If schools had birth certificates, this is what Lawrence County High School’s would look like.

On January 6, 1908, the County Court of Lawrence County voted 24-to-1 to establish a government-funded, tuition-free high school in Lawrenceburg for the students of Lawrence County.

LCHS was not the first secondary school in the county’s history; previous institutions of higher learning had existed in the county, but they had all been private schools which charged tuition. Those schools all shared a similar fate in that they all eventually ceased operation due to financial constraints.

The creation of LCHS was a labor of love for a dedicated group of individuals, all of whom shared what was then the radical notion that the county’s children, regardless of class or condition, deserved a quality education and a chance at a bright future.

When the county court voted to levy a tax to pay for the operating costs of the new school, it was the result of many months of hard work and action by some of the county’s most noteworthy people, including James D. Vaughan (the father of Southern Gospel music), J.H. Stribling, and Professor E.O. Coffman.

The text of the entry (found in Lawrence County Court Clerk Minutes Vol. T, page 28) reads as follows:

“Co High School
Established
Tax Levy

Whereas a proposition has been made to Lawrence County
to furnish grounds, buildings, apparatuses, and all
equipments free of charge to Lawrence County for the
purpose of running a County High School at
Lawrenceburg; Provided the County Court will
maintain the same, Therefore be it ordered by the court
that a special tax of 10 c on the $1.00 of taxable property be
levied for the maintenance of said School
which tax is to revert to the taxpayers of the County
provided the grounds, buildings, apparatuses, and
equipments are not furnished &c which was
adopted by the following vote, to wit Justices
voting for the order: Sweaney, Newton, Conway, Hagan
Cautrell, Lee, Porter, J.B. Crews, J.W. Clayton, W.J. Clayton
Carrell, Crook, Gilmore, Lanning, Shaw, Speegle,
Nafe, Roberts, Rich, Jones, Alexander, Keeton,
McCrory & Welch total 24. Justices voting against
the order, Reeves – 1.”