History

A history of honor and tradition continues at MMA.

Many things have changed throughout the history of the Missouri Military Academy. Our commitment to upholding honor and tradition and leading young men to success will forever remain integral to our academic programs.
 
1889 – Colonel A.F. Fleet raises enough local money to open a new school in Mexico, Missouri. He becomes the first president of Missouri Military Academy.

1890 – Missouri Military Academy opens its doors. The campus is located on West Boulevard in Mexico, Missouri, near the current site of Mexico Junior High School. William H. Dulaney of St. Joseph, Missouri is the first student to enroll.

1892 – The first Missouri Military Academy athletics programs are in place – Football, Baseball and Track.

1896 – A fire erupts in the middle of the night, destroying the entire Missouri Military Academy campus. Fortunately, there were no deaths and few injuries. Col. Fleet reacted quickly, taking the corps of cadets to Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. Due to the fire the Academy was compelled to close its doors.

1900 – Under the leadership of Col. A.K. Yancey, president of Hardin College in Mexico, Missouri, and with the support of Mexico citizens, the Missouri Military Academy reopens at its current location east of the Mexico square with Col. Yancey as President.

1902 – Ruth Fonville, daughter of school President Colonel W. D. Fonville, becomes Missouri Military Academy’s first and only female graduate.

1930 – Missouri Military Academy is selected as an honor military school by the U.S. War Department (now the Department of Defense).

1933 – Colonel Charles R. Stribling, Jr. becomes school President, beginning the long-lasting influence of the Stribling family at Missouri Military Academy. Col. Stribling was President from 1933-1968.

1939 – Missouri Military Academy celebrates its Golden Jubilee (50 years) with “parades, speeches, and special ceremonies." Guest of honor was U.S. Postmaster General James Farley.

1941 – Missouri Military Academy provides the Honor Guard and marches in the inaugural parade for Missouri Governor Forrest Donnell.

1948 – Missouri Military Academy reorganizes as a non-profit educational corporation in response to the trend of other U.S. military schools deciding non-profit status was more desirable for institutions of their type.

1957 – The Missouri Military Academy band is appointed by the state of Missouri to march in the parade in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This would be the first of six inaugurations in which Missouri Military Academy would participate. (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Carter).

1961 – The Missouri Military Academy Memorial Chapel opens with graduating seniors donating class gifts for its construction.

1963 – Missouri Military Academy marks its Diamond Jubilee (75 years). The Academy held three separate convocations for honor graduates.

1967 – The Missouri Military Academy Field House becomes the largest project in school history at $350,000.00.

1968 – Colonel Charles R. Stribling, III ’44 becomes school president. Missouri Military Academy reached capacity enrollment of 351 that year.

1981 – The entire Missouri Military Academy student body participates in the inauguration of Mexico, Missouri native Christopher “Kit” Bond as Missouri Governor.

1985 – The U.S. Department of Education announces its selection of Missouri Military Academy as an Exemplary Private School. One of just 65 private schools selected out of 27,000 across the U.S., it was the only military school to be recognized.

1989 – Missouri Military Academy commemorates its Centennial with a ribbon cutting for the Gymtorium.

1993 – Ron Kelly succeeds Charles R. Stribling, III ‘44 as president of the Missouri Military Academy.

2007 – MajGen Robert M. Flanagan, USMC (Ret.), becomes first General to serve as Missouri Military Academy president.

2008 – R. Stribling Koster is named Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Missouri Military Academy.

2009 – Barnard Hall, the first LEED-Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) high school building in Missouri, is completed on the site of the former “Alpha” Barracks.

2011 – The 111-year old Stribling Hall building is torn down to make way for a new administration building that will keep the same name. MajGen Flanagan announces his retirement.

2012 – The renovation and reconstruction of Stribling Hall is completed. The building is fitted with a new gold dome, one of few in the state of Missouri. Mr. Charles McGeorge becomes the 10th president of Missouri Military Academy.

2013 –Missouri Military Academy becomes the first Missouri program site for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, an international youth award. The Academy also announces a sister school partnership with the Duke of York's Royal Military School in Dover, UK.

2014 – Missouri Military Academy celebrates its 125th Anniversary. Two-time Missouri Governor and four-time U.S. Senator Christopher S. "Kit" Bond is the guest of honor for the Homecoming celebration, which is capped off with a fireworks display over the back campus.
 
2019 – Brigadier General Richard V. Geraci, USA (Ret) succeeds Charles McGeorge as 11th president of Missouri Military Academy.

2020 – Missouri Military Academy seniors earn a record-breaking amount of college scholarships totaling $7,792,828.00