Florida Military School
Encyclopedia
Florida Military School, Florida Military School
and College, Florida Military High School
, and FMS all refer to the school located in DeLand, Florida
during the years 1956 to 1971. It was located just south of DeLand Airport at Sky Harbor Station, DeLand, Florida.
For more, see the Florida Military School Association website http://www.fms-assn.org/ by Asa Dean '60. There are two other websites about Florida Military School. FMS Photo Site: http://fmsphotosite.tripod.com/index.htm by Andy Staley '68 has pictures, and information on the 2002 reunion. See lots of photos in his Old & New section. FMS Site: by Tim Tyndall '68. If you would like to contact former cadets and faculty, see this web site. It has telephone number
s and email addresses of former cadets.
The Florida Military School Association, Inc. (FMSA) was founded on 2003 April 10. The first annual meeting of FMSA was held in DeLand 2003 October 25.
by: Thornton J. Ridinger, Historian
Class of 1959
Year 1: 1956-1957
On September 4, 1956, Florida Military School opened its doors to 63 cadets. Colonel Carl Ward, with founding partners Arthur Seascholz and W. K. Beman, started the school in a converted World War II
Infirmary at the old DeLand Naval Air Station
. The Mess Hall
was in the old Officers Club, which later became the Canteen (the Joe C. Long Building). During the second semester they moved into the Naval Station's Bachelor Officers Quarters that was later named Howard Hall.
At Christmas break, Seascholz and Beman left the school, and Carl C. Schaefer, Sr., a trucking company executive from Dayton, Ohio
, bought into the corporation and was given the title of Vice President (to Colonel Ward’s President and Headmaster). He maintained a partnership interest in the school until about 1961.
In the beginning, the school offered flight training
for the cadets, but that was not offered in subsequent years, after the death of a cadet pilot, Donald Thompson
, who crashed while on his first solo flight
.
In sports, FMS fielded basketball, baseball, and track teams that year, but not a football team
. The cadet corps was under the command of Cadet William V. Howard. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
There were five graduating seniors the first year. Their names would be remembered by all subsequent cadets because the major buildings on campus were named in their honor.
Year 2: 1957-1958
The second year of the school (1957–58) saw a fourfold increase in attendance, with more than 260 cadets beginning the year and expanding into two dormitories, known as Howard and Alleyne Halls. The school’s administration was housed in the David G. Cannon Building. The year brought the beginning of the football program to the school, under the tutelage of head coach
Earl Looman.
The year also marked the introduction of the cavalry unit, which participated in the Sunday Dress Parades of the Cadet Corps.
There were twenty-one graduates that year, with the total number of cadets being about 260. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Lawrence R. Foster. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
The year marked the arrival of Major Joseph Siekanic as Commandant of Cadets, Captain William C. Prentiss as an instructor in Civics and English, and Captain William T. Bradford as the first Professor of Military Science
and Tactics, and assistant football coach.
The school gained accreditation from the State of Florida
Department of Education and was designated by the US Army as an Honor National Defense
Cadet Corps School during its second year of existence. Full accreditation on the regional and national level by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
followed in December, 1961.
A football team was fielded for the first time that year, and remained a part of the school’s athletic program until discontinued after the 1961-62 school year
.
The first yearbook, “The Knight,” was dedicated to Mrs. Mary Ward.
Year 3: 1958-1959
The third year of the school saw the completion of a new mess hall
, which was named the Carl C. Schaefer, Sr. Building. Later, after Mr. Schaefer ended his business relationship with the school, the building was renamed for Kenneth W. Hewitt, one of the first-year graduates.
There were twenty-three graduates that year, with a total of 226 cadets listed in the yearbook. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Dennis J. Eyre. Company D was named Honor Company of the year.
The year also brought the arrival of head football coach Captain Thomas Sperling, and Captains Dinkins and Pendarvis as faculty members. Captain Prentiss became Commandant of Cadets with a promotion to Major.
