Guy Berryman Phillips was born in rural Randolph County, North Carolina, in 1890 near Asheboro. His father and mother moved their five children to the Trinity College community to take advantage of the fine educational opportunity. (Trinity College was later moved to Durham and became Duke University.) His two brothers and two sisters continued to live in the old home area of Randolph and Guilford Counties.

After graduation from Trinity High School, Dr. Phillips entered the University of North Carolina and was graduated in 1913. Later he received a master of arts degree from Columbia University and was awarded an honory D. Litt. degree from High Point College. He also did special work at the Univeristy of Chicago.    

In 1917, Dr. Phillips was married to Annie Elizabeth Craig of Monroe, North Carolina. Their four sons (Guy B. Jr., Charles Craig, Andrew Craig, Robert Lee), and their daughter Helen were all educated at the University of North Carolina.

His first position as a teacher of English and athletic coach was at Raleigh High School, in 1913 to 1916, from which he went to Oxford as superintendent of schools. From that time until he joined the University of North Carolina staff in 1936 as a professor of education, he served as a high school principal in Greensboro and as superintendent of schools in Salisbury and Greensboro. From 1937 to 1958, he was director of the summer session of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and during this period, from 1948 to 1954, he was Dean of the School of Education at the University. Throughout this period of teaching and serving as school administrator, Dr. Phillips was also engaged in various professional activities as well as in activities in his church and community.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Yackety yack 1913. Chapel Hill, Publications Board of the University of North Carolina at Chapel. 1913.  (accessed April 18, 2018).