San Antonio Academy 125th Commemorative Book

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San Antonio Academy Building Character for 125 year s

Be honest.

Be kind.

Be the best you can be. 速

Be honest.

Be kind.

Be the best you can be. 速

San Antonio Academy Building character for 125 years

Preface This book is dedicated to the 340 boys of San Antonio Academy and to all the boys, alumni, parents, grandparents, trustees, faculty, and staff who have been part of The Academy’s Family during our school’s 125 years. You have made a difference, and we thank you.

Table of Contents The Early Years................................................ 7 Alumni.......................................................... 15 Today at The Academy................................... 35 The Academy’s Future..................................... 41

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The Early Years

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The Early Years During the summer of 1886, Dr. W.B. Seeley, a Princeton University Scholar, stepped off the Boerne stagecoach onto the dusty streets of San Antonio, where civic leaders exhorted him to open a school that would prepare young men for success in the nation’s top universities. In September 1886, Dr. Seeley’s school opened its doors with an enrollment of thirty boys, some of whom came to school toting rifles. On the first day of class, during the lunch break, a number of Academy boys strolled to nearby Travis Park, where they shot squirrels from the trees.

It is said that the squirrel population of Travis Park declined rapidly and that, before too long, Dr. Seeley outlawed firearms from his school.

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Historical Notes 1886 In 1886, during the first year of the school’s existence, San Antonio Academy was the first private school in the state to be given full affiliation by the University of Texas.

1894 The first game of modern football in San Antonio was played between The Academy and West Texas on March 10, 1894, resulting in a victory for San Antonio Academy’s team of eleven with a score of 12 to 10.

Franz C. Groos (Class of 1894) made the very first touchdown in the very first game for the San Antonio Academy football team.

1911 The realities of war were brought vividly home by the death of Louis Jordan, San Antonio Academy Class of 1911, former captain of the University of Texas football team. Louis was killed in action on March 5, 1918. He was the first Academy graduate to die in action and the first Texas officer to die in France.

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In the 1890’s and early 1900’s Academy grads distinguished themselves at schools such as Harvard, Penn, Princeton and University of Virginia, where they were often recognized for their integrity, scholarship and leadership. In those days, graduates presented letters of recommendation to universities and were accepted, based on the endorsement of Dr. Seeley.

Accordingly, in September 1898 Col. W.T. Frost, the Texas Ranger who founded the bank that bore his family’s name, wrote to his wife, telling her about his trip to Princeton:

“Dear Mama, I have not written to you for a few days for the reason I have been giving to the boys all the time I was able to stand trying to get them well situated here and prepared for work. So far as I can judge no one is more favorably situated nor introduced than our sons.

I can tell you of our trip more satisfactorily when I get home. We called at Dr. Woodrow Wilson’s last night and the boys presented their letter from Dr. Seeley.”

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In 1898, The Seeley School moved to North Flores on the edge of San Pedro Park, and in the 1890s a boarding program was added to accommodate first, ranch farmers and then, families from Mexico. For an entire century, Academy boys enjoyed a privilege shared by no other school in Texas: that of being across the street from San Pedro Park.

The fresh air, large open athletic fields and lush canopy of trees accompanied by the largest outdoor artesian spring in the state, created a landscape that was said to have directly attributed to the boys’ good health and mental fortitude.

In 1906, Dr. Seeley’s involvement at San Antonio Academy came to a close as the pulmonary issues that had brought him all the way from New Jersey to Texas set the stage for a new chapter in San Antonio Academy history, a chapter written over the next 80 years.

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The Bondurant Family Legacy Dr. William Walton Bondurant, a young professor of Greek and Latin at Austin College, purchased The Academy in 1906. Professor Bondurant added new faculty, continued to raise the academic standards of the school, and added a junior school to ensure that boys were well-prepared for the rigors of the high school.

In 1919, after World War I, Americans were very aware of the need for early military training. Professor W.W. Bondurant called upon his nephew, Lieutenant William Thomas Bondurant, who had served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in France and had studied French at The Sorbonne University in Paris, to “join him amid the bluebonnets and rattlesnakes,� ushering in the first military program at San Antonio Academy. While leading the cadet corps, Lt. Bondurant also taught history, English and military science.

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Future years saw the merger of San Antonio Academy’s senior department and Texas Military Institute. In 1926, Professor Bondurant (also known as Dr. Bondurant in recognition of an honorary Doctor of Literature degree given to him in 1924

by Austin College) became the Chairman of the Board at San Antonio Academy and TMI. The newly-promoted Lieutenant Colonel Bondurant became president of the two Boards.

