In a town better known for its university, Alabama's oldest public high school has been making its own history since 1837.
Auburn High School is Alabama's oldest high school and one of the nation's top 50 oldest high schools, ranking as the fifth oldest school in the South.
The history of Auburn High School
Located in Auburn, Auburn High School began as a small private school just a year after the city of Auburn was founded and has evolved into a modern academic powerhouse, all while preserving a legacy that spans nearly two centuries of Southern education.
Auburn High School was a private school taught by a single instructor in a wartime classroom run from a Union prison camp. Wars, economic hardship and educational reform have reshaped Auburn High.
Once a girls' college run by Masons, the school became public in the 1880s, added college-level classes for women in the 1890s, and formally integrated in 1971.
Today, it thrives in a modern $72 million campus.
Oldest high schools in the U.S.
According to WorldAtlas, here are the oldest high schools in the nation, with each year they were founded:
Boston Latin, Boston, MA: 1635
Hartford Public HS, Hartford, CT: 1638
Cambridge Rindge and Latin, Cambridge, MA: 1648
Hopkins Academy, Hadley, MA: 1664
Phillips Academy, Andover, MA: 1778
Richmond County Academy, Augusta, GA: 1783
Glynn Academy, Brunswick, GA: 1788
Canandaigua Academy, Canandaigua, NY: 1791
Westford Academy, Westford, MA: 1792
Newburgh Free, Newburgh, NY: 1796
Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at [email protected].
Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at [email protected]m
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What is the oldest high school in Alabama? It's been teaching since 1837
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