As it begins its 125th year, Winchester Thurston School boasts its largest enrollment ever despite the weak economy.

The private school celebrated its 125th anniversary Friday morning in a ceremony at the school's Shadyside campus.

A pipe band ushered in students from the school's Shadyside and North Hills campuses as they formed the number "125" on the field.

"So these are the halls Mac Miller walked, huh?" asked city Councilman Bill Peduto as he congratulated the school on its anniversary. He was referring to hip-hop sensation Malcolm McCormick, 19, of Point Breeze who hit the books there in the lower grades.

"I want you to think for just a minute about what this place was like 125 years ago," he said. "There was a commitment and there was a vision and there was a belief that together we can help educate young women."

Alice Maud Thurston founded Thurston School in 1887, and Mary Graham Mitchell founded Winchester School in 1902. Both women sought to prepare girls for private Eastern colleges.

"Back in that day, that was a pretty radical mission," said Gary Niels, head of school at Winchester Thurston. "My understanding is they both underwent a lot of questions and skepticism."

The wisdom of the day dictated that girls should prepare to become members of society, not intellectuals.

Winchester Thurston School was created in 1935 when the two schools merged. It became coed in 1991 as enrollment declined due to population loss in the region.

In 1988, Winchester Thurston opened a second campus in the North Hills in an attempt to boost enrollment.

"The belief was that North Hills families would come and experience a high-quality education and then at the end of fifth grade they would enroll in the city campus," Mr. Niels said.

The North Hills campus houses about 100 students from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade. About 650 students attend the Shadyside campus, which serves pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. There are roughly 100 faculty.

The school purchased its Morewood property in 1963, relocating from Fifth Avenue in Oakland across from Central Catholic High School.

The school has seen record-breaking enrollments for the past four years, Ms. Niels said. It draws students from all over the region. A third of its student body receives financial aid, and 24 percent are students of color.

The school's tuition ranges from $7,200 for pre-kindergarten to $24,600 for 12th grade for the 2011-12 school year.

The school received Educational Leadership grants from the Edward E. Ford Foundation in 2004 and 2009 to establish its City as our Campus program to use Pittsburgh resources as an urban laboratory.

Through this program, it has created partnerships with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Pittsburgh Public Theater and other organizations to enhance students' educational experiences.

"The academics just can't be compared to anything else," said Kelly Eckert, a resident of the Mexican War Streets who has three children at the school and serves as president of the Winchester Thurston Parents Association.

Mrs. Eckert said she believes strongly in public education but sent her kids to Winchester Thurston because she thought it was best for them.

"I didn't want the kids to be isolated and insulated," she said, but she noted that Winchester Thurston didn't foster this sort of environment. "They're not afraid to get out there and make a mark and interact with people."

City council issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 2, 2011, "Winchester Thurston School Day."

As the school celebrates its history, its leader recognizes the changes technology will bring to education.

"We envision that students will be learning in different ways in the future," Mr. Niels said. "What we're trying to do is get our teachers to think about presenting material with the way kids are thinking nowadays."

"For the foreseeable future, we're talking about how we evolve our teaching methodology to be more curriculum based, more problems-solving based, more collaborative in nature.

"I think schools are at the beginning of a very significant revolution."

First Published: September 3, 2011, 4:00 a.m.