Early Schools in Hardin As late as 1840, the section of Hardin Co. south of Nolin Creek, where Shiloh Seminary was located, was sparsely settled, almost treeless and known as the barrens. It was settle and developed by the SLAUGHTERS, DUVALLS, TICHENORS, BLANDS, SPRIGGS, TABBS, MILLERS, GARDNERS, WILLIAMS, MCGILLS and YATES. In the summer of 1845 these pioneer families built a large log school house on a hillock overlooking the noted Wolf Springs that gushed forth at its base in dimpling beauty and purity. That fall the school be- gan and until 1859 was known as Wolf Spring School. At that early period where very little interest was manifested by the people to secure competent teachers and provide suitable accommodations for the edu- cation of their offspring, the trustees of this pioneer school employed such teachers as James WOODBURY, Abner SMITH, Sidy HAMMETT and Samuel WYATT, who were then regarded as among the best tea- chers in the county. In 1859 a commodious two-story frame building, containing 2 large rooms above and 2 below was erected. It was at that time the best school structure in Hardin Co. outside of Elizabethtown, excepting Bethlehem Academy. In autumn of that year, Rev. James VINSON of Perryville, Ky., a former pupil of Old Center College, establish- ed in this building a high school, known as "Eldorado Seminary." The reputation of this school for superior instruction soon extended into adjoin- ing counties and at the breaking out of the war was in a very prosperous condition but it suspended during the civil strife. In 1863 Rev. Richard SLAUGHTER, a graduate of Georgetown College, Ky. and an accomplished teacher of varied experience, reopened this school. Under his administration it regained its former standing as one of the most prominent in the county. Rev. Slaughter died in 1864 and Rev. W. C. JONES, son-in-law of the late Wm. ABLE, assumed charge of the institution for one year. The next year the board of trustees elected Prof. W. B. HAYWARD as his successor, a borne teacher and by attain- ment a classical scholar; the school under the regime was second to none in the county. Elder J. G. HARDY and the writer afterwards conduct- ed a very successful school in this noted seminary---What remained of this old school structure, that the 'coroding tooth of time' had not obliter- ated, was torn down in 1907 and on the site was built a comfortable house for common school purposes. Of the many pupils who attended this school at different periods we will only mention some of those who have since become prominent citizens of the county: M. R. and James GARDNER, G. K. and Wm TICHENOR, David RICHARDS, the late Lewis T. WALKER, Felix and Wm BRACKETT, David CLEAVER, R. S. JONES, Josiah PHILLIPS, R. S. DUVALL, Dr. Henry DUVALL, Granville WATKINS, John HIGHBAUGH, John S. and Jas. L. SPRIGG, Malcome and Noah HICKS, W. T. MCGILL, W. H. BLAND, John P. SULLIVAN, John H. TABB, John BRASHEAR, W. H. JONES, Ham CHURCHILL, Aylett and Ed TOOKE, Fox DUNCAN, John H. WELLS, John W. RADLEY, Haynes WATTS, Jas. E. GAITHER, W. H. MARRIOTT, W. V. SPRIGG, Rev. S. H. MORGAN, Rev. J. P. JENKINS, Rev. J. P. JENKINS, Rev. JAMES, Rev. H. C. PAYNE, Rev. Thomas DUVALL, Dr. Emmett GARDNER and Dr. James LAMPTON. Hardin Collegiate Institute is located in Elizabethtown and first opened its doors in the fall of 1893. At the head of this school in the past have been such able educators as: Rev. W. K. PATTERSON, W. G. LACKEY, J. CAMPBELL, L. W. DOOLAN, Rice MILLER, M. C. MARION and J. E. AUSTIN. Former students include: Alfred and Tom HASTINGS, Alfred VERNON, W. C. BUSH, Will Howard ROBERTSON, Rodman SELBY, Arthur WALKER, Marvin DYER, C. E. MORGAN, Virgil MILLER, Hugh TABB, Dr. John ENGLISH, Frank and Wayne JOPLIN, Chester and Claude SMITH, Leslie and Carroll ENGLISH, Tom ROBERTSON, Fletcher IRWIN, Brooks MONTGOMERY. Bethlehem Academy is the oldest institution of learning in the county. According to the best information now obtainable, it was established in 1831. During the past 78 years it has continued quietly and successfully its noble work without change of management or interruption. The vital force at its inception, in its permanency and progress has been the Sisters of Loretto. Among the early Superiors