Military Day.

On Saturday, May 3rd, I decided to visit my high school. My high school experience was different than most people's because I went to a boarding school. Additionally, it was a military boarding school. Despite the horror stories I have to tell, I do hold an affinity for Lyman Ward in my heart. Lyman Ward annually holds a "Military Day" on the first Saturday of May. It's basically an open-house and alumni reunion all in one. The cadets throw a parade, and there's a "military ball" which is the school's version of a prom. It sounds silly, but it's really neat.

Anyway, this year was very special to me for a number of reasons. First and foremost, this was my first Military Day as an alumni. Also, it was great to see my school still open. Last year, the school's president was all but giving up on Lyman Ward. Enrollment was dwindling and the school was in the middle of a financial crisis. Furthermore, the administration was doing next to nothing to try to reverse the school's fortune--no recruitment, advertising, or fund-raising. Luckily, a new president was hired and the school, at least for now, is still open.

I know this isn't really local to Tuscaloosa, but Lyman Ward is the last military boarding school in Alabama. Marion Military Institute is now only a junior college, and has done away with its high school program. It has recently been listed on the National List of Historic Landmarks.