Boys' Latin School of Maryland is an all-boys, university-preparatory school located in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1844, it is the oldest independent, nonsectarian secondary school in the state of Maryland. The school is divided into Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. There are approximately 640 students in kindergarten through twelfth grades.
History
Boys' Latin was founded in 1844 by Evert Marsh Topping, a former classics professor from Princeton University. The school was located in a downtown housing project until the late 1950s, when its site was selected as part of a city-sponsored urban renewal project. The school relocated to its present campus spanning Lake Avenue, on the border between Baltimore City and Baltimore County, in Roland Park, Baltimore, in the 1960s. On February 11, 2020, plans were announced to add a boarding school, in conjunction with the acquisition of an additional parcel for student housing, beginning in 2021. After renovations to existing structures on the newly-acquired property, 40 boys will be accommodated as residents, particularly international students.
Academics
The faculty has an average of 13 years of teaching experience and 60% hold an. With a student to faculty ratio of 8:1, class sizes are small and offer many opportunities for individual interaction with the teacher and for student-centered activities. In addition to the care and instruction of classroom teachers, students in the Middle and Upper Schools are assigned to faculty advisers who monitor their academic and social development. Skills are woven throughout the curriculum. Educational Support Services provides learning and teaching support in all divisions. The Lower School begins with Kindergarten classes where students are first exposed to the Wilson Foundation system of language education. In addition to classes with their homeroom teacher in reading, the language arts, social sciences, and math, students have classes with specialized teachers for the beginning of their education in music, art, Spanish, music, science, technology, and physical education. The Middle School offers traditional classes such as algebra, life sciences, and English, but there are also classes in life-skills such as decision making, desktop publishing, research, and independent reading. Students begin a formal, daily study of foreign language in the seventh grade with Latin and Spanish. In the eighth grade, students may elect to continue with the study of Latin or study Spanish or French. The eighth grade also presents an opportunity for students to develop public speaking skills: a formally prepared speech is part of their curriculum. As a college preparatory school, the Upper School has a graduation requirement of several credits in English, math, history, science, and foreign languages to ensure that students are thoroughly prepared for the independent study required in college. Additionally, students are required to take courses in physical education and health education, and the fine arts. There are also a wide variety of electives, and Advanced Placement courses are offered in thirteen subjects including calculus, statistics, physics, chemistry, biology, U.S. history, and English literature. The Williams Scholars Program provides incentives for academic achievement, including a stipend for summer educational programs. There are a multitude of opportunities in the fine and performing arts from music composition classes, to the production of music videos, painting, and building works of art. Private instrumental music lessons are available K-12, and music and art shows throughout the year showcase student achievements. The Upper School presents drama productions in the winter and spring, and each year a senior is chosen to direct the spring production. After working through a multi-draft writing process and attending several coaching sessions on presenting skills, all seniors are required to deliver a senior speech to the entire upper school. Finally, there is a wealth of club and co-curricular activities from chess clubs and mock trial teams to digital photography and student newspaper publications for all students to develop their interests.
Athletics
Boys' Latin's sports teams are known as the Lakers. Boys' Latin is known for its lacrosse program; the Lakers play in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association "A" Conference, one of the most competitive high school lacrosse leagues in the nation. They have currently 27 Division 1 players. In 2006, the Lakers completed an undefeated 21-0 championship season and were named the #1 high school lacrosse team in the United States, an honor the school also accomplished in 1985, 1988, 1997, and 2014.
