Nettie Depp facts for kids

Nettie Bayless Courts Depp (born November 21, 1874 – died August 3, 1932) was a very important person in education. She was the first woman ever elected to a public job in Barren County, Kentucky. This happened in 1913 when she became the Superintendent of Barren County Schools. She held this job from January 1, 1914, until December 31, 1917.

Early Life and Family Roots

Nettie Depp was the daughter of John Burks Depp. Her father was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. Her mother was Mariba Elizabeth Reneau. Nettie was one of six children in her family.

Her middle names, Bayless and Courts, came from her great-grandmothers. She was also a member of the Christian Church. Her grandfather, Isaac Tipton Reneau, was a well-known preacher. He served many churches in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Nettie's Journey in Education

Nettie B.C. Depp went to local schools in Barren County, Kentucky. She also graduated from Liberty Female College in Glasgow, Kentucky.

After teaching for over ten years, Nettie wanted to learn more. She decided to become a professional teacher. So, she went to Southern Normal School in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This school later became part of Western Kentucky University.

Learning from Mentors

At Southern Normal School, Nettie studied with Dr. Henry Hardin Cherry. He became her mentor. She also learned from Thomas C. Cherry. Nettie really believed in their ideas about education.

They had goals for their school, like:

• To be an active school that inspires students to achieve.
• To use modern teaching methods but avoid fads.
• To earn a good reputation through real quality.
• To fight against a lack of knowledge and for better education.
• To help students understand they are meant to create.
• To show that a good education helps you succeed in life.

Promoting Education in Newspapers

While studying, Nettie supported Dr. Cherry's efforts. She wanted his school to become a state normal school. Nettie wrote a newspaper column for the Glasgow Times. She used the pen name "Ora Ethel." She often used her column to promote Cherry's school.

In one column, she encouraged other teachers to improve their education. She wrote about the great rewards available at the State Normal School. On June 5, 1908, Nettie B.C. Depp earned her education degree. She was the first student from Barren County to graduate from Western Kentucky State Normal School.

Nettie's Teaching Career

Before attending Western Kentucky State Normal School, Nettie Depp taught at many schools. She taught in Barren County public schools like Bethel and Temple Hill. She was even the principal at Temple Hill. She also taught for three years in Oklahoma Territory.

In 1910, Nettie Depp became a teacher in Scottsville, Kentucky. She felt she was not paid enough. She wrote to Henry Hardin Cherry about her success in speaking up for education reform. She wanted people to see the value of schools.

Fighting for Fair Pay

Nettie always spoke up for fair pay for teachers. In one newspaper column, she wrote about tax money. She said, "We teachers teach children for twenty days a month for a little more than fifty-five cents each." She felt it was wrong to value sheep more than educating people.

Encouraging Parents and Teachers

Nettie also urged parents to send their children to school. She believed education was a child's right and a parent's duty. She said, "You cripple them for life when you fail to educate them." She stressed that education was worth more than all the gold in the world.

She also reminded teachers of their important role. She said teachers must help children grow mentally, morally, and physically. She believed teachers and parents were responsible for the future of the country.

Running for Public Office

Nettie Depp became tired of politics affecting schools. At that time, voters elected school superintendents. These were county officials. Kentucky had a law saying children must attend school, but it was not strictly enforced.

Nettie was a popular and educated teacher. Both the Democratic and Republican parties saw her as a strong candidate.

A Surprising Nomination

In September 1909, the Barren County Republican Committee chose her as their candidate. Nettie was surprised. No woman had ever run for public office in Barren County. Also, her family was well-known Democrats. Her brother, Oren R. Depp, had tried to get the Democratic nomination earlier.

Nettie politely refused the Republican offer. She explained her reasons in a letter to the Glasgow Times. She felt it would be wrong to run under a different party than her brother. She wanted to run "in the name of education," not as a party candidate.

Accepting the Challenge

In March 1912, Nettie's brother Oren suddenly died. After his death, people started talking again about Nettie running. In the summer of 1912, her supporters gathered 85 signatures from voters. This showed that people would support her.

Nettie accepted the challenge. She agreed to run as a Democrat. In August 1913, she became the Democratic Party's official candidate. The state board of education then checked her qualifications. She was approved to serve as superintendent.

