Eastern Military Academy
Encyclopedia
Eastern Military Academy is a defunct academy founded in 1944 in Connecticut by Roland R. Robinson, a former mathematics teacher at Peekskill Military Academy
(also defunct), and his brother-in-law, Carleton Witham. Relationship with the local town was poor from the start, and in 1948 the school was moved to Cold Spring Hills in Long Island
, New York
.
At its new location, the school was based in one of the largest mansions ever constructed in the United States, Oheka Castle
, built by Otto Kahn, a multimillionaire. Following Kahn's death in 1934, his heirs had little interest in the estate, and the town of Huntington
briefly used it as a retirement home for municipal employees.
EMA was organized for most of its existence as a battalion, with a band company, troop (using horses stabled a few miles away), two infantry companies of high school and junior high school students, a company of children sixth grade and below, a company of day students, i.e. students who did not board in the school, battalion staff of two to four members, and a four member color guard. For several years of very high enrollment, the school organized as a brigade.
Robinson and Witham died within six weeks of one another in the summer of 1968, leaving the school in the hands of Alice Robinson, Robinson's widow, and Witham's sister. According to an article in Newsday
on September 30, 1968, she was then the first woman ever to head a military academy in the USA. In 1970 she sold the school, without notifying the long time Dean and new Headmaster, Leopold Hedbavny, or alumni, to three investors. These investors immediately took out a three million dollar bank mortgage, although they had paid Mrs. Robinson only $50,000 plus stock in their new corporation for owning EMA, and stock in several other of the ultimately nine schools they bought. All nine schools were eventually closed following the taking out of large mortgages.
In 1955 the Army granted EMA status as an honor Junior ROTC unit. From 1951 to 1968 students ninth grade and up were taken to a military training base, Camp Smith, for a week in May for riflery training and practice. This continued at a base in New Jersey until 1975, the same year the school lost its honor rating. In 1977 the Army struck it from the rolls of recognized Junior ROTC units, and removed all military supplied equipment, mostly M-1 Garand rifles (prior to 1955 cadets used Springfield M1903 rifles). In 1979, enrollment was down to just ninety from a high of over 350. The school was closed after a fire had been set in the dormitory floors.
In the late 1970s, as the school was declining, two groups of disgruntled staff broke away and founded the General Douglas MacArthur Military Academy
and the Marine Military Academy
.
The school newspaper was called The Guidon
. The yearbook was The Saber. The honor society (based on academic grades, military rank, being a class officer, and participation in sports and clubs) was the Order of the Key. At various points the school had a chess club, camera club, glee club, chorus, ham radio, equestrian, swimming, riflery, fencing, basketball, baseball, varsity and junior varsity football teams. EMA also hosted one of the first chapters of the Lions Club to be based in a school.
The battalion commander held the rank of Major. On dress uniforms this took five stripes, on uniform of the day a diamond shaped pip on the collar. The battalion adjutant and company commanders were captains (four stripes and three circular pips, the battalion adjutant additionally had four rockers beneath the stripes). Platoon leaders were generally lieutenants (three stripes, first lieutenant had two circular pips, second lieutenants one). A sergeant major, always part of the battalion staff, was the highest ranking "noncommissioned" rank, and had two stripes with two rockers and a diamond in the center. (Officers were addressed by "Sir", and were saluted.) Each company would generally have a first sergeant, with two stripes and a diamond. Each platoon would have a sergeant, with two stripes. Corporals would also have two stripes, but wear them very low on the sleeve instead of high on the shoulder. Private First Class ("PFC") was awarded to any lowest ranking cadet (privates) who went a full month with fewer than ten demerits, which was also the limit for higher ranking cadets to be advanced in rank. Rank was lost for excessive demerits, one rank for the first fifteen in a month, and an additional rank for each additional ten demerits.
In parades officers and the sergeant major carried a saber, first sergeants carried a carbine
, two members of the color guard carried the American flag and the school flag, the band had their instruments, the troop their horses, and the infantry companies and older day students carried a rifle.
For a few years EMA had an armored unit based on some surplus Armored Personnel Carriers
. Operating these when gasoline prices began rising became prohibitively expensive, and two were given to the New York City
police department. One was allegedly buried on the school grounds. At the funeral of President John F. Kennedy
the riderless horse following Kennedy's caisson bore a saber from EMA which had been presented to the White House by the senior class of 1962 on their class visit to Washington.
An alumni association was formed in 1969, and still exists with its own website on Yahoo! Groups
, emaalumni@yahoogroups.com.
novel Time for Patriots, ISBN 978-1-60693-224-7.
Peekskill Military Academy
Peekskill Military Academy was founded as 'Peekskill Academy'. It was a military academy for young men and women, founded in 1833, located in Peekskill, New York, United States. The academy was built by a hanging tree and when a building was built near the great tree , one of the British who was...
(also defunct), and his brother-in-law, Carleton Witham. Relationship with the local town was poor from the start, and in 1948 the school was moved to Cold Spring Hills in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
At its new location, the school was based in one of the largest mansions ever constructed in the United States, Oheka Castle
Oheka Castle
Oheka Castle, also known as the Otto Kahn Estate, is located on the Gold Coast of Long Island, in Huntington, New York. It was the country home of financier and philanthropist Otto Kahn. Built by Kahn between 1914 and 1919, it was and remains the second largest private home in the United States,...
