Joseph A. Baldwin was named as the third principal of Sam Houston Normal Institute. He was considered an eminent educator and authored a number of pedagogical studies. He created seven departments of study for the Institute: professional work; natural and physical science; English and literature; vocal music and calisthenics; rhetoric, etymology, and physiology; and elocution, drawing, and penmanship.

He felt that education should "teach men to relfect, to reason, and to decide for themselves."

He served from 1881 until 1891. During his tenure as principal, Austin Hall was renovated to add a third floor (which has been removed) and Old Main was built.

Baldwin resigned in 1891 to occupy the newly formed chair of pedagogy at the University of Texas (at Austin).

Sources included the April 23, 1971 Houstonian.