150 Years of Milwaukee Marquette High School

Alan Borsuk:

They don't have that at Marquette University High School anymore.

"I may have been in the last class where you were required to take Latin," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who graduated in 1972. "There was something about the Gallic Wars the second year, that's about all I remember."

Some things do change at Marquette High. But look at all the things that haven't changed over the past 150 years - it's still in the heart of the city, still all-boys, still Jesuit, still producing a generous portion of the political, judicial, corporate and civic leaders of the city.

The school will celebrate its 150th birthday Saturday; its roots go back nearly to the founding of Milwaukee.

(Latin, by the way, is still offered as an elective, and 103 students are scheduled to take it this fall. Also, not everyone disliked Latin. Milwaukee historian and author John Gurda, a 1965 graduate, said he treasures his four years of Latin and two years of Greek, and they still strengthen his perspective on language and its roots.)

Posted by Jim Zellmer at July 20, 2007 12:16 AM
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