No. 5187 Dorchester High School, painting on brick.
Edward A. Huebener, a former Board member of the Dorchester Historical Society, was a collector of materials relating to Dorchester history including a very large collection of graphic materials, including prints and photographs, now owned by the Society. His very own contribution to this group of materials was the idea of taking a brick from a house that had been demolished and asking a local illustrator to paint a picture of the house upon the brick. The painted bricks may be viewed at the Dorchester Historical Society.
“In 1850 the subject of a high school was again agitated, –this time with more success. One hundred and eighty-three tax-payers of the town signed a petition asking the school committee ‘to recommend to the town the immediate establishment of a high school.’ This petition was discussed and reflected upon for two years, when action was finally taken. The sum of six thousand dollars was appropriated with which to erect a building, the location selected being on the School Pasture property, on the westerly side of South Boston and Dorchester turnpike, a little north of Centre Street. This spot was selected as being the most central position.”
No. 5295 Location of First High School on Dorchester Avenue just south of Gibson Street, from 1858 Walling Map of Norfolk County.
No. 1266 First High School from The Dorchester Book (1899)
No. 3219 Photograph in the collection of the Dorchester Historical Society
“The school was organized in December, 1852, with a membership of fifty-nine pupils of both sexes, representing the Everett, Mather, Adams, Gibson, Winthrop, Norfolk, and private schools. The first principal was William J. Rolfe, the present Shakespearean authority, who held the position for four years. Mr. Rolfe’s successor was Jonathan Kimball, who remained for nine years. Elbridge Smith, the third master, was in charge of the school for the long period of twenty-four years, during which time he established a reputation which was second to that of no other Dorchester teacher. The present [1891 ] incumbent is Charles J. Lincoln, who was Mr. Smith’s immediate successor.”
The school later moved to the west side of Dorchester Avenue at Centre Street