Among the pupils on the honor roll in 1885, were Thomas Smith, James L. Goodman, Champe Langford, Jasper Moncrief, Ludenia Lansberry, Lula Ellison, Maggie McMordie, Annie West, Bettie West, Sula Easter, Clara Easter, Rhoda Galloway, G.O. Gallaway, Lillie Grant, Alonzo Joyce, Lucy Smith, Sallie Patrick, Alice Brooker and Addie Brigance.

The school building burned in 1894, and another was erected on the corner of Owensville and Decherd Streets. The gray frame building served the needs of the district until 1924, when the present brick building was erected. After Professor Cohron left the schools, others served as superintendents in the following order: W. C. Crane, J. A. Poston, M. B. Autry, Mr. Brown, W. L. Spradling, W. E. Collins, S. B. Graham, F. A. Davison, Roland Reynolds, R. T. Adams and at present Joe L. Hedrick.

Some of the early teachers of Franklin and Robertson County are remembered for their many years of service: W. T. Lipscomb taught in rural schools until his death in 1912; his daughter, Mrs. Louise Stegall, is now a teacher in the Franklin Public School. Mrs. Stella Yardley Cole taught the first grade for more than thirty years; Frank Scott, who was educated to become a lawyer, came to Robertson County after the Civil War and saw the need for rural teachers, he taught for 51 years.

Starting in 1884, a controversy developed that would there after be referred to as "the school affair." It kept people confused and angry for years and the town was divided for a decade. Its origin was in the office of County Judge John Crawford, and before it ran its course two county superintendents of education were killed.

In June, 1885, Dr. G. M. D. Patterson published a report accusing Crawford of deliberate refusal to certify trustees and engaging in a conspiracy to "destroy the high school at Franklin." Patterson claimed Crawford's motive was to prevent the employment of Professor Cohron, whom the county judge disliked. H. P. Kellogg and I. R. Overall had been elected with Patterson, and they joined in the condemnation of Crawford.

The controversy continued long after the trustees were out of office and Crawford was removed from the scene. In 1893, G. W. Beard, the first county superintendent of education elected by the people of the county was killed and many attributed the cause to a continuation of the conflict. O. D. Cannon, elected county judge in 1890, was then in office.

In 1899, Cannon killed W. A. Gray, who had replaced Beard as county school superintendent in 1893. Judge Cannon was charged with murder, removed from office, tried and sentenced to life in prison.

To restore order in local government, the county commissioners appointed a respected citizen, Tom Taylor, to replace Cannon as county judge. During Taylor's administration, from 1900 through 1903, relations between the two offices improved greatly.

Judge Cannon went to the state penitentiary at Huntsville in 1900 and remained there thirteen years. In 1913, he was pardoned by Lieutenant Governor Mayes and when his citizenship was restored he practiced law in Houston. In later years, he left his law practice, operated a woodyard, and started writing a book about the Bible. He talked freely about himself and the number of men he had killed while living in Robertson County.