Written by Anna White
In Southie we are blessed to have have four Boston Public Elementary Schools right in our neighborhood. The Condon, the Perkins, the Perry and the Tynan are all here and we probably walk or drive by at least one of them daily. These schools are named after real people and this summer, here on Caught in Southie, we’ll be examining who these people were. Who knows maybe it’ll help you in bar trivia this summer (seriously if it helps you win! We want a cut!)!
First up, our largest school, the Condon. Specifically the James F. Condon K-8 School, which if I can read the BPS website correctly, had 843 students in the 2015-2016 school year! That’s a BIG school which is appropriate for a school named after someone who represented South Boston from 1947 – 1960, as a State Representative, in the Massachusetts Legislature.
James Francis Condon was the Chairman of the House Transportation committee and was a member of the Commission on Interstate Co-operation. He was a member of the South Boston Citizens Association, the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus. He was even a graduate of South Boston High School!
James Condon was an advocate for the youth of South Boston, using his own money to sponsor day trips to the country for them. James F. Condon sounds like good people to us!
Image via South Boston Tribune – featuring James Condon, Joe Moakley and some Boston firefighters
Certainly an improvement from the George Frisbee Hoar that was there before it along with the Norcross. Terrible name for a school.
James ( Jimmy) Condon is my grandfather. He would invite Southie kids to our farm in North Easton. The farm was called the Bernice Claire Farm. So many fond memories. I remember one summer we had more than 2000 visitors. Those were the days.
Some of my fondest memories was going there, so long ago.
Thank you, to you and your family for having us.
Did Mr. Condon have a son named Thomas ? An Ophthalmologist ?
As a young boy living in the projects of South Boston old Harbour Village I did go to Condons Farm. It was a very exciting day for me and my friends. Great memories thank you James Corden.
Wonderful memories of the farm! My dad belonged to the south Boston bowling league and I remember Jimmy Cline and having buses drive us to the farm and home in the evening. He was an amazing person that did a lot for South Boston.
I will never forget going on the bus a a young child Bernice Claire Farm.Me and my cousins and all the family had a blast.Thankyou Jimmy Condon for being a great person.
Do you have any pictures of the farm? What was your favorite thing to do there?