Randolph-Macon Academy - History

History

• 1892: Randolph-Macon Academy was founded by Dr. William W. Smith as part of the Randolph-Macon College preparatory school program. The original twenty-six acre campus had one main building which housed classrooms as well as dormitories. The original building that was built resembled a castle in its design and architecture.

• 1918: Randolph-Macon Academy transformed into a military school. The program later undertook the title of the "National Defense Cadet Corps."
• 1922: Randolph-Macon Academy finished paying off all but one of its original debts. Later this year, the construction of Rives Hall began. This new building served as an auxiliary gymnasium.
• 1927 On 10 January, the original building built in 1892 burned down completely. The origin of the fire which destroyed the building is unknown. As a new building was being constructed, the academy continued to operate. The cadets were housed by local residents and classes took place in municipal buildings until a new building was constructed. In October 1927, this new building became a reality.
• 1929: With the onset of the Great Depression, Randolph-Macon Academy fell on hard times.
• 1933-1934: In an effort to reduce losses, Randolph Macon's military academy in Bedford, Virginia was closed. Cadets from Bedford were moved to Front Royal for the 1933–1934 school year.
• 1954: Randolph-Macon Academy began a massive expansion stage in its history. The school purchased an additional 63 acres (250,000 m2) of land, built a headmaster's home, staff living quarters, and Melton Gymnasium. Also, Rives Hall was converted to classroom use.
• 1960s: Although public attitudes about military school structure were beginning to change, Randolph-Macon Academy held onto the same disciplinary principles as in previous decades. Critics complained that the military school concept was antiquated, and should all together be eliminated. Like the other six military schools in Virginia, Randolph-Macon Academy was able to maintain a large and steady enrollment primarily because of forced public school integration. This temporary enrollment boost collapsed at the end of the decade. During this era, a (500) seat chapel was constructed with the financial aid of "The United Methodist Church".
• 1970s: The enrollment at Randolph-Macon Academy dropped dramatically. This was largely in part of the general American consensus of less uniformity during that decade and the economic instability of The United States of America during that time. In a desperate effort to bolster the low enrollment base, Randolph-Macon Academy adopted the United States Air Force Junior ROTC program. The school abandoned its all male, traditional, army style military program, and searched for a new applicant base. Along with its new Air Force affiliation, Randolph-Macon Academy turned co-educational for the first time in its history during this decade.
• 1972: Randolph-Macon Academy amended their policy and admitted its first African American applicant.
• 1981: Col. Trevor D. Turner (USA, Ret.) was hired as President (1981-1997). Col. Turner is credited with saving the Academy and it's extraordinary turn-around during the '80s and '90s.
• 1980s: Randolph-Macon Academy managed to increase the applicant base from its lag in the 1970s, and near the end of the decade, Randolph-Macon Academy began another expansionary period. The military prep. school annexed an additional forty-five acres, built three new buildings to compensate for the growth in admitted applicants, and increased facilities for students enrolled who are, and were, of the female gender. These three buildings were Crow Hall, a classroom building, Turner Hall, a female dormitory and new cafeteria, and the Fulton Building, a maintenance facility and musical arts building. A Lower School campus was also built on the Upper School grounds. This "campus within a campus" was established to help younger children become candidates for matriculation into the Upper AFJROTC School.
• 1995: A fire destroyed the third and fourth floors of Sonner-Payne Hall. This, along with flooding from the aftermath, destroyed the main building of Randolph-Macon Academy. Several rumors abound as to what caused the fire; however, the most commonly accepted rumor is that of a cadet disposing of a cigarette in a hole in the wall in a third floor room. This set fire to the insulation which spread quickly. The damages were estimated at around $4.5 million USD. Luckily, no one was hurt during this event. During reconstruction, cadets lived in an area hotel (the local Super 8 Motel that had just finished construction, the cadets were the first guests) and attended class as normal, utilizing other facilities on the campus. Sonner-Payne hall was gutted and rebuilt with improvements. These improvements included computer networking, air-conditioning and new windows.
• 1997: President and Headmaster Major General Henry M. Hobgood (USAF Ret.) took his position.
• 2005: At the end of the '04-'05 school year, Colonel Ivan G. Meith, USAF, Ret. retired from his position as Commandant of the school. The current Commandant, Colonel Gary N. Sadler, USAF, took over in the summer of 2005.
• 2007: Rifle Range was demolished.
• 2009: Stan Fulton Hall, a new academic building housing all of the humanities, was completed. Rives Hall was demolished.
• 2011: Melton Memorial Gymnasium was refurbished.