In February, the Florida Military School band played the Star Spangled Banner
at the first running of the Daytona 500
at the new Daytona Speedway
. It was reported that “merely” 41,000 people were in attendance.
The high point of the year for the senior class was a trip to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras
, under the somewhat watchful eyes of Captains Whitler and Pendarvis. In addition to the party time of Mardi Gras, it brought the class together in bonds of friendship and camaraderie that had not previously been experienced.
The 1959 Knight was dedicated to the coaches: Bradford, Evans, Pendarvis, Prentiss, and Sperling.
Year 4: 1959-1960
The year brought further growth to the school There were 42 seniors listed in the yearbook, with the total number of cadets being 294. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Walter L. Preston. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
1960 saw Major Prentiss become Director (later Dean) of Education, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
, Major Robert L. Moore
as Commandant, and the arrival of Major Carl Steely as the Professor of Military Science and Tactics.
The 1960 Senior Trip was to also to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans
, with Major Steely in attendance, where the cadets participated in one of the Mardi Gras parades.
The 1960 Knight was dedicated to Lt. Col. William C. Prentiss.
Year 5: 1960-1961
The year saw the opening of the new swimming pool
on campus, and the start of a competitive swim team for the school.
The senior class numbered 37, with 289 total cadets listed in the yearbook. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Geoffrey Gentil. Company A was named Honor Company of the year.
It was noted in the yearbook that the FMS football team beat Admiral Farragut
Academy in the annual “Junior Army-Navy Game” by a score of 28-0.
The 1961 Knight was dedicated to Colonel Carl Ward.
Year 6: 1961-1962
In September 1961, Florida Military College began operation. The college program operated through May, 1965. The Yearbook cited the new college class as the “Class of 1965”, which may have indicated a plan at that time for a four year college to be established. If so, that goal was not realized. It became, and remained, a two-year college
during its existence.
The senior class numbered 51, with 277 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 34 in the college program. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Peter A. Still. The Honor Company of the year was Band Company.
The year saw Captain Pendarvis become Assistant Commandant with a promotion to Major.
This was the last year of interscholastic football, with teams being fielded at both the high school and college levels.
The 1962 Knight was dedicated to Marcene Evans, who managed the dining hall throughout the school’s existence.
Year 7: 1962-1963
The senior class numbered 52, with 258 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 36 in the college. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Joseph Leer. Company B was named Honor Company of the year. There were 5 sixth yearmen: John Barry, David Bokor, Joe Leer, Billy Edmondson, and David Tooker.
A highlight of the year was the visit to the campus of the Vienna Boys Choir. Another was the 1963 Senior Class Trip to Washington, DC.
The Yearbook was dedicated to Major Carl V. (Nutter) Steely, a former Marine
officer, who had become Commandant that year with the departure of Major Moore. Major Pendarvis remained Assistant Commandant, in charge of the junior high school
cadets.
Year 8: 1963-1964
The senior class of 1964 numbered 56, with 291 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 28 in the college. There were 2 sixth year
men: John Venable and Mike Costello. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Venable. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
The year saw the return of its first FMS graduate to become a member of the faculty: Jerry Alleyne, Class of 1957.
The 1964 Knight was dedicated to Major James William Pendarvis.
Year 9: 1964-1965
The senior class numbered 63, with 249 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 29 in the college. There were 4 sixth year men: Wayne Arnold, Don Campbell, Bruce Palmisano, and Donald Rounds. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Palmisano. Company D was named Honor Company of the year.
The year brought the arrival of Lt. Col. Rex T. Henry as the Professor of Military Science and Tactics and Lt. Col. Donald G. Williams as the Commandant of the College—a one year appointment as this was the last year of the college operation.
The Florida Military School Band continued its tradition of performing before dignitaries, when they performed for President Lyndon B. Johnson
in Orlando, where he was giving a speech. Some cadets were privileged to meet the President.
The Senior and Junior National Honor Societies
were installed on campus on February 11, 1965.
The 1965 Knight was dedicated to Captain Chaplin A. Dinkins.
