Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
| The Baltimore Polytechnic Institute | |
|---|---|
MPSSAA ) since 1994
[formerly in the The Engineers" | |
| Rivals | The Baltimore City College ("The Black Knights" / "The Collegians") |
| USNWR ranking | 2,167[3] |
| Newspaper | "The Poly Press" (est. 1909) |
| Yearbook | "The Poly Cracker" |
| Budget | $10,748,593.00 (fiscal year 2014)[5] |
| Website | www |
The Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, colloquially referred to as BPI, Poly, and The Institute, is a U.S.
History
North Calvert and Saratoga Streets to the east and later torn down for construction of their first hospital tower in 1964. In 1983, at the school's centennial observation, a historical plaque was placed in the lobby of the hospital commemorating that earlier first home of the Manual Training School for 30 years, later to become "Poly". It just so happened in an amazing coincidence, that this building was across the street and 44 years later, almost a half-century after their long-time rival public high school, Baltimore City College , was established in a row house in 1839 for a few short years, also on the now vanished narrow alley-like Courtland Street.
North Calvert Street and Guilford Avenue to the east.
RelocationDue to continued growth of the student population of the BCPS and especially in the growing demand for higher secondary education at high schools like at BPI and BCC and the girls schools, the technical school relocated in 1913 to Paul Laurence Dunbar High School[6][7] Dehuff later served after his 37 years career at Poly, as the president and dean of faculty at the University of Baltimore on Mount Royal Avenue.
Integration/desegregationMost Baltimore public schools were not the applications were denied and the students sued.The subsequent trial began on June 16, 1952. The NAACP's intentions were to end segregation at the 50-year-old public high school. In the BPI case they argued that BPI's offerings of specialized engineering courses violated the " Frederick Douglass High School. The hearing on the "Douglass" plan lasted for hours, with Dehuff and others arguing that separate but equal "A" courses would satisfy constitutional requirements and NAACP attorney Thurgood Marshall arguing that the plan was a gamble and cost the city should not take. By a vote of 5–3, the board decided that a separate "A" course would not provide the same educational opportunities for African American students, and that, starting that fall, African American students could attend Poly.[10] The vote vindicated the NAACP national strategy of raising the cost of 'separate but equal' schools beyond what taxpayers were willing to pay.[11] Thirteen African American students, Leonard Cephas, Carl Clark, William Clark, Milton Cornish, Clarence Daly, Victor Dates, Alvin Giles, Bucky Hawkins, Linwood Jones, Edward Savage, Everett Sherman, Robert Young, and Silas Young, finally entered the school that fall. They were faced daily with racial epithets, threats of violence and isolation from many of the more than 2,000 students at the school.[12] The first of those students to graduate from Poly was Dr. Carl O. Clark in 1955. Dr. Clark went on to become the first African-American to graduate from the University of South Carolina with a degree in physics in 1976.
Modern campus (1960s–present)In 1967, then-principal Claude Burkert (1958–1969) oversaw the relocation of his school to its current location at 1400 West Cold Spring Lane, a fifty-three-acre tract of land bordering Falls Road and Western High School , an all-girls school founded in 1844. Notable buildings on the campus include Dehuff Hall, also known as the academic building, where students attend normal classes, and Burkert Hall, also called the engineering building, where students attend classes in the Willard Hackerman Engineering Program. Both Western High School and Poly students make use of the auditorium/cafeteria complex, and likewise share the swimming pool and sports fields. Although the two schools share these facilities, their respective academic programs and classrooms are completely separate from one another.
