Brookline High School

Brookline High School
Location
115 Greenough Street Brookline, Massachusetts 02445
Coordinates	42°20′0″N71°7′48″W / 42.33333°N 71.13000°W / 42.33333; -71.13000
Information
School type	Public, High School
Established	1843;182 years ago (1843)
School district	Public Schools of Brookline
Headmaster	Anthony Meyer
Teaching staff	191.8 (FTE) (2023–24)
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	2,117 (2023–24)
Student to teacher ratio	10.4 (2020–21)
Color(s)	Red   Blue
Mascot	Spartan Warrior
Team name	Warriors
Newspaper	The Cypress
Website	bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us

Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in Brookline, Massachusetts. It is a part of Public Schools of Brookline.

As of the 2023–24 school year, 2117 students were enrolled in the high school, served by 191.8 teachers (on an FTE basis), the student to teacher ratio was approximately 10.9 to 1. ^[1] As of 2023, the enrolled student body race/ethnicity was self reported as 7.4% African American, 16.0% Asian, 12.9% Hispanic, 53.3% White, and 10.3% Multi-ethnic. ^[1]

History

19th century

Brookline High School was founded in the Spring of 1843. Instruction began on August 17, 1843, on the lower floor of the Town Hall on Walnut Street, which was described by a former student as a "dismal, damp and dark room...not unlike a tomb". ^[2] Benjamin H. Rhodes, a Brown University graduate, was the founding headmaster, serving until 1847. ^[2] Rhodes was succeed as headmaster by Hezekia Shailer who served until 1854. John Emory Horr, a Harvard College graduate, then served as headmaster for 33 years until 1888. ^{[2] [3]}

On November 3, 1856, the second Brookline High School location, a newly constructed two-story building on School Street designed by architect Joseph L. Richard, opened. ^[2]

In fall 1895, the third and present location of Brookline High School opened as Shailer Hall, a new three and a half story brick structure with a pitched roof designed by architects Andrews, Jaques and Rantoul. ^[4]

20th century

In September 1903, the Manual Arts building, which was built at a cost of $100,000 on Tappan Street, opened. The ninth grade moved from the School of Practical Arts in the elementary schools to the high school in September 1921, following an addition to the main building, which increased the capacity to 1500 students.

In 1965, the main building was expanded and remodeled at a cost of $1.5 million. ^[5]

The school has Symbolic Panels made by the sculptor John A. Wilson. ^[6]

21st century

In May 2018, Brookline voters supported a debt exclusion override to fund the expansion and renovation of Brookline High School. This building project included the construction of a new building at the 111 Cypress Street site, a new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) building to replace the building at the corner of Tappan and Greenough Streets, renovations to the 3rd floor of the main building and the Tappan gymnasium, as well as improvements to Cypress Field. ^[7]

In early 2022, Brookline High School opened a new building on 22 Tappan Street, designed primarily to house freshmen. ^[8]

Academics

Brookline High School has received the gold medal for Best High Schools from U.S. News & World Report . ^[9] Boston magazine has frequently ranked Brookline High School as one of the best high schools in Massachusetts for academic performance; in 2008, the magazine ranked Brookline High School top in the state. ^{[10] [11]}

In 2020, Boston magazine ranked Brookline High School as the 20th-best public school in Massachusetts. ^[12] As of 2021, Brookline High School was ranked 64th nationally for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), according to U.S. News & World Report . ^[13]

Although the Advanced Placement (AP) program at Brookline High School is smaller than at other high schools, it has grown dramatically over the past decade. In 2020–21, 435 students took 797 AP exams, and 91.9% of students scored “3” or above on these exams. ^[14] In 2019, Brookline High School was ranked in the top 5% of the most challenging public high schools in America (952nd of 22,000). ^[15] The rank was determined by the Challenge Index defined as the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests taken in a year relative to the number of seniors who graduate. ^{[15] [16]} In 2020, the 5-year graduation rate was 96.5% with 86% of students planning to attend a 4-Year private or public college. ^{[17] [18]}

Athletics

Brookline High School features the largest interscholastic athletics program in New England, with 71 teams in 40 sports. ^[19] Some of the atypical sports include squash, curling, golf, ultimate disc, crew, sailing, water polo, and rugby.

In 2014, Brookline High School rebranded their athletics program. The new logo featured a Spartan Warrior's helmet, successor to the arrowhead logo. A new color scheme was also introduced with navy blue replacing royal blue.

