No. 12084 Pauline A. Shaw School, photograph from Boston City Archives.
Pauline A. Shaw School (Elementary)
429 Norfolk Street, Dorchester
Built 1919
James E. McLaughlin, Architect
Pauline A. Shaw, a pioneer in American education, was born in 1841, the daughter of Louis Agassiz. She introduced kindergartens into the Boston Public Schools and was instrumental in securing the use of school buildings as neighborhood centers.
Boston Public Schools
https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/page/1069 accessed March 22, 2022
The Shaw reopened in Fall 2014 to serve Boston’s growing population of its youngest students. In 2016-17 it will offer K0 through grade 2. The Shaw will continue its expansion by one grade per year through grade 5. K0 and K1 classrooms are implementing the OWL curriculum – Opening the World of Learning – to develop language and literacy as well as social skills, using favorite children’s books, songs, and poems. Building Blocks introduces the Shaw’s youngest students to key ideas in mathematics using their bodies, hands-on activities, paper and pencil, and computers.
Source:
What’s In a Name? Names of Boston’s Schools: Their Origin. Boston: School Volunteers for Boston and the Boston Public Schools, 1980.
This school is slated for closure in 2009 — Boston Globe 11/20/2008.
In 2011 the Boston Public School website says that this building is now Boston Adult Technical Academy.
Reader’s Comment
From: Rick Taplin July, 2007
Re: Overview: Pauline A. Shaw School
I went here for elementary school from 1960-1963 (I had transferred from the Sarah Greenwood). Oddly enough, I remember the boys’ restroom because they had no urinals. You did your business against a large slate wall which had a constant flush of water. Sometimes you would get a dry area and all the boys would write their name! Great schoolyard. Of course, back then, they would separate the boys and the girls. You were in big trouble if you were caught conversing with them. After the Shaw, I went across the street to the Roger Wolcott school for 5th and 6th grades.
From: Tony Graham, June, 2009
I went to the Shaw from 1972-1974. Mrs. Cunningham was my teacher. Man did i love her. She was the best teacher I ever had. I remember the day Lyndon Johnson passed away–she was so heart broken that she just cried and cried. I remember she always lovee to talk about her dog Sunshine, and she also loved Boston College football, but best of all, if you where good, she whould give you money to go buy yourself some ice cream!!!!! lol