List of the oldest public high schools in the United States

Boston Latin School, the oldest public high school in the United States.

The following are the oldest public high schools in the United States that are still in operation. While some of these schools have operated as private schools in the past, all are currently public schools. The list does not include schools that have closed or consolidated with another school to form a new institution. The list is ordered by date of creation, and currently includes schools formed before 1870.

1. Boston Latin School (1635), Boston, Massachusetts^[1][2]
2. Hartford Public High School (1638), Hartford, Connecticut^[3]
3. Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (1648), Cambridge, Massachusetts^[4]
4. Hopkins Academy (1664), Hadley, Massachusetts^[5]
5. Academy of Richmond County (1783), Augusta, Georgia^[6]
6. Glynn Academy (1788), Brunswick, Georgia^[7]
7. Canandaigua Academy (1791), Canandaigua, New York^[8]
8. Westford Academy (1792), Westford, Massachusetts^[9]
9. Oxford Academy and Central Schools (1794), Oxford, New York^[10]
10. Newburgh Free Academy (1796), Newburgh, New York^[11]
11. Woodstock Academy (1801), Woodstock, Connecticut^[12] ["a quasi-private, independent school"^[13]]
12. Bacon Academy (1803), Colchester, Connecticut^[14]
13. Hampden Academy (1803), Hampden, Maine^[15]
14. Pinkerton Academy (1814), Derry, New Hampshire [Not strictly public, yet not private]
15. Columbia High School (1814), Maplewood, New Jersey^[16]
16. Cony High School (1815), Augusta, Maine^[17]
17. Delaware Academy (1819), Delhi, New York^[18]
18. English High School of Boston (1821), Boston, Massachusetts^[2]
19. Portland High School (1821), Portland, Maine^[19]
20. Kentucky School for the Deaf (1823), Danville, Kentucky^[20]
21. Prattsburgh Central School (1823), Prattsburgh, New York^[21]
22. New Bedford High School (1827), New Bedford, Massachusetts^[22]
23. Norcross High School (1827), Norcross, Georgia
24. Keene High School (1828), Keene, New Hampshire^[23]
25. St. Frances Academy (1828), Baltimore, Maryland^[24]
26. Lincoln High School (Portland, Oregon) (1869) Portland, Oregon

