Imagine a school where every student, no matter their grade, studies a language that no country speaks anymore. That was Boston Latin School when it opened on April 23, 1635. The colonists who settled in Massachusetts came from England, where Latin grammar schools prepared boys for university. They wanted the same opportunity in the New World. Boston Latin was the first public school in what would become the United States. The word public meant that town funds helped pay for it, though families still paid some tuition. Only boys could attend. The school focused on Latin and Greek because those were the languages of science, law, and religion at the time. Students memorized long Latin texts and recited them aloud. The school produced many important leaders. Five signers of the Declaration of Independence attended Boston Latin, including Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Benjamin Franklin also studied there briefly before dropping out at age ten. Boston Latin School still exists today. It remains one of the top public schools in the country. It now teaches modern subjects and accepts both boys and girls. It has been in continuous operation for almost 400 years, making it the oldest school in America.