Chamberlain-Hunt Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chamberlain-Hunt Academy |
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| Address | |
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124 McComb Ave
Port Gibson
,
Claiborne
,
MS
39150
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| Coordinates | 31°56′45″N 90°59′10″W / 31.94583°N 90.98611°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Private Boarding |
| Motto | Knowledge and Wisdom in Submission to God |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Christian |
| Established | 1879 |
| Closed | 2014 |
| President | Jim Montgomery |
| Dean | Wesley McClure |
| Headmaster | Keith Fraley |
| Teaching staff | 8 |
| Grades | 7-12 |
| Gender | Male (coeducational until 2002) |
| Enrollment | 4 (2014) |
| Average class size | 5 |
| Language | English |
| Campus size | 174 acres (70 ha) |
| Athletics conference | MAIS |
| Sports | Soccer, Basketball, Track, Cross-Country, Golf, and Tennis |
| Team name | Wildcats |
| Accreditation | SACS, MAIS |
Chamberlain-Hunt Academy was a boarding school in Port Gibson, Mississippi. It was founded in 1830 as Oakland College. The school closed its doors in 2014.
The school's campus had buildings in the Georgian Revival style. This campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
History of Chamberlain-Hunt Academy
Founding and Early Years
Oakland College was started in Lorman, Mississippi, in 1830. It was founded by Reverend Jeremiah Chamberlain and the Presbyterian Church in Mississippi. The college closed during the American Civil War.
Later, in 1879, it reopened nearby in Port Gibson, Mississippi as Chamberlain-Hunt Academy. Money for the new school came from selling the old Oakland campus. The State of Mississippi bought the campus for $40,000. They used it to create Alcorn A&M College. This was the first land-grant college for African Americans in American history. Today, Alcorn State University is still at that original location.
The new school was named after Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Chamberlain (1794-1851). He was the founder of Oakland College. It was also named after Mr. David Hunt (1779-1861). He was a wealthy plantation owner who had given a lot of money to Oakland College. It is important that the old Oakland campus, which David Hunt helped build, became a place for African Americans to get a higher education. Alcorn State University continues this legacy today.
Some of the first teachers at Chamberlain-Hunt Academy came from Davidson College. This college was also founded by Presbyterians. The school's classes prepared students for college.
Changes Over Time
In 1915, Chamberlain-Hunt Academy became a military prep school. It was a traditional boys' military school until 1971. That year, girls were allowed to attend, and the military rules became much less strict.
In 1996, people from French Camp Academy bought Chamberlain-Hunt Academy. They decided to make it an all-male, all-military, and mostly boarding school again. They invested a lot of money into improving the school's buildings. In 2014, a new owner bought the campus and its historic buildings.
Chamberlain-Hunt was known as a regional boarding school. Most students came from families living along the Mississippi River. This included areas from Memphis to New Orleans. Many students also came from farming families in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Some students in the 1970s were even descendants of the original founders of Oakland College.
The teachers at Chamberlain-Hunt were ready to teach students with different skills. They helped students get into top colleges. They also gave a good education to students who might not have been as strong academically. The school began accepting African American students in the late 1980s. For many years, Chamberlain-Hunt helped train future leaders.
Accepting Female Students
In 1971, the school started accepting female students. This change likely happened because public schools were ending racial segregation.
Chamberlain-Hunt Academy stopped accepting female boarding students in 2002. However, girls could still attend as day students until 2005. After that, the school stopped accepting any new girls. In the 2004-2005 school year, there were 8 female students.
School Reorganization and Closing
The school faced challenges in the 1990s. Enrollment dropped to only 22 students at one point. In 1996, French Camp Academy, another Christian boarding school, took over. This saved Chamberlain-Hunt from closing. Even so, Chamberlain-Hunt continued to run on its own. At that time, about 40% of its students were from ethnic minority groups.
In 2004, on its 125th birthday, Chamberlain-Hunt Academy held a special event. It took place at nearby Alcorn State University. U.S. Senator Trent Lott was a special guest.
The school officially closed in July 2014. Before closing, the school was trying to change. It was moving from a military school to a college preparatory school. This change was meant to attract more students.
Academics and Affiliations
Chamberlain-Hunt Academy was part of several important educational groups. These included:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
- Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS)
- Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
- Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS)
- Association of Classical Christian Schools
Notable Alumni of CHA
Many successful people attended Chamberlain-Hunt Academy. Here are a few:
- George Henry Clinton (Class of 1885): He was a member of the Louisiana State Legislature. He was also a chemist and lawyer.
- Happy Foreman: A professional Major League Baseball player.
- Ken Kercheval (born 1935): An actor famous for playing Cliff Barnes in the TV show Dallas.
- John M. Parker: He served as the governor of Louisiana from 1920 to 1924.
- Major General Martha Trim Rainville: The first woman in history to be a state Adjutant General for the National Guard.
- Donald Scott (1894-1980): A U.S. Army officer. He competed in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic games. He was a champion runner in college. Scott Field at Mississippi State University is named after him.
