The English High School of Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the first public high schools in America, founded in 1821. Originally called The English Classical School, it was renamed The English High School upon its first relocation in 1824. The current building is located in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston.HistoryBoston English was created at the urging of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics Association and was modeled after the Royal High School in Edinburgh, Scotland. The School Committee to establish English High School was chaired by Samuel Adams Wells, grandson of former Governor Samuel Adams. Its first head master was Dr. George B. Emerson, an early leader in educational reform. English, like Boston Latin School, only admitted boys when established—although a separate high school for girls was established in Boston by Dr. Emerson in 1824. Boston English became coeducational in 1972, 151 year after its founding.Boston English has had seven locations. Its first site was on Derne Street at the rear of the Massachusetts State House, and is marked by a metal plaque. Its second home was a building (still standing) at the corner of Pinckney and Anderson Streets, which eventually became the Phillips School, a school for then free born and emancipated African-Americans before the American Civil War. From 1844 to 1922, Boston English was adjacent to the Boston Latin School, first near downtown Boston and then in a building (now demolished) on Warren Street in the South End. From 1954 to 1989, Boston English was at 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, across the street from Boston Latin (78 Avenue Louis Pasteur). This site is now part of Harvard Medical School.
