St. John's Military Academy
A young scholar named Sidney T. Smythe, devastated
by the death of his teacher and mentor
Dr. James DeKoven,
decided that he should follow in Reverend DeKoven's footsteps and study the
ministry. Smythe traveled to Wisconsin where,
in 1883, he entered Nashotah House
Seminary and accepted a position at the
Church of St. John Chrysostom in nearby Delafield; both Nashotah House and the Church of
St. John Chrysostom had been home to Dr. DeKoven. The story is told that in the spring of 1884 he was shown a small,
weather-beaten schoolhouse on the church property, and was told that his mentor
DeKoven had opened a school there in 1858. Smythe decided to reopen the school.
St. John's Hall opened its doors to eight students in 1884, as a day and
boarding school with instruction in the classics. The academy became a military
boarding school in 1886 when Reverend Smythe asked General Charles King
to head the Military Department; General King remained in that position for the
next 36 years. King based the Academy's uniforms and drill on the West Point model.
In 1890, the newly named St. John's Military Academy boasted a 10-acre campus and
two new buildings: Armitage Hall and DeKoven Hall. The 83 students who attended
that year participated in daily chapel, academic and military instruction, and
athletics. Their mentor was Reverend Smythe, who they affectionately referred
to as "the H.M." The school's motto, borrowed from James DeKoven, was (and is)
"Laborare, Ludere, Orare", which means "Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard."
St. John's Military Academy became "a school for gentlemen's sons."
The Academy continued to grow in size and reputation. Memorial Hall provided
the school with its first gymnasium, and nearby Kemper Hall provided more
classrooms. By 1900 enrollment had increased to 135 cadets. Knight Hall was
built to replace Armitage Hall, destroyed by fire. A new, fire-resistant
DeKoven Hall was built to replace the first DeKoven Hall, destroyed by fire
in 1905. The building of Smythe Hall, and a new gymnasium, began in 1911.
In that same year a summer camp was opened on the shores of Lake Nagawicka,
which bordered the school property.
The US entered World War I in 1917 with an ill-trained army. Men with military \
training were immediately paced in positions of leadership. More than 60
percent of St. John's "Old Boys" served in "the war to end all wars" and
many gave their lives. One of them was
Harry Worthington Craig, who served
as an ambulancier in the American Field Service. Another was a Marine
2nd Lieutenant from Minnesota name Scott Johnston, who graduated
from St. John's in June of 1917 and died in France in August of 1918.
He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross and the
French Croix de Guerre. Scott Johnston Hall was built in his memory.
Academy graduate Roy F. Farrand returned from the war in France to assist
Reverend Smythe. He led his fellow "Old Boys" in raising money to build a
chapel in memory of those who gave their lives in the Great War.
Farrand became President in 1923 upon the death of Father Smythe.
Victory Memorial Chapel was dedicated on Easter Sunday, 1927.
A 60-year career earned General Farrand his place in St. John's history.
He led the Academy through World War II, when a total of 1,365 St. John's
"Old Boys" served their country. Cadets and staff welcomed those who
returned to campus as war heroes and mourned for the 62 who gave their
lives. The academy grew during the war years and through the 1950's.
Camp Nagawicka for Girls and Camp St. John's for Boys flourished on
the shores of Lake Nagawicka, serving up to 500 campers each summer.
Nearly 450 students attended the Academy in 1959. The campus had
expanded to almost 300 acres and included approximately 20 buildings,
athletics fields, lake-front property and a golf course. General Roy
Farrand retired in 1961 at the age of 85. While enrollment declined
a bit in the early 1960's the school's new leadership remained
optimistic. The anti-war sentiment of the Vietnam era brought
trying times: enrollment decreased, and the school faced financial
hardship. However, a committed staff and many dedicated "Old Boys"
assured the Academy's survival.
In 1984 St. John's Military Academy created a museum and archives
in honor of the school's centennial year. Ten years later, in the
summer of 1994, R.H. "Smoke" Spanjer became President of St. John's.
He came to the position as a retired Marine Maj. General and decorated
aviator, with a love of learning and a commitment to military education.
His goal was to help the school realize its potential. The Academy
experienced a renaissance . In 1995, under General Spanjer's leadership,
St. John's Military Academy merged with Northwestern Military and Naval Academy.
This history content was adapted by Peg Koller from:
- Boys and Men : A Hundred Year History of Northwestern Military and Naval Academy, 1888-1988 by Michael J.G.Gray-Fow. [Lake Geneva, Wis.] :
Northwestern Military and Naval Academy,
[1988]
- St. John's Northwestern Military Academy : A History of Excellence. [Delafield, Wis.]:
St. John's Northwestern Military Academy, [2000].