VALUES
THE BEST SCHOOL FOR A BOY he 1920 edition of the RMA catalog, the Academy’s primary marketing tool in a predigital age, declared the Academy – “The Best School for a Boy.” The 9x17-inch booklet lauded the “pure air and perfect draining” of the Academy’s setting; the advantages of a military education, “…good for boys, good for the school, and good for the country;” and the value of the daily bath, “This daily bath, coming just before the evening meal, not only possesses great disciplinary value but puts the boy in a proper frame of mind for his evening study.” So much has changed in 100 years, but RMA values remain the same. Read these excerpts from 1920 and judge for yourself. “The authorities of a military school...understand that their work is not primarily to make soldiers, but to develop boys into good citizens – physically, mentally, and morally.” “And so day by day a cadet learns the value of organization and becomes interested in its maintenance; he looks ahead into the business activities of life and understands how he, too, must learn to organize and discipline men.” “Military courtesy is only the most thorough and perfect form of civilian courtesy.” “Cadets have frequent practice in receiving, carrying, and delivering verbal orders – a difficult task and a useful acquirement.” “The broad, straight shoulders, the deep chest, the graceful elastic step, head squarely on the shoulders instead of on the chest, the open, honest face and fearless, frank eye – these proclaim the man.” “All cadets dress alike and all have equal opportunity in the race for neatness and best appearance...” “Every cadet is expected to be attentive to duty, punctual in attendance, and thorough in his work.” Just like their brothers before them, the cadets of Riverside Military Academy today gain the necessary tools to persevere in a world that is challenging and ever-changing. Past RMA cadets have seen two world wars, multiple pandemics, an economic depression, and yet they stood; they persisted. The brotherhood created within our walls will withstand anything; our cadets today can stand tall knowing they are prepared to handle whatever life brings.
FALL 2020
15