By Carter Smith, Lawrenceburg
Rhoda Caldwell was born on Jan. 29, 1870, in Anderson County. She was the daughter of Capt. Benjamin Franklin Caldwell and his wife, Susan. Capt. Caldwell was a prosperous farmer, an officer in Union veterans’ organizations and active in Republican politics. Rhoda was educated at the Birdwhistell Academy in Lawrenceburg. From there, she went to the Science Hill Academy in Shelbyville. She received her college education at the State College, now known as the University of Kentucky.
After she received her state teachers’ license at 15, she taught in several country schools in Anderson County, including the Goodlett School and the Young School.
In 1894, there were 50 school buildings in Anderson County, and nine of them were log buildings. Female teachers made $34.73 a month, $4 less than their male counterparts. Teachers had to manage classrooms with students of all ages. School books were scarce and had to be shared. Most teachers had only a little more education than their pupils.
Ms. Caldwell remained in the rural schools of the county until her marriage to the widowed Dr. C.W. Kavanaugh of Lawrenceburg on Sept. 9, 1895. This marriage brought her to the home now known as the Kavanaugh School. The stately home had been built by Dr. Kavanaugh before their marriage.
While Mrs. Kavanaugh gave up teaching at the time of her marriage, education was never far from her mind. In 1897, more than 20 years before women could vote, she was the Republican candidate for Anderson County Superintendent. It was highly unusual for a married woman to seek public office. Mrs. Kavanaugh was defeated by Democratic incumbent Rev. W.D. Moore.
Mrs. Kavanaugh was an active member of the Anderson County Equal Rights Association and organized debates on suffrage in country schools around the county.
The Kavanaughs had two daughters, Aileen and Lucy. In 1903, Mrs. Kavanaugh founded the Kavanaugh Academy in her home on Woodford Street. She offered a high-quality education and became known for her work preparing students for the Naval Academy and West Point.
In 1908, the state legislature passed a measure that required each county to have a public high school for the first time in Kentucky’s history. In 1909, Mrs. Kavanaugh was contracted by the county school board to run the first public high school in Anderson County.
In addition to academics, Kavanaugh High School was known for athletics. In the earliest days, the only gymnasium in town was in the Christian Church. The Lawrenceburg High Bulldogs and the Kavanaugh Kavaliers were rivals, playing against each other at the church. In 1927, Kavanaugh alumni financed the construction of a gymnasium at the rear of the school.
Three Kavanaugh players—Paul McBrayer, Forest Sale and Ralph Carlisle—were inducted into the State of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. University of Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp was a regular attendant at Kavanaugh basketball banquets. Mrs. Kavanaugh was an avid supporter of her school’s athletics. She was known to stand on the sidelines with a large umbrella, menacing any players who weren’t giving their all.
In August 1945, Mrs. Kavanaugh became ill and moved to Louisville to live with her daughter Aileen. In 1949, Kavanaugh High School and Lawrenceburg High School merged into Anderson County High School.
After nearly 14 years of illness, Mrs. Kavanaugh passed away on May 27, 1959, at age 89 and was laid to rest in the Lawrenceburg Cemetery.
Photo and information courtesy Anderson County Historical Society.