An overview of the history of schools in Roane County, and resources available on this site.

The majority of the schools in rural Roane County consisted of one or two rooms and were of wood construction during the early history of our county. The first report of the first county superintendent, Thomas Boggess, covering the term ending in 1866, gives the number of schools as 17 with an average term length of 42 days. The average salary was $23.00 per month and the average cost per school was $123.00. By 1927, there were 155 schools and lots on which they stood that belonged to the boards of education of the several districts. There were 6,311 pupils and each school had a term of nine months. At this time, almost all of the old one room schools have passed into oblivion with the construction of modern consolidated school buildings. The few remaining are in use as a community activities building.

You are invited to help us by submitting a copy of any picture you may have of a school building and the pupils and teachers that attended these schools. Visit the Roane County School Album to see the collection, and to add your own.

Longer or more detailed histories can also be found in History section.

History provided by Jack Nida