Central High School

Central High School is a public magnet high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1836 as the second public high school in the United States. It is the only public high school in the nation authorized to grant bachelor's degrees to its graduates, a power granted by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1849. The school's selective admissions, rigorous academics, and distinguished alumni have made it one of America's most accomplished public high schools.

History

Central High School opened in 1838 as part of Philadelphia's development of public education. The school was chartered by an Act of Assembly and approved on June 13, 1836. The cornerstone was laid on September 19, 1837, and the school opened on October 21, 1838, with four professors and sixty-three students.

In 1849, the Pennsylvania legislature granted Central the power to confer academic degrees, recognizing that the school was already offering college-level instruction. This authority, formalized by an Act of Assembly on April 9, 1849, made Central the only public high school in the United States with this power. The Board of Controllers authorized the conferring of appropriate degrees upon graduates on September 11, 1849.

The school moved multiple times during its early history. In September 1854, it relocated to a new building at the southeast corner of Broad and Green Streets. In September 1900, the school moved to its third location in a larger building at Broad, Green, Fifteenth, and Brandywine Streets, where the formal dedication was held on November 22, 1902, with President Theodore Roosevelt addressing the students. In 1939, Central moved to its fourth and current location at Ogontz and Olney Avenues in the Olney neighborhood.

Academics

The curriculum is college-preparatory, emphasizing humanities, sciences, mathematics, and the arts. Advanced Placement classes enable students to pursue college-level material and earn credit. The school maintains selective admissions based on standardized test scores and prior academic performance. Central's selective enrollment attracts students seeking rigorous academic challenges, and the majority of graduates attend selective colleges and universities.

The degree-granting authority, while historically significant, remains largely symbolic. Most students pursue conventional college education after graduating. The tradition reflects Central's distinctive place in American public education as a university preparatory institution within the secondary school system.

Notable Achievements

Central High School has received numerous recognitions for academic excellence. In October 1987 and again in September 2011, the school was officially named a Secondary School of National Excellence by the United States Department of Education and named a Blue Ribbon School. In March 1992, Redbook magazine named Central one of the best schools in Pennsylvania, and the school has been named "Best Secondary School in Pennsylvania" by the magazine each year since rating of the nation's best schools began.

Campus

The school building, located at Ogontz and Olney Avenues in the Olney neighborhood of Philadelphia, provides specialized facilities for sciences, arts, and athletics. The campus accommodates approximately 2,400 students in grades 9 through 12. Students commute from all over Philadelphia, drawing from every neighborhood in the city.

Central uses a distinctive class numbering system rather than a traditional class year. Graduates are identified by class number, reflecting a tradition that began when the school had two graduating classes per year. As of the 2025-2026 school year, the current senior class is the 285th graduating class.

Notable Alumni

Central High School's alumni span the arts, sciences, and public life. They include linguist Noam Chomsky, painter Thomas Eakins, architect Louis Kahn, and Larry Fine of the Three Stooges. In the sciences, graduate Howard Temin shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The school also educated Alain LeRoy Locke, the first African-American Rhodes Scholar, and John Baxter Taylor Jr., the first African-American Olympic gold medalist. Other notable alumni include entertainers Ed Wynn and Alexander Woollcott, physician Andrew Weil, and pastor Jeremiah Wright. Entertainer Bill Cosby attended the school but did not graduate.

See Also

• School District of Philadelphia
• Magnet Schools
• Philadelphia Public Schools
• Julia R. Masterman School