The year 2019 marks the 100th birthday of the Baylor School of Education as a separate academic unit at the University. During this year, numerous events and publications will celebrate the long commitment of Baylor University to K-12 as well as higher education and share a vision for the future.
To stay updated on all SOE Centennial news and learn more about our history, visit the Centennial website at baylor.edu/SOE/100 and follow the hashtag #baylorSOE100 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@baylorSOE).
Watch for more information on these upcoming events:
Jan. 29 • 3 p.m.
SOE hosts university-wide Dr Pepper Hour
Barfield Drawing Room, SUB
Feb. 19 • 5 p.m.
Centennial Lecture by Dr. Maria Franquiz
Packard Auditorium, MMS
March 22 • 4-7 p.m.
SOE Birthday Party
April 25
SOE Senior Banquet / Outstanding Mentor Award Presentation
May 16 or 17 • 3 p.m.
Graduation Reception
June – November • TBA
SOE Historical Exhibition
Mayborn Museum
Sept. 27 • TBA
Donor Centennial Banquet
Outstanding Alumni Awards Presentation
Oct. 12 • TBA
Centennial Homecoming Tailgate
MMS Courtyard
November – December
SOE Service Project TBA
Watch the Centennial Events page for the latest updates.
During the Centennial, the School of Education will present three new awards:
Centennial Outstanding Mentor Award
Centennial Alumni of the Year Award
Centennial Young Alumni of the Year Award
Nominations are open now for input from alumni, faculty, staff, partners and friends. A faculty committee will choose the recipient of each award. For award qualifications and links to nomination forms, visit Centennial Awards.
While 1919 marks the establishment of the School of Education as a separate academic unit, voted by the Baylor Trustees on March 22 of that year, Baylor and its leaders were instrumental in the preparation of teachers long before that date.
The Texas State Teachers Association was established in 1871, and former Baylor President Rufus C. Burleson and then president William Carey Crane were among the founders, with Crane serving as the first TSTA president. The Handbook of TSTA calls Crane “the most scholarly, polished, and literary man in the teaching profession in Texas at the time.”
Baylor began offering pedagogy courses in 1889 in the Department of Philosophy, in 1891 Baylor established a Normal Department that held summer courses for aspiring teachers, and in 1900 a Department of Pedagogy was established to impart skills in the art of teaching. From 1912 to 1919, Miss Lillie Martin, an instructor in primary methods, operated a “model school” on campus for local children.
The establishment of the School in 1919 was likely influenced by statewide movements, such as the first compulsory school attendance law in Texas, enacted in 1916.
While small at the beginning, the School grew rapidly during the 1950s through the 1970s. In 1953, approximately one-fourth of Baylor’s graduating students were education majors. The SOE’s more recent history has been distinguished by the introduction of Professional Development Schools in 1993 to provide more integrated clinical training and by the growth of graduate programs — in teacher preparation, higher education, educational administration, educational psychology and sport management — and a strong emphasis on educational research.
All the details on the history of Baylor SOE are now in an online historical timeline. Visit and enjoy!
For Baylor education alumni who would like to keep up with the SOE Centennial events and information, please make sure your email address is updated with Baylor University by using this form: Keep In Touch. Or send your information to BaylorImpact@baylor.edu.
For more news from Baylor School of Education, visit the Instant Impact home page.
For media inquiries, please contact Meg_Cullar@baylor.edu / (254) 710-6435.
ABOUT BAYLOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Founded in 1919, Baylor School of Education ranks among the nation’s top 20 education schools located at private universities. The School’s research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation, while graduate programs culminating in both the Ed.D. and Ph.D. prepare outstanding leaders, teachers and clinicians through an intentional blend of theory and practice.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.