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HISTORY OF MT. TAMALPAIS ACADEMY

1890
Dr. Arthur Crosby, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, San Rafael, wished to start a college, however he believed that it was essential to begin with a preparatory school and grow the college from the graduates of that school. Dr. Crosby had been very taken with the educational philosophy of Dr. Arnold, headmaster of the great British boys’ school “Rugby”, and was enthusiastic about starting with an academy for boys.

Dr. Crosby and a group of nine other civic-minded men put up the funds to form the Mount Tamalpais Military Academy, “a school which would be of great benefit to this and to succeeding generations," and a charter was granted in the names of: Messrs. William Babcock, Arthur W. Foster, Robert J. Trumbell of San Rafael; Messrs. Robert Dickinson and J.R. Garbol, the Rev. Thomas C. Easton, D.D., of San Francisco; the Honorable E.C. Conklin and Reverend H.C. Minton, of San Jose; Mr. George Goodman, of Napa and Dr. Crosby.

Until this time there had been few families living in Marin. Families vacationed in Marin by taking the ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito, and then taking the train to Mill Valley, Larkspur and San Rafael, but at the end of the vacation they returned to their homes in the City.

An announcement was made to the community about the founding of the school. It was promised that the school would benefit the community by making “it more attractive to desirable people to settle here. It will sell our lots, our water and gas, build homes here, strengthen our churches, and eventually make its mark upon our ferry schedules.”

San Rafael embraced and supported the Academy. Opening enrollment was 21 students. Dr. Crosby was the President. The Academy set up temporarily in Gilbert House at the northeast corner of Fourth and “E” Street.

1891
The Mt. Tamalpais Military Academy purchased and moved into what had most recently
been the Tamalpais Hotel and cottages, property owned by the O’Connor family, south of what is currently Mission Avenue. Enrollment quickly rose to 70 students. What had been the Tamalpais Hotel became “The Barracks” and housed the cadets until the 1920s.

Arthur W. Foster, one of the original members of the Board of Directors, was the President of the North and Pacific Railroad, founder of the Bank of San Rafael and a philanthropist. In 1891 he donated the property in Ross Valley which became the San Francisco Theological Seminary. In that same year, he purchased and donated the O’Connor House (built in 1870), now known as Foster Hall, to the Mt. Tamalpais Military Academy. Foster Hall housed the 8th grade boys on the upper floors and the south-east corner of the ground floor served as the school’s dining room, with a beautiful view of the circle and Mt. Tamalpais. Older boys lived in the five cottages on Cottage Avenue, as well as a sixth cottage on what was called originally called East Street, then 6th Street and is now Mission.

Newell F. Vanderbilt, the youngest of seven children who had been raised in Tomales, enrolled as a student.

1894
Newell Vanderbilt graduated with the Class of 1894.

1906
The curriculum included both cavalry and mounted artillery training, training offered by no other school in the West. Cavalry exercises took place on the parade ground, the side of today’s athletic field. All of the military equipment was provided by the Army on a lend-lease basis. Sports were an important part of the curriculum and the local newspapers carried highlights of the games. Mounted artillery training was added to the school curriculum in 1906

1909
Newell Vanderbilt, ’94, became School Commandant, in charge of all military training.

1915
Dr. Crosby died and Newell Vanderbilt, became President of the School in his place. Although Newell Vanderbilt was quite demanding in his expectations of the boys, he was also very fatherly in his care and attention to them. He read to them regularly in the evening. He also invited any boy who remained at school to eat Christmas dinner with him. Commandant Vanderbilt’s descendants live in Marin County today.

Over the next 10 years students came from all over the world to attend MTMA, both for the military training as well as for the well-respected academic program. Students came from the Philippines, Central and South America, and Asia. Alumni include the son of President Calles of Mexico, and an heir to the throne of Siam. Dr. Crosby’s widow continued to own the school after his death.

1925
Due to decreased enrollment and increased expenses the Board of Directors, who were also each shareholders, sold the Mount Tamalpais Military Academy to Mr. A. L. Stewart, a local businessman. Head of School Newell Vanderbilt was discharged.

Mr. Stewart immediately opened the San Rafael Military Academy on the same site. Concurrently, he also purchased the Hitchcock Military Academy in the Dominican neighborhood however he closed that military academy and re-opened it as a non-military academy boys’ school which he called the Tamalpais School for Boys, to the great consternation of former MTMA Head of School Vanderbilt.

Moving forward with Mr. Stewart’s ambitious plans for expansion, four dormitories were immediately purchased from the Government. They had been erected during World War I and were moved from Mare Island in Vallejo by barge to San Rafael, rolled up Fifth Street and placed around the Circle on either side of Foster Hall. Thacher Hall, our current Science building, sits on the site of one of the former dormitories. The Barracks, formerly the Tamalpais Hotel, was torn down as it was considered by then to be a serious fire hazard.

Students as young as six years old were accepted to the Academy, and many boarding students lived in the cottages on Cottage Avenue in a setting that replicated family life as best as possible.

1926
The Administration Building, now the “BLC” or “Bodie Brizendine Leadership Center”, was built.

1930
The swimming pool and gymnasium, “Gym Classic”, were built.

1932
The football field was constructed on the former parade grounds.

1936
Tennis courts were built on the site of the former stables of MTMA, in back of the “New Gym” across from the swimming pool.

1945
Mr. A. L. Stewart died and Mount Tamalpais Military Academy was part of his estate. A group of dedicated parents and businessmen purchased the property from the Stewart Estate. The new Board of Directors including President Mr. Henry E. Picard and Vice President Mr. Raymond O. Flood transitioned the Academy from a for-profit concern to a non-profit corporation.

1950
Faced with having to close the Academy’s doors due to financial reasons, the Board of Directors saved the school with a major fund raising drive, after which enrollment once again steadily increased. This reprieve lasted but a few years.

1953
Dr. E. M. Hinton became Superintendent of San Rafael Military Academy