See also

• List of the oldest schools in the world

References

1. "Boston Latin School". Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
2. Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2., Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1761.
3. R.J. Luke Williams, Hartford Public High School: A Historic School, Retrieved February 14, 2008.
4. The Harvard Crimson, "Fifteen Minutes: Trouble in the House", Retrieved December 12, 2008.
5. Hopkins Academy Alumni Association, "", Retrieved January 9, 2010.
6. Academy of Richmond County, Retrieved February 14, 2008.
7. Glynn Academy > Campus History, Retrieved June 25, 2008.
8. "Canandaigua Academy, "", Retrieved December 3, 2015.
9. Simmons, Carrie (2007-09-07). "History of Westford Academy". Westford Eagle. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
10. Fred Lanfear, Oxford, Charleston, S.C., Arcadia Publishing, 2011, p. 71.
11. Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2., Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1810.
12. "History of WA / History of WA". woodstockacademy.org. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
13. Solutions, Hartford Courant Content. "Is Private School Right for You?". courant.com. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
14. Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2., Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1705.
15. http://www.ha.sad22.us, History of Hampden Academy, Retrieved February 14, 2008.
16. J. Fanning, Columbia High School History Overview, Retrieved February 14, 2008.
17. "New Page 2". www.kennebechistorical.org. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
18. Delhi Central School District, History of Delaware Academy, Retrieved February 14, 2008.
19. Portland High School, School History: The Heritage of Portland High School, Retrieved February 13, 2008.
20. National Park Service, Jacobs Hall, Kentucky School for the Deaf, Retrieved February 14, 2008.
21. Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2., Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1812.
22. Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2., Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1764.
23. Simon Goodell Griffin;, et al., A history of the town of Keene from 1732, when the township was granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it became a city., Keene, N.H., Sentinel Print. Co., 1904, p. 404.
24. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Frances_Academy_(Baltimore,_Maryland)<ref> #[[Elyria High School]] (1830), [[Elyria, Ohio]] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elyriaschools.org/ehs |title=Elyria High School / Homepage |publisher=Elyriaschools.org |date= |accessdate=2016-03-20}}</ref> #[[Lahainaluna High School]] (1831), [[Maui, Hawaii]]<ref>Hawaii Department of Education, ''[http://165.248.6.166/data/school.asp?schoolcode=414]'', Retrieved December 12, 2008.</ref> #[[Leon High School]] (1831), [[Tallahassee, Florida]]<ref>Leon High School Alumni Association, ''[http://www.leonhighalumni.org/history.htm Leon High School History]'', Retrieved February 14, 2008.</ref> #[[Lowell High School (Lowell, Massachusetts)|Lowell High School]] (1831), [[Lowell, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1763">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1763.</ref> #[[Newburyport High School]] (1831), [[Newburyport, Massachusetts]]<ref>Newburyport High School, ''The Clipper's Compass: A Student Handbook'', 65th ed.</ref> #[[Woodward High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)|Woodward High School]] (1831), [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]<ref>[http://www.cpsboe.k12.oh.us/general/History/History.html The Early History of Cincinnati Public Schools], Retrieved August 14, 2008.</ref> #[[Cambridge High School (Cambridge, Illinois)|Cambridge High School]] (1834), [[Cambridge, Illinois]]<ref>''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1714.</ref> #[[Medford High School (Massachusetts)|Medford High School]] (1835), [[Medford, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1763"/> #[[Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Michigan)|Bellevue High School]] (1836), [[Bellevue, Michigan]]<ref>''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1767.</ref> #[[Central High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)|Central High School]] (1836), [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]<ref>Amy B. Werbel, "[http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/3aa/3aa248.htm For "Our Age and Country:" Nineteenth-Century Art Education at Central High School]", ''Central High School Alumni Exhibition'', Philadelphia, Pa.: Woodmere Art Museum, 2002, pp. 6-12.</ref> #[[Auburn High School (Alabama)|Auburn High School]] (1837), [[Auburn, Alabama]]<ref>Mollie Hollifield, ''Auburn: Lovliest Village of the Plain'' (S.l.: s.n., 1955), 72; "Auburn Town Lots for Sale", ''Columbus Enquirer'', December 22, 1836; "To the Public.", ''Columbus Enquirer'', February 22, 1838.