, built by Otto Kahn, a multimillionaire. Following Kahn's death in 1934, his heirs had little interest in the estate, and the town of Huntington
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
briefly used it as a retirement home for municipal employees.
EMA was organized for most of its existence as a battalion, with a band company, troop (using horses stabled a few miles away), two infantry companies of high school and junior high school students, a company of children sixth grade and below, a company of day students, i.e. students who did not board in the school, battalion staff of two to four members, and a four member color guard. For several years of very high enrollment, the school organized as a brigade.
Robinson and Witham died within six weeks of one another in the summer of 1968, leaving the school in the hands of Alice Robinson, Robinson's widow, and Witham's sister. According to an article in Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
on September 30, 1968, she was then the first woman ever to head a military academy in the USA. In 1970 she sold the school, without notifying the long time Dean and new Headmaster, Leopold Hedbavny, or alumni, to three investors. These investors immediately took out a three million dollar bank mortgage, although they had paid Mrs. Robinson only $50,000 plus stock in their new corporation for owning EMA, and stock in several other of the ultimately nine schools they bought. All nine schools were eventually closed following the taking out of large mortgages.
In 1955 the Army granted EMA status as an honor Junior ROTC unit. From 1951 to 1968 students ninth grade and up were taken to a military training base, Camp Smith, for a week in May for riflery training and practice. This continued at a base in New Jersey until 1975, the same year the school lost its honor rating. In 1977 the Army struck it from the rolls of recognized Junior ROTC units, and removed all military supplied equipment, mostly M-1 Garand rifles (prior to 1955 cadets used Springfield M1903 rifles). In 1979, enrollment was down to just ninety from a high of over 350. The school was closed after a fire had been set in the dormitory floors.
In the late 1970s, as the school was declining, two groups of disgruntled staff broke away and founded the General Douglas MacArthur Military Academy
General Douglas MacArthur Military Academy
General Douglas MacArthur Military Academy is a defunct military academy. It was started by dissatisfied staff, faculty and parents of Eastern Military Academy during the final years of that school's existence. General Douglas MacArthur Military Academy existed from 1966 to 1977 before closing....
and the Marine Military Academy
Marine Military Academy
The Marine Military Academy is a private college preparatory academy located in Harlingen, Texas, offering a college preparatory curriculum for boys in grades 8–12 plus one-year of post-graduate study. The school was founded in 1965...
.
The school newspaper was called The Guidon
Guidon
Guidon may refer to:*Guidon , a type of heraldic flag*Guidon , a swallow tailed flag for the colours of a light cavalry regiment...
. The yearbook was The Saber. The honor society (based on academic grades, military rank, being a class officer, and participation in sports and clubs) was the Order of the Key. At various points the school had a chess club, camera club, glee club, chorus, ham radio, equestrian, swimming, riflery, fencing, basketball, baseball, varsity and junior varsity football teams. EMA also hosted one of the first chapters of the Lions Club to be based in a school.
The battalion commander held the rank of Major. On dress uniforms this took five stripes, on uniform of the day a diamond shaped pip on the collar. The battalion adjutant and company commanders were captains (four stripes and three circular pips, the battalion adjutant additionally had four rockers beneath the stripes). Platoon leaders were generally lieutenants (three stripes, first lieutenant had two circular pips, second lieutenants one). A sergeant major, always part of the battalion staff, was the highest ranking "noncommissioned" rank, and had two stripes with two rockers and a diamond in the center. (Officers were addressed by "Sir", and were saluted.) Each company would generally have a first sergeant, with two stripes and a diamond. Each platoon would have a sergeant, with two stripes. Corporals would also have two stripes, but wear them very low on the sleeve instead of high on the shoulder. Private First Class ("PFC") was awarded to any lowest ranking cadet (privates) who went a full month with fewer than ten demerits, which was also the limit for higher ranking cadets to be advanced in rank. Rank was lost for excessive demerits, one rank for the first fifteen in a month, and an additional rank for each additional ten demerits.
In parades officers and the sergeant major carried a saber, first sergeants carried a carbine
Carbine
A carbine , from French carabine, is a longarm similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length....
, two members of the color guard carried the American flag and the school flag, the band had their instruments, the troop their horses, and the infantry companies and older day students carried a rifle.
For a few years EMA had an armored unit based on some surplus Armored Personnel Carriers
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
. Operating these when gasoline prices began rising became prohibitively expensive, and two were given to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
police department. One was allegedly buried on the school grounds. At the funeral of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
the riderless horse following Kennedy's caisson bore a saber from EMA which had been presented to the White House by the senior class of 1962 on their class visit to Washington.
An alumni association was formed in 1969, and still exists with its own website on Yahoo! Groups
Yahoo! Groups
Yahoo! Groups is one of the world’s largest collections of online discussion boards. The term Groups refers to Internet communication which is a hybrid between an electronic mailing list and a threaded Internet forum, in other words, Group messages can be read and posted by e-mail or on the Group's...
, emaalumni@yahoogroups.com.
In fiction
A very thinly disguised version of Eastern Military Academy, Robinson, and others, appears in the science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel Time for Patriots, ISBN 978-1-60693-224-7.