USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1928 > Part 6
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Article 33. To see if the town will vote to purchase for the use of the Road Commissioners a gas operated loader to be used in loading trucks, and raise and appro- priate a sum of money therefor.
1
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Article 34. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Road Commissioners to investigate the advisability of acquiring from the Springfield Street Railway Com- pany its present right of way running northerly from the River Road, so-called, near Whipple's Crossing, to the highway near the Forest Lake School House and report at a later town meeting, or take any action relative to the purchasing of said right of way.
Article 35. To see if the town will authorize the Road Commissioners to investigate the advisability, in- including cost, of acquiring sufficient land for the con- struction of a sidewalk upon the northerly side of Park Street in the Depot Village from Pearl Street to Pinney Street.
Article 36. To see if the town will vote to build an improved highway extending from the junction of Old Center Road and High Street in the Village of Thorndike along the River Road, so-called, to Whipple's Crossing, and thence following the right of way of the Springfield Street Railway Company to the highway near the Forest Lake Schoolhouse, and thence along said highway to its intersection with the present state highway leading from Palmer to Ware, appropriate $10,000.00, or any sum of money, therefor and raise said sum by taxation or other- wise, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 37. To see if the town will vote to maca- damize or otherwise improve, including necessary drain- ing and regrading, Maple and Front Streets, and the way leading from the Palmer Road through the Park to the Springfield Road, in the Village of Three Rivers, appro- priate any sum of money therefor, and raise said sum by taxation or otherwise, or take any action relative thereto.
152
Article 38. To see if the town will authorize the Road Commissioners to investigate the town's rights in the Old County Road leading from the Palmer Road along the Central Vermont tracks to Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers, and study the advisability of constructing a new road 'substantially along the Old County Road layout, and report at a future town meeting.
Article 39. To see if the town will vote to install and maintain additional electric lights as follows: (a) 2 lights on the road leading from Thorndike to Bondsville, between property of one Fila and property of one Dzal; (b) 3 lights on the road from Three Rivers to Palmer between Burleigh's Bridge and the Central Vermont un- derpass; (c) 1 light on East Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers, near the residence of George Motyka; (d) 3 lights on Converse Street in the Depot Village be- tween Walnut Street and the high school building.
Article 40. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money for the improvement of highways as fol- lows: (a) Macadamize or otherwise improve and harden with gravel Charles Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (b) Macadamize or otherwise improve and harden with gravel Oak Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (c) Macadamize or otherwise improve and harden with gravel Pleasant Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (d) Maca- damize or otherwise improve and harden with gravel Ruggles Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (e) Im- prove and harden with gravel or other suitable material North Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (f) Im- prove Hill Street in the Village of Thorndike; (g) Im- prove and harden with gravel or other suitable material Pleasant Street in the Village of Thorndike from Church Street to the road leading from the Village of Bondsville to Four Corners; (h) Macadamize or otherwise improve and harden High Street in the Village of Thorndike from
153
the corner of School Street to the intersection of said High street with Main Street; (i) Improve and harden with gravel or other suitable material Maple Street in the Depot Village; (j) Macadamize or otherwise im- prove and harden Pine Street in the Village of Thorndike; (k) Improve and harden with gravel or other suitable material the Baptist Hill Road, so-called, from the Pal- mer-Springfield Road to property of R. C. Newell, and from property of R. C. Newell to Kelley Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (1) Improve and harden with gravel the way known as Griffin Street in the Village of Bondsville, from High Street to the county way lead- ing from Forest Lake Road, near the Slattery farm to the Bondsville-Enfield Road; (m) Macadamize or otherwise improve and harden Pleasant Street in the Depot Village.
Article 41. To see if the town will vote to complete the work of improving and hardening Pinney Street in the Depot Village from Park Street to Property of the Whittall Associates, and raise and appropriate any sum of money therefor.