Year 10: 1965-1966
The senior class numbered 49, with 243 cadets listed in the yearbook. There were 2 sixth year men: James Gaberle and Robert Mouro. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Chris Bolton. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
The year brought the introduction of the Interact Club, the school’s first service club
, sponsored by the DeLand Rotary Club
. Members were elected on the basis of service, leadership, and interest in their fellow cadets.
The 1966 Knight was dedicated to the memory of Mr. Howard C. Snyder, who was cited as a true friend of the school and the father of Mrs. Mary Ward
and Mrs. Marcene Evans.
Year 11: 1966-1967
The senior class numbered 39, with 251 cadets listed in the yearbook. There was one sixth year men: Steve Kinsell. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Kinsell. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
Major Pendarvis became the new Commandant of Cadets. Captain Dinkins became the new Assistant Commandant with a promotion to Major. One wag noted, tongue in cheek
(it is hoped), that the Class of 1967 got a new Senior Privilege with Major Steely’s departure (for a position at Culver Military Academy
in Indiana, where he soon became commandant of cadets at that school).
The 1967 Knight was dedicated to Lt. Col. Rex T. Henry.
Year 12: 1967-1968
The senior class numbered 29, with 200 cadets listed in the yearbook. There was one sixth year man: Tim Tyndall. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet David Moroz. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
The 1968 Knight was dedicated to Sergeant First Class
William W. Douglas for his contributions to the development of the school’s military program as an honor rated ROTC school.
For this year only, the dress uniform
was replaced by the standard green army uniform
indicating the Jr. ROTC designation of the school. No one was happy with the change.
The year signaled the arrival of two new service clubs—the Key Club
(sponsored by Kiwanis) and the Hi - Y (sponsored by YMCA).
Year 13: 1968-1969
The senior class numbered 26, with 196 cadets listed in the yearbook. There were 2 sixth year men: George Graham and George Knight. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Graham. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
That year, the Cadet Corps returned to the distinctive West Point
style uniform (thank goodness).
Lt. Col. Rex T. Henry became Commandant, with the departure of Majors Pendarvis and Dinkins.
The 1969 Knight was dedicated to Evelyn Doyle, the School Nurse
.
Year 14: 1969-1970
In the 1969-70 year, girls attended FMS for the first time. All were from DeLand and were day students. It was done to provide additional income as enrollment was slipping lower each year. One cadet reported: “It meant we could actually have some real cheerleaders at basketball games. Also that year the team actually WON some games -- about half wins - half losses as I recollect. Maybe it was the female energy.”
The senior class numbered 26, with 192 cadets listed in the yearbook, including 13 coeds and 12 male cadet day students. There were no sixth year men noted. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Charles Kuharske.
The 1970 Knight was dedicated to Mrs. Frances B. Miller, citing her 14 years of service to the school as teacher and guidance counselor
.
Year 15: 1970-1971
The senior class numbered 20, with 153 cadets listed in the yearbook, including 18 coeds, plus 46 students in a non-military elementary school
. There was one sixth yearman: James Hyer. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Lee Rackley.
A highlight of the year was that the Rifle Team won the National U.S. Championship, an indication that the quality of instruction at the school had not diminished.
The 1971 Knight was dedicated to Dr. Loren A. Dunton, school doctor for 15 years.
At the Closing: October, 1971
The school was closed in October 1971, a victim of the anti-military feeling resulting from the war in Vietnam
. The decrease in cadet enrollment made it financially impossible to maintain the school. FMS thus became one of the more than two-thirds of the nation’s independent military academies to close its doors during those turbulent times.
So for 15 years, Florida Military School operated as an accredited National Honor School with the motto of Honor, Wisdom, and Self-Discipline. The school’s literature stated that FMS was dedicated to achieving in its cadets the finest possible mental, spiritual, and physical development. Through three phases of cadet life—academic, military, and athletic. It reported that the environment of Florida Military School was one of fellowship, academic thoroughness, and strict military discipline
.
The program was designed to make it possible for every cadet to become solidly prepared for college and for life itself. Most former cadets, whether they loved it or hated it (or maybe a little of both), will likely agree that the experience was a positive one for them.
