Kemper Military School - Current Status of School and Grounds

Current Status of School and Grounds

In 2003, the contents of the school were auctioned, and the school was sold as a parcel. The Kemper facilities are currently owned by the city of Boonville and known as "Frederick T. Kemper Park". The park contains 46 acres (190,000 m2)s and ten buildings on what was formerly the Kemper campus. The city currently has plans to retain ownership of the T.A. Johnston Field House and of 30 acres (120,000 m2)s of open space. Johnston Field House is currently home to the Boonslick Heartland YMCA and contains a cardio theater, weight room, aerobics room, 25-yard (23 m) indoor pool, indoor batting cage, office space and five basketball courts. The park also contains a regulation football field, soccer fields, a lake and three baseball fields. The city hopes to repair and put into use the five tennis courts. Additional development will be deferred until a master plan is developed after the best use of the space has been determined. The remainder of the core campus is being marketed by Boonville's Industrial Development Authority. The campus is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2005 a group associated with the Utah-based World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools made an offer to buy the campus to open a new school for adolescents needing help with discipline, responsibility, and leadership skills. The Boonville City Council rejected the proposal .

On April 6, 2010, a tower connected to the old administration building collapsed to the ground damaging at least one wall of the administration building as well as the roof. The City of Boonville has attempted to salvage as many bricks and ornaments as possible but has no plans to rebuild the tower.

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