| The Baldwin School | |
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| Location | |
| Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, All-Girl |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Nonsectarian |
| Established | 1888 |
| Head of School | Sally M. Powell |
| Faculty | 73 full-time, 11 part-time |
| Enrollment | 587 |
| Average class size | 15 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 7 to 1 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Blue and Gray |
| Athletics | Baldwin Bears |
| Athletics conference | Inter-Academic League |
| Mascot | Winnie the Bear |
| Average SAT scores | 2002 |
| Website | www.baldwinschool.org |
The Baldwin School is an all-girls private day school located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The school, founded in 1888 by Florence Baldwin, consists of a Lower, Middle, and Upper School totaling approximately 600 in enrollment. The Baldwin School is located in a national historic site, a 19th century residence designed by Frank Furness that formerly served as a hotel, and is a landmark of the Pennsylvania Main Line.
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In 1888, Miss Florence Baldwin founded "Miss Baldwin's School for Girls, Preparatory for Bryn Mawr College" in her mother's house at the corner of Montgomery and Morris Avenues in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Although the establishment of the school was viewed by many to be a "preposterous extravagance", and any education for girls was considered unnecessary and potentially dangerous in the late 19th century, the first class was composed of thirteen girls.[2]
In 1896, The Baldwin School leased the second Bryn Mawr Hotel during the winter months then year round in 1912. The building was designed by architects Frank Furness and Allen Evans, and in 1922 the school purchased the building and the surrounding 25 acres (100,000 m2) for $240,000. Today the school has added many additions but still manages to maintain the elegance and grandeur of the original building. The original building is known as "The Residence" and is home to the dining hall, art studio, apartments for faculty and staff (formerly the dormitories of the boarding students), music classes and an Early Childhood Center, with renovations completed in 1998, specifically for the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes. A two-story science building opened in 1961 and was enlarged in 1995 to accommodate the increasing number of students. The Upper and Middle Schools inhabit the three-story Schoolhouse, which was built in 1926 and renovated in 1997. Grades 1-5 are housed in a separate building.[3]
The school formally opened a new athletic center on November 8, 2008. The new building has a six-lane swimming pool, gymnasium, three-lane jogging track, 4 squash courts, state-of-the-art fitness center, multipurpose meeting/activity space, and more. It is accompanied by a five new tennis courts, a new practice field, and complements other athletic facilities which pre-date World War II. [4]
$1.5 million in scholarships is distributed annually to 20% of the students, or 120 girls. The average grant awarded was $12,968. [5]
Students of color represent 35% of the student body.[6] The Baldwin School is not religiously associated.
The mission of The Baldwin School includes "developing talented girls into confident young women with vision, global understanding, and the competency to make significant and enduring contributions to the world. The school nurtures our students' passion for intellectual rigor in academics, creativity in the arts and competition in athletics, forming women capable of leading their generation while living balanced lives."
The Class of 2011 boasted 18 girls recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, National Latin Exam medalists, eight college athletes, Society of Women Engineers certificate holders, a community hero award winner and other accomplished young women.[7] The average SATs for the class of 2011 were CR: 660, M: 660, WR:682 (2002 total). [8] This was the higher than any other school in the Philadelphia area.[9]
Baldwin has a extremely high percentage of graduates majoring and working in math and science fields, about 1/3, much greater than the national average for women.
Music
Beginning in Lower School, students play chimes, handbells, guitars, harp and piano, with intrumental ensembles like jazz band and firenze available in the Upper School. In 2011 Middle School Chorus received a rating of 95.6/100 for their performance at Music in the Parks, taking home the First Place Trophy in the Treble Choir division as well as the Overall Performance trophy.
Theater
The 2011 performance of Rumors produced several Cappies nominations, and the Cappie supporting actress role award went to a Baldwin student for Urinetown. The Upper School Maskers Club supports the theater through ushering and advertising.
Visual Art
Off the stage, Baldwin girls explore ceramics, computer graphics, photography, jewelry making, painting and sculpture. Their works are showcased throughout the school, including in the art gallery.
The Baldwin School competes in the Inter-Academic League, most commonly known as the Inter-Ac. Interscholastic varsity sports are: Basketball, Cross-Country, Field Hockey, Golf, Lacrosse, Rowing, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Volleyball, and Indoor Track. Dance is also offered, and students also have the option of Independent PE if they are seriously committed to a sport outside of school such as fencing or ice skating.
In 2011, Baldwin student-athletes captured Inter-Ac titles in tennis and squash. The squash team also won the Mid-Atlantic Squash Association title and placed third at Nationals. Baldwin's crew team medaled at the national Scholastic Rowing Association of America Championship, and its lacrosse team achieved a top-20 ranking in the state and finished 2011 in the top 10% of 2,500+ teams nationwide. [11]
The Baldwin School recently built a new athletic center that features an indoor track, swimming pool, fitness center, dance studio, squash courts, and basketball court. The eco-friendly construction features solar reflective roofing, regionally sourced materials, Energy Star equipment and appliances, and an indoor air quality management system. [12]
Jean Paul Kürsteiner, 1886–1906, music and piano teacher