The following report is taken from pages 253-257 of the Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Kentucky for the two years beginning July 1, 1895 and ending June 30, 1897.
From it we get a fairly detailed picture of public schools in the county just before the turn of the century.
Note: Because of the formatting needed for the following charts, horizontal scrolling will be necessary on smaller screens. We apologize for the inconvenience.
BULLITT COUNTY.
W. Jeff Lee, Superintendent
The schools of Bullitt county are progressing rapidly and the past year the attendance has been about 10 per cent greater than ever before, owing to the increased interest in the cause of education and the compulsory law.
The teachers are better equipped because they attend the best schools, use the best methods, and read the best books on their profession.
The trustees are doing better work and are looking after the comfort of the children and teachers.
The superintendent and teachers are looking after the business and practical part of the education of the children, but are giving special attention to their moral culture. They are endeavoring to conduct the schools of Bullitt county on a high plane of morals, believing that the morals of the children are not less important than their minds. To have the children grow up to be the very best men and women is the highest object and aim of the superintendent and teachers.
STATISTICS
Two years ending June 30, 1897.
| 1895-6 | 1896-7 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Districts | White | Colored | Total | White | Colored | Total |
| Number of districts in the county | 41 | 7 | 48 | 41 | 7 | 48 |
| Number in which schools were taught for five months | 38 | 7 | 45 | 40 | 7 | 47 |
| Numbers in which schools were taught for more than five months | 3 | -- | 3 | 1 | -- | 1 |
| II. School-Houses, Furniture, Apparatus, Etc. | ||||||
| Log | 2 | -- | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Frame | 38 | 7 | 45 | 39 | 4 | 43 |
| Brick | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 |
| Value of school-houses and grounds in the county | $14,000 | $350 | $14,350 | $14,375 | $450 | $14,825 |
| Value of furniture, apparatus, etc. in county | $2,970 | $20 | $2,990 | $2,970 | $20 | $2,990 |
| Total seating capacity of school-houses in the county | 2,355 | 325 | 2,680 | 2,300 | 246 | 2,546 |
| Number of school-houses in good condition | 41 | 4 | 45 | 39 | 5 | 44 |
| Number furnished with suitable desks, seats, blackboards, etc. | 41 | 7 | 48 | 37 | 5 | 42 |
| Number furnished with globes, maps, charts, etc. | 25 | 3 | 28 | 18 | 2 | 20 |
| Number of school-houses built during the year | 1 | -- | 1 | 2 | -- | 2 |
| Number repaired during the year | 5 | -- | 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| III. Private Schools, Colleges, Etc. | ||||||
| Number of academies and high schools in county | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 |
| Approximate number of teachers in same | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 2 |
| Approximate number of pupils in same | -- | -- | -- | 60 | -- | 60 |
| IV. Libraries - County and District. | ||||||
| Amount of money received into library fund | $12 | -- | $12 | $20 | -- | $20 |
| Amount of money expended for books, etc. | $3.50 | -- | $3.50 | $26.25 | -- | $26.25 |
| Whole number of books belonging to library | 143 | -- | 143 | 163 | -- | 163 |
| Increase during the year | -- | -- | -- | 20 | -- | 20 |
| Number of districts having libraries | 5 | -- | 5 | 6 | -- | 6 |
| Total number of books in library | 165 | -- | 165 | 180 | -- | 180 |
| Number of books added during the year | -- | -- | -- | 15 | -- | 15 |
| V. County Superintendents | ||||||
| Total number of schools visited | 41 | 7 | 48 | 41 | 7 | 48 |
| Number of educational meetings held | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Number of addresses delivered | 56 | 57 | ||||
| Salary and Expenses | $375 | $424 | ||||
| VI. - Pupils. | 1895-6 | 1896-7 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Colored | Total | White | Colored | Total | |||||
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |||
| Number of in census report | 1,364 | 1,162 | 204 | 188 | 2,918 | 1,356 | 1,227 | 193 | 189 | 2,965 |
| Number enrolled in school | 1,025 | 943 | 85 | 75 | 2,128 | 1,157 | 1,054 | 172 | 141 | 2,524 |
| Number over 18 years old when enrolled | 8 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 31 | 16 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 47 |
