Bishop James S. Johnston founds the West Texas School for Boys

Background. James Steptoe Johnston, an Episcopal bishop and educator, founded a school in San Antonio in 1893. He emphasized the need for an educated elite in the region. The institution was intended to provide a classical and Christian education for young men, specifically aiming to train some for Episcopal seminaries, though it remained open to all faiths.

Founding and Naming. The school was initially named "The West Texas School for Boys" but was quickly changed to "West Texas Military Academy." Johnston raised funds from wealthy Episcopalians on the Eastern Seaboard. Allan Lucien Burleson served as the first rector and headmaster, having previously worked at the Shattuck School.

Institutional Context. Johnston was the last bishop of the Missionary Jurisdiction of Western Texas and the first bishop of the Diocese of West Texas. The school became the sole secondary school of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. It was located in San Antonio, a city in southern Texas.

Legacy. The school was popularly nicknamed "West Point on the Rio Grande," though it is not located on the Rio Grande. In 1926, it merged with the upper school of San Antonio Academy and was renamed Texas Military Institute, eventually becoming TMI Episcopal.