who have had charge of Bethlehem Academy are: Mother Sabina BRIAN, Generose MATTINGLY, Bertha BOWLES, Sophronia HAYDEN and Liberata PIKE, all of whom are now sainted spirits. Among the later Superiors: Mother Eucharia, Mother Domitilla, the late lamented mother of Mary KEVIN and the pre- sent incumbent, Mother Christine. Since the Sisters of Loretto came to Hardin Co. to take charge of the Academy, there has always resided at the institution a priest, whose duty was to attend to the spiritual needs of the Sisters and of the Catho- lic pupils. This resident priest is also the pastor of the neighboring church, St. John the Baptist. The following are the priest that have served in the above capacity at the different periods mentioned since the foundation of the school: Rev. Charles J. CECIL, the first resident Catholic pastor in Hardin Co., 1832-1838; Rev. A. DEGANQUIER, 1839-1870; Rev. Charles COOMES, 1870-1873; Rev. H. MERTENS, 1864-1888; Rev. J. J. FITZ- GERALD, 1888-1892 and since 1872, Rev. J. S. ABELL, the present in- cumbent, has served. For over three quarters of a century, generations of girls have constantly thronged the hallowed halls of this old institution and made it artistic enclosure the trysting place for the many happy freaks of their youthful days. And the long unbroken array of trained Christian girl- hood that has gone forth from these scholastic precincts, brilliant in ac- complishments and adorned by the virtues, have constituted host of noble women, the infinitude of whose marvelous influence for the good of mankind is incomprehensible to human intelligence. Sonora High School In 1865 the first high school building was erected in Sonora. It was a large frame structure; well adapted for school interest cotemporanous with the war of rebellion caused a vigorous demand for their revival at its close. Hence this school like many others in Hardin Co. at this period had a large patronage. Such prominent educators as Rev. Jas. VINSON, T. I. JOHN- SON, W. B. HAYWARD and C. W. MATHIS were consecutively its prin- cipals. For 10 years this building was used for school purposes. It was then bought by the Christian Church and converted into a house of worship. However 1878, educational spirit of the town demanded better school faculties which resulted in the building of another large frame house with a Masonic hall above. Then again came a succession of splendid schools under the management, at different times of professors, J. S. SCARCE, G. S. CABEL, Eugene BLANDFORD, G. B. PERRY and George CREAL. In 1893 the very laudable ambition of some of the town's most thrifty citizens to keep abreast with the educational progress of the times re- sulted in the erection of a two-story brick building, supplied with all up-to-date equipments. Since its completion in 1894, the writer, Pro- fessors C. W. MATTHIS, J. HONEY, J. S. MCCLURE, G. W. CREAL, J. L. PILKENTON and others, have successively conducted the school, known as Sonora Collegiate Institute. A few of the many citizens who were students: M. R. GARDNER, Polk MASON, T. J. MARSHALL, Mart WILLIAMS, Josiah PHILLIPS, W. H. BLAND, W. T. MCGILL, Levi and Wilbur MASON, D. H. HIGHBAUGH, J. B. DYER, Peck WOOD and Robert WOOD. Elizabethtown and Hardin Co. will have next year the very best school in its history. It will be a County High School with the course of study prescribed by the State, and higher than any school of public nature ever taught in this part of Ky. All children in the county, where they do not live in district with local High Schools, will be given free tuition in the Hardin Co. High School and board will be at a nominal figure. The school will be a consolidation of the City High School of Elizabeth- town and the County High School. Terms have been made between the two to bear a proportionate part of the expense. The school will open with 3 teachers, one of whom likely be Prof. HOSKINSON. When a teacher training course is put in at the spring term, there will be a 4th teacher em- ployed. The principal of the school to be selected by the Co. Board will be a man of large local reputation as a teacher. The Hardin Collegiate Institute and the dormitory will be leased to the county for the purpose of conducting the school.