Later in 1885, citizens of French Camp requested the board of trustees to petition the Presbytery to establish a male school under the same control as Central Mississippi Institute.  The male school, named French Camp Academy opened in September 1856 under the care of Reverend J A Mecklin.  There were so many enrollees, an assistant, Miss Killough from Peabody Normal School, was employed on 23 May, 1887.  The charter of incorporation of the board of trustees of French Camp Academy and signed by Mississippi Attorney General T M Miller.   The board of trustees was listed as Reverend J H Alexander, DD Reverend T L Haman, Reverend A H Mecklin, Reverend J A Mecklin, J A Smith, E W Melvin, S M Shelton, J H Davis, R J Houston, A J Sanderson, J L Power, John Riley, and J W Drane.  After Central Mississippi Institute was destroyed by fire in 1915, the two schools were combined at the present French Camp Academy location.

Honored on this monument are those visionaries who in 1885 under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church established the Central Mississippi Institute for young women and the French Camp Academy for young men.  Honored also are many others, all deceased, who have followed in their footsteps.  These committed servants dedicated their lives to stimulate young people in the love and development of knowledge growth in Christ and the pursuit of moral and academic excellence.  In 1950, French Camp Academy was reorganized and put under the ownership and operation of an incorporated board of trustees representing several denominations.  Today, as an independent academic institution, French Camp Academy, with its strong Presbyterian heritage, is actually interdenominational without ecclesiastical control.  Much has changed at French Camp Academy since 1885, but its commitment remains the same... to create for deserving young people a sound education and the warm and nourishing environment of a Christian family.

PAST PRESIDENTS AND PRINCIPALS OF CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI INSTITUTE AND FRENCH CAMP ACADEMY