History

James H. Hammond Academy, named for South Carolina statesman, James H. Hammond, was founded in 1965 by a group of citizens in the lower Richland County area of Columbia, South Carolina.  Built on twenty acres of land donated by Lucy Hampton Bostick, the school opened in September 1966 with 230 students who comprised grades first through twelve.  A Board of Directors served as the governing body of the school, with John Adger Manning being the first Board Chairman.  In the early 1970’s, a gymnasium and two Lower School buildings were constructed to accommodate growing enrollment.  In 1989, the Board of Trustees changed the school’s name to Hammond School and voted to adopt a global focus to help prepare students for the larger world they will be entering as adults.