Don Bosco Technical High School (Boston)

Don Bosco Technical High School (called as Don Bosco Trade School from 1946 to 1954 and officially named Don Bosco School of Technology from 1993 until its closure) was a all-boys Roman Catholic secondary school for grades 9 through 12. Founded for immigrant boys by the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious order of priests and brothers, the school was situated at 300 Tremont St. near the red light district, Boston, Massachusetts, United States from 1946 until its closure in 1998.

Don Bosco Technical High School
Address
330 Tremont St. Boston , Massachusetts United States
Coordinates	42.3493°N 71.0648°W / 42.3493; -71.0648
Information
Type	High school
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic, Salesians of Don Bosco
Patron saint(s)	St. John Bosco
Established	1946
Founder	Br. Julius Bollati, S.D.B. and Br. Angelo Bongiorno, S.D.B.
Status	Defunct
Closed	1998
School district	Archdiocese of Boston
Employees	64 (1980)
Grades	9-12
Enrolment	625 (1991)
Classes offered	Cabinetmaking, Construction Technology, Drafting and Design, Electronics, Electricity and Science Technology
Campus type	Urban
Colour(s)	Green and yellow
Athletics conference	Catholic Conference (MIAA)
Sports	Football, basketball, track, swimming, hockey, tennis
Team name	Bears
Yearbook	Technician

. . . Don Bosco Technical High School (Boston) . . .

In 1945, the Salesians of Don Bosco in Boston purchased the neglected former John Paul Jones School building, built in 1898, located at 145 Byron St. in East Boston and renovated it.[1] Don Bosco Trade School, as it was known then, opened for the 1946-1947 school year with two teachers, Br. Julius Bollati, S.D.B. and Br. Angelo Bongiorno, S.D.B. and 16 students.[1][2] The new school was founded in almost a perfect location and time period: it served large numbers of the underprivileged children of mostly Roman Catholic Italian immigrants, offering both a trade and religious education. By 1954, enrollment had grown to 200, making the Byron St. campus too crowded.[1][2]

The school, in partnership with the Salesian province leadership, proceeded to search for a property in Boston fulfilling the necessary requirements. The school leadership looked in a few locations, including Jamaica Plain and the South End. Initially (January 1954) a site on Rockwood St in Jamaica Plain was chosen; however, in August 1954 this plan was abandoned in favor of the former Brandeis High School on Warrenton Street, South End.[2] Don Bosco Technical High School remained at this site until its closure in 1998.

The Salesians moved into the Brandeis Vocational School Campus, the main building of which was formerly the City of Boston Continuation School, with the two sides of the building split into Boys’ and Girls’ Units, in time for the 1954 school year.[1][3] During this time there was a Salesian seminary program at Don Bosco Tech, which was terminated in later years. The original brick/limestone building was built in the 1920s.[4] This was plenty of space to house the student body of 200 plus Salesian quarters.[1] In the years following the student population rose rapidly, reaching 562 in 1966.[5]

. . . Don Bosco Technical High School (Boston) . . .

. . . Don Bosco Technical High School (Boston) . . .