In 1949, another Bondurant joined the faculty as a math teacher. Lieutenant Bondurant’s son, Professor William Thomas Bondurant, Jr., was a 1939 alumnus of San Antonio Academy, and went on to graduate from Hampden-Sydney in Virginia and serve in the U.S. Navy. “Colonel B,” as his students lovingly called him, ultimately went on to lead San Antonio Academy as its Headmaster until 1985, and then served as Headmaster Emeritus following his retirement. Colonel B served as a father figure to generations of Academy boys. His passing in 2009 closed the Bondurant chapter, which has left an indelible mark on San Antonio Academy.

“The joy is watching these little guys come in kinder and then, years later, watching them walk across the stage and graduate…and just knowing that you were a part of it. Great teaching is love. Love is that which gaineth love.”

—Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr.

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Academy Alumni San Antonio Academy alumni are a source of great pride and strength for our school, and they serve as role models for today’s students.

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Photograph from the Tex Hill: Flying Tigers Collection at the San Antonio Academy Museum.

The San Antonio Academy Museum was created in 2006 to celebrate the school’s rich history and to provide a living record of its relationship to individuals, families and institutions throughout South Texas and the United States.

Notable Alumni From a legendary World War II Flying Tiger to one of the 12 men who walked on the moon, San Antonio Academy’s alumni have made their mark in history.

Many young men have called the halls of San Antonio Academy their home. Among them are some of the best known leaders in South Texas and beyond. Those men include Founder of La Quinta Inns, Sam Barshop’43; Senior Chairman of Frost Bank, Tom Frost ’41; CEO of Silver Ventures, Christopher “Kit” Goldsbury ’57; the late World War II Flying Tigers legend, Brigadier General David Lee “Tex” Hill ’28, whose persona was portrayed by none other than John Wayne in the movie Flying Tigers; Apollo Astronaut David Scott ’46; Congressman Lamar Smith ’61; and nationally-renowned cardiologist, James T. Willerson’53.

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Sam Barshop | Class of 1943 Founder and former CEO, La Quinta Inns, Inc. Sam is the founder and former CEO of La Quinta Inns Inc. and is currently the Chairman of Barshop & Oles, a company that has played a prominent role in high-profile real estate development in Central Texas during the last two decades.

Barshop has served on the University of Texas System Board of Regents, as well as the development boards of the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Barshop is a past Director of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and he is an inductee in both the San Antonio and the Texas Philanthropy Hall of Fame. He also received the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award in 2009.

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Tom Frost | Class of 1941 Senior Chairman, Frost Bank Tom has served as the Senior Chairman of Frost National Bank & Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. He has received many awards, including: the People of Vision Award from the Texas Society to Prevent Blindness, the Humanitarian Award from Centro del Barrio, the South Texan of the Year Award from the Texas Association Business and Chambers of Commerce, the Order of the Aztec Eagle Award from the San Antonio-Mexico Friendship Council, the Benefactor of the 2000 Community Award from the City of San Antonio, the Boysville’s Arthur O’Krent Humanitarian Award, the Colonel W. T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award and the San Antonio Academy Distinguished Alumni Award.

For more than twenty years Mr. Frost has served as Chairman of San Antonio Academy’s Advisory Council.

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Christopher “Kit” Goldsbury | Class of 1957 CEO, Silver Ventures Prior to founding Silver Ventures, Goldsbury was Chairman/ CEO of Pace Foods, Inc., which was the producer of Pace Picante Sauce. Under his leadership, sales soared and the work force grew to over 475 associates. Goldsbury sold Pace Foods, Inc. to Campbell Soup Company in January 1995. Through the Goldsbury Foundation, Kit has been involved in numerous local organizations including City Year San Antonio and San Fernando Cathedral and has funded the construction of the fivestory David Christopher Goldsbury Center for Children and Families at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital.

Goldsbury was the 2004 Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award Recipient.

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David Lee “Tex” Hill | Class of 1928 World War II Flying Tiger Tex was a member of the famous Flying Tigers during World War II, where he fought in Burma, China and Thailand, and was credited with 12-¼ aerial victories. The American Volunteer Group was made famous in the 1942 film, Flying Tigers.

Brigadier General Hill received many awards including: The Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross (4), and the Order of the Cloud and Banner.

Tex Hill was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1968. In 1999, he was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame located at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas.

