The history of KMI by Tommy Young

Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow
Try to remember the kind of September when grass was green and grain was yellow
Try to remember the kind of September when you were a tender and callow fellow
Try to remember, and if you remember

Then follow “Try to Remember” from the Fantasticks
Lyrics by Tom Jones

    Follow me through the history of an institution that was more than just a school; an institution that left an indelible mark on more than 11,000 young men and their families; an institution that educated and trained young men to be valuable members of society for 126 years.
    My wife Joyce and I returned to Lyndon in May of 1973 for the final commencement of Kentucky Academy. I had not been back to Lyndon since I graduated in 1959. We were living in Louisiana, but something told me that I had to go to Lyndon. We made a special trip home for the final commencement. There were no cadet MPs giving us directions so after finding a parking place we walked toward the gym. It was strange not to see Cadets in dress uniforms, just students in blazers. At the door to the gym stood a familiar figure, Sergeant Alfred O. Drury, who had been a member of the Military Department when I was a cadet. His comment after 14 years was, “Young, what the Hell are you doing back on campus?” I ignored his remark and said simply, “Good Morning, Sergeant.”
    We were standing at the back of the gym trying to decide where to sit when I felt someone touch my hand. I looked down to see Bart Williams, Black Bart, the nemesis of my Cadet years. He looked at me, gently squeezed my arm and said softly “Welcome Home Mr. Young.”
    I am now retired and live in the house that I left more than fifty-eight years ago to become a K.M.I. cadet. It took a number of years to realize that Bart was right. I had come home.
    That home is now gone. It exists only as a memory for a diminishing number of men. However, what that institution tried to achieve, through the efforts of a highly dedicated staff and faculty, should not be lost to history. The young boys who grew to manhood on the various K.M.I. campuses learned important lessons about life and the world. But more importantly, they learned about themselves. They learned that “Character Makes the Man” is more than just a motto.

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