Dark gray background with foreground text that says Private Acts Compilations


Education/Schools - Historical Notes

Tennessee Code Annotated
Tennessee Attorney General Opinions

Board of Education

The following acts once affected the board of education in DeKalb County but are no longer operative.

  1. Acts of 1909, Chapter 302, established a County Board of Education composed of one member from each civil district, the Judge or Chairman of the County Court, and the County Superintendent of Public Instruction.  This Act was amended by Acts of 1911, Chapter 100, to make the provisions of the 1909 Act apply only to DeKalb County.
  2. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 41, amended Acts of 1909, Chapter 302, to add a representative from the Town of Alexandria to the County Board of Education.
  3. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 466, amended Acts of 1909, Chapter 302, to add a representative from the Smithville Special School District to the County Board of Education.
  4. Public Acts of 1975, Chapter 161, provided that the Board of Education would meet at the county seat at such times as were necessary, or where called by the Chairman for which meetings the members would be paid $15 each, plus ten cents per mile for travel one way.  The Chairman of the Board would  be paid the same mileage and $25 per meeting.  All meetings being limited to 16 per year for which compensation would be paid.  This Act was rejected by the DeKalb Quarterly Court and consequently never became effective.


General Reference

The following acts constitute part of the administrative and political heritage of the educational structure of DeKalb County but are no longer operative since they have either been superseded, repealed, or failed to receive local approval.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 1837-38, Chapter 298, incorporated Fulton Academy in DeKalb County, named its Board of Trustees and prescribed their powers.
  2. Acts of 1857-58, Chapter 113, incorporated the Turner M. Lawrence College at Alexandria, in DeKalb County.  Mr. Lawrence had constructed the building and desired to donate it to the public.
  3. Acts of 1899, Chapter 192, divided DeKalb County into independent school districts and provided for the election of three free school directors from each district for a one year term.
  4. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 227, created a special school district out of the Second Civil District and parts of the Third and Thirteenth Civil Districts of DeKalb County, to be known as the "Liberty High School District."  An elected five member Board of School Trustees would govern schools in the District.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 285.
  5. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 293, created the Smithville Special School District out of parts of the Ninth Civil District.  An elected five member Board of School Trustees would govern schools in the District.  This was amended by Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 785, to provide that taxes derived from the property and polls of Negroes in that school district be used exclusively for the Negro school.  Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 478, amended the original act to provide that the Smithville Special School District be governed by a Board of High School Directors to be appointed by the Quarterly County Court for a two year term.  Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 479, removed the farm of W. B. Tramel from the district.  Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 76, repealed Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 293.
  6. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 499, provided for the establishment and maintenance of two county high schools in DeKalb County, to be open to every pupil in the County and directed by a High School Board of Education.  Three members of the Board each would be from the Smithville and Liberty Special School Districts.
  7. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 523, created the Cottage Home School District No. 45, out of parts Wilson and DeKalb Counties.
  8. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 677, created the Dowelltown Special School District out of the 20th Civil District of DeKalb County.  An elected, five member, Board of Trustees would govern the schools in the district.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 580.
  9. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 502, amended the general law found in Acts of 1899, Chapter 279, to provide that DeKalb County maintain three county high schools.  One school to be at the county seat and the others in the next two largest towns.  A six member Board, elected by the County Court, would govern these schools.
  10. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 590, created the Four Corner School District out of a portion of the Thirteenth Civil District and certain lands from the Liberty High School District.  A four member Board of Directors would be elected biennially.  The Board of Directors was authorized to levy a property tax.
  11. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 666, created a seven member Board of Rural School Administration, giving it power and control of all schools in DeKalb County, exclusive of those in special school districts.  The Quarterly Court was instructed to divide the county into five school districts.  One member would be selected from each district, with two seats being at-large.  The County Board of Education would continue to exist but would have advisory power only.  This board was amended by Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 633, and was abolished by Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 477, which provided for the appointment of three District School Commissioners from each Civil District by the County Superintendent of Public Instruction until successors could be elected for two year terms at the regular August election.
  12. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 750, created a special and independent school district out of part of the Twentieth Civil District of DeKalb County to be known as the Doweltown High School District.  A five member Board of School Trustees, elected for three year terms, would govern the schools of the district.  The district would have representation on the County Board of Education.
  13. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 76, created the Smithville School Taxing District, an independent school district, out of part of the Ninth Civil District of DeKalb County.  An elected five member Board of Trustees would govern the schools in the district.  Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 674, raised the authorized taxing limit from twenty to thirty cents per hundred dollars valuation.  Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 386, abolished the Smithville Special School District.
  14. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 285, created a special and independent school taxing district out of the Second, Nineteenth, and part of the Third and Thirteenth Civil Districts of DeKalb County.  A five member Board of Trustees would be elected for two year terms to govern the schools in the district.  A thirty cent per $100 valuation tax was authorized. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 664, raised the tax limit to forty cents.  Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 385, abolished the Liberty Special School District.
  15. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 287, created the Laurel Hill Special School District out of the Sixteenth and part of the Eighteenth Civil District of DeKalb County.  A three member Board of Trustees, elected for two year terms, would govern the schools of the district.
  16. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 910, authorized the Trustees of the Smithville Special School District, the Dowelltown Special School District, the Liberty Special School District and the Alexandria City Corporation to sell or lease their school buildings and property to DeKalb County.  The Quarterly County Court was empowered to levy a tax to pay for the rent or purchase of the buildings.
  17. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 48, provided for the maintenance of at least two four-year high schools in DeKalb County, one near Smithville and one near Liberty.  Control of the schools would be vested in the County Board of Eduction.  This measure was amended by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 837, to required three, four-year, high schools.
  18. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 35, created a five member County Board of School Supervisors and divided the county into five zones, each comprising the civil districts enumerated in the Act.  The Board would have authority over all public schools in the county.  The County Board of Education was abolished.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 617.
  19. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 596, authorized the County Board of Education to appoint a secretary for the County Board of Education and for the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  A salary of up to $840 per annum was authorized.  This Act was repealed by Private Acts of 1947, Chapter 409.