English High School (Worcester, Massachusetts)

English High School is an historic high school building at 20 Irving Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. 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 in 1980.[1]

English High School
Location20 Irving St., Worcester, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°15′45″N 71°48′26″W
Area1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1891 (1891)
ArchitectBarker & Nourse
Architectural styleRomanesque
MPSWorcester MRA
NRHP reference No.80000601[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 05, 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.[2]

The building was constructed in 1891 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, is no longer standing. The building served as a high school building until 1966, and as school offices thereafter.[2]

Notable alumni
  • William Howland (1871–1945), operatic bass, voice teacher, composer, conductor and university administrator. Graduated 1889.[3]

Notable faculty

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "NRHP nomination for English High School". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  3. "William Howland, Music Educator, 74; Former Department Head at Michigan U. Dies--Founded Detroit Music Institute". The New York Times. May 3, 1945.
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