James J. Chittick School (Elementary)
154 Ruskindale Road, Mattapan
Built 1931
M.A. Dyer Company, architects
The school was named for The Right Reverend James J. Chittick (1850-1919), pastor of the Church of the Most Precious Blood, Hyde Park.
Source:
What’s In a Name? Names of Boston’s Schools: Their Origin. Boston: School Volunteers for Boston and the Boston Public Schools, 1980.
Readers’s Comments
From: Brian Smith April 2007
There’s a game we used to play in the schoolyard that was just like kickball, but we used our hands instead. The pitcher, with both hands, would underhand pitch the ball to the “batter” who would then punch the ball and run the bases. Runners could be forced out, tagged out, or struck with the ball in order to make an out.
This game was called “SQUASH.” I have no idea where the word comes from or why it was used as a name for this game, which in no way resembles the popular racquet game. Squash was also played at the Lowell Mason School on Cummins Highway, where I attended from 1966 – 1970, but I’ve never heard the name Squash applied to that game at any other locations.
B. Smith 1970 – ’73 at Chittick
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From: Robert Nolan, March 2009
I attended the Chittick School from 1954 to 1960 (K through 6) and we played “squash” at every recess period. It was a great neighborhood school in those days. I specifically remember Mr. Devlin, a 4th grade teacher who had a wooden pointer he kept in a glass of water (everyone said it was vinegar). He would constantly threaten the boys with a whack on the hand if you got out of line (God forbid they should do that today). On Friday afternoons, the kids who were Catholic would gather in a group and walk to catechism class.
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From: Matt Peters, January 2010
I too attended both Lowell Mason School on Cummins Highway (1967-70) and J.J. Chittick Schools (1971-74). In fact, I believe I recognize Brian Smith, the reader who entered a comment in April 2007 regarding the game of “squash” that I remember playing as well, as a long lost childhood friend of mine. He lived on Wood Ave., down the street from where I lived, next to a girl named Diane. I have not heard from him or seen him since 1973 when I was 11 years old. Brian, if you ever read this, I hope you are well – I’m the kid they used to call “pizza”.