HISTORY OF SOUTH END

South End is a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts that was developed in the mid-19th century. The area was originally marshland, but it was filled in and developed with a grid street pattern that reflected the latest urban planning ideas of the time. The neighborhood was designed to be a fashionable residential area for Boston's growing middle class. It was known for its elegant brownstone homes, many of which are still standing today. The area was also home to several parks, including the largest park in Boston at the time, Franklin Square.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood saw an influx of immigrants, particularly from Ireland, Italy, and the Jewish diaspora. Many of these immigrants lived in crowded tenement buildings, which were often poorly maintained and lacked basic amenities. During the mid-20th century, the South End, like many urban neighborhoods, experienced a decline as residents moved to the suburbs. In the 1960s and 1970s, the area became a center for urban renewal efforts, which aimed to revitalize the neighborhood through large-scale redevelopment projects.

As Annie wandered through the south end neighborhood with her camera, she was captivated by the look of the South Boston High School. So after taking this photo, she researched it on the internet. The school is a public high school, and was founded in 1901 and has a long as well as storied history in the city. It serves a diverse student body and has a reputation for academic excellence, as well as strong athletic and arts programs. The school has undergone many changes since it was funded, including renovations and updates to its facilities, changes in its curriculum, and its student population. Today, the school offers a wide range of courses and programs, including advanced placement classes, vocational and technical programs, and extracurricular activities in sports, music, drama, and more. During the Boston bus crisis of the 1970s, several racial incidents occurred at the school, and on September 12, 1974, the first day of school, only 124 students attended. This was a direct result of the incidents; at that time, the school was expected to have an enrollment of about 1,300 students.

On November 20, a number of fights broke out on campus. It began when a white male student slammed a door in the face of a black female student. A few weeks later, on December 11, a more violent incident occurred when a white male student, Michael Faith, was stabbed by another black male student. News of his stabbing quickly spread through the neighborhood, and by about 3 p.m., about 700 people surrounded the school and confronted the black students after school. The students were able to escape as the crowd chased down three decoy buses. In 1975, the Boston School Committee was stripped of most of its control over the integration of Boston schools. Judge W. Arthur Garrity Jr. said desegregation was not working at South Boston High School and accused the school committee of blocking his court order. That year, the school was taken over under the administration of the district superintendent.

South Boston High School continued to receive negative attention for the violence that erupted in 1974, and in 1980, Michael Tierney and Danis Terris founded and launched Mosaic, a publication of autobiographical stories, photographs and poems by South Boston High School students. They collaborated with professionals to publish stories and photographs capturing their experiences growing up in Boston. While some stories focus on their experiences with desegregation, others touch on topics like divorce, death, foster care, and immigration. The platform MOSAIC was used to showcase the diversity and complexity of the school and its students beyond the media's portrayal. (O'Connor, 1994)  Despite some challenges and controversies over the years, South Boston High School remains an important institution in the city of Boston and a key part of the community in South Boston. It continues to provide a high-quality education to its students and prepare them for success in college, career, and life.

Today, the South End is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood known for its historic architecture, trendy restaurants and cafes, and thriving arts scene. The neighborhood has also become a popular destination for young professionals and families, drawn to its mix of historic charm and modern amenities. The exploration of the South End neighborhood led us to discover the rich history and complex story of South Boston High School. Through its ups and downs, the school has remained an important institution in the city of Boston, serving a diverse student body and preparing them for success. Today, the South End neighborhood is thriving, known for its historic architecture, trendy restaurants, and bustling arts scene. As Boston continues to evolve, South Boston High School and the South End will undoubtedly continue to play important roles in the city's cultural and educational landscape.

Works Cited

Boston : Northeastern University Press. (1994, January 1). South Boston, my home town : The history of an ethnic neighborhood : O'connor, Thomas H., 1922- : Free download, Borrow, and streaming. Internet Archive. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://archive.org/details/southbostonmyhom00ocon/page/220/mode/2up

Boston Public Schools / Boston Public Schools homepage. Boston Public Schools / Boston Public Schools Homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/ 

High school. Stark & Subtle Divisions: A Collaborative History of Segregation in Boston. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://bosdesca.omeka.net/exhibits/show/student-perspectives/high-school 

Preserving the past for future generations. South End Historical Society. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.southendhistoricalsociety.org/

South end. Boston.gov. (2016, July 11). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.boston.gov/neighborhood/south-end