When Florida Military School began its first year on September 6, 1956, about 70 cadets were enrolled. The school was located in the old Naval Hospital building which normally housed about 85 to 90 servicemen.
Near the middle of the year, the cadets were moved to a larger two-story building, now Howard Hall. The School has grown with some rapidity and at the present the enrollment is between 285 and 290 mark. The campus has taken on a new atmosphere, one of strength, respect and admiration.
The present school buildings include the David G. Cannon Administration Building, Howard Hall, Alleyne Hall, and the Joe E. Long Student Union Building.
A new stable has not been named yet. Grounds include the Hewitt Parade Field and the athletic field, also as yet unnamed. One additional building, formerly the Naval Air Base theater and gymnasium, is undergoing renovation which is nearing the stage of being completed. It will be used for lounge, gym, and for numerous other activities.
The adult staff includes Colonel Carl Ward, headmaster, Major Joseph Siekaniec, commandant of cadets, Capt. William Bradford, Captain Adjutant and Professor of Military Science and Tactics. The faculty includes Capt. Carl Evans, Capt. Earl Looman, head football coach, Capt. Larry James, Capt. Robert Thompson, Capt. Carl Halyburton, Capt. E. C. Burdick, Capt. Herbert Rivere, Capt. Capt. Shuler, Capt. E. M. Fannon, Mrs. R. S. Parker, Miss Ruth Earp, Capt. Robert Carter and new addition Capt. Dick Barnes. Mrs. Ruth Hill is the School Secretary.
The cadet staff is headed by Lt. Col. Bob Foster
, battalion commander. He is ably assisted by Major Frank Sica of Daytona Beach, Fla.; Capt. Al Reithinger, Wauchula, Fla.; Capt Jack Dunham, Lake Wales, Fla.; Capt Jay Seitz, Syracuse, N. Y.; Capt, John Ambrose, Jacksonville, Fla.; Lt. Fill Warren, Jacksonville, Fla.; Lt. Marvin Doxey, Elizabeth City, N. C.; Lt. Bill Bennett, Miami, Fla.; Lt. Bill Barnes, Gainesville, Fla.; Lt. Carl Schaefer, Dayton, Ohio, Lt. Dennis Eyre, Jacksonville, Fla,; Lt, Lawton Bennett, Miami, Fla.; Lt. Earl Moore, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Lt. H. G. Aitken, Montreal, Canada
; Lt. Rick Berry, Vero Beach, Fla.; and Lt. Bill Christopher, of Nassau, Bahamas
.
The cadets have been divided into four military companies A, B, C, and D; the band and the staff.
Military academy
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps of the army, the navy, air force or coast guard, which normally provides education in a service environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned.Three...
and College, Florida Military High School
Military High School
Military High Schools are a feature of a number of countries.-Pakistan:*Cadet College Hasan Abdal*Cadet College Petaro*Cadet College Kohat*Cadet College Razmak*Cadet College Mastung*Cadet College Larkana*Cadet College Sanghar*Cadet College Palandri...
, and FMS all refer to the school located in DeLand, Florida
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006...
during the years 1956 to 1971. It was located just south of DeLand Airport at Sky Harbor Station, DeLand, Florida.
For more, see the Florida Military School Association website http://www.fms-assn.org/ by Asa Dean '60. There are two other websites about Florida Military School. FMS Photo Site: http://fmsphotosite.tripod.com/index.htm by Andy Staley '68 has pictures, and information on the 2002 reunion. See lots of photos in his Old & New section. FMS Site: by Tim Tyndall '68. If you would like to contact former cadets and faculty, see this web site. It has telephone number
Telephone number
A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
s and email addresses of former cadets.
The Florida Military School Association, Inc. (FMSA) was founded on 2003 April 10. The first annual meeting of FMSA was held in DeLand 2003 October 25.