In 2002, Tex was awarded an honorary lifetime member of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary with a squadron of the Civil Air Patrol named in his honor—the Tex Hill Composite Squadron, of San Marcos, Texas (SWR-TX-435).

In 1987, BG Hill received the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award and the San Antonio Academy Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004 (posthumous).

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David Scott | Class of 1946 Apollo Astronaut Scott was selected as an astronaut in October 1963. In 1966, he and command pilot Neil Armstrong were launched into space on the Gemini 8 mission, where they performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space. Scott went on to serve as command module pilot for Apollo 9, was designated backup spacecraft commander for Apollo 12 and was spacecraft commander of Apollo 15.

Scott has received many awards including: two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Force Association’s David C. Schilling Trophy and the Robert J. Collier Trophy in 1971. He is only one of three Astronauts who have flown both earth orbital and lunar Apollo Missions.

He was the first recipient of the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award in 1977.

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Lamar Smith | Class of 1961 United States Congressman Congressman Lamar Smith has represented the residents of the 21st Congressional District since 1987. The respected magazine, National Journal, has named Congressman Smith one of the 100 most influential people in Washington, D.C. Congressman Smith serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property of the House Judiciary Committee.

In 2003, Lamar was selected by the Speaker of the House to be a member of the new Select Committee on Homeland Security. In 2004, Representative Smith was elected to the House Republican Steering Committee to represent Republican Members of Congress from Texas. The 29-member House Steering Committee appoints members and chairmen of committees.

In 2008, Lamar Smith was selected by his colleagues to lead House Republicans on the Judiciary Committee. As the Ranking Republican Member, he has served as a spokesman for the party and helped shape committee policy. Representative Smith has been Chairman of three of the Judiciary Committee’s five subcommittees: Intellectual Property, Crime, and Immigration.

Smith was the 2008 recipient of the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award.

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James T. Willerson | Class of 1953 President, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dr. Willerson, a nationally renowned cardiologist, was named President of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2001. Dr. Willerson has been involved in various positions over the years with the National American Heart Association and the NIH Cardiovascular and Renal Study Section. He has received the Award of Merit from the American Heart Association. Dr. Willerson has served as the Editor of Circulation, the major publication of the American Heart Association, since 1993 and has edited or co-edited nineteen textbooks and published over 700 scientific articles.

Dr. Willerson was the 2002 recipient of the Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Sr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award.

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1905

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1937–50s

Evolution of the Academy Seal

1905 The school’s newspaper, The Academy Record, incorporated the SAA letters in an inverted triangle format followed by a second triangle marking the date of each issue.

1915 The “SAA” letters were intertwined to create one of the first known insignias to represent San Antonio Academy, found here adorning the athletic team flag.

1922 Making its first appearance in the early 1920s, The Seal metamorphasized into the familiar oval shape and color scheme San Antonio Academy employs today.

1926 “The Academy Shield” was the first effort to officially brand San Antonio Academy. The new symbol was circulated onto stickers to place on cars and baggage so that the “whole world would know that we come from the greatest school in Texas!”

In spirit of the brand, a fight chant was composed: Academy Blue! Academy White!

Academy, Academy, Fight! Fight! Fight! That was the prayer on the football field, urging our warriors to lead our colors onward to victory. The Blue represents our courage and fearlessness to fight for the right cause, and the White stands for our “open and above board” way of doing things.

1937–50s This logo was a reflection of the melding of the two schools, San Antonio Academy and West Texas Military Institute (TMI). In 1952, San Antonio Academy returned TMI to the Episcopal Church and operated for the first time as an independent junior school.

1950s–Present Written by Col. W.T. Bondurant, Jr., San Antonio Academy’s current seal embodies the Latin phrase: EX SCIENTIA ET AMICIS SAPIENTIA VENIT, meaning: “From Wisdom and Knowledge Comes Friendship.”

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Present

Generations For over a century, San Antonio Academy has educated multiple generations of Academy boys.

In honor of these families, the San Antonio Academy Alumni Council introduced a new tradition, The Blue Bonnet Legacy, consisting of families whose sons have attended San Antonio Academy for four or more generations.

These generations of proud Academy alumni include the Frost, White, Altgelt, and Steves Families.

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Acquired by the Peacock Military Academy in the 1970s, the San Antonio Academy cannon has become part of our school’s rich history.

The cannon continues to symbolize the patriotic virtue, Love of God and Country, that The Academy embodies today.

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Today at the Academy Since the school’s founding, The Academy has remained faithful to its traditions and values and continues to graduate young men of character, teaching them how important it is to be honest…be kind…and be the best they can be.

