Baylor School

Last updated

Baylor School
Baylor Logo.jpg
Baylor School Campus 1.jpg
Location
Baylor School
171 Baylor School Road

Chattanooga
,
Tennessee
37405

United States
Information
School type Private, boarding, day
MottoAmat Victoria Curam (Victory Loves Care)
Established1893
CEEB code 430275
HeadmasterChris Angel
Faculty140 teaching faculty
Grades 6 to 12
Gender Coeducational
Enrollment240 boarding (9-12)
525 day (9-12)
355 day (6-8)
1120 total
Average class size15 students
Student to teacher ratio8:1 [1]
Classes offered28 AP Courses Advanced Research Tract
Campus size690 acres (2.8 km2)
Campus typeSuburban
Colors
  Red  ,   Gray  , and   White  
Athletics27 varsity sports
Athletics conference TSSAA
MascotRed Raider [2]
Rivals McCallie (Boys) &
GPS (Girls)
Newspaper Headlines from the Hill
YearbookThe Tower
Endowment$165 million as of 2025
Website baylorschool.org

Baylor School is a private, coeducational college-preparatory school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1893, the school's current campus comprises 690 acres and enrolls students in grades 6 to 12, including boarding students in grades 9 through 12. These students are served by Baylor's 140-member faculty, over two-thirds of whom hold advanced degrees, including nearly 40 adults who live on campus and serve as dorm parents. Baylor has had a student win the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement in math and science and a teacher received the National Siemens Award for Exemplary Teaching.

Contents

For the 2025–26 school year, Baylor enrolled 1120 young men and women for grades 6–12. Boarders comprise 31% of Baylor's upper school student body and originate from 19 states and 18 different countries. 88% of Baylor's coed boarding population hails from North America. Baylor maintains a 1:1 male-to-female ratio across day and boarding enrollment. [3]

Baylor consistently wins the Max Preps Cup for the top overall high school athletics program in Tennessee, including for the 2024-25 year. [4] Baylor has won 286 TSSAA state championships, the most of any school in Tennessee. [5] The school has also repeatedly been named national champion in both men's and women's swimming, by Swimming World magazine. [6]

History

Origins

John Roy Baylor John Roy Baylor.jpeg
John Roy Baylor

Baylor School was founded in 1893 by John Roy Baylor, a graduate of the University of Virginia. He had been hired by leading men of Chattanooga to establish a college-preparatory school for the "young men of the city", and on September 12, Baylor's University School of Chattanooga opened its doors for its first class, a group of 31 boys between ages of 10 and 17, each charged a tuition of $100. [7] These classes were originally held in an old house in downtown Chattanooga, located at 101 McCallie Avenue; the school later moved to a location on Palmetto Street, also in the city. The first classes of the school were all-male; in 1900, the school began enrolling young women, but by 1912 had reverted to having an all-male class. The school did not again admit women until 1985, over 70 years later. In 1915, with the help of philanthropist John Thomas Lupton, Baylor moved to its current location overlooking the Tennessee River. That 30-acre (120,000 m2) campus has since expanded to 670 acres (2.7 km2), but the quadrangle in the center of campus has never moved, marking the location of the heart of Baylor School.[ citation needed ]

Military school

In 1914, World War I broke out in Europe; by the fall of 1917, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers were fighting in the war. In response to the growing need of the United States for honorable, well-educated soldiers, Baylor became a military school, fully accredited by the U.S. War Department. Baylor remained a military school until 1971—the midst of the Vietnam War, when public support for the war was at an all-time low.[ citation needed ]

New headmasters

In 1925, the school began calling itself "Baylor School" in honor of its founder, who died in the following year. The school then named Dr. Alexander Guerry as its second headmaster. He remained in that position from 1926 to 1929, before leaving the school to become chancellor of the University of Chattanooga and then chancellor of The University of the South. His successor was Herbert B. Barks Sr., who remained as headmaster for the next 35 years. His successor was headmaster Scott Wilson, a graduate of the class of 1975. In 2021 Wilson retired. He is succeeded by Chris Angel, Baylor class of 1989. [7]

Rivalries

The school has maintained a strong rivalry with the crosstown boys-only McCallie School ever since McCallie's founding in 1905. Baylor historically had close ties with Chattanooga's Girls Preparatory School, until Baylor began admitting girls in 1985. The two schools are now rivals in girls' athletics.

