Reenactment of the Broom Drill, 1914. PMC alumni annually reenact the event that, according to school lore, prompted Theodore Hyatt to begin military training in 1858.
Pennsylvania Military Preparatory School, 1916-1956. Frank K. Hyatt becomes vice-principal of the newly established prep school for students aged 12 to 16. The following year, Hyatt Hall is purchased to provide housing for these students. This...
Polo Program Adds to School’s Reputation. Cadets play polo as an intercollegiate sport between 1923 and 1948. The team wins the National Intercollegiate Indoor Championship in 1943.
Charles Hyatt’s Funeral Procession, 1930. Legend tells us that college photographer Arthur V. Knott takes a picture of cadets training with cannons and fixed bayonets but fails to develop the film. Later, when Gen. Hyatt dies, Knott photographs...
Frank Hyatt, President 1930–1952. A professor of mathematics and instructor in cavalry, Frank Hyatt becomes president 2 weeks after his father’s death. During his tenure, the school changes dramatically, expanding both its physical plant and...
At the Movies, 1933. PMC cadets attend a private showing of The Sign of the Cross at the Stanley Theatre, courtesy of the film’s director, Cecil B. DeMille.
Typical Small Class, c. 1940. Class size begins increasing as a result of higher enrollments in the early 1940s. This growth coincides with the country’s preparations for World War II, when PMC offers a shortened war curriculum specifically to...
Veterans Admitted. Following passage of the G.I. Bill, PMC begins enrolling World War II veterans, either as commuter or boarding students. Veterans are the first non-cadet students ever to attend PMC. The first class of civilian veterans begins...
First Issue of The Dome Published, 1947. Veterans and cadets work together to start a new campus newspaper, named for the landmark dome on top of Old Main.
Admission Policies Begin to Change. Admitting nonresident cadets increases the enrollment of local students, diversifying the student body. It paves the way for the admission of civilian boarding students, civilian nonresident students, and finally...
Pershing Rifles Drill Team Begins, 1952 . PMC is granted a charter in the National Society of Pershing Rifles as Company Q, Fifth Regiment (Co. Q-5). In their first competition in 1953, Co. Q-5 wins 2 of the 3 first-place trophies. In 1959, they...
