San Marcos Academy history

San Marcos Baptist Academy opened its doors for the first day of school on September 24, 1908, with an enrollment of 200; by the close of the first year, the enrollment was 277 including day students.

In 1910, at the request of the Board of Trustees, the Academy was passed to the patronage of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

As successor to Doctor Carroll in 1911, the Board of Trustees turned to one of their own charter members, Professor Thomas G. Harris, who had served as president of the Southwest Texas Normal School, now Texas State University.

In 1913, the Board of Trustees created the position of Vice President and Field representative.

With the military spirit pervading America in the war year of 1917, the Academy launched its program of military training.

The academic standards of the school were maintained at the usual high level though serious financial difficulties began to arise, forcing the Academy into debt; and when President Franklin resigned in the Spring of 1931, the school was in serious financial condition.

An excerpt from an article in the San Marcos Record on the occasion of the Silver Anniversary in 1932 stated: “The Academy is endorsed fully in educational and boarding school circles everywhere, and is distinctly and outstandingly a school of applied Christian training.”

Just when there was some relief from the financial strain, new trouble sprang up to plague the Academy in the form of a fire resulting in an 85 percent loss of the Administration Hall on October 23, 1936.

Once again, Judge Lattimore came to the aid of the Academy by underwriting $25,000 of the expense of constructing a new building. It was opened for use on September 14, 1937, and named Lattimore Hall in memory of the late president of the Board of Trustees.

President Cavness resigned his position and left the Academy to report for Naval duty in Jacksonville, Florida on March 10, 1943.

Hugh E. Proctor to serve as Dean of the Academy, beginning September 1, 1946.

Doctor Robert Bruce Reed, formerly superintendent of the Alamo Heights School District in San Antonio, Texas, assumed the office of president on July 17, 1947.

In 1948, the Chamber of Commerce of San Marcos purchased approximately three acres of land and donated it to the Academy for the purpose of erecting a dormitory for boys.

This building was named in honor of the late Dean Emeritus, J. E. Abney. It was opened in September, 1949, and named in honor of Mrs.

Abney Hall, another dormitory for boys, was dedicated in October, 1952.

September 15, 1955, was the date of the formal opening of Elizabeth Kokernot Hall, a dormitory for girls.

Doctor William H. Crook became president in June, 1960, and immediately set into motion plans which resulted in more improvements in less time than at any other period in Academy history.

In the fall of 1965, Jack Edwards Byrom became the Academy’s tenth president, leaving the pastorate of the First Baptist Church in San Marcos.

Girls have also participated in military training on an optional basis since 1973 when two students, Mary Shepard and Karen Stubbs led the development of the first female platoon.

The sale was closed on June 20, 1979, with the understanding that the Academy would occupy the old facilities while the new campus was planned and constructed.

“Onward Bound – Stage II” was the name given to a campaign for capital funds launched in the spring of 1980.

Also in January 1982, under the administration of Jack E. Byrom the academy moved from its location at the current Texas State University campus, to a more spacious lot on Ranch Road 12.

In the Fall of 1989, Academy girls were introduced to a new leadership program designed especially for them.

The Academy moved forward in academics during the Fall of 1993 with the beginning of the Carroll Scholars Honor Program.

In 1994, the Doctor Gwen K. Smith Technology Enriched Learning Center and the Kenneth Kendal King Information Technology Center opened.

Following the initiation of the Carroll Program, Advanced Placement classes were added in the Fall of 1995 for students wanting an academic challenge with the opportunity to earn college credit upon completion of the course.

Upon his retirement in 1996, Doctor Byrom was named Chancellor of the Academy and also served as president of the SMBA Foundation.

In November 2001, the Board named Victor Schmidt as the twelfth president of the Academy.

The girls were divided into family groups much like the military companies. It was phased out during the 2004-05 school year when the military program was no longer required for boys.

During Schmidt’s tenure as president, the Academy experienced a 32 percent rate of growth in enrollment, including the highest re-enrollment percentage achieved in more than 20 years in 2007.

Schmidt retired as president on July 1, 2008.

Another addition to the Academy campus in 2009 was the LTC James D. Rogers Challenge Course, offering 21 low and high ropes elements and named in honor of the late LTC Rogers, former Academy commandant and teacher.

The 2010-11 school year marked a twelve-year high point in enrollment.

A larger-than-usual senior class of 71 received their diplomas in May of 2012, garnering more than $2 million in merit scholarships to colleges and universities all over the country.

By the end of the 2013-14 school year, the Academy had a beautiful new campus entrance and road with an electronic gate and guard booth that will provide a more secure entrance to the central part of campus.

Four additional streets were also named and dedicated in May of 2014, honoring Bobbie and Jack Byrom, Bobby Dupree, Jimmie Scott, and the Mafrige Family.

As the 2015-16 school year began, a new option was open for students to enroll as five-day boarders.

In the 2016-17 school year, SMA moved back to the TAPPS league for athletic, academic and fine arts competition.

When the 2017-18 school year began, the Academy welcomed students in grades 4-12 and for the first time, the number of day students exceeded the number of boarding students.