Finances

Endowment

Baylor's endowment (or net fund balance) is currently $165 million, which includes the standalone $15 million Weeks endowment dedicated to supporting STEM programming and the Baylor Research Scholars program. This endowment is maintained by about 20 trustees and is one of the 30 highest endowments among boarding schools in the United States. [8] On a per-student basis, $165 million divided by 1120 students yields an average value of over $145,000 per student, higher even than several universities such as Babson College, The College of William & Mary, and Rochester Institute of Technology.

Tuition

Baylor's tuition for 2025-2026 is $32,650 for day students, $66,000 for domestic boarding students and $71,250 for international boarding students. [9] For day and boarding applicants, Baylor offers need-based financial aid in addition to merit scholarships via the Baylor Scholarship Program. For day students, Baylor also offers need-based financial aid, and awards the Jo Conn Guild Scholarship for students of exceptional merit. [10] For Baylor's 2015–16 school year, the average boarding student received an aid package worth $27,118; the average day student received an aid package worth $11,096. [9]

Admissions

Academics

Boarding

Athletics

Baylor consistently wins the Max Preps Cup for the top overall high school athletics program in Tennessee, including for the 2024-25 year. [4] Baylor has won 286 TSSAA state championships, the most of any school in Tennessee. [5] Baylor's 1973 football team was named national champions by the National Sports News Service, [17] and both men's and women's swim teams have been named national champions by Swimming World magazine. [18] [19] Brian Gottfried, who played tennis for Baylor and was later inducted into its Hall of Fame, rose after graduating to become the number-three ranked singles player in the world. [20] Baylor's teams are nicknamed the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders. Baylor competes in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association and its varsity sports are:

 

State championships

As of December 2024

State championships [21]
SeasonSportNumber of championshipsYear
Fall Football 21973, 2022
Cross country, boys 81986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008
Cross country, girls 71991, 1995, 1997, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Crew 32007, 2008, 2021
Golf, girls 201995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2021
Soccer, boys 91976, 1979, 1980, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2022
Soccer, girls 111997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2023, 2024
Volleyball 41997, 1998, 2014, 2017
Winter Wrestling, girls 12022
Bowling, boys 12002
Fencing 172000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Swimming, boys 301968, 1972, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020 (tie), 2021, 2022
Swimming, girls 181990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Swimming, combined 311987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Wrestling, boys 191962 (Pre-TSSAA), 1978, 1979, 1981, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025
Wrestling, duals 142001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025
Spring Baseball 52003, 2006, 2018, 2019, 2021
Golf, boys 191988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021
Lacrosse, boys 12010
Softball 141993, 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Tennis, boys 161971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2016
Tennis, girls 131993, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Track & Field, boys 22000, 2002
Track & Field, girls 71997 (Relays), 1998, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Total270

Programs

Campus

Baylor's 670-acre (2.7 km2) campus is located on the banks of the Tennessee River with red-brick buildings scattered around the campus, some almost 100 years old. Some of the buildings and facilities include:

Academic facilities

Art facilities

Residential facilities

Dining facilities

Athletic facilities

Other campus features

Traditions

As an outgrowth of the well-known Baylor/McCallie rivalry, the oldest rivalry in Tennessee, the school week of the football game is referred to as "Spirit Week". [30] During this time, students may forgo wearing the required uniform to wear themed costumes. The most commonly recurring of these themes is "Red Day," typically the Friday of the Baylor/McCallie football game, in celebration of the school's color; students dress in as much red as possible. Prizes are awarded to whichever student is deemed by the school to be wearing the most red.

In 2009 Baylor won the well-known rivalry football game against McCallie for the first time in eleven years, and subsequently won the game against McCallie five more times, from 2009 to 2013. Their most recent win against McCallie was in 2015. (The wins occurred in four regularly scheduled Baylor-McCallie games as well as a TSSAA playoff game.) In 2014, Baylor's streak was cut short when McCallie decided to play at their home field, Spears Stadium. After that, the winning team was usually determined by home field advantage. This was the case until 2017, when McCallie won big against Baylor at Heywood Stadium. Baylor then suffered six straight losses against McCallie on both fields, as well as Finley Stadium in 2020 (they could not play at Spears Stadium due to the COVID pandemic).[ citation needed ] In 2022, the Red Raiders finally snapped the Blue Tornados' six-game winning streak, winning 31–27. The Red Raiders replicated Spirit Week game victories in 2024 and 2025 as well. [31]