| Number over 10 years old unable to read and write when enrolled | 21 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 68 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 28 |
| Average attendance at school | 615 | 533 | 84 | 56 | 1,288 | 588 | 673 | 84 | 96 | 1,441 |
| Number of pay pupils attending school | 9 | 11 | -- | -- | 20 | 8 | 4 | -- | -- | 12 |
| Number that received certificates of graduation | -- | 5 | -- | -- | 5 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Percentage of attendance based on census | 45 | 45 | 41 | 30 | 44 | 47 | 55 | 35 | 41 | 50 |
| Percentage of attendance based on enrollment | 60 | 55 | 91 | 74 | 60 | 56 | 70 | 45 | 55 | 54 |
| Total cost of each child based on average attendance | $6.73 | $8.20 | $6.89 | $5.06 | $4.93 | $5.04 | ||||
| VII. - Teachers | ||||||||||
| Number who taught in the common schools during the year | 15 | 29 | -- | 7 | 51 | 17 | 28 | 1 | 6 | 52 |
| Number who hold State certificates | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | 2 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | 2 |
| Number who hold county certificates of the first class | 11 | 19 | -- | 2 | 32 | 6 | 38 | -- | 2 | 36 |
| Number who hold county certificates of the second class | 4 | 5 | -- | 3 | 12 | 2 | 8 | -- | 3 | 13 |
| Number who hold county certificates of the third class | 6 | 8 | 2 | -- | 16 | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | 2 |
| Number who taught for the year for the first time | -- | 3 | -- | -- | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Average monthly wages of teachers | $32 | $32 | $32 | $32 | $32 | $28 | $28 | $28 | $28 | $28 |
| Number of teachers attending the county Institute | 16 | 35 | -- | -- | 51 | 20 | 32 | -- | -- | 52 |
| Number of meetings held by County Associations during the year | 9 | 6 | ||||||||
| VIII. - Financial Statement | 1895-6 | 1896-7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money received | White | Colored | Total | White | Colored | Total |
| From State Treasury, embracing per capita, interest on county bond surplus, and second year fund from county | $7,306.00 | $1,149.29 | $8,455.29 | $5,909.54 | $888.42 | $6,797.96 |
| Salary and expenses of County Superintendent; books for indigent children, etc. | $379.50 | -- | $379.50 | $424.00 | -- | $424.00 |
| Institute fees from teachers | $51.00 | -- | $51.00 | $52.00 | -- | $52.00 |
| Total | $7,736.50 | $1,149.29 | $8,885.79 | $6,385.54 | $888.42 | $7,273.96 |
| Money expended | ||||||
| For teaching, superintendence and Institute work | $7,732.00 | $1,149.29 | $8,881.29 | $6,385.54 | $888.42 | $7,273.96 |
| For books for indigent children | $4.50 | -- | $4.50 | -- | -- | -- |
| Total | $7,736.50 | $1,149.29 | $8,885.79 | $6,385.54 | $888.42 | $7,273.96 |
The following students received diplomas of graduation from the Bullitt County schools from 1 Jan 1896 to 30 Jun 1897: Hannah S. Smith, Zoneton; Bettie Summers, Brooks; Bettie Rayman, Pitts Point; Carrie Lee, Pitts Point; Addie Lee, Shepherdsville; Hattie Barnett, Lebanon Junction; Myrtle Smith, Shepherdsville; Aetna Hancock, Shepherdsville; May Bradbury, Salt River; J. M. Bradbury, Salt River; and Lettia Hardesty, Shepherdsville.
The following students received diplomas of graduation from the Bullitt County schools from 1 Jul 1897 to 30 Jun 1901: Hettie Ridgeway, C. W. Smith, Enoch Cochrane, Sarah Robards, James Hardaway, Willie Nichols, Gussie O'Brien, Otto Johnson, Mary Stark, Zula Carpenter, Ada Ashby, Lewis Englebrecht, Rosetta Scott, Virgie Scott, Lizzie Smith, Katie Gregory, Amy Cochrane, Erwin Johnson, and Walter Beswick.
W. O. Bradbury received a state certificate sometime between 1 Jul 1895 and 30 Jun 1897; and S. E. Hancock received a state certificate in 1897.
This information comes from reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction by the Kentucky Department of Education for 1897 and 1901.
If you, the reader, have an interest in any particular part of our county history, and wish to contribute to this effort, use the form on our Contact Us page to send us your comments about this, or any Bullitt County History page. We welcome your comments and suggestions. If you feel that we have misspoken at any point, please feel free to point this out to us.
The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 12 Sep 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/bchistory/schools1897.html
