Education/Schools - Historical Notes

Board of Education

The following acts once affected the board of education in Grainger 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  Also referenced below is an act which repealed prior law without providing new substantive provisions.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 1911, Chapter 315, amended Acts of 1907, Chapter 236, by providing that each civil district in Grainger County, shall constitute a school district, and a member of the said board of education would be elected from each district.
2. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 300, created created a county board of education for Grainger County which was composed of seven members which served for two years and were paid $60 per annum, payable quarterly out of the general educational fund of Grainger County.
3. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 53, created a county board of education for Grainger County.  This act was repealed by Private Acts of 1972, Chapter 392.
4. Private Acts of 1961, Chapter 352, would have amended Private Acts of 1957, Chapter 54, by raising the compensation of the members of the county board of education, but the act was rejected by local officials and therefore never became law.

Superintendent or Director of Schools

The acts referenced below once affected the office of superintendent of education in Grainger 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  Also referenced below is an act which repealed prior law without providing new substantive provisions.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 1931, Chapter 76, provided that the county superintendent of public instruction be elected by the qualified voters of Grianger County at the general election held on the first Thursday of August of 1932 and biennially thereafter.
2. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 154, repealed Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 76.

General Reference

The following acts constitute part of the administrative and political heritage of the educational structure of Grainger County but are no longer operative since they have either been superseded, repealed, or failed to receive local approval.

1. Private Acts of 1823, Chapter 270, appointed John F. Jack and Felps Read as commissioners of Madison Academy in Grainger County.
2. Private Acts of 1825, Chapter 316, appointed Benjamin Craighead, Thomas M. Brown, William Dyer and William E. Cocke as additional trustees of Madison Academy in Grainger County.
3. Private Acts of 1827, Chapter 237, appointed Hugh Houston, William E. Cocke and Thomas Whiteside as additional trustees of Madison Academy in Grainger County.
4. Private Acts of 1829-30, Chapter 128, appointed Samuel B. Tate, Thomas S. Cocke, Martin Cleveland, Robert Gains and Bolin Shirley as additional trustees of Madison Academy in Grainger County.
5. Acts of 1907, Chapter 170, created a special school district in the fifth civil district of Grainger County and provided for the directors and government of same.
6. Acts of 1909, Chapter 494, required parents and guardians of Grainger County, to cause children between certain ages to attend some public school for a certain number of days each year, except under certain conditions.
7. Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 332, provided for and enforced the education of all children between the ages of eight years and sixteen years of age in Grainger County.
8. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 76, provided for the election of superintendent of public instruction by popular vote in Grainger County.