La Salle Military Academy
Encyclopedia
La Salle Military Academy was a Catholic school with middle school
/junior high school and high school
divisions located in Oakdale, New York
. It closed in 2001, and the school's extensive campus is now owned by St. John's University, New York.
The school was founded by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
, or "Christian Brothers" (sometimes called the "De La Salle Brothers," having been founded by St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
in France
in the 17th century as an organization of Catholic men under vows dedicated to teaching; the term "De La Salle" brothers distinguishes them from the Irish Congregation of Christian Brothers
and other, similarly named and purposed groups).
The school was actually founded in Westchester, New York in 1883 as Westchester Institute. Soon thereafter, the school relocated to Clason Point
in the Bronx, New York, and was renamed Clason Point Military Academy. In 1926, the school purchased the estate of Frederick Gilbert Bourne
, of the Singer sewing machine company
, which featured a 110-room mansion, Indian Neck Hall
, overlooking Great South Bay
, Long Island
(the building had been designed by Ernest Flagg
).
The Christian Brothers administered the academic program, while the military program was run by the United States Army in close coordination with the Christian Brothers. La Salle was consistently rated in the top ten military high schools in the country, and many of its cadets were nominated and accepted to the country's military academies.
The school had extensive boarding facilities and attracted many sons of the wealthiest Catholic families in the northeastern United States
. In the mid-1990s, the school decided to begin admitting girls as well as non-military students.
Alumni include numerous famous people, including Hollywood movie director John Frankenheimer
, former New Hampshire Governor and White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu
, former Nicaraguan President and dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle
and male members of his family, and former U.S. Congressman from New York John M. Murphy (1965 graduation speaker). It also had a large New York mafia family patronage, including sons of the Gambino crime family, as well as Alois Pfister Gonzalez, Forbes 100, from Mexico.
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
/junior high school and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
divisions located in Oakdale, New York
Oakdale, New York
Oakdale is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 8,075 at the 2000 census. Oakdale is in the Town of Islip.- History :...
. It closed in 2001, and the school's extensive campus is now owned by St. John's University, New York.
The school was founded by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
, or "Christian Brothers" (sometimes called the "De La Salle Brothers," having been founded by St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle or John Baptist de La Salle was a priest, educational reformer, and founder of Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the 17th century as an organization of Catholic men under vows dedicated to teaching; the term "De La Salle" brothers distinguishes them from the Irish Congregation of Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
and other, similarly named and purposed groups).
The school was actually founded in Westchester, New York in 1883 as Westchester Institute. Soon thereafter, the school relocated to Clason Point
Soundview, Bronx
Soundview is primarily a residential neighborhood geographically located in the South Central section of the Borough of The Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 9...
in the Bronx, New York, and was renamed Clason Point Military Academy. In 1926, the school purchased the estate of Frederick Gilbert Bourne
Frederick Gilbert Bourne
Frederick Gilbert "Commodore" Bourne was President of the Singer Manufacturing Company between 1889 and 1905. He made the business "perhaps the first modern multinational industrial enterprise of any nationality." Bourne greatly expanded global production as well as international sales of the...
, of the Singer sewing machine company
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
, which featured a 110-room mansion, Indian Neck Hall
Indian Neck Hall
Indian Neck Hall was a country residence of Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Located on the Great South Bay in Oakdale, New York, it was reputed to have been the largest estate on Long Island when it was built in 1897. The Georgian-style home was designed...
, overlooking Great South Bay
Great South Bay
Great South Bay is a lagoon situated between Long Island and Fire Island, in the State of New York. It is approximately long. It's protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Fire Island, a barrier island, as well as the eastern end of Jones Beach Island and Captree Island.Robert Moses Causeway adjoins...
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
(the building had been designed by Ernest Flagg
Ernest Flagg
Ernest Flagg was a noted American architect in the Beaux-Arts style. He was also an advocate for urban reform and architecture's social responsibility.-Biography:...
).
The Christian Brothers administered the academic program, while the military program was run by the United States Army in close coordination with the Christian Brothers. La Salle was consistently rated in the top ten military high schools in the country, and many of its cadets were nominated and accepted to the country's military academies.
The school had extensive boarding facilities and attracted many sons of the wealthiest Catholic families in the northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. In the mid-1990s, the school decided to begin admitting girls as well as non-military students.
Alumni include numerous famous people, including Hollywood movie director John Frankenheimer
John Frankenheimer
John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...
, former New Hampshire Governor and White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu
John H. Sununu
John Henry Sununu is a former Governor of New Hampshire and former White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush. He is the father of John E. Sununu, a former senator from New Hampshire, and formerly a U.S. Representative...
, former Nicaraguan President and dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle was a Nicaraguan leader and officially the 73rd and 76th President of Nicaragua from 1 May 1967 to 1 May 1972 and from 1 December 1974 to 17 July 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was de facto ruler of the country from 1967 to 1979...
and male members of his family, and former U.S. Congressman from New York John M. Murphy (1965 graduation speaker). It also had a large New York mafia family patronage, including sons of the Gambino crime family, as well as Alois Pfister Gonzalez, Forbes 100, from Mexico.