Boston College High School was founded in 1863 as Boston College. Boston College was founded to appeal to the rising number of Irish-Catholic immigrants living in Greater Boston. For most of its early history, BC offered a singular 7-year program corresponding to both high school and college. Its first entering class of 22 students ranged in age from 11 to 16 years. The curriculum was based on the Jesuit Ratio Studiorum, emphasizing Latin, Greek, philosophy and theology. While BC's mission was to "educate pupils in the principles and practice of the Catholic faith," its founding documents reflect the historical realities of the time. The great influx of immigrants to Boston in the nineteenth century corresponded with growing anti-Catholic sentiment among the city's aristocratic elite. As a result, BC's charter was revolutionary for its time in stating that "the profession of religion will not be a necessary condition for admission to the College." The high school shares its history with Boston College until 1910 when the college moved from its original location in the South End to its current in Chestnut Hill. By the start of the 20th century, BC's enrollment had reached nearly 500. Expansion of the South End buildings onto James Street enabled increased division between the high school and the college. The 1907 purchase of farmland for a new college campus in Chestnut Hill allowed BC High to fully expand into the South End buildings, though it remained a constituent part of Boston College until 1927 when it was separately incorporated. In 1950, BC High moved to its current location.[4]
In 2002, Stephen F. Dawber was suspended from his teaching duties after accusations of sexual assault. This came just days after two other priests were accused of abuse about a decade prior.[5] In 2005, Jesuit priest James Talbot, who was also a teacher and coach at the school, pleaded guilty to rape, assault with intent to rape, and three counts of assault and battery, related to two students he sexually abused during his time there. He was removed from the school in 1998 after allegations of sexual assault surfaced from his time at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine.[5]
Academics
Global Education
The Hyde Center for Global Education was founded was established in 2012 with the gift of Lawrence Hyde, who was a member of the Class of 1942.[4] The program offers a variety of international programs to 18 different countries.[6]
Innovation
In 2020, alumnus Jack Shields donated $5 million to establish the Shields Innovation Center. The program aims to "prioritize entrepreneurial thinking while preparing students for the rapidly evolving innovation economy".[7]
Facilities
McElroy Hall is the original building of the present campus when it opened in 1950. Shortly after, Cushing Hall opened in 1953, followed by the new Jesuit residence, Loyola Hall, in 1957. The Walsh Hall Science Center opened in 1965. Walsh Hall was renovated in 2007 for the opening of the Arrupe Division, which serves grades 7-8. McQuillan Hall and Cadigan Hall are the two newest buildings on the campus. McQuillan Hall houses the new science center and cafeteria.[4]
Cadigan Hall opened in 2013 after alumnus Pat Cadigan donated $12 million for a new "arts and recreation building". The hall features an atrium to facilitize alumni and outreach events.[8] Cadigan Hall serves the art and music departments as well as the athletic program.[4]
In the spring of 2016, Monan Park opened as the new home for the home for baseball at Boston College High School and the University of Massachusetts Boston. The complex features a baseball stadium with seating for 500 spectators and identical dimensions to Fenway Park, as well as a secondary field for baseball, lacrosse, and soccer. The joint project with the neighboring University of Massachusetts Boston was made possible with a $2 million donation from the Yawkey Foundation.[9]
The mascot for all Boston College High School athletic teams is the Eagle, generally referred to in the plural, i.e., "The Eagles". The school colors are maroon and gold. The fight song is For Boston.
The 2009 Indoor Track Relay Team won the Massachusetts State Relays.[13][14] The baseball team won the State Finals in 2001, 2008 and 2009.[15] The soccer team won the Massachusetts State Championship in 2004.[16] The hockey team has won the Super 8 hockey tournament six times, the second-most in the tournament's history, behind only conference rival Catholic Memorial School. In 2019, the team won the championship game at the TD Garden over Pope Francis Preparatory School 2–1 in 4OT to win their second-straight title, the longest game in tournament history.[17] The BC High Lacrosse Team has won the Division 1 South Sectional Championship 4 times in the last 5 years: 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021 (No Season in 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic). The team won the Massachusetts Division 1 State Championship over Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in 2018 by a score of 16-3.
Principal athletic facilities include Edward T. Barry Ice Rink (capacity: 1,000), McNeice Pavillion, Monan Park (500), and Viola Stadium. BC High athletics has been considered one of the best programs in the nation. Specifically, the school was ranked #10 on Sports Illustrated's list of Top High School Athletic programs in 2007.[18]
Notable alumni
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (August 2022)
Joseph F. Dunford Jr., four-star general, U.S. Marine Corps, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
Ed Gallagher (1910-1981, class of 1928), starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1932 season[24]
^"BC High, CM start new Thanksgiving tradition". ESPN.com. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2021. Catholic Conference rivals Catholic Memorial and BC High have competed in an annual Thanksgiving day football game since 1962.
^English, Bella. "General rallying the troops of Pan-Mass riders", The Boston Globe, July 30, 2012. Accessed January 5, 2017. "Young George attended boarding school in Rome, and when his father was on a Harvard fellowship for a year, he and his brother enrolled at Boston College High School.... He did his senior year at BC High in 1966."
^Terry Driscoll, Basketball Reference. Accessed January 5, 2017.
^Nowlin, Bill. Ed Gallagher, Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed January 5, 2017. "Ed Gallagher was a 1928 graduate of Boston College High School and a 1932 graduate of BC itself, where he starred in baseball, football, and hockey."