</ref> #[[Windsor High School (Windsor, New York)|Windsor High School]] (1837), [[Windsor, New York]]<ref>''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1815.</ref> #[[Barringer High School]] (1838), [[Newark, New Jersey]]<ref>Barringer High School, ''[http://www.nps.k12.nj.us/barringer/History.htm Home of the Blue Bears: Barringer High School History]'', Retrieved February 13, 2008.</ref> #[[Cohasset High School]] (1838), [[Cohasset, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1761"/> #[[Nantucket High School]] (1838), [[Nantucket, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Inglis">Inglis, Alexander James (1911). ''The Rise of the High School in Massachusetts'', Columbia University, p. 97. [https://books.google.com/books?id=oosVAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA97&dq=%22Gloucester+High+School%22&lr=#PPA97,M1]</ref> #[[Taunton High School]] (1838), [[Taunton, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1765">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1765.</ref> #[[Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind]] (1838), [[Staunton, Virginia]]<ref>''[http://www.vsdbs.virginia.gov/ Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind]'', Retrieved February 14, 2008.</ref> #[[Baltimore City College]] (1839), [[Baltimore, Maryland]]<ref>''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1758.</ref> #[[Gloucester High School (Massachusetts)]] (1839), [[Gloucester, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Inglis" /> #[[Middletown High School (Connecticut)]] (1840), [[Middletown, Connecticut]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.middlesexhistory.org/middletown/|title=History of Middletown, Connecticut (CT) {{!}} History {{!}} Middlesex County (CT) Historical Society|website=www.middlesexhistory.org|access-date=2016-04-25}}</ref> #[[Brighton High School (Brighton, Massachusetts)|Brighton High School]] (1841), [[Boston, Massachusetts]]<ref>''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1760.</ref> #[[Haverhill High School]] (1841), [[Haverhill, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1762">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1762.</ref> #[[Brookline High School]] (1843), [[Brookline, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1761"/> #[[Classical High School]] (1843), [[Providence, Rhode Island]]<ref>''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1851.</ref> #[[Drury High School]] (1843), [[North Adams, Massachusetts]]<ref>''[http://www.rootsweb.com/~maberksh/towns/nadams/1898drury.htm 1898 Drury High School]'', Retrieved February 14, 2008.</ref> #[[Tennessee School for the Deaf]] (1844), [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]<ref>[http://knoxcotn.org/old_site/schools/tsd/schoolhistory_chapt1.htm A History of the School], retrieved July 26, 2011.</ref> #[[Western High School (Baltimore, Maryland)]] (1844), [[Baltimore, Maryland]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1759">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1759.</ref> #[[Charlestown High School]] (1845), [[Boston, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Inglis" /> #[[Lyons High School]] (1845), [[Lyons, New York]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1809">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1809.</ref> #[[Mary D. Bradford High School]] (1845), [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]]<ref>[http://bradford.kusd.edu/about/documents/The_First_Free_High_School.pdf A History of Kenosha Central Senior High School], retrieved July 26, 2011.</ref> #[[New Braunfels High School]] (1845), [[New Braunfels, Texas]]<ref>Dabney, Edgar Robert, ''The Settlement of New Braunfels and the History of Its Earlier Schools'', University of Texas, 1927.</ref> #[[Windsor High School (Vermont)]] (1845), [[Windsor, Vermont]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1868">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1868.</ref> #[[Chelsea High School (Massachusetts)]] (1846) [[Chelsea, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1761"/> #[[Concord High School (New Hampshire)]] (1846) [[Concord, New Hampshire]]<ref>[http://home.comcast.net/~roycefamily5/chs/alumnihistory1842-1861.html Concord High School Alumni History 1842-1861], retrieved July 26, 2011.</ref> #[[Georgia School for the Deaf]] (1846) [[Cave Spring, Georgia]]<ref>[http://www.epeachynews.org/gadeafhistory.htm Georgia Deaf History], retrieved July 26, 2011.</ref> #[[Manchester Central High School]] (1846) [[Manchester, New Hampshire]]<ref>[http://www.manchesternh.gov/website/Departments/PublicSchools/Administration/Schools/High/Central/OurSchool/PrincipalsPage/tabid/2563/Default.aspx Principal's Message], retrieved July 26, 2011.</ref> #[[Pine Tree High School]] (1847) [[Longview, Texas]]<ref>[http://www.ptisd.org/default.aspx?name=About.PTISD], retrieved Oct. 11, 2014.</ref> #[[Biddeford High School]] (1848) [[Biddeford, Maine]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1755">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1755.