Florida Military School History
1956-1971by: Thornton J. Ridinger, Historian
Class of 1959
Year 1: 1956-1957
On September 4, 1956, Florida Military School opened its doors to 63 cadets. Colonel Carl Ward, with founding partners Arthur Seascholz and W. K. Beman, started the school in a converted World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Infirmary at the old DeLand Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
. The Mess Hall
The Mess Hall
The Mess Hall are a two-piece drums and guitar combo based in Sydney, Australia specialising in "raw, edgy bluesy rock." The band consists of Jed Kurzel and Cec Condon ....
was in the old Officers Club, which later became the Canteen (the Joe C. Long Building). During the second semester they moved into the Naval Station's Bachelor Officers Quarters that was later named Howard Hall.
At Christmas break, Seascholz and Beman left the school, and Carl C. Schaefer, Sr., a trucking company executive from Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, bought into the corporation and was given the title of Vice President (to Colonel Ward’s President and Headmaster). He maintained a partnership interest in the school until about 1961.
In the beginning, the school offered flight training
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
for the cadets, but that was not offered in subsequent years, after the death of a cadet pilot, Donald Thompson
Donald Thompson
Sir Donald Thompson was a British Conservative Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1979 until 1997.Thompson attended Holy Trinity School, Halifax, and Hipperholme Grammar School...
, who crashed while on his first solo flight
First solo flight
The first solo flight of a new pilot comprises that pilot completing a take off, and usually a short flight and safe landing, by him or herself...
.
In sports, FMS fielded basketball, baseball, and track teams that year, but not a football team
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
. The cadet corps was under the command of Cadet William V. Howard. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
There were five graduating seniors the first year. Their names would be remembered by all subsequent cadets because the major buildings on campus were named in their honor.
Year 2: 1957-1958
The second year of the school (1957–58) saw a fourfold increase in attendance, with more than 260 cadets beginning the year and expanding into two dormitories, known as Howard and Alleyne Halls. The school’s administration was housed in the David G. Cannon Building. The year brought the beginning of the football program to the school, under the tutelage of head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Earl Looman.
The year also marked the introduction of the cavalry unit, which participated in the Sunday Dress Parades of the Cadet Corps.
There were twenty-one graduates that year, with the total number of cadets being about 260. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Lawrence R. Foster. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
The year marked the arrival of Major Joseph Siekanic as Commandant of Cadets, Captain William C. Prentiss as an instructor in Civics and English, and Captain William T. Bradford as the first Professor of Military Science
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
and Tactics, and assistant football coach.
The school gained accreditation from the State of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Department of Education and was designated by the US Army as an Honor National Defense
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
Cadet Corps School during its second year of existence. Full accreditation on the regional and national level by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
followed in December, 1961.
A football team was fielded for the first time that year, and remained a part of the school’s athletic program until discontinued after the 1961-62 school year
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
.
The first yearbook, “The Knight,” was dedicated to Mrs. Mary Ward.
Year 3: 1958-1959
The third year of the school saw the completion of a new mess hall
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
, which was named the Carl C. Schaefer, Sr. Building. Later, after Mr. Schaefer ended his business relationship with the school, the building was renamed for Kenneth W. Hewitt, one of the first-year graduates.
There were twenty-three graduates that year, with a total of 226 cadets listed in the yearbook. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Dennis J. Eyre. Company D was named Honor Company of the year.
The year also brought the arrival of head football coach Captain Thomas Sperling, and Captains Dinkins and Pendarvis as faculty members. Captain Prentiss became Commandant of Cadets with a promotion to Major.
In February, the Florida Military School band played the Star Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
at the first running of the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
at the new Daytona Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. It was reported that “merely” 41,000 people were in attendance.
The high point of the year for the senior class was a trip to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
, under the somewhat watchful eyes of Captains Whitler and Pendarvis. In addition to the party time of Mardi Gras, it brought the class together in bonds of friendship and camaraderie that had not previously been experienced.
The 1959 Knight was dedicated to the coaches: Bradford, Evans, Pendarvis, Prentiss, and Sperling.