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The Academy’s traditions and values are put into practice each and every day of school, beginning with morning Chapel, where 340 boys raise their hands to salute the flag, and lift their voices to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Chapel has been an integral part of San Antonio Academy since its beginning. In those days, boys gathered in a large classroom to hear a daily inspirational message. Today, Chapel includes a multi-media, interactive format where the Head of School has created his own signature style of delivering encouraging words to our student body, making San Antonio Academy’s morning ritual anything but routine.

Chapel teaches valuable life lessons, and San Antonio Academy’s leadership program encourages boys to become leaders by putting their values into practice in their daily lives and by setting a good example. Dating back to the early1900s, The Academy’s military program was established after World War I when the need for early military training was first realized. For years, cadets have been well known in the community for participating in citywide events, establishing cherished traditions that San Antonio Academy continues to this day.

Known more commonly today as a leadership program, The Academy’s limited military program has evolved into an opportunity for boys to acquire leadership skills and learn the principles of teamwork while maintaining the esprit de corps that comes from working together to achieve common goals.

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Another time-tested Academy attribute is the rigorous academic program, which continues to place San Antonio Academy in a position of strength. Academically, student performance on national testing, including the SAT, the college entrance test, has placed The Academy on the national stage, and the students’ Stanford Achievement Test scores have been among the top in the nation. As a result, San Antonio Academy graduates go on to excel in high school, both locally and at some of the nation’s top preparatory schools including McCallie, Andover and Deerfield.

While achievement scores validate the strength of our academic program, the boys of San Antonio Academy shine in many areas. Academy boys love to perform Shakespeare, debate, sing, create works of art, win regional math competitions, excel in national Spanish testing and help others through community service. Academy boys also stand out on the playing field, where the Wildcats have won numerous championships, including 14 in basketball during the last 16 years. Although winning is important, sportsmanship remains our top priority.

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San Antonio Academy’s participation in the citywide Fiesta parades can be traced back to 1938. Today, The Academy’s Honor Guard plays a significant role during the Battle of the Flowers parade by placing floral wreaths on the sacred ground in front of the Alamo. The wreaths symbolize the soldiers who were killed during the Battle of The Alamo.

Demonstrated Outcomes • In 2011, the 24 Academy 7th graders who took the SAT, the college entrance exam, under the aegis of the Duke TIPS program, scored, as a group, 154 points higher than the national average for the 36,400 select seventh graders who took the test.

• Seventeen Academy 7th graders are State-Recognized on the SAT, and two students are Nationally-Recognized, one with a quantitative score of 700.

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• In 2011, eight San Antonio Academy seniors won merit scholarships to top-tier local and out-of-state prep schools.

• During the past ten years, more than 70 Academy boys have been appointed to or elected to more than 90 leadership positions at their high schools.

• Recent college selections for Academy graduates include Cornell, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Texas A&M, TCU, UCLA, West Point, UT Austin, Vanderbilt, Washington University and Lafayette.

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Through the years many teachers and school leaders have worked hard to ensure that The Academy would continue to prepare young men for success in life.

From Dr. Seeley, the Bondurant family, Prof. Giambruno, Coach Burke and their peers, to current school leaders and faculty members like Barry Bradley, Luisa Bolen, Cathy Cummins, Karl Graf, Drew Kennedy, Brendan Moore, Sue Plaunt, Mary Davis Wilde and John Webster, generations of teachers have dedicated their lives to the young men in their care.

John Webster “Second Century” Headmaster In the early 1980s, Colonel W.T. Bondurant, Jr. sensed a growing need to supplement the Bondurant administration with someone younger to lead the school into its second century. The search would lead them to a young New Jersey teacher, John Webster, who was serving as the Admissions Director of a prestigious college preparatory school, The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Convinced that John was the right fit but aware of John’s hesitation, Colonel Bondurant paid him a visit in Chattanooga and sealed the deal with a firm grip on John’s shoulder stating, “I just want you to come to San Antonio and take a look, my boy.” John Webster later notified the Board of his decision to become the next Headmaster, and the new era began.

Over the next two decades, John’s energy and enthusiasm helped transform “Guyland” into the exemplary school it is today. Under his continued leadership, Academy boys have excelled at being honest, being kind, and being the best they can be.

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The Academy’s Future

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From the beginning, a Bright future As our school celebrates its 125th anniversary, The Academy is ready to continue carrying out its mission at the highest level for future generations of Academy boys. San Antonio Academy is strong: • Enrollment is robust as each year there are 200 applicants for 50 new student positions.

