McCain's
School was located about 8 miles south of Columbia on what is now Highway 31 S. in the historic
McCain Community. The school was across Highway 31
from the Covey Hollow Road. in a separate building by the McCain Store. At one
time the School had all grades but was reduced to lower grade level after the
public school system was established in the early 1900s and Mynders School was
built down the road toward Bigbyville. The School closed sometime around
1920. Students had easy access to Mynders School a half mile away. The original
school was founded in 1855(8) and was held in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Building for many years. According to "Century Review
of Maury County" the school at one time had a pupil size of 60 and was in
the charge of Prof A. J. Hibbett who graduated at the Cumberland University in
1869. Adelia Matthews was known to be a teacher at one time and Mrs. Walker the
Music Teacher.
On Page 188 of Jill Garrett's Vol.1 ,2nd Edition of "Hither
& Yon" She States in Paragraph 1-6:
"Part of the charm of Maury County is
that no matter where you go in the county there are places of historical
interest and most people zip on through McCain's six miles south of Columbia on
Highway 31, and never realize that this small village has its history and points
of interest.
The name came from Hugh and Sarah McCain, who settled here about
1810, and are buried in the churchyard on the hillside overlooking the highway.
They still have descendents in the county.
High quality education was once the
standard at McCain's beginning with the establishment of McCain's Academy in
1855. The school was officially chartered in 1858 and at its peak had from 100
to 112 boys enrolled. It served an area nine miles in all directions and A. M.
Burney was an early principal with James B. Murphy as his assistant.
When the
Civil War came along, many of the teachers, older students, and trustees went to
war. One source says the academy was destroyed during the war and never rebuilt.
McCain Academy was re-established in 1894 on a site within two hundred
yards of the original school and opened with 53 pupils. Robert Lee Harris,
who died in 1939, conducted the school, and he was well known for the high
academic principles he set for education. It is said that some of his students
were able to enter Cumberland University as juniors after graduation from McCain
Academy. (Mr. Harris served as City Superintendent of Schools in Columbia from
1909 to 1937.)
This school was absorbed by the county system and later abandoned
when Mynders School was built. Donald Davidson, noted writer once taught at
McCain." A copy of Jill Garrett's Hither & Yon" &
"Centaury Review of Maury County" mentioned above can be found
in the Maury County Archives or purchased from the Maury County Historical
Society web site. The Link is shown below. [WA 8/5/2002]