Boy's crew

In 2013, the boys crew team took home their first national championship; the winning lightweight double featured athletes who would ⁷later go on to row on the lightwight teams at Cornell and Princeton universities. ^{[20] [21]}

In 2014, the boys took home a bronze at nationals in the openweight double, only to win another national title in the double in 2015. ^[22] In 2016, the boys lightweight four won their regional championship, but fell short of a third national title, placing 5th at nationals. ^[23]

Boys cross country

In 2007, the Brookline High School boys cross country team won the first ever Nike Team Nationals northeast regional meet by just one point over Danbury High School in Bowdoin Park, New York. ^[24] They went on to place 7th at Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Oregon. ^[25] In addition to the 2007 campaign, in the 2006 and 2009 seasons the team placed 3rd at the Massachusetts Division 1 State Meet, in 2005 they finished 2nd, and on November 20, 2010, won their second state championship, giving them their fifth top three finish in six years and second 1st-place finish in four. On November 19, 2011, they won their third state championship, for a run of three championships in five years.

Boy's volleyball

In 2021, the boys volleyball team had the 8th best record (15-5) of the 81 teams in Massachusetts. ^[26]

Football

Since 1894, the Brookline High football team has played rival Newton North High School in the traditional annual Thanksgiving Day game, one of the oldest high school football rivalries in Massachusetts and on the list of high school football rivalries more than 100 years old.

Girls crew

In 2022, Brookline High School athletes finished third in the women's under-17 fours at Head of the Charles. ^[27] Because the crew is not recognized as a school sport in the fall, the athletes rowed under the club name of Friends of Brookline Rowing, whose members are the same as those of the high school's spring rowing team. In 2023, the boys crew team took home two bronzes at regionals in the men's under-17 fours and men's youth second fours categories. ^[28]

Girl's wrestling

In 1993, Brookline was the first public high school in the nation to organize and support a girl's wrestling team, which has since been duicated by hundreds of high schools nationally.

Ultimate disc

The most popular athletics program at Brookline High School, as of 2017, is ultimate disc with over 110 students participating.

School Within A School

School Within A School (SWS) is an alternative, democratic education program based in Brookline High School. ^[29]

The Cypress

The Cypress, formerly The Sagamore, is a school-affiliated newspaper published monthly by students of Brookline High School. The first issue appeared in January 1895. ^[5] The newspaper is independent; the production is funded entirely through selling advertisements and subscriptions. ^[30] It receives no funding from the high school. ^[31]

Over the past few years, the paper has publicized and discussed issues in and around the school, including racism and teenage pregnancy. The school is noted for its tradition of high tolerance of sensitive topics discussed in the newspaper. In 2011, New England Scholastic Press Association awarded The Sagamore "Highest Achievement" in Newspaper Class I category. ^[32]

Notable incidents

• On September 25, 1936, Shailer Hall, the original Brookline High School building constructed in 1895, was destroyed by fire. ^[33] One hundred and sixty firemen fought the fire with at least fourteen treated for injuries. ^[34] The cause and origin of the fire was a defective incinerator flue in a chimney. ^[34] Financial losses amounted to $3 million in 2022 dollars.
• In 2005, members of Fred Phelps' anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church protested at the graduation ceremony against Brookline High's strong acceptance of homosexuality. They were met by dozens of supporters and counter-protesters. ^{[35] [ better source needed ]} Members from the Westboro Baptist Church protested again in 2009. They were met with about 2,000 counter-protesters, including students and members of Brookline High School's staff and various other groups from surrounding areas.^{[ citation needed ]}
• In November 2017, Brookline High School students coordinated a walkout concerning the racial climate present through the high school. This event occurred after the spread of student produced videos containing racial slurs. The incident made local news and sparked discussion. ^[36]
• In May 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of Brookline High School teachers were given pink slips due to lack of funding. This was met with criticism on a local level, causing protests and criticisms on the management of the school's administration. ^[37]

