“Indian Ed” Miller…A Great Teacher And Coach

All of the small schools in Montgomery County before consolidation had many outstanding teachers and coaches through the years. Certainly one of the most respected and loved teachers at Darlington was Edwin “Ed” Miller, who taught sixth grade and coached from 1916 to 1944. According to his former students, Ed’s teaching style was unique, as he masterfully weaved fun and learning together that left his eager students spellbound and actually longing to be in school. He instilled in each student the desire and discipline to attain one’s goals and prepare for the future, and he set high standards that he expected everyone to achieve. Ed did use his paddle if a pupil got out of line, but he was fair to all students and loved them as a father. One former student told me, “I will always remember Mr. Miller the best. During the afternoons, when we had studied enough and were getting restless, Ed would suddenly announce that it was time for judgeball, ciphering matches, spelling bees, or ghost stories.”

When Ed came to Darlington in the fall of 1915, the school had lost some of its enthusiasm for basketball. There had been no teams for three years, but Ed changed all of that. Ed had played football for Wabash College. His mother was part Miami Indian, and with his straight black hair, rugged profile, and muscular build, he earned the nickname “Indian Ed” from his Little Giant teammates. The students and players loved Ed so much that they adopted his college nickname as the Darlington team name…the Indians. Fritz Miller, one of Ed’s sons, became the first mascot for the school, and the school elected its first cheerleaders for pep sessions and games. Ed produced some outstanding teams from 1916-23, and several of his high school players later became members of the Darlington Bearcats independent team after graduation. He retired from coaching after the 1923 season, but came back to coach for three years in the late 1920s. His last coaching stint was for two years during WWII, when coaches were hard to find because so many young men had joined the military.

Ed retired from teaching in 1944, but he substitute taught in the small schools in the county before later moving to Florida. According to former teacher (and banker) John Bowerman, on the last day that Ed was doing substitute work and coaching with grade school youngsters in Florida, he stepped into the locker room after the game was over…The school principal found him there, with the whistle still around his neck. “Ed had passed away just the way he would have chosen, as a teacher and coach.”

Some of his former players stated…”Ed was a winner, and every player wanted to win because of that. He knew how to handle people, and he earned the respect of everyone.” and, “Coach Miller was very close to all of us, and he tried to build character and make the game fun.”

Ed Miller demanded the best effort that his players had to give, and he set down strict training rules for his teams. The boys always gave their best for their beloved coach and for their school. John Bowerman summed it up best, “Greatness is surely determined by the extent that others, year after year, are better because of a life that has been lived…such a life was that of Ed Miller.”

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 32 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.