"When

we found them we didn't know what they were. At first we thought checks

of some sort but then we realized that they were promissory notes signed

individually by teachers. We immediately took them to the county's historical

society to get more information," said Eve Harness, records officer

of the school system's records center, who found the notes along with

delivery officer Anthony Porter.

According to

the Fayette County Historical Society, the school system ran short on

funds during the second semester of 1935 and did not have enough money

to pay its teachers. This was due to political turmoil at the state level

where funds were frozen. That's when the bank stepped in and floated the

money for the payroll until the school system's tax revenue was received.

Promissory notes written for the teachers ranged from $22-177 per month.

Although the

37 promissory notes had been lying uncovered on the floor for years, all

of them are in excellent condition. Many of them are beautifully handwritten

in calligraphy. "They are a great part of Fayette County's history,"

said Harness.

The notes are

considered to be historical documents since they were produced prior to

the 1940s. The school system would like to return the documents to the

teachers they were originally issued to or to their family members/descendants.

Anyone claiming a note will need to provide proof of his or her lineage

to the person whose name is listed on the note, such as a family Bible,

genealogy tree or photographs.

All notes have

been scanned and stored on disks. Any unclaimed notes will be handed over

to the Fayette County Historical Society for safekeeping.

Following is

a list of teacher names appearing on the documents: Emily Amis, W.H. Askew,

Vonor Chapman, G.H. Davis, Loy Farr, Elizabeth Garrard, G. Ed Giles, Estelle

Griggs, Maynard Griggs, Margaret Hansard, B.M. Harrison, Emma M. Johnson,

Frances Jones, I.E. Loyd, J.H. Loyd, Louise Mask, W.T. McBride, C.W. McDonald,

Doris McElroy, Caroline H. McNiel, Grace Minter, Bennis Nations, Martha

Park, R.H. Peebles, Lora V. Perry, Eugenia Price, Dora L. Snead, Carrie

Stallings, Wilma Stewart, Minnie Ola Swanson, K.G. Thompson, Ina Tweedell,

Claudine Walton, Edna Ward, Lucile Whitlock, Velma Whitlock, Helen Williams,

and H.S. Nipper.

To set up an

appointment to claim a document, call the records center at 770-460-3990,

ext. 227 or 228. The center is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.