Notable alumni

• Jeff Adrien 2004, former professional basketball player, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Charlotte Bobcats ^[38]
• Eddie Andelman 1954, Boston radio personality. ^{[39] [40]}
• Lenny Baker 1962, Tony Award-winning actor, I Love My Wife
• Michael Bluestein 1987, musician and keyboardist, Foreigner ^[41]
• Marita Bonner 1922, writer, essayist, and playwright of Harlem Renaissance ^[42]
• Safra Catz 1979, CEO, Oracle Corporation ^[43]
• Hugh B. Cave 1927, short story writer ^[44]
• Jim Davis 1961, chairman, New Balance ^{[45] [46]}
• James Driscoll 1996, professional golfer on PGA Tour ^[47]
• Kitty Dukakis 1954, former First Lady of Massachusetts
• Michael Dukakis 1951, 1988 Democratic presidential nominee and former Governor of Massachusetts. ^[48]
• Theo Epstein 1991, former general manager, Boston Red Sox ^[49]
• Richard N. Goodwin 1949, author, columnist, and speechwriter for presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson ^[50]
• David Hazony 1987, author, columnist, editor, and translator
• John Hodgman 1989, humorist and author, Apple's Get a Mac advertising campaign ^[51]
• Hanako Jimi 1994, Japanese politician ^[52]
• Sam Kennedy 1991, president, Boston Red Sox. ^[53]
• George Kenney 1907, U.S. Air Force general during World War II ^[54]
• Robert C. Kingston 1947, U.S. Army General
• Robert Kraft 1959, owner, New England Patriots ^[55]
• Albert and David Maysles 1944 and 1949, documentary filmmakers, Salesman , Gimme Shelter , and Grey Gardens
• Nicholas McCarthy 1988, film director ^[56]
• Vaughn Meader 1953, comedian and John F. Kennedy impersonator
• Fred Newman 1960, former professional baseball player, Los Angeles Angels
• Conan O'Brien 1981, comedian, writer, and TV host
• Rebecca Onie 1994, population health advocate and MacArthur Fellow
• Thomas G. Osenton 1971, economist, author, former CEO The Sporting New Publishing Company
• Francis Ouimet 1911, professional golfer and 1913 U.S. Open winner ^[57]
• Paul Pender 1949, world middleweight boxing champion
• Thais M. Plaisted, 1916, educator, writer, and parliamentarian
• Alan L. Rachins 1960, actor, Dharma and Greg , L.A. Law ^[58]
• Eli "Paperboy" Reed 2002, musician
• Jonathon Riley 1997, 2004 Olympian in the 5000m run and three-time U.S. champion, 2001 NCAA champion. ^[59]
• Dan Rosenthal 1984, member of White House senior staff under Bill Clinton
• Larry Ruttman 1948, attorney and author ^[60]
• Gabe Sapolsky 1990, pro wrestling promoter, ECW and Ring of Honor
• Lew Schneider 1979, producer, Everybody Loves Raymond and American Dad! ^[61]
• David Susskind 1938, TV producer and host, The David Susskind Show
• Ednah Shepard Thomas 1919, English professor, University of Wisconsin.
• Alan Trefler 1973, founder and CEO, Pegasystems, and chess master
• Mike Wallace 1935, former journalist, 60 Minutes ^[62]
• Joe "Tweet" Walsh 1934, former professional baseball player, Boston Bees ^[63]
• Rick Weitzman 1963, former professional basketball player, Boston Celtics. ^[57]
• John Yau 1968, Jackson Poetry Prize-winning poet and critic ^[64]
• David Zuckerman 1989, 81st lieutenant governor of Vermont ^[65]

