The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-10
Kings Mountain Military school.


Kings Mountain Military School.
There are 80 many features of in
terest connected with this institution.
from its establishment in 1856 until
its close in 1861, when cadets and
instructors alike had.nbandoned it in
order to take their places in the
tented field, that We feel constrained
to present the readers of the En-
quirer, with brief outline of its
origin and history.
In the year 1854. two young men
of high promise and energy, just
before their graduation at the South
Carolina Military Academy, in
Charleston, simultaneously conceived
the idea of establishing preparatory
school, for boys; the object of which
should be to fit them, in some mea-
sure, in advance, for the rigid course
Of study and discipline required in
the State Military School. These
two young men were Micah jenkins
and Asbury Coward-names that n
few years later had become too we'll
introduced to the people of this State
to require any formal introduction
here. These two young men being
members of the same class-by some
means-became informed rs to each
others views, and decided to unto
their efforts in establishing the
school. After some consultation,
Yorkville was decided upon as the
location for their maiden enterprise
Immediately after graduating i'll No
yember, 1854, one of these gentlemen
came to this village, and made the
necessary preparations for opening
the school in January following. The
prospects of success were hopeful
only to those two young men, whom
everybody thought over sanguine.
Tho experiment of private military
school, where boys were taught the
duties of soldiers ut the same time
they were learning how to become
citizens, was q novel one, to say the
least of it.
Undeterred by any suspicion of
failure, the school opened in january,
1855. Twelve boys, only, presented
themselves at the opening, but the
energetic principals did not despond
A temporary wooden building was
erected OIL the site Of the present
barrack, which answered the pur-
poses Of a school room. This build
ing was afterwards destroyed by fire.
The first session Of the infant mill
tary school wore away, and at it
close in July, the roll OF cadets nam
bcred fortyscvcn.
The second session began in Au-
gust OF the same year, with the roll
augmented to sixty boys, and before
the close Of the year, it had run up
to eighty. Never before had an cdu-
cational idea met with such an
amount OF popular favor, in so brief
time. The preparatory school was
axsccess. The admirable discipline
tho rigid requirements of study
the orderly behavior Of tho cadets,
and the thorough control exercised
over thcm-togcther with the com
potency and popularity of the youth
full principals, had NIL united to give
the aspiring institution name and
fame throughout the State, and to
fasten it indcllibly upon the affections
OF the people. The proprietors were
not ignorant of these facts, and a
contract was now given out for the
building of their commodious brick
institution. Tho continually in-
crcasing number of applicants fol
admission, also admonished them ol
the necessity of charging the curri.
culum of studies, and providing adj
ditional instructors. CA. Seabrook,
then recent graduate of the South
Carolina College, was employed as
instructor in Latin, and Greek.
The limited accommodations, at hand
did not permit the number of cadets
to exceed eighty; and thus. with
Lieut.. Seabrook at his post. opened
the second year of the school.