The History of Baldwin's Alma Mater

Baldwin's Alma Mater is set to the music of one of the most popular of all American college songs “Annie Lisle,” a popular song written in 1857 by H.S. Thompson, a Boston musician. “Annie Lisle” is a ballad about a virtuous young lady destined for tragedy- a genre related to Edgar Allan Poe's “Annabel Lee” and “Lenore.”  A newspaper editorial at the time observed that “Annie Lisle” and similar songs “swept the country like a prairie fire.” 

Pat Lombardi from the Baldwin Historical Society writes, "Baldwin's Alma Mater was arranged by Mr. William Steele, a music teacher at Baldwin Twp. High School 1939-1941. Mr. Steele was born on May 23, 1971 in Blairsville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Indiana State Teachers College in 1939. During his teaching career at Baldwin High School, he taught music and directed the marching band and was judged Best in State in 1940-1941. He took over directing the choir in the last semester of the school year adding fifty students.  Mr. Steele joined the Army in August of 1941, serving in World War II.  William Steele died on January 15, 2004 in Pleasant Hills, PA."

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Here is an early folk recording of Annie Lisle by Bobby Horton from Homespun Songs of the 19th Century America.

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This guitar performance of the Annie Lisle is by 

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Cornell University uses the same tune for their Alma Mater. 

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Baldwin's Alma Mater performed by The Baldwinaires

Sources: 
2019 Mrs. Pat Lombardi from the Baldwin Historical Society

Cornell University 
Sidney Cox Library of Music and Dance
220 Lincoln Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853