Cockrill Elementary is named for Mark S. Cockrill, a grandson of Ann Robertson Cockrill who was sister to James Robertson co-founder of Nashville, 1779. Because of Ann's efforts to educate children during the Cumberland Settlement, she is known as the first teacher in Middle Tennessee. Cockrill Elementary stands on land once owned by the Robertson and Cockrill families. A medal bearing the Cockrill name is awarded annually to the upper class student who achieves the highest level of scholarship.

The original Cockrill School was built in 1888 on the corner of 49th street and Indiana. It served grades 1-10 and was called West Nashville High School. Then in 1906 WNHS was annexed to become part of the Nashville City School System. Because the upper two grades were moved to Fogg high School, the school's name changed to West Nashville School. It was during the 1907 - 1908 school year that the name Cockrill was adopted.

With the opening of Cohn Junior High in 1928, Cockrill scaled back its grades again to grades 1-6. Then in 1940 the old building was retired and Cockrill School continued in a new two story brick building on 49th and Delaware. In 1954 a library and two classrooms were added, and in 1967 Cockrill became a K-6 school. It changed to K - 4 in 1971.

Todays Cockrill serves K - 4, with the recent addition of two sections of pre-k for the 2001 -2002 school year. Our present building was completed in 1995 at 4701 Indiana Avenue and stands as a proud reminder of the rich cultural heritage from which it bears it's name.

Mark S. Cockrill stipulated that the graduating student showing the best record in scholarship be awarded a medal of gold. This medal was to be awarded annually and was to be known as The Cockrill Medal. Mr. Cockrill set up a trust fund sufficient for the purchase of the medal annually beginning in 1909. In 1948 two members of the Cockrill Family added money to the original fund to insure this tradition would carry on.

Cockrill Elementary is a neighborhood Pre K - 4 school with 630 students. We are part of the Pearl - Cohn Cluster within the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.