Private Acts of 1951 Chapter 29

WHEREAS, Morgan School, a well known private preparatory school located at or near Petersburg, Tennessee, for more than sixty years, closed its doors and was sold under the hammer during the spring of 1950, and conveyed by deed dated April 17, 1950, executed by Henry Wade, Trustee, R. W. Morgan and R. K. Morgan, conveying the title to the real estate hereinafter described to Marshall County an one-half undivided interest, and unto W. W. Gill, his heirs and assigns, forever, an one-half undivided interest, for and in consideration of the sum of Forty Thousand ($40,000.00) Dollars, cash in had paid, the receipt of which was thereby acknowledged, and which said deed appears of record in the Register's Office of Marshall County, Tennessee, in Deed Book L-4, Page 376, and also in the Register's Office of Lincoln County, Tennessee, in Deed Book M-6, Page 452, et seq., to which said deed reference is here had for particulars, said deed further reciting an option in favor of Lincoln County, Tennessee, to purchase the one-half undivided interest of W. W. Gill for the sum of Twenty Thousand ($20,000.00) Dollars, plus accrued interest, upon the passage of this Act, and the real estate being conveyed by said deed being described therein as lying and situated in the corporate limits of the Town of Petersburg, Tennessee, in the 5th Civil District of Marshall County, Tennessee, and described as follows:

Beginning at a stake in a fence on the north side of the Lewisburg Pike and 40 ft., of the southwest corner of W. A. Moore's lot; thence North 25 degrees West 882 feet to a stake; thence South 65 degrees West 711 feet to a stake at the edge of a stone fence and at the edge of said pike; thence South 43¼ degrees East with the edge of said fence 823 feet to a stake on the turn of said pike; thence North 65 degrees East 450 feet to the beginning, containing 10.38 acres by survey made by E. L. conveyed to Morgan School, a corporation, by deed of W. B. Moore, dated July 1, 1919, and recorded in Deed Book J-3, Page 569, in the Register's Office of Marshall County, Tennessee; and being the same property conveyed unto Marshall County, its successors and assigns, an one-half undivided interest, and unto W. W. Gill, his heirs and assigns, an onehalf undivided interest, by Henry Wade, Trustee, which said deed appears of record in the Register's Office of Lincoln County in Deed Book M-6, Page 452, et seq., and in the Register's Office of Marshall County, Tennessee, in Deed Book L-4, Page 376, to which said deed reference is here had for particulars; and

WHEREAS, the termination of the use of the physical properties of Morgan School for educational purposes would leave a considerable geographical section of Marshall and Lincoln Counties without adequate school facilities, and would necessitate the building of one or more additional schools by said two counties, jointly or separately, or in lieu thereof a corresponding increase in the present county school transportation problems of these two counties, necessitated by the transportation of young people from this area to other areas of said two respective counties where school are now existing; and

WHEREAS, because of the above recited facts, if would be economical, wise and fitting that said two counties of Marshall and Lincoln jointly purchase, own and operate said Morgan School facilities as a school for the young people inhabiting this area of said two counties, except that the premises on which the said Morgan School was located lies entirely within the territorial boundaries of Marshall County, and enabling legislation is necessary before either of said two counties might purchase and own and control any interest in any properties lying outside of its territorial boundaries or might supervise and control a school outside its territorial boundaries; and

WHEREAS, at the aforesaid sale of Morgan School property the same was bid in by and conveyed to Marshall County, Tennessee, and to W. W. Gill, in one-half undivided interest, onehalf undivided interest, with an option from said W. W. Gill to Lincoln County, Tennessee, to purchase said one-half interest upon the passage of necessary enabling legislation; and WHEREAS, by action duly taken by the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County, Tennessee, an amount was authorized to be appropriated, which said amount not to exceed $30,000.00, with which to purchase said one-half interest in and to said property for the sum of $20,000.00, plus accrued interest, the balance of the appropriation, or so much thereof as necessary, to be expended for necessary repairs, alterations and equipment required to operate said school as an approved grade school according to the regulations of the State Department of Education, said Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County, Tennessee, authorizing said monies to be borrowed temporarily from local banks on short term paper;

Now, Therefore,  

SECTION 1. That Lincoln County, Tennessee, shall be hereby authorized to purchase, own and hold an one-half undivided interest in the property known as the Morgan School in the Town of Petersburg, in the 5th Civil District of Marshall County, Tennessee, and hereinabove described, by the exercise of option hereinabove recited, to purchase the one-half undivided interest in said property now owned by W. W. Gill for and in consideration of the payment of $20,000.00, plus accrued interest from the date of the above said deed, to-wit, April 17, 1950.  

SECTION 2. That Lincoln County, Tennessee, shall be authorized to pay for the said interest in said property and to make further expenditures, along with Marshall County, Tennessee, for personal property, equipment, repairs, alterations and/or improvements necessary and required to operate said school as an approved grade school according to the regulations of the State Department of Education, the aggregate initial expenditures of Lincoln County for the above purpose not to exceed $30,000.00, and that Lincoln County be hereby authorized to appropriate said sum of not exceeding $30,000.00, or as much hereof as may be necessary for said purposes, and to raise said amounts appropriated by regular tax levy or levies, and the financing of said transaction, or transactions, to be accomplished by the issuance and renewals of short term interest bearing warrants of the County and/or by bond issue now or later, or either or both, or otherwise as determined by the discretion of the Quarterly County Court of Lincoln County, Tennessee, in the same way and manner and with the same authority they would have if said property were located within the territorial limits of Lincoln County, Tennessee.  

SECTION 3. That from the date of purchase of said interest in said property by the respective Boards of Education of Lincoln County, Tennessee, and Marshall County, Tennessee, shall have the right to jointly operate said school and to provide between themselves by specific written agreement entered into by each of said Boards of Education, and entered upon their respective minutes for the supervision of said school, said operation and supervision to be in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down by the State Department of Education.  

SECTION 4. That this Act shall take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it. Passed: January 18, 1951.