English High School History

Two English High Alumni Who Brought Honor and Achievement to Massachusetts’ Highest Courts

During the past century two English High alumni rose to become leaders at the highest reaches of the state’s judiciary.

From the founding of English High in 1821, its graduates have performed with great distinction in public service.  In addition to numerous other elected officials, these include at least three Lieutenant Governors of our Commonwealth: Horace Cahill, Francis E. Kelly, and Francis X. Bellotti, the latter two also having achieved the second Constitutional office of Attorney General. During the past century two other alums rose to become leaders at the highest reaches of the state’s judiciary:  John Patrick Higgins, who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court, and Paul G. Kirk, who served on that Court and later ascended to the position of Justice of our state’s highest Court, the Supreme Judicial Court.  Graduating ten years apart from English High School, both men rendered proud service to both the Commonwealth and to our nation.

John P. Higgins

John P. Higgins was born in the West End to immigrant parents from the west of Ireland.  Graduating from EHS in 1912, he entered Harvard University, but his education was interrupted by America’s entry into the First World War when he enlisted in the U. S. Navy. After his discharge in 1919, he completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard and determined to enroll in law school.  Perhaps looking to make up for lost time, he enrolled at Boston University Law School in its day session while simultaneously enrolled in the night program at Northeastern University, managing to complete his law degree in just two years.

A few years after passing the Bar, Higgins was elected as a representative to the Massachusetts Legislature.  Just four years later in 1934, he was elected to the United States Congress, where he served two terms.  His career in elective office ended when he was appointed as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts’ highest Trial Court, the Superior Court.  He was to continue to serve in that role with distinction, both actively hearing cases, civil and criminal, and supervising the Court’s complement of several dozen Justices serving across the Commonwealth.

In 1945, he received the honor of being named by President Truman as the sole American Justice on the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal. He resigned after a few months to return to administer the Superior Court, citing the unexpectedly protracted duration of the proceeding.  Indeed, it did take a full two and a half years to completion of the Tribunal, which was attended by greater controversy than the cognate proceeding in Europe.

Returning to Boston, he resumed his role as Chief Justice.  His health, however, began to fail and as a result of a heart condition he was stricken while attending an English High School Alumni banquet in the fall of 1954.   At the time of his passing the following year, he was eulogized by many in the Court system and the political realm, one noting succinctly that John P. Higgins had “brought a rare blending of justice and humaneness” to his career in public service.

 

Paul G. Kirk, Sr.

Paul G. Kirk, Sr. was born in East Boston, the ninth of fourteen children.  He followed all six of his older brothers in attending English High School, and there his talents and abilities rose quickly to the fore.  He served as Class President, edited the school paper, and also was selected to command the city-wide Corps of Cadets in its annual march through the city. At his graduation in 1922, he received the Cumston Prize as well as the Clarence W. Barron Award for English.  Kirk enrolled at Harvard University and upon graduation was accepted to Harvard Law School, from which he graduated in 1929 as the highest ranking student in the class.

Throughout the period of college and law school, Kirk had served in the 101^st Field Artillery Regiment of the Massachusetts National Guard, rising through the officer ranks.  After working as an attorney with the firm of Hale & Dorr, his military background and legal acumen led to the gubernatorial appointment of Lt. Colonel Kirk at the age of thirty as Commissioner of Public Safety for the Commonwealth.  During this period, Kirk had continued to maintain very close ties to his beloved alma mater. In 1932, he was elected President of our English High School Association, the youngest person ever chosen to hold that position.

Kirk’s great abilities again were recognized at an unusually young age  when he was nominated and confirmed to the Superior Court, becoming an Associate Justice at the age of thirty-three.  He was to serve on the state’s highest Trial Court for 23 years, although his service was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, when his National Guard unit was activated for overseas service.  He served on multiple fronts including in Italy and France and he was awarded five battle stars.

After five years of military service, he returned to Massachusetts, continuing to work as a trial judge through 1960.  That year, he was elevated to the Supreme Judicial Court where he served for a decade before his retirement.  During the post-war period, Justice Kirk continued his close association with our School.  In 1949, he delivered the memorial address at the dedication of the bronze sculpture commissioned by the Alumni Association to honor the 5500 English High School alumni who served in World War II and especially the 259 who gave their lives in the conflict.

Paul G. Kirk, Sr. retired from the Court in 1970, and he died in 1981.  A special sitting of the Supreme Judicial Court was convened at which he was remembered and praised by numerous public figures, including the Attorney General, Francis X. Bellotti.  One on his former colleagues on the Superior Court bench said of Justice Kirk: “he had a warm and ready heart when considering the plight of the ‘poor little guy;’ the friendless, the ‘loner,’ the unfortunate—the ‘sad music of humanity,’ in the words of the poet.”  In the words of his fellow EHS alumnus, the Attorney General:  “he possessed the attributes of the truly great judge—intelligence, integrity and so important—compassion.  He was strong enough that he was not afraid to be kind.”

 

 

On July 1, 2025   /   Uncategorized