Lyman School for Boys
| Lyman School for Boys | |
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Lyman Hall and Chauncy Cottage (Induction Center)
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| Location | |
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Westborough, Massachusetts United States |
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| Coordinates | 42°17′15″N 71°37′45″W / 42.28750°N 71.62917°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Reform School |
| Established | 1846 |
| Head of school | John Borys (1956-1960) |
| Staff | 40 |
| Faculty | 20 |
| Grades | Males 9 to 18 years of age |
| Enrollment | Closed in 1971 |
| Number of students | 400 |
| Campus size | 1000 acres (4 km²) |
| Affiliation | Massachusetts Youth Service Board (now DYS) |
| Website | |
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Lyman School for Boys
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| Location | Jct. of Oak and South Sts., Westborough, Massachusetts |
| Area | 200 acres (81 ha) |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Queen Anne, Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| MPS | Massachusetts State Hospitals And State Schools MPS |
| NRHP Reference # | 94000693 |
| Added to NRHP | July 25, 1994 |
The Lyman School for Boys was established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts about 1886 and was closed in 1971. It was the first reform school, or training school in the United States, replacing the State Reform School for Boys near the same site, which was opened in 1848. The school was named for its principal benefactor, Theodore Lyman, who had been a mayor of Boston, Massachusetts in 1834 and a philanthropist. Lyman School is not used for its original purpose today but remains a nationally registered historic place.
Lyman School was situated near Lake Chauncy in the town of Westborough, on Powder Hill, off State Route 9. It comprised about one thousand acres (4 km²) of which about five hundred acres (2 km²) were prime farmland, maintained by its students. The farm remained a principal means of support for the school until about 1955 when the economy of the region became predominantly industrial rather than agricultural due to the placement of major companies along State Route 9. At that time training of the students was changed to adapt to the new economy.
Students were sent to the Lyman School when the courts had determined that it would be in the public interest. Until about 1970, juveniles in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts were afforded none of the (now) commonly accepted Constitutional rights. Therefore, many boys were sent to this reform school for “crimes” such as truancy and being a stubborn child. In fact, an ancient law in the Commonwealth allowed stubborn children to be put to death. It remained on the books even though it was never ostensibly invoked. Several famous criminals attended the Lyman School, one of them being the Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo.
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Wikipedia