School starts this week for many districts in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island has a long history in education, with one of the 12 oldest college in the country. But it's not just higher education that has a long history.
In fact, the state's oldest public high school was founded almost 200 years ago. Established in 1843, Classical High School in Providence is still operating as a high school today.
Here's the story of the first high school in Rhode Island.
History of Classical High School
According to the New England Historical Society, Rhode Island's oldest high school can be traced back to 1800, when Rhode Island’s General Assembly ordered every town to open public schools. While many elementary schools opened, establishing a high school took longer.
By 1838, town officials were stuck in a heavy debate over the issue, with opponents of a public high school fighting that it would be too aristocratic. Eventually, the high school advocates, led by Brown professor William Goddard, won the argument.
Classical High School was first founded on March 20, 1843 with just four teachers. In 1878, the city built a new building to meet the student demand, and in 1970, the Brutalist-style building that the high school currently resides in was constructed.
Today, Classical is a public exam school that serves over 1,000 students across grades 9-12 on Westminster Street.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What is RI's oldest high school? The history of Classical High School
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