English High School - Blue and Blue / Record Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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FRESHMAN YEAR 1954-1955 A new building and a new headmaster was a truly novel way to begin a new school year. Our heatjmaster Mr. Mclnerney, a quiet and very dignified gentleman, greeted us at the door of the new building of the Boston English High School. The school had moved during the summer to its present location on Avenue Louis Pasteur hear the Fenway. The building now occupied was the home of the now defunct High School of Commerce. The school itself differed greatly from the junior high schools; there were two lunchrooms but to our surprise no coke machines. Around us the higher institutions of learning towered over our Alma Mater, lending an atmosphere of true learn- in? and culture to our school. It also gave an air of dignity and studiousness to our student body. To top things off, located across the street ,was our traditional rival, Boston Latin School. Entering the school, our home for the next four years, we were led from the assembly hall down the hallowed halls to our respective rooms. The next few days were chaotic but cheerful ones for us; there had been a mix-up on the books and there was a delay in receiving our primers. Nat- urally we were all disappointed. Lockers were late too, but this also was benevolently endured. The upper classmen had begun military drill for that year and we watched, anxiously awaiting our sophomore year to begin. The drill team ' s neat uniforms were the chief attraction. The sports that year enjoyed moderate success. The football team did well, beating every team in the city except for our personal rival, Boston Latin School. Latin gave us a little trouble and they just barely squeezed by us 20-7. The cross country team flashed by the lesser school talent and won the city championship. This highly competitive team went on to completely rout Boston College High School. Our basketball team broke even with no complaints from anyone. The hockey team enjoyed one of its most successful seasons with an ice breaking record of 7-2-2. The base- ball team, winning all but two games, took the city championship. Hardly had we settled down to our semi-alert state of pupil versus teacher when our first tests hit us. Obviously the faculty had lain awake all night in anticipation of our arrival. These tests were masterpieces of their kind. Completely

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On November 2, 1824, the school moved to a new schoolhouse on Pinkney Street. In this build- ing the school remained until its removal to the Bedford Street schoolhouse twenty years later. In 1837, Mr. Thomas Sherwin became head- master of the school. It was a frequent expression of Mr. Sherwin that he tried to make men. From this expression came the expressions English High School Men, or Men of English High. PART THREE In 1844 the school moved from the building on Pinkney Street to the new building on Bedford Street, which had been erected for the accommo- dation of the English High and the Public Latin Schools. This was the home of the school for thirty-seven years. 1864 saw the beginning of military drill at the school under the direction of General Hobart Moore. In 1881 the school moved with the Public Latin School to the Warren Avenue-Montgom.ery Street building. At that time the building was the largest building in America used for educational purposes and the largest in the world used as a free school. By the year 1911 the school had grown to such a size that first and second year boys were housed in two annexes. Even when Latin School moved to a new building in 1921, the first year boys still had to be accommodated in an inconveniently remote annex. On January 30, 1922, Mr. Walter F. Downey was appointed headmaster. At this time the school entered upon a long reign of high standards of scholarship and deportment. Mr. Downey served as headmaster until 1955, a period of thirty-three years and he is now an active member of . the alumni. Mr. Henry Mclnerny became headmaster in 1955 soon after the) school was removed to its new building in the Fenway. Mr. Mclnerny retired in 1956 and at that time Mr. Joseph L. Malone became headmaster. PART FOUR Mr. Malone who had been serving as director of civil defense until the time of his appointment has brought new honors to the school by his un- ceasing work on behalf of the school and its pupils. We are certain that the reputation of the school will be brought to new heights under his guidance.

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routed at first, we formed a new line and from this test on never did we forget our memory pads. We maintained, in spite of the faculty ' s cold- blooded quizzes, a high percentage of passing grades per class. A common vow was sworn — next year the classes woilld have a few tricks in the bag. SOPHOMORE YEAR 1955- ' 56 The second year of the existance of our illus- trious class began with a bang. In fact it didn ' t begin at all. (on time that is) A polio epidemic covered the New England states and the Boston School Committee felt it best to delay the open- ing of school until the epidemic abated. Once again we were under the guidance of the same faculty with a few minor changes. Mr. Mclnerney decided to undergo once more the idiosyncracies of his faculty and students. We all deeply re- gretted the fact that Girl ' s Latin School moved during the summer and that Col. Meanix retired. I guess that he took one look at us and quit. Captain Robert Fisher replaced the Colonel and introduced us to the Boston English High School Trick Drill Team. Early in the year we had an interesting experience. During the first period a notice was sent to the individual home rooms, notifying the pupils to get their coats and return to their homerooms for dismissal. The boys were overjoyed by this but they soon found out that they were victims of the mad bomber. After the ballistics men went into action it was revealed that it was a hoax. Think of it, we almost saw the great English High School go up in an enormous puflF of smoke ! Next came the classic English-Latin game on Thanksgiving Day. The Blue and Blue carried most of the game away with a final score of: English 20, Latin 14. That night the English High School Alumni Association congratulated our vic- torious tfcam by honoring them at a testimonial dinner. Our hockey team took, a 9-2-1 record which included the city championship. The track team not to be outdone by the hockey team won the city championship and the regimental cham- pionship. A 7-5 record was displayed by our basket- ball team with two decisive victories over Boston Latin School. That year we beat Latin School in every major sport. In the spring we took part for the first time in the Annual Schoolboys ' Parade. Although we didn ' t take first place we wound up the year with our competent band and drum and bugle corps placing first above all other schools in our section. This year the teachers had a hard time; Mr. Evans was out sick, Joseph Sheehan suffered a severe heart attack which necessitated a conva- lescent period of two or three months in a hospital ; even Mr. Charles E. Murphy, who is apparently indestructible took a leave of absence foi a similar reason. Substituting for Mr. Evans was Hal Connolly who went on later to set a new hammer- throwing record in the Olympic Games. During Mr. Evan ' s absence somebody had evidently dis- covered a new cure-all for school and tried to force it on us; smoke poured into the room on one occasion, sending the students gasping cheerfully for air.