2026-04-23T12:59:57-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://shenandoahstories.org/ Shenandoah Stories https://shenandoahstories.org 2016-05-06T17:29:48-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/32 Shenandoah County Library Massanutten Academy began in September of 1899 when the Virginia Classis of the Reformed Church opened the school in the residence of former US Senator H.H. Riddleberger which had been enlarged to serve as classrooms and the boy’s dormitory. The school was operated by a Board of Trustees that consisted of fifteen members from various religious denominations. They also developed a catalog that emphasized non-sectarian Christian philosophy and was designed to “equip boys and girls for entrance into the best colleges and universities of the land.” The first graduating class, who completed courses in 1902, consisted of three boys and three girls. Howard J. Benchoff was appointed the school’s president in 1905. This began the family’s long standing connection with the school and a wave of changes on campus. The first of these changes was a building campaign that resulted in the construction of school’s most prominent building Lantz Hall. This structure housed classrooms, dormitory space, and a gymnasium. Benchoff also changed the makeup and mission of the school. In 1910 enrollment was limited to men after a so called “incident” with one of the girls. Seven years later, in the midst of the First World War, the academy implemented a military program to train the boys and provide them with discipline. In 1930 the War Department granted the school its own JrROTC unit. Though the military program would come to define the school, the school would remain Massanutten Academy until 1984 when it began using the name “Massanutten Military Academy.” During the early 20th century the school also hosted some of the first Korean students to ever attend classes in the United States. These students and others from across the country often became part of the Woodstock community. Festivals often featured marching cadets who also served as honor guards and escorts during beauty pageants. Through the 1960s the school was considered one of the most prominent in the country. However, starting in the 1980s the student began to attract more troubled students as it became known as a place to send “bad” kids. Recently though this trend has been ending. The Academy still attracts many notable students and plays a large role in the local community though financial issues and declining enrollment continue to affect it, and other military academies across the nation. For more (including 17 images), view the original article. 2016-05-04T15:51:08-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/17 Shenandoah County Library In 1905 Charles D. Zirkle, who was on his deathbed, donated 45 acres of his property to the Virginia Conference of Seven Day Adventist to build a school. Two years later construction began on the main building of what was then the New Market Academy. The next year the school enrolled its first students and changed the name of the institution to the Shenandoah Valley Academy. The first students would graduate from this private, college preparatory school in 1911. By 2008 this number had grown to over 6,000 students. While most of these hail from either Virginia or Maryland, several have come from across the United States and around the globe. Today the 450 acre campus contains a new administration building, a girl’s dorm, and a boy’s dorm. Religious, English, science, mathematics, foreign language, and social science classes are taught. The academy has, and continues to, be a major part of the New Market community and has provided education to many local residents. For more (including 6 images), view the original article.