For more than a century, Missouri Military Academy has been leading the way to success for young men from across the United States and around the world.
The Academy was founded in November 1889 when the citizens of Mexico, Missouri donated funds and 20 acres of land for the purpose of establishing a military school. The task of building MMA fell to Col. A.F. Fleet, a US Civil War veteran, who erected the campus' first buildings southwest of the city.
When fire destroyed the school's original site in the fall of 1896, Col. Fleet removed the cadets to Culver Military Academy (now the Culver Academies).
In 1900, the Businessmen's Association of Mexico and Col. A.K. Yancey of the Alabama Military Institute rebuilt MMA. The City of Mexico assisted the project with a contribution of $10,000, which was used to purchase the grounds on which the modern Academy is located. On Sept. 20 of that year, the doors of the Academy opened once more.
Upon Col. Yancey's death in 1901, his business partner, Col. William D. Fonville, assumed the office of superintendent and oversaw the construction of additional barracks. After his retirement in 1911, Col. Fonville was succeeded by Col. W.R. Kohr and, three years later, by Col. E.Y. Burton.
In 1933, Col. C.R. Stribling, Jr., a 13-year member of the MMA faculty, assumed leadership of the school. Under Col. Stribling, the Academy solidified its position as one of the nation's leading prep schools. In 1948, the Academy was reorganized as a not-for-profit educational organization, controlled by a Board of Trustees.
In 1968, Col. Stribling's son, Col. Charles R. Stribling, III, member of the MMA Class of 1944 and MMA faculty member since 1952, began his tenure as the President. The elder Col. Stribling remained on campus as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees until his death in 1983. The school's administration building was renamed Stribling Hall to honor his lasting contribution to MMA. In 1985 the Academy was named one of the nation’s Exemplary Private Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
Col. Charles R. Stribling, III, served as President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees concurrently for 10 years after his father's death until Col. Ronald J. Kelly, veteran MMA teacher, and administrator was selected as the eighth President of the Academy in August 1993. In 2007 MajGen Robert M. Flanagan, USMC (Ret) was selected as the ninth President of the Academy. The following year Mr. R. Stribling Koster was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Today, Missouri Military Academy is considered one of the leading military boarding schools in the country with a noteworthy record of academic achievement and college placement. With the recent addition of the new academic building, Barnard Hall, rigorous academic curriculum and structured environment, the Academy has raised its academic standards even further. Visit the campus to see for yourself or visit us on-line at www.missourimilitaryacademy.org.