J. Hillis Miller Sr. (August 29, 1899 – November 14, 1953) was an American university

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

, education administrator and university president. Miller was a native of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, and earned bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees before embarking on an academic career. He served as a

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

professor at the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

and

Bucknell University Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, it now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering. ...

, the president of

Keuka College Keuka College is a private college in Keuka Park, New York. Founded in 1890, the college emphasizes experiential learning as well as career and pre-professional education. It is classified among "Master's Colleges and Universities (small)" and ...

, a senior administrator with the

New York Department of Education The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is the department of the Government of New York (state), New York state government responsible for the supervision for all Public school (government funded), public schools in New York (state), Ne ...

, and the president of the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

.University of Florida, Past Presidents
J. Hillis Miller (1947–1953)
. Retrieved October 24, 2012.

Early life and education

Hillis Miller was born in

Front Royal, Virginia Front Royal is the only incorporated town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 15,011 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. History The entire Shenandoah Valley including the area to become F ...

in 1899. He received his high school education at the

Randolph-Macon Academy Randolph-Macon Academy (R-MA) is a coeducational private boarding school with an elite Air Force JROTC component. R-MA serves students in grades 6-12 and maintains 100% college acceptance rate every year with each class averaging over $14 million ...

in Front Royal.Samuel Proctor & Wright Langley, ''Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida'', South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida , p. 40 (1986). He earned his bachelor of arts

degree Degree may refer to: As a unit of measurement * Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement ** Degree of geographical latitude ** Degree of geographical longitude * Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics ...

from the

University of Richmond The University of Richmond (UR or U of R) is a private liberal arts college in Richmond, Virginia. It is a primarily undergraduate, residential institution with approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students in five schools: the School ...

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

in 1924, and married Nell Martin Critzer of

Afton, Virginia Afton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Albemarle and Nelson counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is newly listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 313. Geography It is located in the foothill ...

in 1925.United Press,
Dr. Miller Dies, President Of UF
" ''Sarasota Herald-Tribune'', pp. 1 & 2 (November 15, 1953). Retrieved January 17, 20111. Miller later completed his master of arts in

from the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1928, and his

doctor of philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

counseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of co ...

and administration from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in New York City in 1933.

University professor, administrator, president

Miller was a psychology professor at the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III a ...

in Williamsburg, Virginia from 1925 to 1928, and at

in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania from 1930 to 1935, where he also served as the dean of students. He became the president of

in Keuka Park, New York in 1935, serving until 1941, when Miller was appointed Associate Commissioner of Education for the State of New York, a post he held for six years. U. of Florida Inducts J.H. Miller as Head
" ''The New York Times'', p. 14 (March 6, 1948). Retrieved March 7, 2010. During his tenure as associate director, Miller began planning for the education of returning

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

veterans—even before the war ended. Together with John S. Allen, he implemented the Associated Colleges of Upper New York (ACUNY), a temporary college system for the State of New York to meet the higher education needs of returning veterans. The

Florida Board of Control The Florida Board of Control (1905-1965) was the statewide governing body for the State University System of Florida, which included all public universities in the state of Florida. It was replaced by the Florida Board of Regents in 1965.

selected Miller to be the fourth president of the

in Gainesville, Florida in 1947, succeeding the retiring

John J. Tigert John James Tigert IV (February 11, 1882 – January 21, 1965) was an American university president, university professor and administrator, college sports coach and the U.S. Commissioner of Education. Tigert was a native of Tennessee and the ...

. Miller set the tone for his presidency by addressing the Florida faculty, saying he would be satisfied with "nothing less than a great university, second to none in the land."Associated Press,
Dr. Miller Demands 'Great University'
" ''Miami Daily News'', p. 1B (October 17, 1947). Retrieved January 17, 2011. During his time as president, student enrollment swelled with returning World War II veterans and their spouses and as a result of the educational benefits available to veterans from the

G.I. Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

. Miller's administration managed the increase in the size of the student body from approximately 8,700 to over 12,000 in six years, and oversaw the transition of the formerly all-male institution into a

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

university. Miller also supervised a huge $20 million campus construction program to build new student residential, academic and administration buildings. One of the major priorities of Miller's administration was the planning and development of a health sciences program, consisting of a

nursing school Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ca ...

and a

medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...

