Bronx High School

Bronx High School

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The Bronx High School of Science is ranked 2nd within New York. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at The Bronx High School of Science is 98 percent. The student body makeup is 58 percent male and 42 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 75 percent. The Bronx High School of Science is 1 of 405 high schools in the New York City Public Schools.

The Bronx High School of Science was founded in 1938 by resolution of the Department of Education of the City of New York with Dr. Morris Meister as the first principal of the school. The school was housed in a building located at Creston Avenue and 184th Street. The building, built in 1918 for Evander Childs High School, was previously occupied by Walton High School (1930) and by an annex of DeWitt Clinton High School (1935). Bronx Science started with 150 ninth grade students and 250 tenth grade students and the remaining facilities were used by DeWitt Clinton. As Bronx Science became larger, the Clinton contingent was gradually returned to its main building. During their joint occupation, which lasted for 2 years, the two schools had separate teaching staff and classes, but the same supervision and administration.

In 1946, as a result of the efforts of Dr. Meister, our faculty, and our Parents’ Association, the school became co-ed. From the very beginning a campaign for a new building was initiated by the Parents’ Association, and sparked by the tireless dedication of Dr. Meister. In February 1958, Dr. Morris Meister, after 20 years as the principal of the school, resigned to become the first president of the newly organized Bronx Community College. Dr. Alexander Taffel succeeded Dr. Meister as principal.

Under Dr. Taffel’s guidance, the plans for a new building and for its equipment were completed. Finally, on March 3, 1959, our students and faculty occupied the new building for the first time. They entered a school equipped with the most modern facilities and laboratories for carrying out its program. The problem of moving the library books from the old building to the new was solved in typical Bronx Science manner. On Friday afternoon each student took home five library books from the old library and on Monday returned them to the new library.