In 1879, Professor John F. Draughon realized the need for business-trained people. With very little capital, a horse, a wagon and the teaching materials that were available at that time, he founded Draughon's Practical Business College on wheels. He made a monthly circuit of towns in Northern Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky for several years before opening his permanent school in Nashville.

From this humble beginning of his business college on wheels, he started one of the largest chains of business colleges in the nation. His business schools were located in practically every Southern and Western state, including the Oklahoma territory and the Native American territory. At the time of his death in 1921, 38 business schools bore his name. He also established the Draughon‘s Textbook Publishing Company in Nashville, which published all textbooks used in his schools, with the exception of shorthand.

After Professor Draughon‘s death in 1921, many of the business schools he established merged with other schools or went out of business. Draughon‘s Business College in Nashville survived the Great Depression and World War II. After the war, under new management, Draughon's Business College again assumed its role in the community to train secretaries, accountants and other qualified business personnel.

In 1954, the School was accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Business Schools, which was recognized by the United States Office of Education as the accrediting agency for this type of school. In 1978, Draughons was accredited as a junior college of business by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

Draughons Business College was located on 8th Avenue North, between Broad and Commerce streets for more than 100 years of its existence. Construction of the facility at 340 Plus Park Boulevard was started in November 1980, and classes began there on August 3, 1981. As the city of Nashville enters its third century, Draughons Junior College is proud to enter its second century of training students to serve the business and technical community of Middle Tennessee, the state and the nation.

Draughons Junior College established a branch campus in Clarksville, Tennessee during the summer of 1987, and classes began there on September 14, 1987. The Clarksville branch is located in facilities at 1860 Wilma Rudolph Boulevard.

Draughons Junior College established its third branch campus in Murfreesboro, Tennessee during the summer of 2003, and classes began September 29, 2003. In January 2005, classes at the Murfreesboro branch began in a newly constructed school located at 415 Golden Bear Court.

In January 2010, Draughons Junior College became Daymar Institute – a new name, but the same commitment to quality, career-focused training and student success.