1825 - 1873
No public school system in the state of Tennessee Isolated school, no connection between schools.

School were known as subscription schools, parents paid the teachers, built the schools, etc. The schools were built of logs, had dirt floors in the rural areas. he teachers were seldom capable of teaching, heard each child's lesson separately from the others. A child studied what he wanted to study in the book which he brought. First school in county was the Lexington Academy. The trustees were John T. Harmon, J.W. Philpot, John Purdy, Richard McRee and James Haslett. The first teacher at the Lawler House, where the Academy existed longer than any other place, was Mrs. Lucy Taylor. Her husband Major Taylor also taught at a different time.

A girl's school existed on the site of the present post office. Professors Covey and wife were the teachers. Some 20 girls stayed in a dormitory like house and were waited on by slaves. Lucinda Marie Mitchell, later Mrs. Low Pafford, grandmother of Mrs. John Stewart (deceased) attended this school around 1850. Mrs. Stewart related that her grandmother had told her about a pig pen behind the academy which was up on poles. It is here where Col. Ingersol hid from the Union Army. Helen C. Jones who came from Burlington Vermont to be governess in the home of Judge Henry M. Taylor taught a private school in the Taylor home. She also started the first Sunday School in Lexington.

Subscription schools were taught after the Civil War. Even some people living now remember attending these subscription schools.

1873 - 1907
Subscription schools were still a way of education even though a new school system was in order for Tennessee passed by the state legislature in 1873. Judge Levi S. Wood was the first county superintendent under this system. Even though this system was in operation, it did not replace the subscription schools and they were still running between 1890 - 1900.

In 1884 J.C. McCall taught one term at the Lawler house. In the fall of 1884, Capt. S.A> Mynders, a Knoxville boy, taught here. In the fall of 1885, the trustees bought four acres of land and built a two-story building in the southeast part of town. The work in the new building began under Capt. Wynders A.B. This school was then recognized as the county high school. Teachers were Emma Vernon, Mamie Anderson, James L. Brooks. Later, this school was called the Methodist College, since the Baptists built another school on the site south of town, on highway 20 town-side of the railroad underpass. The Baptist school was headed by A.J. Barton. The teachers were: Miss Bell Westbrook, Mae Fielder. Later, Mrs. H.E. Graper was added. In this school, as well as the Methodist College, the subject were: arithmetic, geometry, Latin, rhetoric and music.

In 1884 the B.A. Tucker school was begun at Scotts Hill. Fewer than six teachers taught everything from ABC's to college courses leading to a degree in three fields. Other teachers were: J.C. Duck, the grammarian and C. Perry Patterson, the historian-socialist.

In approximately 1898, a school known as Juno Independent Normal existed. It was started by Professors Pearson and Prince. They taught what was known as the "Scientific Course", while Jim and Lynn Dennison taught the lower grades. Mrs. Mellie Teague taught music. There were 9 boarding students from Kentucky in teh community. Other schools mentioned in the Seventh Annual Teacher's Institute June 24, 25, 26, 27, 1901 were: Wildersville Academy, Rock Springs Secondary School, Moore's Hill High School, and the representatives from out of county schools.

There also existed a Lexington Normal School and Commercial Institute, Robert L. Suttan, Principal. An announcement was made in a Lexington paper on June 21, 1902. Board was $60 $10 a month. (Note: Obviously a type - this must mean from $6.00 to $10.00 a month) Prin. $7.