what was penn state abington before it was owned by penn state

Penn State Abington was previously the Ogontz School for Young Ladies , a private girls’ school that later became Penn State Ogontz before being renamed Penn State Abington in 1997. The campus history notes that the property was donated to Penn State in 1950 by Abby Sutherland, the school’s headmistress.

Quick history

• 1850: It began as the Chestnut Street Female Seminary in Philadelphia.

• 1883: The school moved to the Ogontz estate in Elkins Park and became the Ogontz School for Girls/Young Ladies.

• 1950: Penn State took over the property and operated it as Penn State Ogontz.

• 1997: It was renamed Penn State Abington.

In plain terms

So, before Penn State owned it, it was a girls’ finishing school / private women’s school known as the Ogontz School.