GMS History The History of Greenbrier Military School | Page 32

THE FINAL YEARS 1968 - 1972
As the Vietnam War escalated in the late 1960s, the tide of support for
the military steadily continued to ebb. Young people became more alienated
and demanding, coeducation was coming into fashion once again, and the
whole U.S. culture grew less trusting of government. As the Wikipedia entry
on the closed but once prestigious Staunton Military Academy states: “With
the 1960s came a new generation, geared to permissiveness and
nonconformity. . . . The fallout from Vietnam helped perpetuate an
anti-military sentiment that further eroded enrollments at military schools
throughout the country.” Four (Fishburne, Fork Union, Hargrave, and
Massanutten) of the five Virginia military prep schools that were
Greenbrier’s competitors held on and in fact prosper today (two are coed, one
dropped the Army JROTC), but Greenbrier did not have the finances for
exceedingly lean times. The structure, the physical plant, and the caring
people - all were still there—but the students did not come. In 1970, GMS had
307 cadets, including 54 seniors, 68 juniors, 41 post-graduates, and 14
seventh graders. In 1971, GMS graduated 53 seniors and had 45 juniors and
38 post-graduates, but only 21 eighth graders and six seventh graders. The
total had dropped to 219 cadets. In 1972, although there was a large
post-graduate class of 44, only 35 seniors graduated, fewer juniors were
coming up, and the total of cadets was 170 (Brier Patch, 1972).
Dropping enrollment coincided with the school’s increased debt.
While integration was mandated by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, its Title
VI barred use of federal funds for segregated schools. When the U.S. Army
departed in the spring of 1966, GMS lost money. Although by 1968
(Hefner) the school was maintaining its own military program directed by a
retired U.S. Army colonel who was “following the official protocol,”
cadets and administrators alike felt the lack of a full, active Army staff.
When a building program begun in 1969 ran over the amount donat Y