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To be sure, the largely blue-collar, heavily Irish Catholic South Boston community does not put much emphasis on scholastics. "Some students boast at graduation they never opened a book," explains Headmaster William Reid. "These youngsters are interested in sports or friends they make here, enjoying community life and spending nights on the corner. High school for many of them is looked on as the most pleasant experience of their life."
Brick Fortress. Some of the problem lies with inadequate funding. Basic supplies like pencils and paper are often unavailable. The teachers, in fact, often spend their own money for materials. But a part of the difficulty rests with the administration, which puts heavy emphasis upon business and secretarial courses at the expense of college preparation. Teachers have trouble getting permission to take classes on field trips and other broadening experiences. White-haired, avuncular Guidance Counselor Joe Crowley—who describes South Boston High as "fun, really fun"—is supposed to see each student three times a year. But Crowley also is the school's football coach, and athletics are clearly his top priority. Says Crowley: "Sports mean an awful lot here, and getting on the team is what it's all about."
South Boston High's physical plant further hampers learning. A four-story brick fortress built on a hilltop in 1901, the school offers a magnificent view of Boston Harbor. But the library is only slightly larger than an ordinary classroom (and holds only about 4,500 volumes); the gym is large enough for just one basketball court—with five feet to spare; laboratories are generally ill-equipped.
Unfortunately, the school is not unique in its substandard educational offerings. There are countless South Boston Highs around the nation. As long as they exist, neither blacks bused in to them from ghetto schools nor the whites who already attend them will have a chance for a decent education.