Holladay School

Holladay School was a public school located in the Holladay community southwest of Cookeville in Putnam County. Named after Judge Oscar K. Holladay , one of the men principally responsible for its existence, it opened its doors in 1915. Holladay School closed in 1965. It is notable for having the first school bussing system in Putnam County.
==Early Years==
Three leading citizens of the time are credited with the establishment of Holladay School: Judge Oscar K. Holladay, county school superintendant James Monroe Hatfield, and future Holladay principal Harvey McCulley. Holladay was a consolidated school (believed to be Putnam County's first), formed from the closure of three smaller rural schools in the area: Lee Seminary, Lone Oak, and Pleasant Valley.
A Mr. Smith donated six acres for the location of the schoolhouse in memory of his recently-deceased daughter, and a four-room frame building was soon erected. The closure of the smaller schools resulted in some children living far from the new school, so three horse-drawn wagons were employed to ferry the students to and from school, Putnam County's first school bus program. A barn was erected on the property to house the wagons and horses. Jim Sutton was one of the bus drivers.
Local legend says that this property was also used to host the Putnam County Agricultural Fair in the days before a dedicated fairgrounds was located in Cookeville.
==Fire and Reconstruction==
About midnight on July 18, 1929, lightning struck the bell tower of the schoolhouse, burning it to the ground. Classes were held in nearby Lee Seminary and Judd Graveyard churches while the school was rebuilt. Around 1932, students were able to return to classes in their new brick building.
From around 1935 to 1945, the county granted a permit to the Holladay Church of Christ to hold worship services in the schoolhouse. Other community uses of the building at the time included Vacation Bible School and singing classes.
==Closure==
In 1965, Holladay became a victim of consolidation itself, closing in its fiftieth year of operation. The building was sold to Clarence Carter, who converted it into a private home. As of 2013, the home is owned by Dr. Sam and Sheila Barnes. Late in that year, former student Betty Stark donated a sign to mark the location of the school.
==List of Faculty==
*Harvey McCulley - Principal (1915-?)
*Notie Profitt - teacher (1915-?)
*Kate Davis - teacher (1915-?)
*Mary Breeding - teacher (before 1929)
*Dimple McCulley - teacher (1939)
==Gallery of Images==
Holladay school 1915.png|Holladay School in 1915 shortly after its completion. School superintendant James Monroe Hatfield, principal Harve McCulley, and teachers Kate Davis and Notie Proffitt join the students
Holladay school unknown year.png|Teacher Mary Breeding gathers the students for a photograph sometime between 1915 and 1929
holladay school 1939.png|Teacher Dimple McCulley gathers the school's students together for a 1939 photograph
==References==
*Kernea, Ty. "Holladay School had first local school busses." Cookeville Herald-Citizen, 29 December 2013. Web. Accessed 30 December 2013.
*Lambert, Audrey June. "Holladay School." http://www.ajlambert.com 29 October 2013. Web. Accessed 30 December 2013.
*"History of the Church of Christ at Holladay." http://www.holladaychurchofchrist.com n.d. Web. Accessed 30 December 2013.
Category:Putnam County schools
Category:Holladay community