Written: 1901

The S.P. Lees Institute is a flourishing branch school of Central University founded about fifteen years ago ; but formerly know as the Jackson Academy. In 1891 the school property was purchased by the Chancellor for Central University. It then took the name of Jackson Collegiate Institution. During 1897, through the generosity of Mrs. S. P. Lees, Mrs. N. F. McCormick, and other friends, many improvements were made in the buildings and equipment, and the name was then changed to the S.P. Lees Collegiate Institute.

The Institute continues to improve. So recently as last year great advances were made. Two new departments were added, those of Manual Training and Domestic Science. These were fully equipped by Mrs. McCormick, who also established an eletric light plant to light the Manual Training Shop on winter evenings, and also to furnish light fot the Institute buiding and the girl's dormitory. Mrs. McCormich has also provided for an entirely new branch of this great work, in the erecting in the mining district of Jackson aneat and commodious chapel for religious purposes, and also for a free day of school for those who do not attend the free school or the Institute. The building is known as the McCormick Chapel and the school as the McCormick Free School.

The school is in a prosperous condition, having over three hundred enrolled, of which about two hundred and fifty belong to the Institute proper. Nearly all of the Breathitt County teachers receive their education at this school making the Institute a potent factor in the educational progress, and an evangelizing influence in this sectoin of the State.