Article 42. To see if the town will appropriate a sum of money to repair the sidewalk in the Village of Thorndike extending from the corner of Commercial and High Streets to the Old Center Road.
Article 43. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money for new sidewalks as follows: (a) Side- walk, with curbing, on Bourne Street in the Village of Three Rivers; (b) Tar sidewalk on road from Thorndike to Three Rivers and from Four Corners to property of John White; (c) Sidewalk on the southwesterly side of North Main Street in the Depot Village from property of K. I. McMahon to Shearer's Corner; (d) Concrete walk on the northerly side of Converse Street in the Depot
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Village, with curbing where same is not already installed ; (e) Concrete walk, with curbing, on southerly side of Con- verse Street in the Depot Village; (f) Concrete walk, with curbing where not already installed on westerly side of Walnut Street in the Depot Village from Pleasant Street to Converse Street; (g) Concrete walk, with curbing on easterly side of Walnut Street, from Pleasant Street to Park Street.
Article 44. To see if the town will raise and appro- priate money for the construction of sewers as follows: (a) Sewer in Oak Street, Three Rivers, from Charles Street westerly to Ruggles Street, southerly in Ruggles Street to Riverview Avenue, and through Riverview Ave- nue to the river; (b) Sewer in Ruggles Street from a point near the house of John Jajuga northerly to Oak Street; (c) Sewer in Main Street, Thorndike, from a point near the residence of Albert Kolbusz easterly to the end of the present sewer in Main Street; (d) Sewer in South Main Street in the Depot Village, beginning at a point near the residence of John Bradley and running westerly to connect with the Carpet Mill sewer crossing said street; (e) Sewer in Green Street in the Depot Vil- lage and in the Three Rivers Road from said Green Street to connect with present sewer.
Article 45. To see if the town will vote to complete the building of an improved highway in the Ludlow or Red Bridge Road, from the end of the road to be built under contract already let by the town, easterly to the present macadam road in Springfield Street in the Village of Three Rivers, appropriate any sum of money therefor, and raise said sum by taxation or otherwise, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 46. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Road Commissioners to petition the County Commis-
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sioners of Hampden County for the discontinuance of that portion of the county road running from the Palmer- Bondsville Road, near Fuller's Corner westerly to the Belchertown line, which lies between the intersection of said County Road and Pine Street and said Belchertown line at the Sanctuary Bridge, so-called.
Article 47. To see if the town will vote to accept Sections 21 to 25, inclusive, of Chapter 136 of the General Laws, as amended by Section 2 of an act entitled "An Act to permit certain sports and games on the Lord's Day", proposed by initiative petition and approved at the State Election held November 6, 1928.
Article 48. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate such sum of money as may be necessary to pay overdrafts made by the several departments of the town during the year 1928, or take any action rela- tive thereto.
And you are hereby directed to serve this warrant by posting up attested copies thereof in some one public place in each of the four villages of the town known as the Depot Village, Thorndike, Three Rivers and Bonds- ville, seven days at least before the holding of said meet- ing, and by publishing, an attested copy thereof in at least two issues of The Journal-Register, a newspaper
published in said Palmer, the first publication to be not less than seven days before the holding of said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant
.
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with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at or before the holding of said meeting.
Given under our hands this sixteenth day of Janu- ary, A. D. 1929.
ANDREW B. RATHBONE, CHARLES A. CALLAHAN, LUDWIK MARHELEWICZ, Selectmen of Palmer.
A true copy, Attest :
THOMAS W. HOLT,
Constable of the Town of Palmer
TOWN OF PALMER
SCHOOL REPORT
For the Year Ending DECEMBER 31, 1928
159
School Committee, 1928 -- 1929
DR. GEORGE A. MOORE, Chairman CLIFTON H. HOBSON, Secretary
Robert E. Faulkner
Term expires 1929
Dennis J. Horgan
1929
Frank S. Gordon
1929
Dr. G. A. Moore
66
1930
John F. Shea
1931
Jeremiah J. Kelley
66
1931
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 7:30 p. m. on the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
All bills must be in the hands of the Superintendent on the Monday before the above date.
