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Tyngsboro in 2010
Innovation Academy
On 18 November
2010 the Boston Globe in its Globe North section published
photos of the Tyngsboro campus. The Marist Brothers sold the
property to Wang Laboratories, who developed a Wang Institute
for training engineers and clients. In 1987 Boston University set
up a branch to service the local area. About 14 years ago
(1996?) it was converted to a charter school, named Innovation
Academy. These photos were scanned from the newspaper by


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the Marist College Archives. We are grateful to Maurice Bibeau
who sent us the paper. Unfortunately he did not have the
continuation page, so the newspaper text is limited to the two
paragraphs on the first page.
The building at the right behind the 100% sign was added by
either Wang or Boston University.



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Fast-growing academy gives public education a
private-school feel
by Steven Rosenberg, Globe Staff. Tyngsborough - The granite-
and-brick building has the feel of a prep school, with strands of
ivy crawling on the outside walls in the shadow of the 220-acre,
mostly forested campus. While the 80,000 square-foot complex
suggests and elite student body, inside is the publicly funded
Innovation Academy Charter School, filled with students who
have college on their mind.
Located in the former Wang Institute in Tyngsborough, the
school was founded 14 years ago by Chelmsford parents who
wanted more hands-on learning for their children. Since then,
word has spread about its project-oriented teaching style and
curriculum, which also includes independent learning programs
for each student and an emphasis on public speaking.
****


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This photo was taken
by Casimir Podlaski (1965) in the late 1980s. It shows the
location of the annex added to the original Tyngsboro main
building, which is obscured by the 100% participation sign in
the above photo. He has loaned several other snapshots of the
new buildings, but we decided not to include these here. I
understand that a group is forming to develop an extended
story of Tyngsboro. Casimir also saved several brochures
concerning the Tygsboro property, including one published by
Boston University. An excerpt follows below:
From a prospectus published in 1991 by Boston University
Corporate Education Center: In order to bring courses and
degree programs to as many students as possible, Metropolitan
College has established several suburban campuses.
In September 1987s, the College began offering courses at the
Boston University Corporate Education Center in Tyngsboro,
Massachusetts. Since then more than 700 students have taken
advantage of this superb educational opportunity.
Boston University's Corporate Education Center is ideally
equipped for education of the highest quality. Located on a 200-
acre site, the center offers climate controlled classrooms and
well equipped seminar rooms which allow instructors to take
advantage of extensive audio and visual teaching aids. Other



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facilities include complete computer laboratories (with
mainframe, mini, and micro systems), a comprehensive
business and computer technology library, study areas, dining
areas, and a 300-seat auditorium. Just thirty-five miles
northwest of Boston, near the state's high-technology corridor,
the center is easily accessible from Routes 128, 495 and 3.
After reading the above, Al Perrone writes:
While working in MA for a short project a few years ago I took
the time to visit Tyngsboro having been a Novice there in the
1960s. The chapel was indeed secularized to my dismay. I had
the privilege of playing the magnificent pipe organ on occasion.
From the outside the main building looks as it always did (with
the many holes that Ken Cerreta repaired from nailing up
Christmas lights). Sadly I didn't have the time to wander about
and look for the tailor shop where I spent many hours, the rope
for the chapel bell, the onion cellar, the cannery, chicken house
or the fields that served as our hockey rink or the quarry with
its invisible water.

Designed Groundhog Day 2011.
Boston University materials added 4 February 2011
Perrone response included 24 February 2011