English High School is an historic
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
building at 20 Irving Street in
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
. Built in 1891, it is a prominent local example of Romanesque Revival architecture, designed by the local form of
Barker & Nourse. It served the city as a high school until 1966, and has housed school administration offices since then. The building was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1980.
Description and history
The former English High School building is located a few blocks west of Worcester City Hall, at the northwest corner of Irving and Chatham Streets. It is a large three-story building, built out of brick with sandstone trim. The Romanesque Revival building has rectangular massing, with entrances on Chatham and Irving Streets and a five-story, hip roofed chateau-style tower on the corner. The tower features elaborate brick corbelling, gabled wall dormers on each face, and a ring if iron cresting at the top of the roof. Gable sections have decorative brickwork, and the third story windows have arched heads, a feature continued in other parts of the building's exterior and interior.
[
The building was constructed in 1891-92 to a design by Barker & Nourse, who featured it in their trade catalog. It was the city's second high school building; the first, designed by ]H. H. Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson, FAIA (September 29, 1838 – April 27, 1886) was an American architect, best known for his work in a style that became known as Richardsonian Romanesque. Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, Richardson is one ...
, is no longer standing. In 1914, English High School was abolished, and the Classical High School moved from the Richardson building into this building. In 1966 Classical was merged with the High School of Commerce, which had occupied the old Richardson building. The merged schools were relocated to the Doherty Memorial High School on Highland Street. Since that time the building has served as the Durkin Administration Building of the Worcester Public Schools
Worcester Public Schools (WPS) is a school district serving the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest school district in the state behind Boston Public Schools.
Leadership
On October 8, 2015, Dr. Melinda Boone ...
.
The building served as a high school building until 1966, and as school offices thereafter.
Notable alumni
* William Howland (1871–1945), operatic bass, voice teacher, composer, conductor and university administrator. Graduated 1889.
Notable faculty
* G. David Houston (1880-1940), Professor of English at Howard University.
See also
*
*
References
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
High schools in Worcester, Massachusetts
School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
School buildings completed in 1891
National Register of Historic Places in Worcester, Massachusetts