In 1974, Poly officially became coeducational when it began admitting female students. The first female to enroll and successfully graduate from the "A" course was an African-American named Cindy White (1974–1978). In the late 1980s, the title "principal" was changed to "director." After the retirement of Director John Dohler in 1990, Barbara Stricklin became the first woman to head the school, as she accepted the title of Interim Director.  During Director Ian Cohen's tenure (1994–2003), Poly's curriculum was again expanded when it began offering Advanced placement (AP) classes. During the 2001–2002 school year, Poly was recognized by the Maryland State Department of Education when it was named a "Blue Ribbon School of Excellence."[13] In 2011, Poly was ranked 1552 nationally and 44 in Maryland as a "Silver Medal School" by U.S. News & World Report.[3]
In 2004, Dr. Barney Wilson, a 1976 Poly graduate, became Baltimore Polytechnic Institute's first African-American director. In August 2010, assistant principal Matthew Woolston, was appointed interim director. Later on during the year, Jacqueline Williams was appointed as interim director for the 2011–2012 school year. By the end of the school year – and after a two-year, nationwide search – Williams became the first female director of the institution. Williams worked her way through the Poly ranks from student (Class of 1981), to teacher, then department head, to assistant principal, and to dean of students, before appointment to her current position as director.[2] During the 2022-2023 school year, it was announced that Williams would be retiring after 12 years as Poly's director. In June 2023, Poly alum Mark Sawyer was named director, a position he holds to this day. AcademicsPoly is a magnet school with specialized courses drawing students from across Baltimore's regular district boundaries. Admission to the school is highly competitive. Course concentrations include: the Honors STEM Program; the Ingenuity Project offering advanced science, math, and academic research courses; AP Capstone emphasizing Social Sciences and Humanities; Computer Science; and Air Force JROTC.[14] In its 2019 nationwide survey of STEM programs spanning 2015–2019, Newsweek ranked Poly #36 among US high schools.[15] Athletics.jpg) In addition to the school's football program, Poly's sports include basketball, soccer, cross-country, track and field, lacrosse, baseball, hockey, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling.[16] The boys' basketball team won three state championship titles in a row between 2016 and 2019.[17] The Poly Engineers baseball team has won nine Baltimore City championships since 2005 under head coach Corey Goodwin.[18] FootballSince the early 1900s the Engineers, along with City College, had dominated the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA) football scene. However, since joining the MPSSAA in 1993, Poly made it to the final game once in 1993, the semifinals once in 1997 and the quarterfinals in 1994 and 1998.[19]
Poly and CityThe Poly-City football rivalry is the oldest English High School of Boston.[21] The rivalry began in 1889, when a team from Baltimore City College (City) met a team from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly), and has continued annually.[22][23] City leads the series with the record standing at 66–62–6.[24]
Little is known of the first American football game between Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) and Baltimore City College (City) in 1889, except that a JV team from Poly met City, in Clifton Park and City emerged the victor. That began the oldest football rivalry in Maryland.[citation needed] City continued to win against Poly through 1901, however in 1902, for the only time in history of the series no game was played; though, in 1931, an extra game was played to compensate.[25] Between 1903 and 1906, City won the series, but the tide turned in 1907, when the first tie in the series occurred.[26] The next year Poly scored its first victory in the rivalry.[26] Poly dominated the series in the 1910s. The only year of the decade that City won was 1912,[27] and between 1914 and 1917, Poly shut out City. Poly's streak continued through 1921, completing a nine-year winning streak, which City broke in 1922 with a 27–0 victory.[28] In 1926, one of the most famous Poly-City games was played. Prior to the game, the eligibility of City's halfback, Mickey Noonen, was challenged. A committee was formed to investigate Noonen's eligibility, but Noonen's father—frustrated with the investigation—struck one of the members of the committee. The result was that Noonen was not only barred from the team, but also expelled from the Baltimore City school system.[29] The 1930s ushered in a period of resurgence for the City team. Poly, which had dominated in the previous two decades, only picked up two wins in the 1930s.[27] In 1934, Harry Lawrence, who had kicked the winning field goal against City in 1926, became the head coach at his former rival.[30] Poly won five straight games against City to open the 1950s, and 9 of the decade's 10 games, under legendary coach Bob Lumsden, for whom the school's current football stadium is named. Lumsden finished with an 11–7 record against City when he retired as head coach in 1966. He also coached 9–0 Poly to the unofficial National High School Championship Game at Miami's Orange Bowl in 1962, against the Miami High Stingarees, but Poly lost by a score of 14–6. The team's fortunes changed later in the 1960s, when City was coached by Memorial Stadium, when undefeated City beat undefeated Poly 52–6.[32]
Baltimore City's public schools withdrew from the Maryland State Athletic Association in 1993, and joined the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA).[33] This change meant that the football season would end earlier, forcing Poly and City to move their game from Thanksgiving Day to the first Saturday in November. Poly and City met for the 119th time in November 2007, a contest marred by the outbreak of a large brawl outside M&T Bank Stadium after the final whistle. Poly and City met for the 120th time on November 8, 2008. Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Baltimore City College then met for the 121st time on November 7, 2009, with the score of 26–20. Poly and City met for the 122nd time on November 6, 2010. As of the 2018 game, City had won the prior 7 contests. BasketballIn February 2020, ESPN ranked the boys basketball team in the top 25 in the country.[34] Principals/directors
^ Denotes interim director while a search for a permanent director was occurring or ongoing at the time Notable alumni
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