• Reenrollment has remained at 96% during the past several years.

• Programs are strong and continue to grow stronger.

• The school operates in the black each year and is debt-free.

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• For the past two years 100% of Academy parents have participated in the Annual Fund. Fewer than 2% of the nation’s independent schools achieve this level of parent participation.

• The Academy’s endowment totals $17 million, giving San Antonio Academy a 2:1 endowment-to-operating budget ratio.

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Campus Master Plan San Antonio Academy stands poised to create a state-of the-art physical plant that will enable our teachers to carry out The Academy’s mission at an even higher level.

In November 2010, the Board of Trustees put the finishing touches on a campus master plan that provides a blueprint for continued excellence. The campus planning process involved all faculty and staff and trustees in creating a vision for The Academy’s future. It is anticipated that the Campus Master Plan will be completed in four phases during the next ten years. The Plan enables San Antonio Academy to carry out its mission at the highest level for the future generations of Academy boys.

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Major Events in Academy History 1886

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Dr. W.B. Seeley founds The Seeley School, a college preparatory school. Opening classes brought thirty boys to 231 East Houston Street, near Travis Park, and by year’s end enrollment increased to sixty-four students.

Frame building of Seeley School replaced by new brick buildings with expanded boarding facilities.

Lieutenant W.T. Bondurant is named Headmaster of San Antonio Academy and holds title until 1943 when, as Col. Bondurant, he is appointed President of The Academy and TMI.

San Antonio Academy becomes non-profit in preparation for accepting tax-exempt gifts for expansion.

John Webster becomes Headmaster in school’s 100th year.

San Antonio Academy enrolls 347 boys, our largest total ever. ISAS reaccredits The Academy for 10 years.

1920 Lieutenant W.T. Bondurant, nephew of W.W. Bondurant, joins faculty as Commandant of newlyformed military program and as instructor in Latin and French.

1888 Seeley purchases land on North Flores at San Pedro Springs and construction begins on residence and school building.

Dr. Seeley is asked to make space in his home for several boarding students.

The Board approves a new Master Campus Plan and a Succession Plan for key employees.

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1988

Graduating class receives notice of acceptance at University of Virginia, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton without entrance exams.

San Antonio Academy is accredited by ISAS, the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, and is accepted into membership by NAIS the following year.

First record of the name change to San Antonio Academy.

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1941

1906 Dr. W.W. Bondurant purchases San Antonio Academy and expands lower school program to include grades two through seven.

Faculty climbs from four to six.

Annual giving totals more than $630,000, exceeding its goal as 100% of trustees, faculty & staff, and 92% of parents make donations.

W.T. Bondurant, Jr. is named President of The Academy and his father, Col. Bondurant, Chairman of the Board.

1926 Upper school grades eight through eleven move to the Alamo Heights campus of West Texas Military Academy, and the San Antonio Academy upper school becomes Texas Military Institute by a vote of students.

Military schools gain popularity and enrollment triples during World War II. Bunk beds are placed in every dorm room.

1952 San Antonio Academy returns TMI to the Episcopal Church and operates for the first time as an independent junior school.

1968 San Antonio Academy moves to 117 East French Place on December 7.

The Academy raises $2.5 million to construct Ellison Hall, a multiuse convocation center.

1998 San Antonio Academy ends its boarding program.

2010 2008 2000 The Board of Trustees approves San Antonio Academy’s Strategic Plan, creating a shared vision for the school.

The Academy’s Board of Trustees raises $3,900,000 to renovate the dormitories, transforming them into eight new classrooms and the Bondurant Library.

2005 Student outcomes earn distinction on the national level.

2006 Annual Giving (monies raised for operating expenses) totals $1 million.

San Antonio Academy receives its first-ever seven figure donations as three separate $1 million gifts are made to the endowment campaign, Honoring our Tradition…

Investing in the Future.

2007 The Academy begins a new cycle of strategic planning.

The Endowment Campaign raises $10.2 million, surpassing its goal.

Pledges will carry the endowment to more than $17 million in five years.

The Board approves a new Strategic Plan that reaffirms San Antonio Academy’s core values and charts a clear course for the next 5–10 years.

The Academy administers the ERB/CTP IV to all 7th and 4th graders in math and reading. Our boys outperform independent school norms in both subjects.

On the first high school report cards for the Class of 2007, there is a positive variance between our boys’ GPA at The Academy and their GPA in high school.

