Lyman Ward Military Academy

PREPARING YOUNG MEN FOR THE 'WORK OF LIFE'

A recently published Gallup Poll indicated that a majority of American citizens do not have confidence in the nation’s public schools. A growing number of news reports from various sources paint a grim picture of the state of education in the United States – burgeoning enrollments, massive budget cuts, declining academic standards, a disturbing teacher exodus, and alarming dropout rates. Political and educational leaders now question whether this broken system can be fixed, and whether millions of American children are being adequately prepared for a rapidly changing, highly competitive global society.

Today, situated on a bucolic 350-acre campus on the rolling plains of east Alabama, Lyman Ward Military Academy (LWMA), a boarding school for young men in grades 6 through 12, quietly goes about the business of teaching its students how to make a living, as well as how to live a useful, productive life. A small school on purpose, LWMA does not purport to be all things to all people; rather, it keeps faith with the same compelling mission that has produced thousands of successful graduates, now working and serving their fellow citizens throughout the United States and around the world. Established by Dr. Lyman Ward in 1898 to prepare young people for the “work of life,” the Academy provides structure, discipline, and accountability – an age-old formula for success that has stood the test of time, the success of which is evidenced in the lives of thousands of successful alumni. While its educational methodology and techniques have evolved over time, the original vision of the school’s founder has not changed and continues to develop and produce young men of character, intellect, and faith.

The Past

When Dr. Lyman Ward, an innovative and visionary minister and educator, arrived in Camp Hill, Alabama back in 1898, he found a poor state struggling to recover from the devastation of the Civil War. He had no money, no friends, no network of wealthy financiers – only a dream and a commitment to establish a school that would provide a first class education to poor boys and girls from the South. In the fall of 1898, The Southern Industrial Institute (SII) opened in a one-room frame school house with 23 students, three teachers, and a pledge of 25 cents. Over the years, this small school with big ideas proved remarkably resilient, surviving the scarcity of the Great Depression, the turbulent 1960s when military schools were not widely supported and many closed, and several difficult financial crises in the 1980s and 1990s.

The most critical trying times were when the Board of Trustees seriously considered closing the doors in 2007. However, a chorus of alumni and faculty challenged that decision. A resulting effort was made to locate and ask Colonel (COL) Bill Jenrette, the former Commandant, to leave private practice and come back to stabilize the school. This great man took the challenge and used his vast experience and leadership to do so in two short years.

The Present

During the past four years, despite a very uncertain national economic climate, and under the dynamic leadership of COL Bill Jenrette, the Academy has increased its enrollment by more than 100 percent, stabilized its finances, and positioned itself for a promising future. As a result of the dedication and hard work of its faculty and staff, the Academy has had its national and state accreditation reaffirmed, produced a record number of cadets who received academic and athletic scholarships to colleges and universities around the nation, and maintained its “Honor Unit With Distinction” status, placing it in the top 10 percent of all United States Army Junior ROTC units in the country. Average ACT and SAT scores of cadets reached a five-year high in the 2010-2011 school year. The Academy captured its first state championship in varsity soccer and reached its first "Final Four" in varsity basketball.

An increasing number of inquiries from families across the nation and internationally attest to the fact that parents realize that the traditional values inherent in a Lyman Ward education – respect for God and country, and a relentless dedication to developing the whole boy mind, body, and spirit – are as relevant today as they were in 1898. United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, speaking to a group of military school administrators and educators last year, said that “our nation’s military high schools and colleges provide a critically important service to America with their emphases on structure, discipline, and traditional values.” The four pillars of a Lyman Ward education – academics, character, athletics, and leadership – remain the touchstones of a rich and deep educational experience for the impressionable young men who enter its venerable gates. Lyman Ward’s dedicated administrators, faculty, and staff engage cadets in the important work of discovering their strengths, and talents, and most importantly, provide these impressionable young men with positive role models to emulate.

The Future

Once COL Jenrette began to stabilize the institution and create the foundation for growth, he turned his attention to the future by searching for the person who could assume the Presidency and continue the school down its path of success. Soon after beginning his search, he met then COL David R. Brown, a native of Ozark, Alabama, who was serving on the United States War College faculty in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. They bonded immediately and COL Jenrette could sense the passion David had for youth and his commitment to not only doing the right things but also doing things the right way. After several years of very frank discussions, David agreed to apply for the job of President-Elect and in May of this year the Board of Trustees hired now Brigadier General (BG) Brown as President-Elect. He will assume the job as President on June 1, 2012. BG Brown is already making an impact on campus and is rapidly transitioning to becoming next year’s President. His tireless energy and gregarious personality have allowed him to quickly bond with the cadets and galvanize the staff and cadre into a renewed spirit of encouragement and growth.

In a world of rapidly shifting values and morals, Lyman Ward Military Academy stands resolute in its commitment to high ideals and rock-solid values. The Academy remains a tight-knit community of challenge and support which seeks to transform lives, one cadet at a time. “I have never found it hard to get work out of boys where there is heroic work to do,” Dr. Ward wrote in 1924. He also stated, “I would invest my last dollar in such boys as these.” This institution continues to produce results far beyond what would be expected of such a small school with limited resources. Now, more than ever, it deserves our support through an investment of time, talent, and treasure.

There are many improvements that need to be made on campus. Two readily come to mind. The Martha Dixon Chapel burned 8 years ago and needs rebuilding in support of the Academy’s original vision to produce young men of character, intellect, and faith. As Lyman Ward is entering its third year of baseball, the campus needs a field on which the cadets can play – a project that supports the athletic pillar of a Lyman Ward education with personal growth through teamwork and leadership. These two projects and other infrastructure and facility enhancement projects will be listed under the new fundraising campaign entitled "Raise the Roof" that will begin in the near future.

In addition, today we begin our 2011-2012 LWMA Annual Fundraising Campaign. This fundraising effort is vastly critical to funding our general budget. We ask that you give considerable thought and heartfelt prayer to giving to this institution that has such an incredible mission. All gifts are tax deductible. While no gift is too small, we ask that you give as generously as you can. The school is now fiscally solvent and only looking to go upward from here. We are leaning forward, emboldened to bring this fine institution back to its glory days and ever committed to producing young men prepared and motivated to be leaders for tomorrow. The cadets entrusted to our care deserve nothing less.

In advance, I thank you for your faith in this institution and commitment to its mission. Together we can do great things!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Jill Bonatz
Chairman, LWMA Annual Fundraising Campaign
Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees
Lyman Ward Military Academy