Wentworth Military Academy - Yearbook (Lexington, MO)

Page 18 text:

♦ WENTWORTH MIHTARY ACADEMY HISTORICAL Wi rEJSTWORTH tt • wdl known English ruun« and many prominent men of Europe and America have been it« pimul |X)sse.Hsor8. The ancestors of Uie founder of Wentworth Military Msuh my. STEPHEN C. WENTWOKTH, came from Enfiand early in the teenth century, settling in Mr. Wentwinlh came West iriien a boy and settled in Missouri. lie was prosperous in business and concluded bis ionar and aueoeMfoI career as President of the Moniiiw4Nr«i iroflh BttdEcWiliindi MissourL llr. Wentworth wM4dw«ys a liberal con- New Eiighind. tributor to educational and bmevolent causes, and in 1880 he conceived the idea of founding, in honor of hb deeeased son, Wil- liam Wentworth, a school for the Christian education of boys and young men. Suitable irrounds and buildings were secured and the first aeasion opened bi September, 1880, with B. L. Hobson and Sandford RolIeiFi ns nsao- ciate principals. At the end of that session Mr. HobAon retired, since which time Col. . pIIoim has remained the heji l of fhe Acad« emy, and in active management of ita affairs. A charter was secured in April, 1881, and the name Wentworth Male Academy, aadn ' which the school egnn its existence, Waa chanjred 1 U.iitworth Militarv Academy. Thus was started the first miiitary Mhool in the Biiseoari River VaBtgri Om «8b Mwecew. UtM Pag»Si umit

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♦ WENTWORTH MJLITARY ACADEMY AOemm Music The school ofrers exceptional opportunities lu boys who have mtuical talent in its band, orchestra, and glee dab. Frequently during: tMlst years Academy Band ha? becti called upon to furnish music in ]iarude.s in Kansas City and nearby cities, and in ex- ecution and appearanro it did not suffer in eompariaon with the large prafessional bandx appearing on the same occasions. The orchestra plays for chiq , reoqitions and dances. Froni time to time taih nnmbera are givon Hti tatm lavtOBf to cork monity .• in inp. Personalities Developed While the discipline at Wetilworth is firm, It h not at all harsh. Very little punishment of any kind is neceaaary. Tlic punishment that is assigned is always of a military nature and not the kind which will in any way humiliate a bc . Students who cannot be han II« l witlwat pbyideal conqMdoB .«M sent home. The aim of the disdplia«tyy lB|Mrtii • iMI iieal of respotisibiUty rests on the stuflcnts thoniselvcs. Many cai rs nf disci- plino arc handled by the 8tudentj and the conduct of the student body is the crystalixsr tion of popular sentiment rather than of M i pjM-os.sivi ' gyslem of reptilation.s. In short the plan of Wentworlh has as its object the developing of American citi- zens — men who are mentally alert, phys- ical] niil. uTid courafreous enough to take prominent parts in the educational, relii ous, cominereial and physieai life of tinir com TUS UUML 01 Pof Fi tetn

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♦ WENTWORTH MILITARY ACADEMY Post of the National Guard In 188 ' .» the Academy was inatle a Post of the National Guard of Mis- aouri. ami pi-ovision wjia made fur unnuui inspt-c- tiiWis by SUte Officers and for jrrantin)? commis- siona tu j raduatea wh«) were midents of the stato of Missouri. Kx- cepting the matter uf ap propriations the same re- lation WHS i ' Ktahli.shed t)i - tween the Academy and the State of Missouri as exists lie I u e n W o s t Point AliiiLary Academy and United States. Recognition by t(w Government IJi 1 the War De- iMiment of the United States, rvcogsiidng the work done by the Acad- emy in its militarjrtnun- iag, delaite i an officer trorii the RoKular Amy as Professor of Military Science and Taeties and snpplied it with ordnance and ordnance stores. This detail lias continued to the present time and supplies have been increased until the sdiool is now provided ths MtBsoimi ou Samta Pk tbau MARicm UjouiB tn Laxnenm Bacum or Its In 1906, Col. W. IL Hoge resigned his po- sition of Inspector of Accredited Schools for the Tniversity of Mis- suui ' i and was chosen As- sociate Superintendent and Principal i.f the Academy. He remained in this position for twelve years and had an iiniwr- tant influence m develop- ing the standiirds of the Academy. Col. E. A. iiickman, then a Captain in the Ist Cavalry. V. S. Amiy, an alumnus of Wtntworth, was detailed as Profes- sor of .Mihtary Science and Tactics. His untiring enerjo ' . good judgment and interest in Iwys, to- ifether with his experi- ence as an officer in the United States Army, were a most potent, fac- tor in placing the Acad- emy in the very front rank of militarv sciiools of the United States. Major R. K. Latham came tu the Academy as an instructor in 1914. As Assistant .Superintendent lie rend. i . . I i inch valuidite service during the difficult war period. The World War in 1917 stimulated the Interest iof the eoantiy In nrilttair tndidnti