Carolina Military Academy
An Alumni Association
Historical Timeline
This Page Will Be Used To Keep A Historical Timeline For The Association And Will Be An Ongoing Work In Progress.........
Carolina College was a Methodist college and preparatory school for women which operated in Maxton, North Carolina, from 1912 until 1926. In the fall of 1926, the school failed to reopen due to financial difficulties.
The property was subsequently sold to Presbyterian Junior College (which later became St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina) and then to Carolina Military Academy. A 1973 fire in the main building of the then-closed Carolina Military Academy apparently destroyed all of the official records of Carolina College. Contents of a cornerstone laid in the main building in 1909 are available in the North Carolina State Archives. (reprinted with the premission of the Methodist University Archives, the entire article as well as the photo collection may be seen by clicking on the links below.)
The official story as regards CMA Alumni Association beginnings is:
Frank Lea used to come to Charleston a good bit. Once about 17 years ago he mentioned that "we" (Lea, Digger Lemacks, and Shark) should do something about having a CMA reunion. We talked about it a few times but nothing ever came about it.
Frank Lea III Tommy "Digger" Le Macks Melvin "Shark" Roberts Marshal Baker
One year a few years later....we all met at Frank Lea's beach house along with Marshall Baker CMA'63.
Lea gave out a few names for each of us to call....but no one ever called anyone as other things always kept us busy. Then it happened...lea promised to fund up to, I think, $20.00 in phone long distance charges if Tommy & I would do the phoning. Tommy came by my house one COLD Sunday morning & from there we opened my annual and "tried" to call the cadets using the home towns listed in the annual. We must have called 25--30 maybe more, cadets & never once got anyone! If I remember right....I did get one, Frank Sossamon. He wasn't home so I left a message. He doesn't remember that. In any event...we tried a second time and finally reached one guy...then another & another, etc. Each cadet knew how to reach an old friend or room mate & the chase was on. We were greatly encouraged as each cadet was extremely excited about our forthcoming reunion.
We ended up with about 95 or so CMA boys & girls & teachers! Our first reunion was HUGE. Each one since has been smaller. While I don't think that we will ever get back to the big numbers of our first & second reunions...I would like to see us begin to grow our attendance by using class agents. These cadets would reach out to their particular classes & encourage them to "come home".
Tommy "Digger" Le Macks was a big help in formulating a plan to put the reunion on. Every one that left that first reunion at Litchfield Beach left happy and looking forward to the next one.
The Carolina Military Academy Alumni Association 1st Reunion 2003, Litchfield Beach SC
Fire at Carolina Military Academy Campus - The Laurinburg Exchange - Friday June 9, 1973
