Public School 39
1810 - present
The history of Public School 39 in Park Slope, goes back as early as 1790 when residents of the neighborhood of Gowanus formed a school that officially became Public School 2 in 1810. This small institution grew alongside the common school movement, an effort inspired by educational reformer Horace Mann which advocated for the expansion of publicly funded schools across the United States. After years of growth, P.S. 2 expanded, in 1873, into the former home of Brooklyn local Henry Bristow. Soon after this move, the Board of Education purchased land across the street at 417 6th Avenue and began construction on the same distinctive 3-story school building that stands there today. In 1877, P.S. 2’s student population began learning at the new site, called Public School 39. In 1916, the school was renamed to commemorate the school’s early location and to honor Henry Bristow, a local public administrator and member of the Brooklyn Board of Education. Named a historic site in 1980, P.S. 39, Henry Bristow School today continues to serve the Park Slope community through its commitment to high quality elementary education.
Details
- Category
- School
- Instructional Level
- Elementary/Grammar School
- Audience
- Children
- Tags
- historicsite, commonschoolmovement, HoraceMann, BrooklynBoardofEducation, publicschool, renaming
Location
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417 6th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA? - ?
References
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P.S.39 Website. “Mission and School History.” Accessed April 25, 2022. https://www.ps39.org/