About This Collection
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. Thirteen girls were enrolled in the first class. The establishment of the school was frowned upon by many as a "preposterous extravagance" because in the latter part of the nineteenth century the education of a woman still was considered not only unnecessary but also potentially dangerous. Today, as a college preparatory school for girls in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, Baldwin still honors the aims set by Miss Baldwin, adapting them to the needs of today. The Baldwin School Archives collection includes photos, documents, ephemera, and memorabilia, dating from 1888 through the present day. The collection reveals fascinating details about the education of young women in the United States; the history of Bryn Mawr, Philadelphia, and the Main Line; and the architecture of the magnificent 1892 Frank Furness Bryn Mawr Hotel (later the Residence of the Baldwin School).