Year 4: 1959-1960
The year brought further growth to the school There were 42 seniors listed in the yearbook, with the total number of cadets being 294. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Walter L. Preston. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
1960 saw Major Prentiss become Director (later Dean) of Education, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, Major Robert L. Moore
Robert L. Moore
Robert L. Moore, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized Jungian psychoanalyst and consultant in private practice in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is: the Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Spirituality in the Chicago Theological Seminary; a Training Analyst at the C.G...
as Commandant, and the arrival of Major Carl Steely as the Professor of Military Science and Tactics.
The 1960 Senior Trip was to also to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans
New Orleans Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Carnival celebration well-known throughout the world.The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in preparing for the start of the Christian season of Lent, starts after Twelfth Night, on Epiphany . It is a season of parades, balls , and king cake parties...
, with Major Steely in attendance, where the cadets participated in one of the Mardi Gras parades.
The 1960 Knight was dedicated to Lt. Col. William C. Prentiss.
Year 5: 1960-1961
The year saw the opening of the new swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
on campus, and the start of a competitive swim team for the school.
The senior class numbered 37, with 289 total cadets listed in the yearbook. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Geoffrey Gentil. Company A was named Honor Company of the year.
It was noted in the yearbook that the FMS football team beat Admiral Farragut
David Farragut
David Glasgow Farragut was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. He is remembered in popular culture for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay, usually paraphrased: "Damn the...
Academy in the annual “Junior Army-Navy Game” by a score of 28-0.
The 1961 Knight was dedicated to Colonel Carl Ward.
Year 6: 1961-1962
In September 1961, Florida Military College began operation. The college program operated through May, 1965. The Yearbook cited the new college class as the “Class of 1965”, which may have indicated a plan at that time for a four year college to be established. If so, that goal was not realized. It became, and remained, a two-year college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
during its existence.
The senior class numbered 51, with 277 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 34 in the college program. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Peter A. Still. The Honor Company of the year was Band Company.
The year saw Captain Pendarvis become Assistant Commandant with a promotion to Major.
This was the last year of interscholastic football, with teams being fielded at both the high school and college levels.
The 1962 Knight was dedicated to Marcene Evans, who managed the dining hall throughout the school’s existence.
Year 7: 1962-1963
The senior class numbered 52, with 258 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 36 in the college. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Joseph Leer. Company B was named Honor Company of the year. There were 5 sixth yearmen: John Barry, David Bokor, Joe Leer, Billy Edmondson, and David Tooker.
A highlight of the year was the visit to the campus of the Vienna Boys Choir. Another was the 1963 Senior Class Trip to Washington, DC.
The Yearbook was dedicated to Major Carl V. (Nutter) Steely, a former Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
officer, who had become Commandant that year with the departure of Major Moore. Major Pendarvis remained Assistant Commandant, in charge of the junior high school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
cadets.
Year 8: 1963-1964
The senior class of 1964 numbered 56, with 291 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 28 in the college. There were 2 sixth year
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
men: John Venable and Mike Costello. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Venable. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
The year saw the return of its first FMS graduate to become a member of the faculty: Jerry Alleyne, Class of 1957.
The 1964 Knight was dedicated to Major James William Pendarvis.
Year 9: 1964-1965
The senior class numbered 63, with 249 cadets listed in the yearbook, plus 29 in the college. There were 4 sixth year men: Wayne Arnold, Don Campbell, Bruce Palmisano, and Donald Rounds. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Palmisano. Company D was named Honor Company of the year.
The year brought the arrival of Lt. Col. Rex T. Henry as the Professor of Military Science and Tactics and Lt. Col. Donald G. Williams as the Commandant of the College—a one year appointment as this was the last year of the college operation.
The Florida Military School Band continued its tradition of performing before dignitaries, when they performed for President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
in Orlando, where he was giving a speech. Some cadets were privileged to meet the President.
The Senior and Junior National Honor Societies
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
were installed on campus on February 11, 1965.
The 1965 Knight was dedicated to Captain Chaplin A. Dinkins.
