BY JENNIFER MOONSONG / GLASGOW NEWS 1
with photos provided by the 1989 Temple Hill Yearbook Committee
The first school in Temple Hill was erected in 1925. The original school was a one-room schoolhouse with one teacher, Mr. Oren Beatty. A couple of years later, a four-room frame building replaced the one-room schoolhouse, and later a small brick building.
The Temple Hill Bulldog is a familiar sight to generations of former bulldogs since the 1930s.
The much larger Temple Hill School constructed in 1934 stood until it was torn down and replaced by the current iteration, which was erected in 2003. It was a consolidated school that hosted all 12 grades until the Barren County High School was built. Then it hosted kindergarten through eighth-grade students until 1995, when Barren County Middle School opened its doors for seventh and eighth grade students.
When historian Franklin Gore wrote his recollections of Barren County in the early 20th century, neighboring Nobob was full of more hustle and bustle with more established commerce than Temple Hill, but it didn’t take long for Temple Hill to surpass it. The educational building that became Temple Hill Elementary School played a large hand in the development and sustainment of the community.
“The community rallied around its school and boasted enthusiastically of its athletic contests and academic affairs,” said one historical account of the community, recorded in Cecil Goode’s Barren County Heritage book.
The Temple Hill Bulldogs boasted many athletic accomplishments. In its heydays of the 1970s and 80s, the teams were lead by beloved and inspiring coaches, including Bud Tarry and Jerry Harvey.
Coach and physical education teacher Bud Tarry coached hundreds of kids in his day.
Lifelong educator Cindy Wilson taught at Temple Hill for decades, and inspired a special interest in literature.
Mary Birge taught 1st grade and generations of Temple Hill youngsters benefited from her tutelage.
Teacher and Coach Jerry Harvey, who died earlier this year, was well known for his stern, steady nature and keen intellect.
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