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Education/Schools - Historical Notes

Tennessee Code Annotated
Tennessee Attorney General Opinions

School Districts

The following acts once affected the school districts in Giles County but no longer exist.

  1. Private Acts of 1905, Chapter 386, created a new school district out of parts of the 13th, 14th and 19th School Districts, these being co-extensive with the civil districts of the same number, which would be called the 24th School District of Giles County, as its boundaries were described in the Act.
  2. Private Acts of 1907, Chapter 76, created a new School District, to be called the 25th School District of Giles County, out of portions of the 10th and 17th School Districts, which were co-extensive with the civil districts of the same number.  The new districts boundaries are delineated in the act and the general state law regarding school districts is invoked for it.
  3. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 491, created a Special School Taxing District, corresponding to the Fourth Civil District, embracing all farms therein for taxation to support the Minor Hill High School for a nine month term.  The tax rate was ten cents per $100.00 valuation, both real and personal, levied that year, and each year thereafter to be placed in a special fund for the sole purpose of supporting the Minor Hill High School.  This Act was amended by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 851, and repealed specifically by Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 693.
  4. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 545, provided for a Board of Education of seven members composed of one member from each of seven school districts of three or hour civil districts together to be elected by the qualified voters of each district so described.  Staggered terms of four years were provided for each district's member.  This Act was specifically repealed by Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 86, .
  5. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 355, created a special school taxing district which embraced the 5th and 18th Civil Districts of Giles County to be called the Bodenham High School Taxing District.  This Act also levied a ten cent tax per $100.00 property valuation, for the support and maintenance of elementary and high school in the district for a nine month term.  Money collected would be placed in a special fund for the sole purpose stated above and no other.  This Act was specifically repealed by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 834, .
  6. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 94, amended Acts of 1935, Chapter 545, above, Item 4, by providing that the expenditures authorized under the act will be paid one-half to the elementary school fund and one-half to the high school funds, and all expenditures for each would be bonded in that manner.
  7. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 834, specifically repealed Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 355, which created a special taxing district for schools called the Bodenham School District, Item 5, herein.
  8. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 851, amended Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 491, which created the Minor Hill High School District, Item 3 herein, by permitting the balance of the funds collected under that Act to be expended for any general high school purpose related to the Minor Hill District.
  9. Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 86, repealed Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 545, Item 4 herein, specifically and entirely.
  10. Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 85, created a Board of Education for Giles County of seven members, one from each of seven school districts, who would be selected by the county court, and for that purpose, the act divided the county into seven school districts made up of certain civil districts.  The remainder of the act is virtually identical with prior acts of this nature, having staggered terms for the members and setting up other administrative and salary guidelines, and it also repeals Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 545.
  11. Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 387, amended Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 85, above, by transferring civil district #14 from School District 4 to School District 5.
  12. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 156, amended Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 85, by adding another school district, number eight, and rearranging the civil districts in each school district accordingly but being careful not to abridge the terms of the members already in office.
  13. Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 693, repealed Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 491, wholly and specifically.
  14. Private Acts of 1967, Chapter 222, established a School Board which would be elected by the voters in Giles County, set their term of office, and prescribed their duties, powers and privileges as such.  This act was specifically repealed by Private Acts of 1974, Chapter 217, published herein.

 

PROSPECT HIGH AND ELEMENTARY DISTRICT.

  1. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 413, created a special school district out of a portion of the Second Civil District with the boundaries described in the act to be called the Prospect High School Taxing District.  The tax rate on all taxable real and personal property was ten cents per $100 valuation, plus a $1.00 Poll Tax on all males over 21 years of age, said money to be used exclusively for these school purposes.
  2. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 514, repealed entirely Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 413, above, which created the Prospect High School District.  Private Acts of 1974, Chapter 679, also repealed entirely Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 413.
  3. Private Acts of 1929 (Ex. Sess.), Chapter 17, recreated the Prospect High School District embracing all the Second Civil District. The tax rate levied was changed to five cents per $100 valuation and the $1.00 Poll Tax limited to males between the ages of 21 and 50, otherwise the act was the same as before.

 

Superintendent or Director of Schools

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

  1. Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 876, repealed Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 393, Section 3, and substituted a new section making the duties and compensation of the County Superintendent of Schools those set out in Public Acts of 1947, Chapter 8.  (See T.C.A. 49-220, and sections following.)
  2. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 77, also made the duties and compensation of the Superintendent of Schools in Giles County the same as those stated in Public Acts of 1947, Chapter 8, but this Act was specifically repealed by Private Acts of 1951, Chapter 126.