Year 10: 1965-1966
The senior class numbered 49, with 243 cadets listed in the yearbook. There were 2 sixth year men: James Gaberle and Robert Mouro. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Chris Bolton. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
The year brought the introduction of the Interact Club, the school’s first service club
Service club
A service club or service organization is a voluntary non-profit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined first by its service mission...
, sponsored by the DeLand Rotary Club
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
. Members were elected on the basis of service, leadership, and interest in their fellow cadets.
The 1966 Knight was dedicated to the memory of Mr. Howard C. Snyder, who was cited as a true friend of the school and the father of Mrs. Mary Ward
Mary Ward
Mary Ward may refer to:* Mary Ward , 1585 - 1645, foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an order of Roman Catholic nuns...
and Mrs. Marcene Evans.
Year 11: 1966-1967
The senior class numbered 39, with 251 cadets listed in the yearbook. There was one sixth year men: Steve Kinsell. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Kinsell. Company B was named Honor Company of the year.
Major Pendarvis became the new Commandant of Cadets. Captain Dinkins became the new Assistant Commandant with a promotion to Major. One wag noted, tongue in cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
(it is hoped), that the Class of 1967 got a new Senior Privilege with Major Steely’s departure (for a position at Culver Military Academy
Culver Academies
The Culver Academies is a college preparatory boarding school and summer camp in the United States. The Culver Academies is composed of three entities: Culver Military Academy for boys, Culver Girls Academy , and the Culver Summer Schools and Camps . Collectively known as Culver Academies located...
in Indiana, where he soon became commandant of cadets at that school).
The 1967 Knight was dedicated to Lt. Col. Rex T. Henry.
Year 12: 1967-1968
The senior class numbered 29, with 200 cadets listed in the yearbook. There was one sixth year man: Tim Tyndall. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet David Moroz. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
The 1968 Knight was dedicated to Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
William W. Douglas for his contributions to the development of the school’s military program as an honor rated ROTC school.
For this year only, the dress uniform
Dress uniform
Dress uniform , is the most formal military uniform, typically worn at ceremonies, official receptions, and other special occasions; with order insignias and full size medals...
was replaced by the standard green army uniform
Army Service Uniform
The U.S. Army service uniform is the military uniform worn by personnel in situations in which non-formal dress is called for. It is worn in most workday situations in which business dress would be called for...
indicating the Jr. ROTC designation of the school. No one was happy with the change.
The year signaled the arrival of two new service clubs—the Key Club
Key Club
Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
(sponsored by Kiwanis) and the Hi - Y (sponsored by YMCA).
Year 13: 1968-1969
The senior class numbered 26, with 196 cadets listed in the yearbook. There were 2 sixth year men: George Graham and George Knight. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Graham. Company C was named Honor Company of the year.
That year, the Cadet Corps returned to the distinctive West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
style uniform (thank goodness).
Lt. Col. Rex T. Henry became Commandant, with the departure of Majors Pendarvis and Dinkins.
The 1969 Knight was dedicated to Evelyn Doyle, the School Nurse
School nursing
School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well being, academic success, and lifelong achievement of students...
.
Year 14: 1969-1970
In the 1969-70 year, girls attended FMS for the first time. All were from DeLand and were day students. It was done to provide additional income as enrollment was slipping lower each year. One cadet reported: “It meant we could actually have some real cheerleaders at basketball games. Also that year the team actually WON some games -- about half wins - half losses as I recollect. Maybe it was the female energy.”
The senior class numbered 26, with 192 cadets listed in the yearbook, including 13 coeds and 12 male cadet day students. There were no sixth year men noted. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Charles Kuharske.
The 1970 Knight was dedicated to Mrs. Frances B. Miller, citing her 14 years of service to the school as teacher and guidance counselor
School counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
.
Year 15: 1970-1971
The senior class numbered 20, with 153 cadets listed in the yearbook, including 18 coeds, plus 46 students in a non-military elementary school
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
. There was one sixth yearman: James Hyer. The cadet corps was under the leadership of Cadet Lee Rackley.
