Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3313I. F. Cox, who was the founder of Cox College, was born iu Upson County,Georgia, and died during the commencement exercises of June, 1887. liewas graduated with first honors from the University of Tennessee, and in1857 succeeded Milton E. Bacon who had chartered this old institution as acollege in 1843, and was its first president. The school buildings wereburned to the ground while being used as a hospital by the Confederategovernment during the war. The financial loss was a total one, but withindomitable energy and great sacrifice President I. F. Cox rebuilt the schooland established its reputation more firmly than ever.Under the direction of Charles Carson Cox, and William Stately Cox, theinstitution was moved from La Grange iu 1895 to College Park. CharlesCarson Cox had become president at the death of his father, and continuedas the executive head of the college for eighteen years. His death, like hisfather's, occurred during the commencement exercises, May 21, 1905. Hewas a first honor graduate of Mercer University, and held the degree ofA. M. from the University of Virginia. At his graduation from MercerUniversity the faculty awarded him a gold medal in token of the rareexcellence of the work he had done in every department. In presenting thismedal the president took occasion to refer to the initials engraved thereonC. C. C. as symbolic of the winner's special attributes culture, capacity,and character. A romantic coincidence in connection with the history of thecollege occurred in his marriage to the youngest daughter of Milton E. Bacon,the first president. No man in Georgia did more for the higher educationof women in his day and time than Charles Carson Cox. No institutionmade more progress in the standard and character of its work than the onehe directed.William Stakely Cox, who was associated with his brother for many yearsas business manager of the college, is now the executive head. He wasgraduated with first honor of his class from the Alabama. Polytechnic Institute at Auburn, then spent several years in Cornell University, graduatingthere iu 1888. Since completing his college career he has been steadilyidentified with Cox College. Beside his official duties in connection with thecollege, Mr. Cox has successfully directed many other lines of business, manufacturing, real estate, extensive farming and banking. He has devoted hiswhole income and the greater part of his time and energies to building andenlarging Cox College, which today is recognized as one of the standardcolleges of the South. He has also established the Atlanta Conservatory ofMusic, of which he has been president since its organization. The combinedenrollment of the two schools has reached nearly 1,000 students.Mr. Cox, with his associates, has recently perfected plans for furtherdevelopment in order that the institution may accomplish a greater andbroader work in the education of woman. AVhen these plans are completed,Cox College will stand with few peers as a woman's college in the South.HAKEIS McC.\LL STANLEY. While it is as a newspaper man that HarrisMcCall Stanley is best known in Georgia, be has a special distinction in stateaffairs through the fact that he is the first man to hold the office of commissioner of commerce and labor, a new state office created by the Legislature in 1911. Mr. Stanley was chosen for that honor at a special electionJanuary 10, 1912, to fill an original vacancy, and has been re-elected severaltimes since. His present term will not expire until June 28, 1919. Duringhis incumbency he has been diligent in gathering and perfecting the recordsand office machinery and has already brought his position into vital andserviceable relations with the industrial interests of the state.Harris McCall Stanley, more familiarly known as "Hal" Stanley, wasborn in Dublin, Laurens County, Georgia, June 9, 1866, a sou of Roilin A.and Martha (Lowther) Stanley, both of whom were residents of Laurens