Home > Exhibits > Online Exhibits > Preparatory Academies and Vanderbilt University
| unknown-1900 | E.W.L. Roberts |
| 1900-1902 | J.W.L. Greene |
| 1900-1902 | S.A. Myatt |
| 1902-1908 | W.O. Batts |
| 1902-1908 | W. Porter Matheny |
The Cedar Hill Institute was founded in 1892 in Cedar Hill, Tennessee. The Institute was owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church and was created to "prepare boys and girls for college and to train them for the duties of life. Our course of study has been arranged especially to meet the requirements of Vanderbilt University."(1)
William Batts graduated from Cedar Hill Institute and went to Branham & Hughes School. When he left Branham & Hughes, Batts returned to Cedar Hill as principal with a schoolmate from Branham & Hughes, Porter Matheney. The two alternated the principalship with studies at Vanderbilt; Matheney acted as principal for two years while Batts attended Vanderbilt, then Batts went to Cedar Hill to allow Matheny to study. All seven of their first graduating class was accepted to Vanderbilt.(2) Cedar Hill Institute not only allowed girls, but had a female teacher. Along with principals J.W.L. Greene and S.A. Myatt, Mr. Greene’s wife Nannie Morgan Greene taught the elementary school, Josie Byrns taught music and Louise Watkins taught “elocution and physical culture.”(3)
1. "Cedar Hill Institute Preparatory School opened in 1898." Robertson County Times. September 7, 2005.
2. William O. Batts. Private Preparatory Schools for Boys in Tennessee. n.p.: 1957.
3. "Cedar Hill Institute." Robertson County Times. September 7, 2005.