A highlight of the year was that the Rifle Team won the National U.S. Championship, an indication that the quality of instruction at the school had not diminished.
The 1971 Knight was dedicated to Dr. Loren A. Dunton, school doctor for 15 years.
At the Closing: October, 1971
The school was closed in October 1971, a victim of the anti-military feeling resulting from the war in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The decrease in cadet enrollment made it financially impossible to maintain the school. FMS thus became one of the more than two-thirds of the nation’s independent military academies to close its doors during those turbulent times.
So for 15 years, Florida Military School operated as an accredited National Honor School with the motto of Honor, Wisdom, and Self-Discipline. The school’s literature stated that FMS was dedicated to achieving in its cadets the finest possible mental, spiritual, and physical development. Through three phases of cadet life—academic, military, and athletic. It reported that the environment of Florida Military School was one of fellowship, academic thoroughness, and strict military discipline
Military courtesy
Military courtesy is one of the defining features of a professional military force. These courtesies form a strict and sometimes elaborate code of conduct....
.
The program was designed to make it possible for every cadet to become solidly prepared for college and for life itself. Most former cadets, whether they loved it or hated it (or maybe a little of both), will likely agree that the experience was a positive one for them.
FMS Grows By Leaps and Bounds
[This article appeared in the cadet’s newsletter THE LANCE, Vol II No 2, 1958.]When Florida Military School began its first year on September 6, 1956, about 70 cadets were enrolled. The school was located in the old Naval Hospital building which normally housed about 85 to 90 servicemen.
Near the middle of the year, the cadets were moved to a larger two-story building, now Howard Hall. The School has grown with some rapidity and at the present the enrollment is between 285 and 290 mark. The campus has taken on a new atmosphere, one of strength, respect and admiration.
The present school buildings include the David G. Cannon Administration Building, Howard Hall, Alleyne Hall, and the Joe E. Long Student Union Building.
A new stable has not been named yet. Grounds include the Hewitt Parade Field and the athletic field, also as yet unnamed. One additional building, formerly the Naval Air Base theater and gymnasium, is undergoing renovation which is nearing the stage of being completed. It will be used for lounge, gym, and for numerous other activities.
The adult staff includes Colonel Carl Ward, headmaster, Major Joseph Siekaniec, commandant of cadets, Capt. William Bradford, Captain Adjutant and Professor of Military Science and Tactics. The faculty includes Capt. Carl Evans, Capt. Earl Looman, head football coach, Capt. Larry James, Capt. Robert Thompson, Capt. Carl Halyburton, Capt. E. C. Burdick, Capt. Herbert Rivere, Capt. Capt. Shuler, Capt. E. M. Fannon, Mrs. R. S. Parker, Miss Ruth Earp, Capt. Robert Carter and new addition Capt. Dick Barnes. Mrs. Ruth Hill is the School Secretary.
The cadet staff is headed by Lt. Col. Bob Foster
Bob Foster
Bob Foster is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA whom many boxing critics consider to be one of the greatest Light Heavyweight world champions in history...
, battalion commander. He is ably assisted by Major Frank Sica of Daytona Beach, Fla.; Capt. Al Reithinger, Wauchula, Fla.; Capt Jack Dunham, Lake Wales, Fla.; Capt Jay Seitz, Syracuse, N. Y.; Capt, John Ambrose, Jacksonville, Fla.; Lt. Fill Warren, Jacksonville, Fla.; Lt. Marvin Doxey, Elizabeth City, N. C.; Lt. Bill Bennett, Miami, Fla.; Lt. Bill Barnes, Gainesville, Fla.; Lt. Carl Schaefer, Dayton, Ohio, Lt. Dennis Eyre, Jacksonville, Fla,; Lt, Lawton Bennett, Miami, Fla.; Lt. Earl Moore, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Lt. H. G. Aitken, Montreal, Canada
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
; Lt. Rick Berry, Vero Beach, Fla.; and Lt. Bill Christopher, of Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
.
The cadets have been divided into four military companies A, B, C, and D; the band and the staff.