Boston Public Schools Documentary Photo Project
Boston, Massachusetts
Historic New England educators are working with fifth-grade students to photograph Boston Public Schools. Using images from Historic New England’s Library and Archives, students are introduced to the importance and history of documenting buildings through photography. Students then document their school buildings using digital cameras, and work to label their images for use by future researchers. While the original intention of this project is to demonstrate the diversity of the spaces in and around the schools, the collection of photographs will be saved in Historic New England's Library and Archives and offer a glimpse into daily life in the Boston Public Schools.
Scenes from Boston Public Schools
Josiah Quincy School
The current Josiah Quincy School building was opened in 1976 in Chinatown. Built on the open-space model, most classrooms do not have full walls or doors separating them from the other classrooms in their area.
Charles Sumner School
Opened in 1932, the Charles Sumner Elementary School is located in a quiet residential neighborhood in Roslindale. It is one of a number of schools on the East Coast named for the Massachusetts politician and anti-slavery leader, Charles Sumner.
James W. Hennigan School
The James W. Hennigan Elementary School opened in 1971. A large, modern building, it is home to the elementary school itself (almost 500 students in grades K-5), a community center, and the West Zone Early Learning Center.
Mary Lyon School
The Mary Lyon School is an inclusion school housed in two buildings in Brighton. The Lower School is one of the smallest schools in the Boston Public Schools system.
Harvard-Kent Elementary School
The Harvard-Kent Elementary School was built in 1972. Located on Bunker Hill St. in Charlestown, it is sandwiched between the Tobin Bridge, mid-twentieth-century housing projects, and earlier wooden row houses leading up the slope to Bunker Hill Square.
Joseph P. Tynan School
The Joseph P. Tynan School is located in the part of South Boston that was once known as Dorchester Heights. With 320 students in grades K-5, the school reflects the neighborhood’s growing diversity.
Mildred Avenue K-8 School
Mildred Avenue K-8 School is located in Mattapan. It has a student population that represents more than 25 cultures. The school values collaborations amongst teachers and partnerships with families. Mildred Ave. is expanding and evolving as a school in a multicultural community.
More school photo galleries to come throughout the school year. For more information, e-mail community engagement at Historic New England.
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Partners: |
School and Youth Programs- Otis House School and Youth Programs- Pierce House |