend said academy.
  5. Acts of 1853-54, Chapter 209, provided that the academic fund belonging to Sullivan County be equally divided between the Jefferson Male Academy and the Masonic Female Institute.
  6. Acts of 1905, Chapter 452, created an independent school district, the twenty-third, in Sullivan County.
  7. Acts of 1907, Chapter 325, created and established the twenty-fourth school district in Sullivan County.
  8. Acts of 1909, Chapter 380, created an independent school district in the third civil district of Sullivan County.
  9. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 274, provided for the furnishing of free school books to children whose parents were unable to furnish the same up to and including the eighth grade in Sullivan County.
  10. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 388, was a $350,000 bond issue for the purpose of building, purchasing and repairing high schools in Sullivan County. These bonds matured in fifty years and bore an interest rate which did not exceed 6%.
  11. Private Acts of 1931 (2nd Ex. Sess.), Chapter 37, authorized the County Court of Sullivan County to borrow money in amounts not to exceed ⅔ of current expected revenues for school and general purposes.
  12. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 234, required all county officials, including justices of the peace, constables, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and other police officers in Sullivan County to perform the duties and functions of truant officers as provided in Public Acts of 1925, Chapter 115, the general school law. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 234, was repealed by Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 253.
  13. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 29, abolished the position of truant officer in Sullivan County.
  14. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 152, validated the issuance by the county court of Sullivan County of $15,000 in tax anticipation notes. These notes matured twelve months after the issuance date and had a rate of interest which did not exceed 5%.
  15. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 189, validated the actions of the county court of Sullivan County in the issuance of $500,000 in school bonds.
  16. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 710, validated the action of the Sullivan County Court in the issuance of $300,000 in school bonds.
  17. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 859, created the position of attendance officer for Sullivan County and provided for their appointment, term of office, compensation and duties. This act was repealed by Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 252.
  18. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 867, authorized the county court of Sullivan County to issue bonds in the amount of $200,000 for the purpose of building, repairing, furnishing and equipping school house in the county. These bonds were required to be approved by the voters, mature within 50 years, and not to exceed 6%.
  19. Private Acts of 1941, Chapter 419, provided for teacher’s tenure in Sullivan County.
  20. Private Acts of 1941, Chapter 470, authorized Sullivan County to establish a system or contributory retirement, annuity or pension for school teachers, principals, superintendents, supervisor and other school employees.
  21. Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 102, authorized Sullivan County to issue $21,000 in bonds for the purpose of constructing and equipping the Manual Arts Building at Holston Institute, a county high school. These bonds bore an interest rate which did not exceed 3½% per annum.
  22. Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 657, authorized Sullivan County to issue $2,645,819 in bonds for the purpose of purchasing grounds, erecting and furnishing school buildings and to provide for the payment of a proportional part of the funds realized form the sale of said bonds. These bonds bore an interest rate which did not exceed 3%.
  23. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 434, fixed the salary of the Sullivan County Superintendent of Public Instruction at $5,000 per annum. This act was amended by Private Acts of 1951, Chapter 702, so as to authorize the quarterly county court to increase the salary of the county superintendent to $6,000 per annum. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 212, further amended Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 434, so as to authorize the quarterly county court to increase the salary of the county superintendent to $7,000 per annum. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 434, was amended by Private Acts of 1959, Chapter 164, so as to increase the salary of the county superintendent to $8,200 per annum. Private Acts of 1967-68, Chapter 36, amended Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 434, so as to increase the salary of the Sullivan County Superintendent of Public Instruction to $15,000 per annum.