Boston Latin School - Liber Actorum Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Glovrfs Classroom, Avenue Louis Pasteur f- -Q

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Gardner's Classroom, Bedford Street

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1635-BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL-1941 1635 1636 1636 1645 1 649- 1670 1708 1709: 1734 1 748 1 760 1775 The Boston Latin School, founded to nurture the youth of Boston town in the classical studies, had its first sessions at the home of Schoolmaster Philemon Pormort. Our big brother, Harvard University, was established. Philemon Pormort left Boston to give vent to his ideas on freedom of religion. The position of Master of the School Went to Daniel Maude, who conducted classes in his own home. At long last the first schoolhouse was erected for the purpose of housing the Boston Latin School, on what is now School Street. joyful indeed was Mas- ter Maude to move the class out of his home. 1670: A rapid succession of masters, among them Woodbridge, Woodman- sey, and Tompson, all found the Latin School boys too trying, and the fifty pounds a year salary all too little for so prodigious a job. Ezekiel Cheever, one of the most es- teemed headmasters the school has ever known, took up his rule in the Latin School. Latin School education was truly begin- ning to show proht, for, on this date, Nathaniel Williams, graduate of the school, became headmaster. At long last the salary of the head- master of Boston Latin School was raised . . . to one hundred pounds a year. John Lovell, the pride of Boston par- ents and the terror of its youth Ces- pecially the boys of B.L.S.j, now ascended to the headmaster's position. The Boston Latin School has now moved to a bigger building on the south side of School Street. james Lovell, son of john, and an ardent patriot, became Usher , Le., junior master, at the Latin School. He and his Loyalist father sat at opposite ends of the classroom and voiced opposite senti- ments to the pupils. News of the Revolution caused john Lovell to dismiss the school with the classic Words Deponite libros, and hie off to the war with his son .... Under the Lovells, school was called to order at seven A.M. in summer and Page Yhuelve 1778 1812 1814 1828 1836 1844 1851 1876 1902 1910 1920 1929: J eight in winter. Five P.M. was the dismissal hour, with the two hours be- tween eleven and one off for lunch. 814: Both Samuel Hunt, who reopened the school after the Lovells, and Wil- liam Bigelow, who took over the 1805, found the post-Revolution Latin lads too much for them. More and more have Bostonians begun to appreciate the Latin School. A bigger building was necessary to house all the boys. It remained for iron man Benjamin Gould, now appointed headmaster, to place a check on the rebellious ruffiians of the School. This he did very ably, and the misdemeanof mark remains to this day an institution of B.L.S. After Gould's resignation, Frederic Leverett, of Leverett's Latin Lexicon fame, took up the gauntlet. He was followed by Charles Knapp Dillaway. Epes Sargent Dixwell, to whom we are indebted for the School Library, began his Headmaster's term. Again to new quarters, this time on Bedford Street. Francis Gardner, Dixwell's successor, was a vigorous but fair man. In spite of his protests, however, a rather absurd curriculum was imposed on the school, aiming at l'General Culture. Dr. Moses Merrill was responsible for the present curriculum of the Latin School. He remained in office until 1901. V An able scholar and a perfect gentleman now took up the reins, Arthur Irving Fiske. He was beloved by both pupils and masters, and ruled without friction. Fiske's successor, Henry Pennypacker, was not only a scholar, but an athlete. He was truly a man's man. The beloved and esteemed Thomas Pat- rick Campbell was our next Headmaster. and kindly rule, the as never before and scholastic rating. It to the Latin School Under his genial school prospered lost none of its was a deep loss when Mr. Campbell resigned to become Assistant Superintendent. It was in this year that our present Head- master joseph Lawrence Powers took over. Let us hope that his rule will continue to be as successful as it has been up to this moment.