Baylor School
On the 12th of September 1893, thirty-one boys between the ages of ten and seventeen walked through the doors of a small house at 101 McCallie Avenue in downtown Chattanooga. John Roy Baylor, a graduate of the University of Virginia, had been hired by local leaders to establish a college-preparatory school for young men of the city. Each student paid one hundred dollars in tuition to attend this new institution called Baylor's University School of Chattanooga. The first classes were held in an old house that served as both classroom and living space for the initial cohort. By 1900, the school began enrolling young women, though it reverted to an all-male class by 1912. This early period established the foundation for what would become one of Tennessee's most prominent preparatory schools.
In the fall of 1917, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers fought in World War I while Baylor transformed into a military academy accredited by the U.S. War Department. The school remained a military institution until 1971 during the height of the Vietnam War when public support for conflict reached its lowest point. In 1915, philanthropist John Thomas Lupton helped move the school to its current location overlooking the Tennessee River. That campus has since expanded to 690 acres, yet the quadrangle in the center remains unchanged since its original placement. The transition from downtown classrooms to riverside grounds marked a significant shift in the school's identity and physical presence within Chattanooga.
Forty girls known as the Fab 40 entered Baylor School in 1985 after more than seventy years of being exclusively male. Herbert B. Barks Jr., who served as headmaster from 1971 to 1988, oversaw this historic admission that changed the school's demographic composition forever. Scott Wilson graduated from the class of 1975 before becoming headmaster himself in 2009. He retired in 2021 and was succeeded by Chris Angel, a member of the class of 1989. These administrative transitions reflect broader changes in educational philosophy while maintaining the school's core values through decades of leadership evolution.
Baylor has won 286 TSSAA state championships, the most of any school in Tennessee according to records as of December 2024. Brian Gottfried played tennis for Baylor before rising to become the number-three ranked singles player in the world. The school maintains a strong rivalry with McCallie School since its founding in 1905, creating what is now called the oldest rivalry in Tennessee. In 2022, the Red Raiders snapped McCallie's six-game winning streak by defeating them 31-27 at Heywood Stadium. Spirit Week surrounding the annual football game features students wearing red costumes on Red Day, celebrating their school color with themed activities throughout the week.
In 1954, Baylor became one of only thirty-eight secondary schools invited to participate in the Advanced Placement program, being the sole Southern institution selected that year. The school offers twenty-eight advanced placement courses covering mathematics, English, science, history, and language classes including Spanish, French, Latin, German, and Chinese. A two or three-year Research Scholars program guides students through thesis-level research under Ph.D. teaching faculty in engineering, biochemistry, environmental studies, and sustainability fields. Students must sign an honor pledge before every test stating they have upheld both the letter and spirit of the Baylor Honor Code without giving or receiving unauthorized assistance.
The Katherine and Harrison Weeks Science Building opened in 1999 housing biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, forensic science, human physiology, environmental science, genetics, and Lower School science classes. The Roddy Performing Arts Center contains a 148-seat black box theater equipped with state-of-the-art Strand Lighting systems plus dance studios, photo studios, screening rooms, and darkrooms. Howalt Hall opened in September 2023 as the newest residential facility housing twenty-four students and two residential life faculty families. Guerry Hall serves as the dining hall since 1931 and underwent recent expansion and modernization efforts during the summer of 2015. These facilities collectively support over one thousand students across grades six through twelve while maintaining historical architectural elements alongside contemporary design features.
Businessman Jo Conn Guild sued to oppose the Tennessee Valley Authority nearly one hundred years ago alongside Wendell Willkie. Hugh Beaumont became famous for playing the father on the classic television show Leave it to Beaver during the 1950s and early 1960s. Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Geoff Gaberino and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Hannah represent athletic excellence achieved by Baylor graduates. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Bill Dedman and Wendell Rawls Jr., along with authors Coleman Barks and Arthur Golden, demonstrate literary achievement among alumni. Current Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly and former governor of Alabama Fob James exemplify political influence wielded by former students who have shaped regional governance and policy decisions throughout history.
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Common questions
When was Baylor School founded and where were the first classes held?
Baylor School opened on the 12th of September 1893 with initial classes held in a small house at 101 McCallie Avenue. The institution began as Baylor's University School of Chattanooga to serve young men from downtown Chattanooga.
Who established Baylor School and what was the original tuition cost for students?
John Roy Baylor, a graduate of the University of Virginia, established Baylor School after being hired by local leaders. Each student paid one hundred dollars in tuition to attend this new institution called Baylor's University School of Chattanooga.
What year did Baylor School begin admitting female students again after decades of exclusivity?
Forty girls known as the Fab 40 entered Baylor School in 1985 after more than seventy years of being exclusively male. Herbert B. Barks Jr., who served as headmaster from 1971 to 1988, oversaw this historic admission that changed the school's demographic composition forever.
How many TSSAA state championships has Baylor School won according to records as of December 2024?
Baylor has won 286 TSSAA state championships, which is the most of any school in Tennessee according to records as of December 2024. This record reflects the school's long history of athletic excellence across various sports programs.
When did the Katherine and Harrison Weeks Science Building open at Baylor School?
The Katherine and Harrison Weeks Science Building opened in 1999 housing biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, forensic science, human physiology, environmental science, genetics, and Lower School science classes. This facility supports over one thousand students across grades six through twelve while maintaining historical architectural elements alongside contemporary design features.