The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-06-22
MlLLES MANUAL LABOR SCHOOL
The Noble and Unseifish Work ofTwo
Men Who Were Uneducatcd.


Two pennilcss, orphan boys named
John and Samucl Nj Her, who were
reared in the ragged mountains" ncar
Charlottesville, Va, were accustomcd
TO pick ~blackberries and sell Them Il
the students OF the State University
Ihough raised in poverty and ignor.
ance they had bright minds, and as
they gaZed at the great buildings of
the University and Witnessed the lordly
airs OF the students they began to
reason, and one sale to the other
Boys IKE us a never hope TO 20 ia
school, but will tell you what we must
40. Let us go to work, make money
and establish a school for the children
OF Albemarle County"
Ihey talked over their plans, dream.
cd about them, grew enthusiastic over
them, and strange to say, kept them
steadily In view as they grew to man.
noou, ahe went vigorously to work to
push them to completion.
They were shrewd, entcrprisinr in
dustrions and very successful business
men, and soon began to accumulata for.
tunes. John Miller died In 1915 leav-
ing an estate OF 800, 600, in fee simple
10 his brother Samutl but with the un-
that 1T was to go toward
establishing their projected school.
samuel Miller died In 1869 in LYNCH
burg where he had lived and made his
fortune. He left 100000 to establish
an agricultural department in the Uni.
versity OF Virginia. 300, 600 to a girls,
orphan asylum in Lynchburg to which
ne a given during his life about
S2oo, OoOh 500, 600 in private legacios
and the residue to establish IA manual
laoor school Tor the benefit of the poor
children OF Alb9marle County, Va"
Inc Will was contested, but aft r.
seven and a half years litigation WIS
compromised, and the executor, N. NJ.
Page, a good old Baptist deacon or the
neighborho0d, had managed the estate
so superbiy. Changing investments,
~relnVesting accumulated income, etc
alter paying out $500, 600 in legacies
Szoo,OOO as a compromise to the contest.
ants, and 800, 900 in LAWYERS .ees
costs. ETC., he turned over to the board
OF trustees, the Governor, Treasurer
and Auditor OF Virginia, for the estab.
lishment OF the school the sum of o.c
million two hundred thousand dollars
(Sl, 2OO, OOO,) which was over 800. 900
more than the whole estate rs valued
at when he took charge o (. In 1869. |
VIII add, to complete the remarkable
financial history of the school, that we
- Nv" f,-oV dCTeS Vi lana, Dcautl
iul grounds and buildings, shops, phys
ical laboratories, electric plant, water.
works, and very complete equipments
OF every description, all of which ha,
cost over $4,000 0 and been fully paid
for, and the school has been running
Tor over eighteen years at an expendi.
ture OF over one million dollars, and vet
we nave invested to-day In good inter
est bearing securities one million four
hundred Thousand dollars Isl, 400, OOO)-
two hundred thousand more than the
executor originally turned over-whicb
yields an Income OF $72, 900 seventy Two
dollars) per annum for the |;
support OF the school. There have been
no gifts since Mr.. Miller's original leg.
acy. 70
But l must not go into the detail tof
The history OF this school, and will only
Jay that the manual labor" featurx
las WORKED admirably, and the resultfiI
w haen mnahE nratifuinn An - ILll-