Archaeologist hopes to become privy to Boston Latin secrets

Boston city archaelogist Joseph Bagley this week is scheduled to begin archaeological digs in front of Old City Hall on School Street - not in search of Curley's Desk, but in search of tidbits left over from the days when the land was the home of both Boston Latin School and Boston Latin School's schoolmaster.

Bagley will lead volunteers in digging a number of 16x1.5-foot test trenches in an attempt to find the foundations and yards of the schoolmaster's 17th-century home. In a statement, Bagley said:

What we are really hoping to find is their privy, or outhouse, which would have been where most, if not all, of their household garbage and human waste would have been disposed in. Since archaeologists primarily study trash, their outhouse would be a treasure-trove of historic data. Finding an intact 17th century privy would be the ultimate goal.

Boston Latin schoolmasters lived on the site until 1809, initially in a house that may date to 1639.

The Schoolhouse was located in an area that is now partially under King’s Chapel and within the courtyard of Old City Hall. At the same time, the City officials allowed the Schoolmaster to live with his family next door. The Schoolmaster’s house may have been built as early as 1639. In the first decade of the 1700s, both [the school] and the Schoolmaster’s houses were re-built on their original foundation locations.

In the 17th century, the courtyard would have contained the Schoolmaster’s house, a stone mansion owned by the wealthy and prominent Cooke family and a portion of [the school].

City of Boston Archaeology.