On the first high school report cards for the Class of 2009, 56% of the grades are A’s.

Football returns to The Academy and the varsity squad posts a 6-7 record.

2011 San Antonio Academy achieves 100% parent participation in the Annual Fund for the second year in a row. Fewer than 2% of the nation’s independent schools attain this level.

San Antonio Academy celebrates 125 years of excellence.

Major Events in Academy History 1886

1914

1927

1960

1985

2009

Dr. W.B. Seeley founds The Seeley School, a college preparatory school. Opening classes brought thirty boys to 231 East Houston Street, near Travis Park, and by year’s end enrollment increased to sixty-four students.

Frame building of Seeley School replaced by new brick buildings with expanded boarding facilities.

Lieutenant W.T. Bondurant is named Headmaster of San Antonio Academy and holds title until 1943 when, as Col. Bondurant, he is appointed President of The Academy and TMI.

San Antonio Academy becomes non-profit in preparation for accepting tax-exempt gifts for expansion.

John Webster becomes Headmaster in school’s 100th year.

San Antonio Academy enrolls 347 boys, our largest total ever. ISAS reaccredits The Academy for 10 years.

1920 Lieutenant W.T. Bondurant, nephew of W.W. Bondurant, joins faculty as Commandant of newlyformed military program and as instructor in Latin and French.

1888 Seeley purchases land on North Flores at San Pedro Springs and construction begins on residence and school building.

Dr. Seeley is asked to make space in his home for several boarding students.

The Board approves a new Master Campus Plan and a Succession Plan for key employees.

1894

1988

Graduating class receives notice of acceptance at University of Virginia, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton without entrance exams.

San Antonio Academy is accredited by ISAS, the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, and is accepted into membership by NAIS the following year.

First record of the name change to San Antonio Academy.

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1941

1906 Dr. W.W. Bondurant purchases San Antonio Academy and expands lower school program to include grades two through seven.

Faculty climbs from four to six.

Annual giving totals more than $630,000, exceeding its goal as 100% of trustees, faculty & staff, and 92% of parents make donations.

W.T. Bondurant, Jr. is named President of The Academy and his father, Col. Bondurant, Chairman of the Board.

1926 Upper school grades eight through eleven move to the Alamo Heights campus of West Texas Military Academy, and the San Antonio Academy upper school becomes Texas Military Institute by a vote of students.

Military schools gain popularity and enrollment triples during World War II. Bunk beds are placed in every dorm room.

1952 San Antonio Academy returns TMI to the Episcopal Church and operates for the first time as an independent junior school.

1968 San Antonio Academy moves to 117 East French Place on December 7.

The Academy raises $2.5 million to construct Ellison Hall, a multiuse convocation center.

1998 San Antonio Academy ends its boarding program.

2010 2008 2000 The Board of Trustees approves San Antonio Academy’s Strategic Plan, creating a shared vision for the school.

The Academy’s Board of Trustees raises $3,900,000 to renovate the dormitories, transforming them into eight new classrooms and the Bondurant Library.

2005 Student outcomes earn distinction on the national level.

2006 Annual Giving (monies raised for operating expenses) totals $1 million.

San Antonio Academy receives its first-ever seven figure donations as three separate $1 million gifts are made to the endowment campaign, Honoring our Tradition…

Investing in the Future.

2007 The Academy begins a new cycle of strategic planning.

The Endowment Campaign raises $10.2 million, surpassing its goal.

Pledges will carry the endowment to more than $17 million in five years.

The Board approves a new Strategic Plan that reaffirms San Antonio Academy’s core values and charts a clear course for the next 5–10 years.

The Academy administers the ERB/CTP IV to all 7th and 4th graders in math and reading. Our boys outperform independent school norms in both subjects.

On the first high school report cards for the Class of 2007, there is a positive variance between our boys’ GPA at The Academy and their GPA in high school.

On the first high school report cards for the Class of 2009, 56% of the grades are A’s.

Football returns to The Academy and the varsity squad posts a 6-7 record.

2011 San Antonio Academy achieves 100% parent participation in the Annual Fund for the second year in a row. Fewer than 2% of the nation’s independent schools attain this level.

San Antonio Academy celebrates 125 years of excellence.

Mission San Antonio Academy of Texas offers prekindergarten through eighth grade boys an exceptional academic program that features small classes, a family-like atmosphere, the development of a positive self-image and a foundation for life based upon the love of God and country, integrity and respect for each other.

San Antonio Academy admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

Be honest.

Be kind.

Be the best you can be. 速

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