—the first state medical school in Florida. His predecessor, John Tigert, had proposed the establishment of a medical school in the early 1940s, and a blue-ribbon citizens' panel had recommended the establishment of a medical school as part of the University of Florida in 1947. In 1949, the

Florida Legislature The Florida Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. State of Florida. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article III, Section 1 of the Florida Cons ...

authorized state-funded schools of medicine and nursing with a university hospital, but did not specify Gainesville as the site.University of Florida, J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center Archives
General Timeline for the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center
. Retrieved March 7, 2010. The cities of Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa wanted the new medical school, too. Ultimately, the advisory committee established by the legislature and the president of the Florida Medical Association recommended Gainesville. Miller authorized the university architect to begin planning for the new health center facilities in 1950, consultants were engaged, Miller prompted the preparation of the "Medical Center Study" using money from the Commonwealth Fund in 1952, and presented the comprehensive plan to the Florida governor and cabinet. The legislature appropriated $5 million for construction of the new medical sciences building in 1953, and construction began in 1954. Miller was also a strong proponent of the university's

Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as t ...

intercollegiate sports program. He prompted the hiring of a new head coach to revive the moribund

Florida Gators football The Florida Gators football program represents the University of Florida (UF) in American college football. Florida competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of ...

team, advocated the expansion of the university's football stadium,

Florida Field Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium),University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association (UAA) is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III. Member schools are highly selective universities located in Georgia, Illinois, Mis ...

on a stronger financial footing. Miller presided over the University of Florida's

centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

celebration in 1953, recognizing the one-hundredth

anniversary An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints ...

of the founding of the university's oldest predecessor institution, the

East Florida Seminary The East Florida Seminary was an institution of higher learning established by the State of Florida in 1853, and absorbed into the newly established University of Florida in 1905. The school operated in Ocala, Florida, Ocala from 1853 until 1861. ...

.Proctor & Langley, ''Gator History'', p. 41. As part of the centennial, the university began construction of Century Tower, the iconic landmark of the Gainesville campus. UF Shands

Death and legacy

Miller died on November 14, 1953. He was 54 years old. Dr. J. Hillis Miller, U. of Florida Head
" ''The New York Times'', p. 88 (November 15, 1953). Retrieved March 7, 2010. He had felt unwell for several days before the Florida–Georgia football game, and decided not attend the game in

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

.Proctor & Langley, ''Gator History'', p. 42. While watching the game on television, Miller experienced physical illness and was taken to the hospital. He died seven days later of

rheumatic heart disease Rheumatic fever (RF) is an inflammatory disease that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. The disease typically develops two to four weeks after a streptococcal throat infection. Signs and symptoms include fever, multiple painful jo ...

. Miller was survived by his wife, Nell Critzer Miller, and their two sons, including J. Hillis Miller Jr., who became a prominent American professor of

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...

. On the day of his on-campus

funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...

service, the university canceled classes and closed all university offices, and over 10,000 people attended the funeral, including the acting governor, the governor-elect, three former governors, the state board of education and all members of the Board of Control under whom Miller had served. He was

eulogized A eulogy (from , ''eulogia'', Classical Greek, ''eu'' for "well" or "true", ''logia'' for "words" or "text", together for "praise") is a speech or writing in praise of a person or persons, especially one who recently died or retired, or as a ...

as a national education leader who greatly enhanced the University of Florida's recognition and national reputation.Pleasants, ''Gator Tales'', p. 41. In recognition of Miller's efforts as president of the University of Florida and his success in advocating, planning and funding the new medical school and other health-related colleges, the university named the new

J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center The University of Florida Health Science Center (HSC), also known as the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center, is the medical division of the University of Florida. Its primary campuses are located on the university's main campus in Gainesvill ...

in his memory in October 1956. The College of Medicine, whose planning and development was Miller's major accomplishment as president, opened in 1956 and graduated its first students in 1960. The

College of Nursing Nurse education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care professionals. This education is provided to student nurses by experienced nurses and other med ...

also held its first classes in 1956, the College of Health-Related Professions and the Shands Teaching Hospital opened in 1958. Today, the Miller Health Science Center encompasses six separate academic colleges, enrolls over 6,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, and employs over 1,200 residents.University of Florida Health, Health Science Center
Education
Retrieved June 19, 2015.

References

Bibliography

*Pleasants, Julian M., ''Gator Tales: An Oral History of the University of Florida'', University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (2006). . *Proctor, Samuel, & Wright Langley, ''Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida'', South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). . *Van Ness, Carl, & Kevin McCarthy, ''Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future: The University of Florida, 1853–2003'', University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (2003).

External links