Honor code and Honor Council

Baylor students must abide by the rules of Baylor's honor code, established in 1916. [32] Baylor School's honor code is based on the honor code at the University of Virginia. When students enter the school, they sign a pledge: "the Honor System is an understanding among Baylor student that they do not want among them one who will lie, cheat, or falsify information. I understand this principle, and I recognize that I shall be expected to live in accordance with it." After entry to Baylor, before every test, Baylor students sign their name, pledging "I pledge that I have upheld both the letter and the spirit of the Baylor Honor Code, neither giving nor receiving unauthorized assistance on this assessment." Students who are charged with violating the honor code must stand trial with the Honor Council, consisting of two freshmen, three sophomores, four juniors, and five seniors. Punishments for violation of the honor code range from a warning to expulsion.[ citation needed ]

Notable alumni and faculty

Alumni

Baylor alumni excel in a multiplicity of fields. Perhaps the Baylor alum with the most historical significance is businessman Jo Conn Guild, who together with Wendell Willkie sued to oppose the Tennessee Valley Authority nearly one hundred years ago. In the current era, many alumni are noted for their work in politics, including U.S. Ambassador to NATO David M. Abshire, U.S. presidential candidate Thomas J. Anderson, Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson, Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper Jr., current Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly, former Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke, Georgia Congressman Charlie Norwood, and the 48th governor of Alabama, Fob James. Several Baylor graduates have excelled in medicine, including emergency medicine physician Francis M. Fesmire, and psychiatrist Robert Taylor Segraves. A number of Baylor graduates, such as Hugh Beaumont (famous for being the father on the classic 1950s and early 1960s TV show Leave it to Beaver ), have gone on to have notable careers in entertainment. Many Baylor students go on to play sports collegiately and professionally, including Brian Gottfried who reached No. 3 in the world in tennis, World No. 4-ranked tennis player Roscoe Tanner, collegiate and pro golfers Keith Mitchell and Harris English, Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Geoff Gaberino, swimmer Brad Hamilton, Pro Football Hall of Famer John Hannah, College Football Hall of Famer Herman Hickman, and pro football player Jacques McClendon and pro football player David Thomas. Notable alumni involved in journalism and literature include Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists and authors Bill Dedman and Wendell Rawls Jr.; newspaper editors Shelby Coffey III, and Albert Hodges Morehead; and authors Coleman Barks, William E. Duff, and Arthur Golden.

Headmasters

Headmasters through the years include: [33]

References

  1. "Boarding Viewbook". Baylor School. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  2. "About Baylor". Overview. Baylor School. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  3. "Boarding Admission Selectivity Facts" . Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "MaxPreps Names Baylor Top High School in Tennessee". Baylor School. May 8, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Baylor State Championship History". Baylor School. February 22, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  6. Swimming World High School Teams of the Year
  7. 1 2 "Baylor's History". Baylor School. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  8. "Largest Endowments". Boarding School Review. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Tuition and Financial Aid". Baylor School. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  10. "Day Scholarships". Baylor School. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  11. "Baylor School - Selectivity Facts". www.baylorschool.org. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  12. "Admission Events - Private Day & Boarding School | Baylor". www.baylorschool.org. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 30, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "Science, Research, Engineering - Private STEM School | Baylor". www.baylorschool.org. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  15. "Post - Baylor School". www.baylorschool.org. October 9, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  16. "Howalt Hall Dedication Marks New Era for Boarding at Baylor". www.baylorschool.org. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  17. "John Shearer: Remembering with Mike Shuford and Bobby Worthington Baylor's 1st State Football Title 50 Years Ago". December 16, 2023.
  18. "High School Football Database - National Champions". Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  19. "Baylor School: News » News Detail". Archived from the original on January 8, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  20. "Detail - Baylor School". Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  21. "Champions By Sport" (English). Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  22. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Baylor School: 2012 - Winter Issue". Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  25. "Academic Facilities - Baylor School". baylorschool.org. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  26. "John Shearer: Baylor School Finds Forgotten Time Capsule During Trustee Hall Razing". chattanoogan.com. July 17, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  27. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. "Baylor School: Alumni » Welcome". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  29. Milly Rawling, "Baylor School," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture.
  30. Spikes, Jakai (October 3, 2025). "Historic Baylor-McCallie rivalry reignites Friday with both teams in national top 25". WTVC. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  31. "Baylor Rallies Late To Nip McCallie 38-35". www.chattanoogan.com. October 4, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  32. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  33. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 7, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. "Baylor School: News » News Detail". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  35. "Headmaster-Announcement - Baylor School". Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  36. "Headmaster Combined Announcement - Baylor School". Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.

Further reading

35°05′13″N85°20′17″W / 35.087°N 85.338°W / 35.087; -85.338