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No restrictions. Open for research.

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Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the William Leon Wiley autobiography #4768-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Acquisitions Information

Received from William Leon Wiley in August 1995 (Acc. 95106).

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The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

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• Chapel Hill (N.C.)--History--20th century.
• Chickamauga (Ga.)--Social life and customs.
• Education--Georgia--History--20th century.
• Family--Georgia--Social life and customs.
• France--Civilization--Study and teaching.
• French literature--Study and teaching.
• Harvard University--Students--Social life and customs.
• Languages, Modern--Study and teaching--North Carolina.
• Teachers--Georgia--History--20th century.
• Theater--France--History.
• Universities and colleges--North Carolina--Faculty.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Faculty--History--20th century.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--History--20th century.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962). Dept. of Romance Languages.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--Faculty--History--20th century.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--History--20th century.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dept. of Romance Languages.
• Wiley, William Leon.
• World War, 1939-1945--Military intelligence--United States.

William Leon Wiley (1902- ), professor of Romance Languages at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wiley was born and raised in rural Georgia, son of a public school administrator and teacher. He attended the University of Chattanooga, 1917-1921, after which he taught at Chickamauga High School. In 1922, he, at age 19, succeeded his father as superintendent of Chickamauga Schools. In 1923, Wiley went to graduate school at Harvard; in 1925, he began teaching in the Department of Romance Languages at UNC. After marrying in 1927, Wiley pursued his doctorate at Harvard, 1928-1930. He returned to UNC as assistant professor of French in 1931; became associate professor in 1935; spent World War II with military intelligence; and returned to UNC, where he became Kenan professor in 1955.

Autobiography of William Leon Wiley, tracing his life and career from his boyhood in rural Georgia through 1968. Wiley discusses student life at the University of Chattanooga and Harvard University; his teaching career in Chickamauga and at UNC and the growth and development of the University and the town of Chapel Hill during his tenure; travels abroad, particularly to France; World War II experiences with a military intelligence unit; and the publication of three of his books: The Gentleman of Renaissance France (1954); The Early Public Theatre in France (1960); and The Formal French (1967).