Editing Earlington, Kentucky (section)

==Education==
Until the mid-1970s, the city of Earlington operated an independent school system. The system served students from the primary grades until high school graduation. In 1967, the Earlington Yellowjackets won the state "Sweet 16" basketball tournament. During the 1960s, the champions of the Sweet 16 were typically from [[Jefferson County, Kentucky|Jefferson County]] (Louisville) or [[Fayette County, Kentucky|Fayette County]] (Lexington), the largest population centers in the state. Earlington remains one of the smallest schools ever to win the "Sweet 16" in the modern era. The team was coached by Bob Fox, who was a native of Earlington and played basketball for Earlington in the late 1940s. He amassed an impressive coaching record at Earlingon at 141-26 and was inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame in 2001.

When the city school board decided to merge with the [[Hopkins County Schools|Hopkins County School System]], the community was divided. Half of the students were enrolled at South Hopkins High School, about {{convert|3|mi|0}} to the south, and the others went to West Hopkins High School, {{convert|8|mi|0}} to the west. The division was made along the [[railroad]] line that bisects the town.

Earlington also had a private school that operated until the 1970s. Immaculate Conception, the only [[Roman Catholic]] parish in Earlington and the oldest parish in Hopkins County, operated a school periodically from the 1890s until the school was closed because of the building's condition. The school had served students from kindergarten to the sixth grade. Located across the street from the parish building, the old school building has now been demolished.