Probably the first school in Dyer County was taught in 1825 by Edith Kenley, in the "Key Corner" neighborhood. Later in the same year, Dr. Thomas Nash taught a school in the neighborhood between the two Forked Deer Rivers, about ten miles southeast from Dyersburg, and the following year James Miller taught a school in the same neighborhood. The first school between Forked Deer and Obion Rivers was taught in 1826, eight miles east from Dyersburg, on what is now known as the Caroline Smith place. In 1830 Beverly Watson taught the first school in Dyersburg, in the kitchen of an old log tavern, and the first schoolhouse erected in Dyersburg was a small log building, on College Hill, in 1833. Beverly Watson was the first man to teach in the new house, and was followed by J. D. Crenshaw. During the latter's time a frame school building was erected on College Hill. Thomas Stillwell followed Mr. Crenshaw, and Stillwell was followed by D. R. Latta. In 1856 a brick house was erected on the site of the frame, which a few years later, was improved and enlarged. In 1854 a female academy was established in a frame building near the present residence of Col. Tom Neal, and subsequently a frame building was erected for the female academy. In 1874 the brick schoolhouse on College Hill was again repaired and enlarged and the two schools were consolidated. The Dyersburg Public School is now conducted by Prof. H. S. Kennedy, A. M., assisted by Miss Sallie Rogers, Miss Nellie Browne, Miss Kate Sampson, with the music class under Mrs. Alice Neal. A handsome two-story new brick school building in is course of erection, and nearly complete, on the Hill, which will cost $10,000. The school is in a flourishing condition, having an attendance of about 175 pupils daily.

The first schoolhouse in Newbern was a frame, built in 1857, and destroyed by fire in 1882. The present schoolhouse, a two-story brick, was erected in 1883 at a cost of $4,500. The school is a male and female academy, and was chartered in 1883.

The Trimble Academy was chartered in 1884, and the Finley High School in 1884. Fowlkes Station, Stokes, Hunsaker, Maxwell and Ro-Ellen have good schools. Since 1873 the school superintendents of Dyer County have been as follows in the order given: H. Parks, Jr., W. A. Harrison, A. J. Hall, L. B. Swift, A. J. Hall, T. C. Gordon, and D. E. McCorkle, present incumbent.