</ref> #[[Lockport High School]] (1848) [[Lockport, New York]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1809" /> #[[Philadelphia High School for Girls]] (1848) [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]<ref>[http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2011/02/public-education-in-philadelphia-philadelphia-high-school-for-girls/ Public Education in Philadelphia: Philadelphia High School for Girls], retrieved July 26, 2011.</ref> #[[B.M.C. Durfee High School]] (1849) [[Fall River, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1762" /> #[[Charlotte High School (Charlotte, Michigan)]] (1849) [[Charlotte, Michigan]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1768">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1768.</ref> #[[Fitchburg High School]] (1849) [[Fitchburg, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1762" /> #[[Lawrence High School (Massachusetts)]] (1849) [[Lawrence, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Inglis" /> #[[Rockport High School]] (1849) [[Rockport, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1765" /> #[[Waltham High School]] (1849) [[Waltham, Massachusetts]]<ref name="Inglis" /> #[[Ypsilanti High School]] (1849) [[Ypsilanti, Michigan]]<ref name="Education. Volume 2. 1775">''Annual reports of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902. Report of the Commissioner of Education. Volume 2.'', Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 1775.</ref> #[[Arundel High School]] (1854) [[Gambrills, Maryland]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arundelclassof1963.com/some_history.htm |title=Some History |publisher=Arundelclassof1963.com |date= |accessdate=2016-03-20}}</ref> #[[Norwich Free Academy]] (1854), [[Norwich, Connecticut]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfaschool.org/page.cfm?p=4912|title=Norwich Free Academy: History|website=www.nfaschool.org|access-date=2016-04-25}}</ref> [a "quasi-private school,"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.norwichbulletin.com/article/20140111/NEWS/140119909|title=Windham severs ties with NFA|last=Bulletin|first=Francesca Kefalas For The|website=The Bulletin|access-date=2016-04-25}}</ref> "privately governed, independent secondary school"<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/07/nyregion/the-view-from-norwich-class-act-calling-on-alumni-to-back-a-cause.html|title=THE VIEW/From Norwich; Class Act: Calling On Alumni to Back a Cause|last=Braccidiferro|first=Gail|date=2003-09-07|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-04-25}}</ref>] #[[Andover High School (Massachusetts)]] (1856) [[Andover, Massachusetts]]<ref>[http://andoverma.gov/about/history.php/ History of Andover], retrieved October 8, 2011.</ref> #[[Louisville Male High School]] (1856) [[Louisville, Kentucky]]{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} #[[Lowell High School (San Francisco)]] (1856) [[San Francisco, California]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Lucey|first=Paul|title=Lowell High School, San Francisco: A history of the oldest public high school in California|year=1989|publisher=Lowell Alumni Association}}</ref> #[[Pioneer High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan)]] (1856) [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]]<ref>[http://pioneer2.aaps.k12.mi.us/admin/history.html], retrieved August 11, 2012.</ref> #[[Peoria High School (Illinois)]] (1856) [[Peoria, Illinois]]<ref>[http://www.wtvp.org/phs/index.asp], retrieved September 7, 2012.</ref> #[[Texas School for the Deaf]] (1856) [[Austin, Texas]]<ref>[http://www.tsd.state.tx.us], Texas School for the Deaf at Austin, Texas still operation. tsd.state.tx.us retrieved December 24, 2012.</ref> #[[University High School (Normal)|University High School]] (1857) [[Normal, Illinois]] #[[Hillhouse High School]] (1859), [[New Haven, Connecticut]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/hillhouse_high_school_sesquicentennial_all-class_reunion_banquet/|title=Hillhouse High School Sesquicentennial All-Class Reunion Banquet {{!}} New Haven Independent|website=New Haven Independent|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-25}}</ref> #[[San Jose High School]] (1863) [[San Jose, California]]<ref>{{cite web|title=About San Jose High School|url=http://www.sjusd.org/san-jose-high/school-information/about-sjhs/|website=San Jose High School|publisher=San José Unified School District|accessdate=21 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Pizarro|first1=Sal|title=San Jose High continues 150th anniversary celebration with parade this month|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/sal-pizarro/ci_24024963/pizarro-san-jose-high-continues-150th-anniversary-celebration|accessdate=21 January 2015|work=San Jose Mercury News|date=September 5, 2013}}</ref>
    1. Saint Paul Central High School (1866) Saint Paul, Minnesota
    2. Hastings Senior High School (1866) Hastings, Minnesota
    3. Parkersburg High School (1867) Parkersburg, West Virginia
    4. Holly High School (1868) Holly, Michigan
    5. Morristown High School (1869) Morristown, New Jersey<ref>, retrieved June 14th, 2014.