References

1. "Enrollment Data (2021-22) - Brookline High (00460505)" (PDF). profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
2. Proceedings of the Brookline Historical Society. Brookline Historical Society. 1907.
3. "John Emory Hoar". www.digitalcommonwealth.org. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
4. Denehy, John William (1906). A History of Brookline, Massachusetts, from the First Settlement of Muddy River to the Present Time. Brookline, MA: Brookline Press.
5. Holland, Bertram H. (1993). Safeguard of the Republic. Brookline High Alumni Association.
6. James Cameron. More About New Glasgow. 1974. p. 194
7. "Expansion Project". Brookline High School. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
8. McCown, James (September 14, 2023). "Brookline's new high school design makes the honor roll". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
9. USNews. Accessed June 13, 2012.
10. Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe , "Newton high schools make Boston Magazine's top 10", Boston.com, August 26, 2009.
11. Best Public High Schools chart, Boston Magazine , September 2008, archived at the Wayback Machine August 30, 2008.
12. "The Best Public High Schools in Greater Boston". Boston Magazine. August 25, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
13. "U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools". USNews. 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
14. "2020-21 Advanced Placement Participation Report by All Students - Brookline High (00460505)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
15. "Jay Mathews Challenge Index | High School Ranking System". Jay Mathews Challenge Index. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
16. "Perspective | Huge change in character of our most challenging high schools". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved March 15, 2022.
17. "Cohort 2021 Graduation Rates -Brookline High (00460505)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
18. "Plans of High School Graduates (2021-22) - Brookline High (00460505)". profiles.doe.mass.edu. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
19. Brookline Schools website Archived May 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine URL accessed on June 2, 2006
20. Youth National Championships Oak Ridge, TN June 7-9, 2013, USRowing. Accessed December 22, 2016. Click on results for Sunday; see 5F1. Mens Ltwt Youth 2x A Final.
21. Friedman, Alex. "Brookline rowers dubbed best lightweight youth pair in USA", Wicked Local Brookline, June 11, 2013. Accessed December 22, 2016. "While most seniors were throwing their cap into the air celebrating their graduation, five seniors from the Brookline High School varsity crew team were preparing, racing and recovering from the Youth National Championships, where two Brookline rowers took home the gold.... Senior Jack Ruske and sophomore Jordi Cabanas destroyed all competition in the men's lightweight youth 2x A final, finishing two seconds ahead of second-place Miami Beach."
22. "Brookline rowers take home gold", Wicked Local Brookline, June 17, 2015. Accessed December 22, 2016. "The Brookline High rowing team had a very successful run last weekend at the US Rowing Youth National Championship in Sarasota, Fla., last weekend. Seniors Jordi Cabanas and Aviv Preminger won gold in the Men's 2X."
23. Youth Nationals Mercer Lake, West Windsor, NJ June 10-12, 2016, USRowing. Accessed December 23, 2016. Click on results for Saturday; See 13F1 W. Mens Ltwt Youth 4+ A Final.
24. "Webcast: Nike Team Nationals 2007", DyeStat. Accessed February 16, 2008.
25. "Oregon Runners: Nike Team Nationals" Archived 2008-02-03 at the Wayback Machine , Nike Team Nationals. Accessed February 22, 2008.
26. "MA High School Boys Volleyball Rankings". MaxPreps.com. April 2, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
27. "Women's Under-17 Fours Head Of The Charles 2022". www.regattacentral.com. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
28. "Northeast Youth Championship – Lake Quinsigamnd, Worcester, Ma – May 20, 2023 – May 21, 2023". herenow.com. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
29. "School within a School". Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
30. "About Us". The Sagamore. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
31. "Mission". The Sagamore. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
32. "Awards". The Sagamore. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
33. "Brookline High School Fire". www.digitalcommonwealth.org. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
34. Belknap, Harry (October 1, 1936). "Remarkable Fire Stop Made by Brookline Firemen at School Blaze". Fire Engineering: Firefighter Training and Fire Service News, Rescue. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
35. Fulton, Deirdre (June 2005). "Not in Kansas". bostonphoenix.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2005. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
36. Irons, Meghan E.; Meyers, Alyssa (November 30, 2017). "Brookline students walk out to protest racial climate in wake of videos". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
37. "Hundreds Of Brookline Teachers Face Layoffs Amid COVID-19 Economic Downturn". News. May 29, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
38. Jeff Adrien Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine , Connecticut Huskies men's basketball. Accessed December 23, 2016. "Averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds as a senior at Brookline HS... As a senior at Brookline, Jeff was team captain, first team All-League, League MVP and named to the Boston Globe Super Team and Boston Herald Dream ,Team."
39. "Famous Alumni | Brookline High School Alumni Association".
