Bio: George W. Griffin, D.D., Mount Lebanon, La., Bienville Parish La Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890 Submitted by: Gaytha Thompson ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ GEORGE W. GRIFFIN, D.D. Mount Lebanon, La Dr. Griffin is an important personage as an educator in Louisiana. He is now president of Mount Lebanon University, a well-known institution of learning in Northwestern Louisiana, from which have graduated the sons and daughters of some of the best families. The Doctor was born in Southampton County, Va., on May 9, l827. His parents, William and Virginia (Holems) Griffin, were natives of the Old Dominion. They both lived to be well advanced in years. His father, though too young to be a soldier in the War of l8l2, was an eye-witness of many interesting and thrilling events, which he was fond of reciting to his children. He took a lively interest in the Civil War sending six sons to maintain the cause and rights of the South. His children now living are named in the order of their births as follows: George W., W. H. (resides in New York), W. C. (a merchant in Galveston, Tex.), Kenneth R. (is an attorney at Portsmouth, Va.), John H. C. (an agriculturist in his native State), Matilda and Julia. Dr. G. W. Griffin received his early education mainly from private tutors, prominent among whom was Prof. Kinney., a very able educator, and subsequently he entered Richmond College, Richmond, Va., where he took a classical course of study. Afterward he started out in life as a minister of the gospel. Yet he was often found in the schoolroom, and it may be said circumstances have so ordered that much of his life has been devoted to teaching. His education has been largely attained in teaching, and he has been frequently heard to say: "When I left school I had learned enough to know that I did not know anything." Dr. Griffin is probably the most self-made man in the educational line we have had the pleasure of chronicling, for he started out in life with limited mental attainments, with a fertile brain, and an industrious disposition . He began preaching and teaching in Virginia, and continued his labors there for five years. then went to Columbia, Tenn., as pastor of the Baptist Church. After remaining there for nearly two years he was calld to Knoxville, Tenn., and from there went to the Lebanon, Middle Tenn. where he became pastor of the Baptist Church. Soon after this settlement, by a strange combination of events, he was chosen president of Lebanon Female College. This connection continued until 1860. At the beginning of the Civil War Dr. Griffin entered the Confederate army a chaplain of the Fifth North Carolina Infantry Volunteers, Early's brigade, and his scene of action was mostly around Union Mills and on the Peninsula. On acconnt of ill health he resigned his position in the army, and again entered the schoolroom. The doctor was married to Miss Ella H. Bailey, on July 13, 1858, and to them have been born ten children--six sons and four daughters-- nine now living: W. H., G. W. Jr., Ed 0., Irving Manly, Samuel Chester, Cora H. (Jones), Florence (Whitaker), Eolin H. (Levy), and Ella B. Mrs. Griffin as born in Virginia, on February 117, 1837. After being carefully educated in boarding schools and the Chowan Institute, North Carolina, she in order to a further and more thorough culture, entered the Richmond Female Institute, where she graduated with much distinction under the instruction and guidance of such men as Drs. B. Manly, Jr., and H. H. Tucker. Dr. Manly is now professor of Hebrew and Old Testament interpretation, the Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky. The Doctor was singularly fortunate in the choice of his wife, for she is a woman of great strength of character and of clear and well-defined convictions of duty. She has been a most kind and faithful helpmete in the high and noble sense God designed that a wife should be. Whatever her ,husband may have accomplished in life, is largely attributed to her. She is to be ranked among those who are justly titled, the best of wives and the best of mothers. In politics Dr. Griffin is clearly and distinctly a Democrat, he feels strongly that the stability and safety of the American Union depend on the prevalence of Democratic principles. No one therefore has ever been able to induce him to desert his party on any mere side issue. He is a gentleman of sound, practical judgment, and decided intellectual ability. His literary life has been active, spirited, practical and aggressive, and as a ready and fluent rostrum speaker he takes high ground. He wields an able pen, as is well known in the famous controversy he had with the eminent and talented Jurist Ewing, of Tennessee, on the fundamental principles of philosophy and religion. Many of the literary lights and critics, as well as able lawyers, well remember the controversy which was continued six months. Dr. Griffin was pronounced to be the soundest in his logical arguments by men competent to render criticism. He is one of the most thorough analyzers of logic in the schoolroom who has ever been at the head of Mount Lebanon College. His diagnosis of Hamilton's Logic was one of the most scrutinizing, rigid and thorough ever given to a class of young men, and those who were under his tutelage are the ripe scholars in logic today. Dr. Griffin has written several papers for publication, one entitled, "From Death to Life," which is designed for the younger element in the churches. The Doctor is an able minister of the gospel, and his religious work has been on a marked plane of high excellence. In preaching, his analysis is searching and clear, hence he has the attention of the thoughtful portion of his congregation. It is the general verdict that he is instructive to a high degree. He became president of Mount Lebanon College in August, 1889, and in this position he evinced in a marked degree his successful record as an educator. His reputation is not limited to the State of Louisiana, and his star is yet high in the ascendency. The university is in an excellent state of progress, the course of study is severe and rigid, more extended, complete, and of higher character than ever before. The Doctor has very emphatic, well-sustained, and well-grounded conclusions on conscience. In speaking to him upon the subject, he said: ''I do not think conscience decides ,what is the right, but rather that there is a right and a wrong, and that we ought to do the right and avoid the wrong, and as to what is right, the judgment must decide that." Is it not said that faith governs the conscience? "Yes, but were that true, conscience would be, in its decisions as uncertain and variable as our beliefs or opinions." He added: 'Conscience says, there is a right, and we ought to do it, and there is a wrong, and we ought not to do it. In saying this, it is the voice of God, and is authoritative, hut if it involves the question, what is he right? Then it can have no more authority than our beliefs or opinions. The moral judgment says: his is right or wrong. Our judgment may he wrong or right, but conscience is right as it says simply, there is a right which we ought to do, and there is a wrong which we ought not to do." His own original conceptions of teaching are of such a grade and nature as to force us to recognize them as highly important. His ideas of discipline and co-education are harmonious and of a high character. He kindly appeals to the honor of his pupils, and relies upon it. He points out three cardinal points which must he obtained in our instruction, viz.: "Observation,'' "Inspection" and "Discrimination." These are fundamental principles which must he observed if school training is to he valuable. Dr. Griffin asserts that there is no successful teaching where there is not a love for teaching. He said to the writer: "Those who teach only for money can not succeed well." He says, the teacher must do more than understand the subject matter of his instruction, he must make his student feel that he has a personal interest in them. The following is copied from the Nashville American, and will interest many: "Dr. G. W. Griffin, formerly of Tennessee, now president of Mount Lebanon University, La., took a prominent part in the convention. He was elected first vice-president, made several excellent speeches, and was appointed to preach he introductory sermon next year. His old friends in Tennessee will be glad to know that he is doing so well. We take the foregoing extract from the Baptist and Reflector, published in this city, and republish it, because there are hundreds of Dr. Griffin's friends in Tennessee, who will be glad to hear from him. The convention referred to was the Baptist State Convention of Louisiana. Dr. Griffin was prominent as a minister and educator in this State for many years, having come here from Virginia in 1856, and with the exception of four years in the Confederate service, lived here until two years ago, when he was elected president of the Mount Lebanon University, the leading Baptist University of Louisiana. His activity, prominence and usefulness in his new field only fulfill the expectations of his friends who know his zeal and ability and his untiring devotion to the cause of his Master and his church.''