Giles sisters facts for kids

Mary, Theresa, and Persis Giles were amazing sisters who became teachers and helped change education for girls. They grew up in the countryside of North Carolina. In 1878, they became the very first women to graduate from Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, which is now called Duke University. This was a big deal because the school didn't officially let women in yet! Later, in 1885, they started their own school for girls, the Greenwood Female College, in Greenwood, South Carolina.

Early Life of the Giles Sisters

The Giles sisters, Mary, Theresa, and Persis, were born in Jones County, North Carolina. Their parents were E.S.F. and Nancy White Giles. Their father, E.S.F., was a minister and a farmer.

The family faced tough times. One of their brothers, James, sadly died during the Civil War. Their father passed away in 1868. The sisters also had a younger brother, E.S.F., Jr., and a younger sister named Sue.

Moving to Trinity

In 1874, Nancy Giles moved the family from Richlands, North Carolina to Trinity. This move happened after the Civil War, when the family lost their land and wealth. The main reason for moving was so their brother, E.S.F., Jr., could get an education.

At this time, Mary, Theresa, and Persis were already working as schoolteachers. They were teaching in Onslow County. Once their teaching contracts ended, they joined their family in Trinity.

Life and Learning in Trinity

Trinity College of Arts and Sciences (now Duke University) was located in Trinity, North Carolina, back then. It was a small town, mostly just the college. In those days, Trinity College was only for male students. It stayed that way until 1892.

When the Giles sisters arrived in Trinity, they continued to teach in local schools. Their younger brother, E.S.F., Jr., attended Trinity College. The sisters tried to join the college too, but they were not allowed. Mary Giles later said, "Trinity was a male school and we were barred."

How They Studied

At first, the sisters had their younger brother tutor them in the evenings. He would teach them what he learned at college that day. But soon, they realized he couldn't answer all their questions. He was just learning the material himself!

Determined to learn, they asked a neighbor, Professor Lemuel Johnson, for help. He was a professor at Trinity College. Professor Johnson agreed to tutor them after college hours. Other professors at Trinity College also started teaching them. They learned the exact same lessons as the male students. The sisters even attended one class with the men. It was a philosophy class taught by the college president, Braxton Craven.

Paying for Their Education

The sisters lost all their money when a bank in Greensboro failed. This meant they had to go back to teaching to earn money for their tutors. They paid the same tuition fees as the male students at Trinity.

Each sister taught in nearby towns for four or five months a year. Then, they would take classes for the rest of the year. For example, Mary Giles taught in Tarboro, North Carolina.

Becoming the First Graduates

By 1878, Theresa, Mary, and Persis had finished all the required courses at Trinity College. They were allowed to take the final exams, just like all the other students who wanted to graduate. They passed their exams!

President Craven then sent their names to the Board of Trustees. On June 12, 1878, the Board of Trustees officially approved them for a Bachelor of Arts degree. This was a very special decision. Even though they were never officially admitted to Trinity College, Theresa, Mary, and Persis Giles are known as the first female graduates of Duke University.

Founding Greenwood Female College

In 1885, Persis, Mary, and Theresa Giles started the Greenwood Female College. Their younger sister, Sue, also helped. The college was located in Greenwood, South Carolina. They also opened the Misses' Giles School for younger girls.

They chose Greenwood for two main reasons. First, their brother, E.S.F., had started his law business there. Second, Greenwood did not have any colleges for higher education at the time. For many years, the Giles sisters and their staff taught hundreds of young women. Girls in the area finally received an education that was as good as, or even better than, what was offered to young men.

Travels and Later Life

The Giles sisters believed that traveling was an important part of learning. They took several big trips to other countries. In 1889, Mary and Persis traveled to Europe. They also went to India with a Christian teacher’s group.

While traveling, the sisters wrote articles for newspapers. Their stories appeared in papers like the Abbeville Press and Banner and the local Greenwood paper in the Carolinas.

Legacy of the Giles Sisters

The Giles sisters left an important mark on education. In 1927, a women’s dormitory (a student living hall) was built in their honor. It was at the Woman’s College at Duke University. Today, it is still a dormitory and houses 115 first-year students.