Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-30
PROF. GEO, ", MILES.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF A MUCH
TALKED-OF MAN.
A PROFESSOR AT TWENTY-ONE
and Henry Before &c Was Twenty
Eisht-Some of the Things He Has
Done and Said.
Done and Said.

In view of the recent publicity given
Professor George w. Miles upon it's be-
coming known that he might be elected
to the craftsmanship OF the University OF
Virginia. and of the absurd pictures paint
| ed of him as High School teacher capa-
BILE of nothing better, the following
sketch is printed for the benefit Of those
who do not know the career Of the man:
The Miles family, OF which five were
boys, all became men of note and those
now living are what is known as sue
! cessful men,
Professor Miles, with his four brothers.
era duated at Emory and Henry College,
getting his degree when he was i years
old From there he went to the Unive--
sity Of Virginia. After a two years
course at that institution he was elected
Adjunct Professor of Greek and English
in Emory and Henry, and was made full
professor before he was q.
He soon became factor in the faculty
of that college, and before he was IS he
was spoken of as president, being advo-
Gated by such men Judge John A.
Buchanan and Bishop Hoss. But he pre-
ferred to establish a school Of his own.
A SCHOOL OF HIS OWN.
With this end in view, he selected one
of the most perfect sites to be found in
this country, on New river, opposite the
city of Radford. Here he put up two hand
some colonial buildings and opened pre-
paratory school for boys, limited to fifty.
From the first year the school has been
crowded. having representatives from all
the Southern and Western States Profess
sor Miles yields much influence with
boys, whom lie understands perfectly, and
he possesses the happy faculty Of being
able to get at them from the first.
Professor Miles has always taken live
" interest in public matters, but has
ever refused to allow his name to be con-
sidercd for any office. He is the moving
spirit of the city of Radford. for which
he has done more than any five men to-
gether in the town One of his townsmen
recently in speaking of him. referred to
him as the Cecil Rhodes Of the South
west"
In business Professor Miles is presi-
dent of the Radford Water-Power Com
pany. president of the Marion and Rye
Valley railroad. and president Of the East
Lynn Coal Company, each of which is a
successful corporation of large capital
In speaking of Professor Miles expert
ence in teaching. it must not be for
gotten that he one year taught DR.. HOSES
class in Economics, while the Doctor was
i'll. He graduated in political economy at
Emory and Henry.
HIS BUFFALO SPEECH.
He made a speech on Virginia day at
the Pan-American Exposition on "Educa-
ton in Virginia" which was printed in
part in all the larger northern cities, and
was universally praised. 1t was afterwafd
gotten out in pamphlet form.
At the University alumni banquet given
in Washington city last winter Profess
sor Miles made an after-dinner speech.
which was received with much enthusi-
asm. and such men as DR.. Thomas Nelson
Page DR.. Gldcrsleeve, and the Hon.
Holmes Conrad pronounced it the finest
banquet speech they haa ever heard
His speech on the retirement of Colonel
Peters from the Chair of Latin of the
University delighted his hearers as few
speeches ever do.
Professor Miles. on his fathers side, is
Of the South Carolina Miles family, far
nous in the history of that State for
their many public virtues and accom-
plishmsnts His mothers family were
Virginians