University of Virginia Library

JOHN ROY BAYLOR

John Roy Baylor, a brother of Captain James Bowen Baylor
and the seventh of the family to bear this name, was born in
1851 and began his education under the Rev. William Dinwiddie
at the Bookland School, Greenwood, Va. On completing his work
there he turned his steps toward the University of Virginia.
Here he remained several years, graduating with the degrees of
bachelor of arts and bachelor of literature.

Upon graduation he chose the profession of teaching as his
life work and entered upon the calling at the Mountain Spring
School at Trinity, Ala. He next served in the Miller Manual
Labor School, Albemarle, Va., which was an endowed institution
for the purpose of preparing orphans for vocational work. Prof.
Baylor's service at this school extended over a period of ten
years, from 1878 to 1888.

In 1889 Prof. Baylor moved to Savannah, Ga., and taught
in a school for boys in that city for two years, when he went
to Anniston, Ala., and took charge of the Noble Institute.

After this long service as a teacher of young men, Prof. Baylor
went to Chattanooga, Tenn., at the solicitation of Dr. Charles
W. Dabney, and there in May 1893, in conference with Messrs.
Robert Pritchard, Theodore Montague, H. S. Chamberlain and
L. M. Coleman in the home of Dr. J. W Bachman, he organized
The Baylor School which has become nationally known as one
of the greatest preparatory schools for young men in the entire
country.

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The first location of the school was in the old McCallie homestead,
a landmark in the city. After six years here it was moved
to the corner of Vine and Palmetto Street where it remained until
1915.

In 1915, through the interest of J. T. Lupton and the alumni,
the school was removed to Baylor Station, its present site, and
the group of buildings which house the institution at present will
compare favorably with the best in the country.

Prof. Baylor is well known as a Greek and Latin scholar, but
he modestly gives the credit for his interest in the classics to his
old professors, who are nationally known figures. Colonel
Venable, one of his instructors, was chief of General Lee's Staff;
Dr. Gildersleeve, his professor of Greek, was considered the
greatest Greek scholar in the world; Col. William E. Peters, his
instructor in Latin, was a cavalry leader under General Jubal
Early; and Dr. Frank Smith, his teacher of Natural Philosophy,
was considered one of America's leading scientists.

Prof. Baylor married Miss Julia Howard, a lady of splendid
ancestry and active in the Society of Colonial Dames and other
similar organizations, and to this union was born a daughter—
Miss Eloise Baylor—who is regarded as one of the most talented
musicians in the entire South.

In June 1923, the University of the South bestowed upon Prof.
Baylor the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature in recognition
of his services to the educational world. He has also been included
in Who' Who In America. For a more complete biography
the reader is referred to The Chattanooga Times, of September
19, 1923, from which the foregoing has largely been taken.

Blanton Arms