William Bradford School

Image: No. 10607 William Bradford School from 1924-25 Schoolhouse Department Report.

William Bradford (1590-1657), the second Governor of Plymouth Colony was born in Yorkshire, England. He emigrated to Holland in 1607 to avoid religious persecution and sailed on the Mayflower to New England. Bradford succeeded John Carver as Governor of Plymouth Colony and remained the principal leader of the colony until his death. He wrote the celebrated “History of Plimouth Plantation”, which is the primary source of our information about the early days in the Plymouth Colony. It is interesting to note that this history remained in manuscript form until 1856.

Apparently this school is no longer in existence. Also interesting to look at the map to see that the school was once located on Willowwood Street.

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’ Comments

Occasionally viewers of the site will offer comments of their own.

Comment from From: “Susan Liss” July 27, 2005
Re: Overview: William Bradford School

I lived on Madison Ave. It ran along side of the William Bradford School. When I lived there from 1943 to 1954 it was called Marden Avenue. It had only 5 houses on one side of the street as the wrought iron fence to the school yard was the other side of the street. Lots of fun for me. The street had cobble stones and lamp lights. When I lived there (I was born in 1943 so you figure it out. I’m terrible at that. If I started school at 5 it would have been 48, 49 and 50) the school’s main entrance was on Willowwood.

I can almost name all the teachers I had at that school. Miss Canada, Miss Colerain, Miss O’Hearn, At least these are the teachers that I had. I lived on the street that ran along side of the school. Perhaps Marten Ave., not sure of the spelling. Miss O’Hearn used to sneeze so violently that the building shook, so as we thought as little ones.

From there, I went on to middle school although it was not called that. The name of that school was the Roger Walcott. I think a drug store occupies that property now.


Comment From: Dennis Gutman, October 14, 2005
Re: Overview: William Bradford School

I attended the William Bradford School from 1960 to 1964, Ms. Courtney. Ms. Destefano, Ms. Driscoll and Ms. Manning…wonderful teachers, and wonderful memories.

Comment From: Name Edward Slaney, Dec. 2, 2005

I went to kindergarten at the Bradford. I think it was 1941. My teacher was Ms. McFaddin. I was transferred to St. Mathews Catholic School for 1st and 2nd. grades then back to public school to the Pauline Agassiz Shaw and The Roger Wolcott. We called them the Pauline and the Roger. We had many paper and scrap metal drives for the war effort during those years.

From: Tony Graham, June 2009

I went to the William Bradford for all of 1967 and part of 1968. I was real shy then, and I remember one time Miss Cakes left the room, and all the kids where getting out of their seats and talking. I just sat there and watched everybody. When Miss Cakes came back into the room, she took a ruler and hit everybody. I thought when she came to my desk, she was gonna whack me, but she went right past me and hit the kid who was sitting next to me. She hit everybody but me. At the time I could not understand why she did not hit me, but as I got older, it dawned on me that Miss Cakes saw everybody but me talking, so that’s why she never hit me.

Skills

Posted on

June 29, 2020