St. Johns Military Academy

St. Johns Military Academy in Delafield Wisconsin is one of the few military style boarding schools still in existence. Founded in 1884 as a military college prep. school combining military virtues with Christian principles it is more than just a place for the rich to dump their teenage sons. The school is so good that graduates are qualified for the rank of second lieutenant of infantry in the U.S. Army Officers Reserve Corps. Since the 1800’s the school has awarded an extensive series of prize medals named after each medal’s donor to the outstanding cadets in the various subjects, sports and other areas of school life considered important enough for medallic recognition. Early medals are gold, later medals are partially gold and other metals while the more modern medals that I have seen are base metal. Some medals that I know of are the Precentor’s Medal, the “Precentor” in this usage would have been the Choir Director. The Bloodgood Medal for the year’s best athlete. The Bishop Nicholson Medal for the best grade average in Advanced French, and the Strotz Medal for General Science, illustrated below. Many of these medals have a length of ribbon extending above the brooch which I assume is there so that the medal can be pinned to the uniform during the presentation ceremony and that day is the only day these medals are actually worn.