CMA to be honored by the City of Camden

By: Casey Robinson on Jul 8, 2019 | Categories: General

As Camden Military Academy celebrates 60 years of operations, the City of Camden plans to recognize Camden Military Academy at the July 9, 2019 regularly scheduled meeting.

While CMA’s roots extend back to 1892, CMA has operated on the current campus since the 1958-1959 school year. Colonel James Risher was the owner of Carlisle Military School in Bamberg, SC. Col. Risher operated Carlisle at capacity and had a tremendous opportunity to extend the Carlisle experience to more young men by opening CMA in Camden. Colonel James Risher’s son, Colonel Lanning Risher, opened CMA in 1958. When Carlisle closed in 1977, its records, traditions, and flag were sent to CMA. The academy could hold 230 cadets until 2001 when an additional barrack was built increasing capacity to nearly 300 cadets. CMA’s current headmaster Colonel Boland is only the third headmaster in the history of the academy.

Through the years, there have been numerous aesthetic changes to the campus. However, Col. Boland explains that the physical plant isn’t the focus of CMA, “We invest in the cadets at CMA. New buildings and facilities are nice, but it cannot give the cadets what the people here at CMA can provide. Our faculty and staff are absolutely amazing.”

The public is invited to the recognition and council meeting which begins at 5:30pm at Camden’s City Hall, 1000 Lyttleton Street in Camden.

https://www.cityofcamden.org/government/mayor-and-city-council