Allen Academy

History

Allen Academy traces its beginnings to Madison Academy,

founded by Mississippians John H. and Rivers O. Allen in
Madisonville, Texas in 1886. Founded as an elementary and
secondary school for boys and girls, it became Madison College
in 1895 and then Allen Academy in 1896.
The Allen brothers moved their school to Bryan because of the
towns growing rail connections, its central location between
Houston, Waco, Dallas, and Austin, and because they
envisioned their school becoming a preparatory school for the
Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College. Several prominent
citizens of Bryan encouraged the move and helped establish
Allen Academy as a boarding school for boys in 1899. The
school quickly earned a reputation as an outstanding college
preparatory school.

In 1917, thirty years after its founding and with the coming of
World War I, Allen once again adapted to the needs of the
times: military training was added to the academys academic
programs. Over more than 60 years, Allen Academy earned a
reputation unmatched by any other military school in Texas and
unbeaten by any military preparatory school in the nation.
Between 1922 and 1983, Allen Academy and its Corps of
Cadets earned the United States Armys highest rating as an
Honor Military School with Distinction.
In the late 1980s, Allen purchased 40 acres of land on the
corner of Highway 1179 and Boonville Road in Bryan. Given the
social change of the previous two decades, 1986 saw the end
of the Academys military training and by 1988, the school had
returned to its founders original concept of a college
preparatory school for both boys and girls.
The century old dream of our pioneer educators is alive. Allen
Academys heritage is exciting, grand, and epic in triumph.
Mirroring our history, our schools future is one of innovation
and vision.
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