Our History
Educating Children and Young Adults for Over 60 Years.
In the early 1950s, founders Kingdon and Mary Gould saw a need for an independent, non-sectarian school in Howard County. The Goulds, along with Mr. and Mrs. John T. Mason Jr., Judge James Macgill, Mr. Albert Gallatin Warfield, and Mr. and Mrs. William Shippen, opened Glenelg Country School on September 23, 1954.
Birth of a School
Glenelg Country School opened its doors to 35 students, grades 1–7.
The First Graduates
Glenelg Country School graduated its first eighth grade class.
Acquisition of the Manor House
The Glenelg Manor home, along with 50 acres were purchased.
Manor House Expansion
Additions to the original Manor home included classrooms, offices, and a gymnasium.
P&FA Begins
The Parents & Friends Association hosted its first fundraising auction.
Campus Expansion
An additional 30 acres were purchased, expanding the GSC campus.
Free-standing Gymnasium Built
The old gymnasium was converted into classrooms, a multi-purpose room, and administrative offices.
Creation of Two Divisions
Glenelg Country School established two separate divisions: the Lower and Middle Schools.
Summer Camp Launches
Summer in the Country, Glenelg Country’s summer camp program, begins.
Swimming Pool Built
With summer camp growing, the school added a swimming pool to the campus grounds.
Upper School Established
The newest division opens in temporary housing while construction on a new building continues.
New Upper School Building Opens
Construction of the Upper School building is completed and open to students.
First Senior Class Graduates
Glenelg Country School matriculates its first senior class from the Upper School.
New Middle School Building Opens
A new Middle School building, along with a Performing Arts center opens on campus.
Primary Building Opens
The new Primary School building, built behind the Manor House, is completed.
Observatory Built
A state-of-the-art observatory, housing a high-powered telescope, opens to the GCS community.
Upper School Expansion Completed
The 60,000 square-foot academic and athletic addition of the Upper School is completed.
Outdoor Spaces Enhanced
An outdoor classroom at campus pond and outdoor amphitheater completed.
Dragon Stadium Takes Shape
The turf field and six-lane competition track of Dragon Stadium is completed.
1,000th Student Graduates from GCS
Glenelg Country School matriculates its 1,000th student from the Upper School.
Dragon Stadium Completed
Construction of Dragon Stadium and the press box are completed.
Launch of Little Dragons Program
Glenelg Country School’s early learning program for 2- and 3-year-olds, Little Dragons, launches.
Awarded Ford Foundation Grant
GCS awarded Edward E. Ford Foundation grant for the new Roesch Exploratory Learning Initiative.
First-Ever Car Parade Graduation
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class of 2020 experienced the only car parade graduation in GCS history. The car parade is now an annual event held in the days leading up to Commencement.
Through the school’s original building, the historic Manor House, Glenelg Country School has ties that extend all the way back to 1740, before the founding of our country. However, the original building bore little resemblance to the Manor House seen today, as in 1845, it was remodeled to resemble a Scottish castle and given the name Glenelg Manor.
More than 100 years later, during an excursion through the countryside, Mr. Gould came across an empty Glenelg Manor, lost in the pages of time. However, he saw its potential as the perfect location for a school. The founders promptly leased the Manor House and Glenelg Country School was born.
By 1963, interest in Glenelg Country School had flourished. The founders were able to purchase the Manor Home and 50 surrounding acres.
Students enjoyed an engaging academic program that fostered a respect and love for the environment around them – the same feelings that informed the architectural plans of the school through many years of growth.
With the addition of a gymnasium in 1979, a swimming pool in 1983, the establishment of an Upper School in 1985, a Middle School and Performing Arts Center in 1997, a Primary School facility opening in 2002, and a state-of-the-art academic and athletic center in 2005, Glenelg Country School boasts one of the best campuses in the Baltimore-Washington area. All this growth has been fueled by the support of our community, students, parents, and alumni.
From an initial enrollment of 35, we have grown to over 750 students with over 180 faculty and staff. The focus on individual attention – a continuous hallmark of the school – has kept the average class size at 15 students, with a student to teacher ratio of 6 to 1.
Building GCS
Founder Kingdon Gould talks about the beginnings of Glenelg Country School and provides an oral history.