Professor Samuel McKay Simmons

This is one of the recollections written by Wallace A. McKay and published in The Pioneer-News. Follow the "Recollections" link above to find others of his writings.

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The Pioneer-News, January 13, 1933, pages 1-2

One Of The Prominent Teachers Of The Shepherdsville School
Professor Sam M. Simmons and His Career

In the early eighties the Trustees of the Shepherdville School District were at their wits end to find a Principal of the local school. Several recent teachers had failed to meet the demands and there was a general sentiment to secure an outstanding man, one who was not only highly educated and trained but who also would organize the different grades upon a more modern basis and enforce order and discipline.

While this discussion was in progress, Mr. Sam M. Simmons, the son of an old and prominent Bullitt County family, came home after a protracted sojourn in the Capitals of Europe. Sam Simmons was the youngest son of Col. Nicholas Simmons, a prominent landowner and farmer and one of the pioneer citizens of Bullitt County. His mother was a Miss Lee, also a member of a very large and prominent family and her younger son, Sam, had been given every advantage that travel and education could give to a young man of that day. Sam Simmons was given an excellent college education at Georgetown College and finished in his education in Europe, where he learned to write and fluently speak the German, Spanish and French languages, His return from Europe where he had spent several years was quite an event the town.

The Trustees of the local school called upon him in a body and asked him to take the Principalship of the local school and much to the surprise of everyone he accepted and taught for at least two terms and during this period he developed marked talents as an instructor and made the district about the best teacher it had ever known. Under his management the school flourished and pay pupils were sent to the school from other districts. Among his star pupils during his first session were Katie Field, Hamilton Field and Dixie Field, the two former being daughters and the latter a son of Hon. Richard H. Field, the most prominent lawyer of the County. Katie, Lena and Virgie Meyler, daughters of Mr. R. J. Meyler, a prominent lawyer of the town. Ella and Mattie Hays, Claude M. Crist, James Maraman, John B. Maraman, Minnie and Ida B. Troutman, Ellsworth McCormick, Phil B. Thompson, Katie Thompson, Ed Thompson and Fronie Thompson, James W. Pope, James W. Osborn, Lillie and Annie Zazio and many others too numerous to mention.

Prof. Simmons was a born teacher and made an unusually fine and successful record as an instructor and built the school up in many respects. His pay as teacher was supplemented by large subscriptions from the well-to-do patrons of the school and this made the position quite a desirable one for an ambitious young man. In addition to his duties as a teacher, all of which were performed with great ability and industry. Prof. Simmons began the study of Law during his first term as teacher and pursued his studies with great assiduity He spent considerable of his spare time in the law office of R. H. Fields and R. J. Meyler, and very frequently discussed legal questions with Judge William R. Thompson, who was then the oldest member of the Shepherdsville Bar and well versed in the principles and practice of the law.

After teaching two years, Prof. Simmons was admitted to the Bar and practiced a number of years at the Bullitt County Bar. He was one of the most versatile and accomplished men Bullitt County ever produced, and after he completed his experience as an educator and practiced law in Bullitt County for a few years, he located in Texas, where he became active in public life and was appointed U.S. Consul in Mexico. He also engaged in lecturing and wrote extensively for the press and magazines. The writer hopes at some future date to give a fuller and more complete account of the career of this talented son of old Bullitt. Time and space will not permit at this time.

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