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Boston Latin School - The oldest public school
Founded on April 13, 1635, Boston Latin is
America’s oldest public school. Until the
completion of the schoolhouse, classes were
held in the home of the first headmaster, Philemen
Pormont. On School Street a mosaic and a statue
of noted alumnus Benjamin Franklin marks the
location of the original Boston Latin schoolhouse,
which was completed in 1645. Four signers of
the Declaration of Independence attended Boston
Latin: Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Hancock,
and Robert Treat Paine. But of the four, only three
graduated: Ben Franklin, though one of America’s
greatest minds, is also one of its most notable
high school dropouts. Marking the association, the
statue of Franklin, sculpted by Richard Saltonstall
Greenough in 1856, is installed in front of the
building.
The original wooden school building was torn
down in 1745 to make way for an expanded King’s
Chapel, but the school has continued in different
locations. It is currently located in the Fenway ( a
neighborhood of Boston), and unlike in the days of
the Revolution, it admits both boys and girls.
FRANKLIN’S ROOTS While Ben Franklin lived
most of his adult life in
Philadelphia he had strong
ties to Boston as well.
Franklin was born in 1706
in Boston at 17 Milk St., in
a two-story cottage which
burnt down over a century
later. Shortly after his birth
he was christened in the
original wooden Old South
Meeting House, across the
street.
BEN THE INVENTOR Franklin is well known
for his invention of the
lightening rod, publishing
the proposal for his famous
kite and key experiment in
1750. But this was only one
of many different Franklin
inventions. Ben is also
responsible for the Franklin
stove, the glass harmonica,
the post office, and bifocal
lenses. He also named, and
was the first to chart, the
Gulf Stream in the Atlantic
Ocean.