Superintendent of Schools, Clifton H. Hobson
Office, High School Building. Telephone 54. Office Hours :- 8 a. m. to 12 m., 1 to 5 p. m. Saturdays, 9 a. m. to 12 m.
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
Patrick McKelligett,
Depot Depot
T. J. Crimmins,
Patrick Nagle,
William Smith,
Arthur Bennett
John P. Donahue
Daniel Dunn
Thorndike Three Rivers Forest Lake Bondsville Depot
66
160
JANITORS
Patrick McKelligett,
Palmer
William Matrow,
Palmer
Jerry Sullivan,
Palmer
Herbert Blanchard,
Palmer
Patrick Nagle,
Thorndike
John P. Donahue
Bondsville
William Smith,
Three Rivers
Daniel Dunn,
Wire Mill
161
Report of School Committee
To the Citizens of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts :
The School Committee of Palmer herewith submits its annual report, of which the report of the superin- tendent of schools to it composes a substantial portion.
A critical survey of educational work and trend by competent persons reveals, amidst many excellences, cer- tain changes of concept and procedure that might profit- ably be considered. Judgment on the work of any partic- ular local school system must be comparative; that is, it must take into consideration that, in the State of Massa- chusetts, each local school is a part of a state-controlled system and that, as such, it cannot profitably get out of step. There is, however, a certain scope that permits varying degrees of achievement and the application of local initiative.
It is, therefore, with pleasure that we say that the school system of Palmer, in many ways, stands forth in excellence and that this is secured without being out of line in the matter of money spent to procure these very desirable results. Our relative standing as to cost among the 355 cities and towns of Massachusetts is 259th, there being only 96 of these in which the cost was relatively less than ours. The cost of Palmer schools was less than the average of schools in our class and much less than the State average.
162
The work achieved in the care of pupils' health, which is no less a concern of your school committee than the instruction features, has for years been most gratify- ingly successful. Palmer has the distinction of having inaugurated health measures, now adopted by the State, at a time prior to their inauguration as a feature of State work.
In the matter of co-operation with the State authori- ties in the tuberculosis and diptheria-preventive cam- paigns, those in charge of the work for the State have expressed their approval and satisfaction with our con- tribution to the effort. Indeed, as a result of the work here with toxin-antitoxin in diphtheria prevention and the excellent statistical information furnished, there has resulted an important change in the method of prepara- tion of the immunizing agent which will be of value not merely to us in Palmer but to the general work of im- munizing against diphtheria.
There are many interesting topics which may not be discussed at this time because of the expense of space. On the whole, school work is going well; school health is good; and the cost is comparatively low, according to statistics compiled by the State.
Respectively submitted,
DR. GEORGE A. MOORE, Chairman School Committee.
Palmer, Mass.,
January 22, 1929.
163
ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS
January 24, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Shea, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Kelley.
January 30, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Kelley.
February 6, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner
February 21, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Dr. Jewett, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Horgan
March 27, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Dr. Jewett, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley.
April 24, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley.
May 29, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Shea, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Horgan.
June 10, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Shea, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Faulkner.
164
June 19, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley.
June 26, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Dr. Jewett, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Shea.
July 2, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Dr. Jewett, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner.
July 24, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Dr. Jewett, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner.
August 28, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Shea, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Faulkner.
September 25, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Shea, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Gordon.
October 23, 1928-
Dr. Moore, Mr. Horgan, Mr. Shea, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Gordon
Dr. Moore, Mr. Shea, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Gordon. December 18, 1928-
165
Calendar
HIGH SCHOOL
Winter Term:
Begins January 2, 1929; ends February 21, 1929.
