Oldest Public School Marks 350th Birthday
United Press International
BOSTON —
The Boston Latin School, founded a year before Harvard University to train the New World’s best and brightest, celebrates its 350th birthday today as America’s oldest public school.
The alma mater of five of 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, Boston Latin was founded April 23, 1635, modeled after the Free Grammar School of Boston, England. Famous alumni include patriots John Hancock and Benjamin Franklin, conductor Leonard Bernstein, author Theodore White and U.S. Capitol architect Charles Bulfinch.
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