 

General Reference

The following acts constitute part of the administrative and political heritage of the educational structure of Giles 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. Private Acts of 1809, Chapter 77, incorporated John Sappington, Nelson Patterson, Tyree Rhodes, Samuel Jones, Somersett Moore, Charles Buford, and Charles Neely as a body corporate and politic to be known as Trustees of Pulaski Academy in Giles County.
  2. Private Acts of 1812 (Ex Session), Chapter 10, changed the name of Pulaskie Academy to Wirtemburgh Academy, and added William Purnell, David Woods, and Alfred M. Harris, as Trustees.
  3. Private Acts of 1823, Chapter 235, required the Trustees of Wurtemburgh (Wertemberg) Academy to give a sworn report to the Giles County Quarterly Court at their next January meeting of the funds in their hands, and added G. D. Taylor, Thomas Wilkerson, H. Higgins, A. Black, Fountain Lester, John Mc Cracken, Samuel Y. Anderson, and Charles C. Abernatha (sic), as Trustees of the Academy.
  4. Private Acts of 1831, Chapter 16, Sections 16 and 17, gave the authority to the Giles County Court to invest school funds in any turnpike company which they deem to be the most profitable, once the amount of the school fund is determined.  Records, books, payments, notes, and all moneys due Giles County for the use of the common school fund, and all other funds going to the schools were to be paid to Charles C. Abernathy, agent, who will manage said funds in an effort to double them.  He will be governed by the same rules as a Bank Agent and render proper reports to the court.
  5. Private Acts of 1833, Chapter 260, provided that, in Smith, Giles, and Lincoln Counties, when agents were appointed by the General Assembly to manage the common school fund, and a clerk, also, to be appointed by the Board of School Commissioners was furnished to the agent, all the duties of managing the school fund would be performed by the agent alone.
  6. Private Acts of 1847-48, Chapter 23, established the Pulaski Female Academy, which was incorporated seven Trustees, namely, Thomas Martin, Andrew M. Ballentine, Dr. Benjamin Carter, Carson P. Reed, Charles C. Abernathy, Jacob Voorhies, and James Patterson, who would have complete control of the academy.
  7. Private Acts of 1849-50, Chapter 174, names all the Trustees mentioned in Item 6 and several more as Trustees for a college to be called Giles College unless someone wanted to donate $10,000 and have the name changed.  Section 7 names the same board of Trustees for Wurtemberg Academy and in both cases authorizes the Trustees to elect a President, etc., of the Board from among their own number.
  8. Private Acts of 1895, Chapter 155, forbids the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in all counties having one, to teach in any public school either as principal or assistant principal during their official terms of office, nor could they make any contract for building or repairing a building or become the owner of any school warrant except for their own salary.
  9. Private Acts of 1907, Chapter 236, abolished the office of District Directors of Education and placed the school systems under the control of County Boards of Education and a District Board of Advisors as provided for in the act; the method of creating school districts and providing for the organization of the Boards of Education members is prescribed as well as an enumeration of powers specifically granted to the Boards.  Giles County is specifically exempted from the provisions of this Act along with eight other counties in Section 17, but Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 564, removed the exemption and made the act applicable to Giles County.  The act itself specified that it did not apply to city schools.A provision of this act was cited in the case of Whitthorne v. Turner, 155 Tenn. 303, 293 S.W. 147 (1947).
  10. Private Acts of 1909, Chapter 312, amended the state law, Public Acts of 1873, Chapter 25, starting at Section 10, and making the amendments applicable to ten counties including Giles County.  The county Board of Education was composed of one member from each civil district of the county, the county judge, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who was ex-officio chairman.  The duties of the chairman, the Secretary, and the members of the Board are prescribed, and the powers granted are enumerated, including the taking of a scholastic census in each district.
  11. Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 564, amended Acts of 1907, Chapter 236, in Section 17 by removing the exemption for Giles, and five other counties, thus making this act and its provisions for school systems applicable to Giles which would, in effect nullify the 1909 amendments to the Acts of 1873.
  12. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 545, provided for the election of the seven members of the Board of Education, one from each of seven districts composed of three or more civil districts.  This Act was amended by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 94, and specifically repealed by Private Acts of 1943, Chapter 86, .
  13. Private Acts of 2018, Chapter 33, authorized an advisory referendum, at the regular August election of 2018, relative to a debt issue of $53,000,000 to be used exclusively to fund the construction of a new Giles County High School and renovation of the existing Giles County High School building for use as Bridgeforth Middle School by the Giles County School System.