Spring Term :
Begins March 4, 1929; ends April 26, 1929
Summer Term:
Begins May 6, 1929; ends June 28, 1929
Fall Term :
Begins September 3, 1929; ends December 20, 1929 Winter Term:
Begins December 30, 1929; ends February 21, 1930 Spring Term :
Begins March 3, 1930; ends April 25, 1930
Summer Term:
Begins May 5, 1930; ends June 27, 1930
OTHER SCHOOLS
Winter Term:
Begins January 2, 1929; ends February 21, 1929 Spring Term :
Begins March 4, 1929; ends April 26, 1929
Summer Term:
Begins May 6, 1929; ends June 14, 1929.
Fall Term:
Begins September 3, 1929; ends December 20, 1929
Winter Term:
Begins December 30, 1929; ends February 21, 1930
166
Spring Term:
Begins March 3, 1930; ends April 25, 1930 Summer Term:
Begins May 5, 1930; ends June 13, 1930
VACATIONS-ALL SCHOOLS
Winter-
February 23, 1929, to March 3, 1929, inclusive Spring --
April 27, 1929, to May 5, 1929, inclusive. Summer --
(Grades)
June 15, 1929, to September 2, 1929, inclusive (High)
June 29, 1929, to September 2, 1929, inclusive Fall-
December 22, 1928, to January 1, 1929, inclusive Winter-
February 22, 1930, to March 2, 1930, inclusive Spring-
April 26, 1930 to May 4, 1930, inclusive. Summer-
(Grades) :
June 14, 1930, to September 2, 1930, inclusive (High) :
June 28, 1930, to September 2, 1930, inclusive
HOLIDAYS
Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Convention Day, Thanks- giving (with day following).
167
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of the Town of Palmer:
Gentlemen :- I herewith present my eighteenth annual report as Superintendent of Schools in Palmer. This is the thirty-sixth in the series of reports issued by the superintendents of the town.
INTRODUCTION
The report will be brief. It will cover only a few of the many activities of your schools and the comment made on these will be limited.
ATTENDANCE
The attendance statistics for the school year of 1927- 1928 are indicative of a healthy condition in every parti- cular but one-tardiness. The total number of tardinesses -576-exceeded that of any previous years of the incum- bency of the present superintendent. The big offender was the high school, with four hundred nine (409) cases.
Our percentage of attendance-97.035-while lower than that of the previous year, was, nevertheless, high. It will rank high in any State comparison.
168
The number of Perfect Attendance Certificates issued to pupils neither absent nor tardy throughout the school year was four hundred sixty-one (461), appropxi- mately twenty-two (22) per cent .- an unusual record.
Summarized, the statistics are as follows:
1927-1928
Average
Membership
Average
Attendance
% of
Attendance
Tardinesses
High,
285.090
278.24
97.590
490
Thorndike Street,
244.796
238.700
97.510
16
Park Street,
353.677
339.731
96.054
39
Three Rivers Grammar, 220.118
213.994
97.217
11
Wenimisset,
161.963
156.175
96.426
23
Thorndike Grammar,
256.416
251.056
97.910
14
Bondsville Grammar,
353.614
343.750
97.210
15
Quabaug,
190.696
184.014
96.500
30
Palmer Center,
31.736
30.611
96.455
19
Forest Lake,
21.427
20.450
95.000
0
Total
2,119.533 2,056.721
97.035
576
Having been in charge of your schools since July, 1911, a statistical statement of attendance covering this period, and even going beyond, will show the condition of the health of attendance during these years.
