43 Facts About Nettie Depp

Nettie Bayless Courts Depp was an education reformer and the first woman elected to public office in Barren County, Kentucky when she was elected Superintendent of Barren County Schools in 1913.

Nettie Depp served from January 1,1914, through December 31,1917.

Nettie Depp was one of six children, including Elizabeth Eola "Lizzie" Depp Allen, Mary Pitsy Depp Rowland, Tipton Hanson Depp, Oren Richard Depp, and Lillie Belle Depp Matthews.

Nettie Depp's grandfather, Isaac Tipton Reneau, was a well-known preacher in the Christian Church who served numerous churches in south central Kentucky and northern Tennessee.

Nettie BC Depp was educated in the common schools of Barren County, Kentucky.

Nettie Depp was a graduate of Liberty Female College in Glasgow, Kentucky.

For more than a decade, Nettie Depp taught in various schools and concluded that expanding her own education to become a professional teacher would be her next goal.

Nettie Depp enrolled at Southern Normal School, sometimes referenced as the Cherry Brothers' School, in Bowling Green, Kentucky to further her education.

Nettie Depp studied under Dr Henry Hardin Cherry, who became her mentor, and Thomas C Cherry.

Nettie Depp wrote a newspaper column for the Glasgow Times for several years using the pen name "Ora Ethel" and frequently used the opportunity to promote Cherry's school.

In 1910, Nettie Depp went to work in Scottsville, Kentucky as a schoolteacher.

Nettie Depp wrote to him then of her success in public speaking on behalf of education reform:.

In one of her newspaper columns sharing the recent success of Bethel School, Nettie Depp editorialized with a message to parents:.

Back in the classroom, Nettie Depp apparently grew weary of the role of politics in public schools.

Apparently, Nettie Depp was unaware of a plan to nominate her and her polite refusal became news.

Nettie Depp faced three awkward situations: no woman had ever run for public office in Barren County, she was from a well-known family of Democrats, and her brother Oren R Depp had sought the Democratic nomination for superintendent the previous cycle and lost.

Nettie Depp was head of the Hiseville school district in Barren County when he suddenly died at age 32 in March 1912.

Nettie Depp accepted the challenge and agreed to run as a representative of the Democratic Party more than a year before the 1913 General Election.

Nettie Depp was the first woman to run for public office in Barren County and the county's first female office-holder on January 1,1914.

Nettie Depp was one of 26 women who were elected superintendents of Kentucky Public Schools in the November 5,1913 General Election.

Nettie Depp reported that Barren County's schools were not progressing as rapidly as she would like.

Nettie Depp highlighted her expectations of teachers as well as the curricula taught:.

When reporting on the county's four graded schools, Nettie Depp pronounced their work as excellent.

An issue of concern for Nettie Depp was the modest success of Kentucky's compulsory school law.

Nettie Depp explained that Barren County's Judge opined that the law was weak and didn't produce the anticipated results.

Nettie Depp viewed the empty facility as ideal for a high school and negotiated a deal to lease the property.

Nettie Depp reported that she had succeeded in establishing a uniform curriculum used throughout Barren County's public schools.

Young collaborated with Nettie Depp to establish corn and tomato clubs within the public schools.

Nettie Depp lamented that due to Young being called to service in the US Army, the progress of the clubs was greatly handicapped in 1917.

Nettie Depp reported that Barren County's schools were organized for participation in a county-wide school fair at which students and teachers showcased their respective schools for the citizens of the county.

Nettie Depp stated that the regular four-year state high school curriculum had been expanded to include vocal and instrumental music, expression, art, and a business course.

Nettie Depp was offered the principalship of the high school in Harlan, Kentucky but she accepted Cave City High School's offer to become principal.

Nettie Depp remained in the position until 1923 when she returned to Scottsville High School where she served as a teacher and principal.

Nettie Depp's health depleted by breast cancer, Depp ended her career in education in 1931.

Nettie Depp was appointed to the Resolutions Committee of the Barren County Democratic Party's local convention.

On May 3,1920, Nettie Depp was one of five Barren County women who attended and participated in the Kentucky League of Women Voters meeting in Louisville, Kentucky as the organization transformed itself from the former Kentucky Equal Rights Association.

Nettie Depp died of breast cancer on August 3,1932.

Nettie Depp's funeral was held at Refuge Church of Christ in Eighty-Eight, Kentucky.

Nettie Depp was buried in her family's plot in the adjoining cemetery.

Nettie BC Depp was a featured historical figure in the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center's annual event, Harvest of History, in September 2013.

Nettie BC Depp was one of 46 women profiled in the documentary Dreamers and Doers: Voices of Kentucky Women produced by Michael Breeding Media for the Kentucky Commission on Women's Kentucky Women's History Project in 2015.

Nettie Depp is the first graduate of one of WKU's seminal institutions to be so honored.

Nettie BC Depp was the great-great aunt of actor Johnny Depp, who himself is the great-grandson of Nettie's brother, Oren R Depp.