Boston Latin School

Established in 1635, the Boston Latin School was the first public school in America. By inviting boys of any social class to enter, the school set a precedent for tax-supported public education. The Boston Latin School’s curriculum is inspired by the 18th century latin-school movement, which centered on the idea that study of the classics was the basis of an educated mind. Some of the school’s most famous students were Ben Franklin, Samuel Adams, Henry Ward Beecher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Hancock, and Leonard Bernstein. A statue of Benjamin Franklin keeps a watchful eye on the site and a mosaic on the sidewalk behind King’s Chapel marks the spot as well.