Taunton High School - History

History

The requirement for High School level classes in Taunton was established in 1838. The City of Taunton, at that time, did not have a central building in which to hold high school level classes. The local school officials decided to hold high school classes in a neighborhood schoolhouse and rotate each semester to a different location. The first organization of a high school class was held in the District #11 Schoolhouse that later became known as the Woodward School at 52 Worcester Street. The rotation system continued for two years and the state of Massachusetts decided to discontinue the requirement for cities and towns to offer high school classes. From 1840 to 1848, there were no high school classes offered in Taunton. In 1849, Massachusetts, once again, required cities and towns to establish high school classes. The leaders of Taunton decided to hold high school classes in the basement of a church on Spring Street known as the Winslow Church. The classes continued at that location until local officials expanded the interior of the City Hall. The high School classes were moved to the second floor of Taunton City Hall in the mid-1850s and remained there until 1885 when a new High School was built on Washington Street on the site of a popular picnic grounds called 'King's Grove'. The Taunton High School on Washington Street received numerous additions as well as a face lift over the years. The building was in need of replacement and city officials purchased the Baylies estate on Williams Street to construct a new and current Taunton High School complex in 1975.