▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁extraordinary ▁measure , ▁Ther esa , ▁Mary , ▁and ▁Pers is ▁G iles ▁are ▁considered ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁gradu ates ▁of ▁Duke ▁University , ▁despite ▁never ▁having ▁been ▁officially ▁admitted ▁or ▁en rolled ▁at ▁Tr inity . ▁ ▁Green wood ▁Fem ale ▁College ▁▁ ▁T ogether ▁with ▁their ▁younger ▁sister ▁Sue , ▁Pers is , ▁Mary , ▁and ▁Ther esa ▁G iles ▁founded ▁the ▁Green wood ▁Fem ale ▁College ▁in ▁Green wood , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Miss es ' ▁G iles ▁School ▁for ▁younger ▁girls . ▁ ▁Green wood ▁was ▁chosen ▁for ▁two ▁reasons : ▁first , ▁their ▁brother , ▁E . S . F ., ▁had ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁law ▁practice ▁in ▁town . ▁ ▁Second , ▁Green wood ▁was , ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁lack ing ▁any ▁higher ▁education ▁facility . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁several ▁dec ades , ▁Mary , ▁Ther esa , ▁and ▁Pers is ▁G iles , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁staff ▁at ▁the ▁schools , ▁educated ▁hundreds ▁of ▁young ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁the ▁young ▁ladies ▁received ▁an ▁education ▁that ▁was ▁as ▁good ▁as ▁or ▁better ▁than ▁that ▁offered ▁to ▁the ▁area ' s ▁young ▁men . ▁ ▁Tra vel s ▁and ▁later ▁life ▁▁ ▁The ▁G iles ▁sister s ▁evidently ▁considered ▁travel ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁education , ▁though ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁always ▁enjoy ▁it . ▁ ▁They ▁made ▁several ▁major ▁tri ps ▁abroad ,