From the beginning of when the United States was formed, our nation’s leaders placed great emphasis on the value of a military education. On May 16, 1776, future Secretary of War, Colonel Henry Knox, wrote future president John Adams suggesting that a military school be established in order to educate young men in the ways of the military. In 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a five member committee to formulate a plan for a national military school (Military Schools History).             For many years (circa 1880) ministers, educators, and business leaders were aware of a serious defect in their educational facilities. There were few quality preparatory schools for boys and young men. The public school system was still in the initial stages of development, and they were often unsatisfactory learning facilities.             Many business leaders felt that the solution lay in the founding of quality military preparatory schools, such as Wentworth Military Academy, which was founded in 1880. The evolution of some military schools was gradual, and sometimes prompted by the students themselves, who began to conduct drill and maneuvers with broomsticks. School leaders initiated improved discipline and fitness, which in time led to a formalized military regimen.             At the core of most military schools was the preparation of young people in order to gain admission into our nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities and/or to prepare them for a decorated career in the military. A strong emphasis on education has been the number one priority for military schools since WWII. These programs placed an emphasis on educating the teen’s mind, body, and spirit – in developing the whole student (Wentworth).             After the Vietnam War, the military fell somewhat out of favor with the public, and many military schools failed to keep their doors open. Today, though, the trend has reversed, and military schools have regained their popularity as an effective educational option for many parents.