3 Generations Of Baldwin High School Graduates Reflect

BALDWIN, PA — When Abby Hutchinson graduates Wednesday from Baldwin High School, she will become the third generation of women in her family to do so.

Abby's mother, Tara Hutchinson (nee DeFrancesco) was in the class of 1986 and her aunt, Dana DeFrancesco, was in the class of '90. Her grandmother, Barbara Michalowicz, was in the class of '61.

Things have changed a bit at Baldwin since Michalowicz attended the school. Women had to wear skirts daily then because pants for female students were prohibited.

“I wore mainly straight skirts and anything pink and black or turquoise and black were my favorite," she said in a recent Baldwin-Whitehall School District profile. "I guess you could say my friends and I were like the Pink Ladies in "Grease." Our little group was called the ‘3 Point Swingers’ since we went to dances all the time and did swing dancing.”

Tara Hutchinson noted that the hair was bigger, but the school was smaller when she was a student.

“The building itself has changed so much," she said. "It’s larger and sunnier than what I remember. The only section I recognize is what is now known as ‘the small gym.’ I remember many gym classes in there."

DeFrancesco agreed with her sister, saying, "Physically, the building is mammoth compared to how it was when I graduated.”

With having two family members with special needs, Abby Hutchinson served on the Special Olympics executive board during her Baldwin days. She, too, has noticed change and growth at the school.

“Over the years, Baldwin has opened up to new programs," she said. "Not only things that the school comes up with, but also clubs and organizations that students start. For example, we now have the Chill Room, which Baldwin started, and the Chill Club which was started by a student. Both were formed to bring more awareness to mental health.”