40. Hofherr, Justine. "17 famous people who have called Brookline home - News - Boston.com Real Estate". www.boston.com. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
41. "Michael Bluestein". Foreigner. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
42. Smith, Jessie Carney. Notable Black American Women: Book 2. USA: Gale Research, 1991. 503. Print.
43. Lashinsky, Adam (September 28, 2009). "The Enforcer". Fortune . 160 (6): 117–124. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
44. Adrian, Jack. "Obituary: Hugh B. Cave; Prolific writer of pulp (`pure' supernatural, `Spicy', SF, romance, westerns, hard- and soft-boiled detective fiction, weird-menace and shudder- pulp) over eight decades." ^{[ dead link ‍]}, The Independent , June 30, 2004. Accessed April 18, 2008. "His astonishing career spanned all but the first couple of decades of the 20th century and into the 21st, his first published writing, as a 15-year-old student at Brookline High School, Massachusetts, being a short story in The Boston Globe entitled 'Retribution'..."
45. "Brookline High School Alumni Association". Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
46. "Effort to rename a park goes on - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe .
47. Layman, Tom. "All-points bulletin on James Driscoll", Boston Herald , June 19, 2014. Accessed December 23, 2016. "Driscoll, a Brookline High School graduate, currently sits in 125th place in the points standings for the PGA Tour's playoff system, meaning if the season had ended before this week's Travelers Championship he would technically be the last player in the field."
48. "Fanfares for Michael Dukakis", The New York Times , July 23, 1988. Accessed February 5, 2008. "And then the candidate, once a trumpeter in the Brookline High School band, took the podium and performed his own Fanfare for the Common Man."
49. Nightengale, Bob (April 27, 2017). "BOB NIGHTENGALE Theo Epstein returns to Boston, champions another cause with his twin brother". USA Today. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
50. The "Challenge Constantly Renewed" Archived 2016-12-24 at the Wayback Machine , Huntington Theatre Company. Accessed December 23, 2016. "Richard N. Goodwin has been a major presence over the past four decades as a relentless and probing commentator on American society and the challenges of liberal democracy.... Born December 7, 1931, in Boston, he attended Brookline High School and Tufts University, graduating first in his class from Harvard Law School in 1958, and serving as president of the Harvard Law Review."
51. Chase, Katie Johnston. "True to his nerd: John Hodgman finds a niche as 'Daily Show' resident expert, mendacious author, and dorky PC", The Boston Globe , September 24, 2006. Accessed December 3, 2007. "Fletcher graduated from Brookline High School a year before he did, and the two have been together since Hodgman was 17."
52. "じみはなこ プロフィール (JIMI Hanako Profile)". 自見はなこ 公式ウェブサイト (JIMI Hanako Official Website). Retrieved October 12, 2024.
53. Borchers, Callum. "Seven things you should know about Sam Kennedy", The Boston Globe , March 23, 2014. Accessed December 23, 2016. "Kennedy and Epstein — classmates at Brookline High School — were suddenly reunited in leadership positions for their hometown team."
54. Cromie, Robert. "Kenney of the Fifth!", Chicago Tribune , November 14, 1943. Accessed December 23, 2016. "Caption: George C. Kenney at the time he was graduated from Brookline High School in 1907."
55. Baird, Susanna. "Kraft Cements His Love for the Old Alma Mater", The Boston Globe , November 14, 2004. Accessed April 18, 2008. "Robert Kraft's hands have pressed down into history. Brookline High School, alma mater of the NFL's winningest owner, has instituted a Hollywood-esque Walk of Fame, complete with concrete handprints. Kraft, "Bobby" to his peers in the BHS class of 1959, is the walk's first inductee."
56. Sheasley, Chelsea (June 30, 2012). "Horror show: Q&A with Brookline's Nicholas McCarthy". Wicked Local. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
57. Athletic Hall of Fame Archived 2008-02-28 at the Wayback Machine , Brookline High School. Accessed February 21, 2008.
58. Brozan, Nadine. "Chronicle", The New York Times , March 16, 1993. Accessed April 21, 2008. "The year is being bracketed by two celebratory weekends -- one last June, one this June -- that include class reunions. Last year's event brought more than 2,000 graduates back to the school, including Mr. Wallace, Alan Rachins, a star of "L.A. Law," and former Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts and his wife, Kitty."
59. USATF profile for Jonathon Riley, January 10, 2014
60. "Brookline High School Alumni Newsletter, Winter 2006" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
61. Beggy, Carol; and Shanahan, Mark. "Monet goes to Vegas; Kerry goes out on the town", The Boston Globe , November 6, 2003. Accessed February 17, 2008.
62. Brozan, Nadine. "Chronicle", The New York Times , March 16, 1993. Accessed February 5, 2008. "Mike Wallace is lending a hand to his old school, Brookline High School, at a benefit -- unusual for a Massachusetts public school -- in New York tomorrow evening. Mr. Wallace, class of '35, will interview the school's acting headmaster, Dr. Robert J. Weintraub, at a cocktail party that is expected to draw 60 or so Brookline graduates to the University Club on West 54th Street."
63. Goldman, Steven (2005). The Making of Casey Stengel. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, Inc.
64. "John Yau". Poetry Foundation. March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
65. Muddy River Annual. Brookline: Brookline High School. 1989.

External links

• Official website