Nettie Depp made history. She was the first woman to run for public office in Barren County. On January 1, 1914, she became the county's first female office-holder. She was one of 26 women elected as school superintendents in Kentucky that year.

Superintendent of Barren County Schools

Nettie Depp took office on January 1, 1914. She faced many challenges. She oversaw nearly 100 separate school districts. She managed teachers, developed lessons, and oversaw building repairs. She also dealt with poor roads and public relations.

First Two Years: 1914-1915

In her report for 1915, Nettie shared her successes. She also noted areas needing improvement. In her first two years, she built six new school houses. She also repaired fifteen others. She dug water wells and built many outbuildings.

Schools were separated by race back then. Nettie worried about how to best serve African American students. Many of these families moved often for farm work. She joked that they needed school houses "on wheels" to keep up.

Nettie also focused on teacher training. She wanted teachers to follow the Course of Study. She also encouraged schools to have libraries. Many schools started using traveling libraries.

She was proud of the county's four graded schools. She also started the process of combining smaller schools. This would make education better for more students.

One big problem was the compulsory school law. This law required parents to send their children to school. But it was not strong enough. Nettie hoped the state government would make it better.

Her greatest achievement was creating Barren County's first four-year high school. She leased an empty college building for this. The new high school grew quickly. It went from 20 students to over 70. It also had more teachers and a better lab.

Later Years: 1916-1917

In her final report, Nettie said she had worked hard to fix problems in rural schools. She felt she had done "nothing brilliant," but had found and used the best methods.

She successfully set up a standard curriculum for all schools. Teachers now used the "Course of Study" every day. During these two years, she oversaw building seven new school houses. She also repaired thirty-five others. She said Barren County now had more comfortable school buildings than ever before.

Poor roads and large streams made it hard for students to get to school. Sometimes schools had to close. Nettie hoped for better solutions.

She was happy that the compulsory school law had improved. Fewer parents were cited for not sending their children to school.

Nettie also worked with A.C. Young from the University of Kentucky. They started corn and tomato clubs in schools. These clubs later became the first 4-H Clubs in the county.

The new high school continued to grow. It went from 70 students to 106 in 1916. It added music, art, and business courses. Nettie ended her term with no debt for the school system.

Final Years as an Educator

After her term as superintendent, Nettie Depp was in high demand. She became the principal of Cave City High School. She stayed there until 1923. Then she returned to Scottsville High School as a teacher and principal. Nettie ended her teaching career in 1931 due to breast cancer.

Women's Right to Vote

Nettie Depp remained active in politics and the movement for women's right to vote. Kentucky approved the 19th Amendment in January 1920. This amendment gave women the right to vote. By August 1920, enough states had approved it. Women could then vote in the November 1920 election.

Nettie and other women were welcomed into the Barren County Democratic Party. She was appointed to a special committee. She was also chosen as one of 28 women to represent Barren County at the Kentucky Democratic Party convention.

Nettie also attended the Kentucky League of Women Voters meeting. This group worked to help women use their new voting rights.

Death and Legacy

Nettie Depp died of breast cancer on August 3, 1932. Her funeral was held outdoors to fit the large crowd of about 1,500 people. She was buried in her family's plot.

Honors and Recognitions

In July 2013, Nettie B.C. Depp was honored with a Kentucky Historical Society marker. It was placed at the Barren County Courthouse.

She was also featured in the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center's "Harvest of History" event. A retired educator played Nettie Depp.

Nettie B.C. Depp was one of 46 women in the documentary Dreamers and Doers: Voices of Kentucky Women. You can watch the video here: Watch the video here.

In 2018, Western Kentucky University honored Nettie B.C. Depp. She was placed in the WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni. She was the first graduate from one of WKU's early schools to receive this honor.

A bronze statue of Nettie Depp has been approved for the Kentucky Capitol. It will be the first statue there honoring a woman. The statue was made by Amanda Matthews, Nettie's great-great niece.

Other Connections

Nettie B.C. Depp was the great-great aunt of actor Johnny Depp. He is the great-grandson of Nettie's brother, Oren R. Depp.