As with most things at Midland, our campus planning efforts are the result of many years of thorough and thoughtful work by members across our community. Tendrils of our plan root all the way back to our founding in 1932, to the framework of consistent evolution laid by Paul and Louise Squibb in Midland’s earliest days. We would not be where we are today without the support of so many of you: alumni, faculty, staff, families and friends from across the decades. In many ways, we’ve changed an enormous amount since our founding: new physical structures, new and revised curriculum, welcoming girls into our student body, growing and eating from a beautiful farm and garden, putting the majority of our acreage in a land trust. And in so many ways we have stayed the same, our most authentic Midland self.
Change is never easy; Paul Squibb thought long and hard about the evolution from the Kerosene to Electric Era here on campus. Yet often, change is inevitable. We wonder sometimes what he might think of the internet and our approach to a cell-phone free campus, or how thrilled he might be by our student-built solar arrays. The world changes, and in some ways so must we. To better understand the campus renewal needs at hand and how we got here, we invite you to read more about the history of Midland’s campus and its evolution over our last 9 decades.
70 Years of Rustic Make-Doism
Decades of Simplicity & Ingenuity
In their wonderful simplicity and ingenuity, Midland’s founders often simply made do with the existing infrastructure, fixing small pieces here and there as needed. Midland was, simply, a school that worked well, but that was never planned to be anything much more than a cattle ranch and family home. For decades, Midland existed in this wonderful state; fixing underground piping with spare bike tires, building homes and classrooms with their own hands, tools and knowledge, and adding the occasional improvised septic tank. The campus slowly grew and evolved into the charming and practical mix of buildings, roads, paths, and pastures that served us well for many decades.
In response to the growing cost of making do with our deteriorating and sometimes haphazardly organized infrastructure, Midland undertook a comprehensive multi-year planning process in the early 2000s that would eventually involve the entire community and many parents and alums. The resulting plan catalogued and evaluated all of Midland’s above and below ground infrastructure, roads, and buildings, and went on to make recommendations regarding options for improving the campus, all with great respect for Midland traditions.
Adopted in 2013, the Plan is a framework for making good decisions going forward (rather than a blueprint for specific actions).
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Continue Exploring Midland's Campus Renewal Plan