169
COMPARISON OF ATTENDANCE FOR 22 YEARS
Year
Average Membership
% of Attendance
Tardi- nesses
1906-1907
1,039.24
94.49
308
1907-1908
1,151.19
95.00
747
1908-1909
1,193.56
94.70
750
1909-1910
1,243.38
95.00
727
1910-1911
1,298.90
95.23
907
1911-1912
1,411.33
94.49
431
1912-1913
1,433.71
95.76
203
1913-1914
1,526.97
96.37
123
1914-1915
1,640.54
96.44
159
1915-1916
1,709.09
96.20
151
1916-1917
1,728.14
95.96
208
1917-1918
1,856.83
95.06
165
1918-1919
1,901.16
93.58
275
1919-1920
2,074.46
95.41
272
1920-1921
2,287.50
96.77
471
1921-1922
2,016.37
95.89
299
1922-1923
1,933.71
95.60
367
1923-1924
1,959.17
96.25
302
1924-1925
2,106.25
96.32
287
1925-1926
2,210.11
96.27
264
1926-1927
2,206.73
97.47
355
1927-1928
2,119.53
97.04
576
HEALTH WORK
In addition to the usual health work carried on, two special efforts have been made within the past two years -one in diphtheria immunization and the other in detec- tion of hilum tuberculosis.
In the spring of 1927, an administration Diphtheria of Toxin Anti-Toxin was given; in the fall, the Schick Test was given. Thirty- seven and eighty-two hundredths per cent. (37.82%) were still "positive."
170
In the fall of 1927, a second administration of Toxin Anti-Toxin was given this group who failed to secure "immunity;" in the spring of 1928, they were given the Schick Test. Seven and thirty-six hundredths per cent. (7.36%) were still "positive." In these various adminis- trations, the total number of Toxin Anti-Toxins given was three thousand eight hundred ninety-eight (3,898) ; of Schick Tests, one thousand six hundred nineteen (1,619).
In addition, this fall both treatments were given the first-graders and others who failed to avail themselves of the oportunity last year but desired it this year. As each fall comes around, this procedure will be followed.
If every child could be given this immunizing treat- ment, diphtheria in Palmer would be absolutely non-oc- curent. There have been very few cases in town since this work was done and the few have been among those not having received immunization. Many parents can thank the school department for years to come for the continued living of their children. They do not realize it; they will not realize it. If children are saved from disease, parents do not know it; if children die, they do know it.
This past fall the State Clinic for the Tuberculosis Detection of Hilum Tuberculosis among School Children was held in our schools. This clinic is the outgrowth of experi- mentation by Dr. Chadwick, Superintendent of the West- field State Sanatorium, the pioneering of which was in the Westfield and Palmer Schools in 1920. The State is now engaged in a $500,000-ten-year program.
The clinic was a large one, manned by some dozen experts in medicine, nutrition, and nursing. Very thorough and full examinations were given all children
171
whose parents had given previous written consents. While the number of children examined was large, it was much smaller than it would have been, had we known before summer vacation that the clinic was to open almost simultaneously with school in the fall. This necessitated several outside and unknown workers calling at homes to secure consents. They failed in many cases, through no fault of their own, whereas our own rarely met with a refusal.
This clinic was, from the health standpoint, one of the best contributions that the schools have made to parents and children.
The results, summarized, are as follows :
Report on the Examination Made by the State Clinic in the Public and Parochial Schools of Palmer
Total Number of Children Examined :
Public Schools 1,294
Parochial Schools
279
Pre School 10
Total 1,583
Total Number of Contacts Examined :
Public Schools 20
Parochial Schools 17
Total 37
(This represents the number of reported cases only)
Total Number of Children Given the Tuberculin Test: Public Schools 1,294
Parochial Schools 278
Pre School 10
Total
1,582
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Total Number of Children Who Reacted to the Test:
Public Schools
361
Parochial Schools
91
Total 452
Total Percentage of Reactors
29%
Total Number of Children X-Rayed :
Public Schools 372
Parochial Schools
92
Teachers
4
Adults
3
Total 471
Total Number of Cases of Hilum Tuberculosis :
Public Schools 21
Parochial Schools 16
Total 37
Percentage of Hilum Cases of the Number of Children X-Rayed : 8%
Percentage of Hilum Cases of the Number of Children Examined 2%
Total Number of Cases Classified as Suspects : Public Schools 37
Parochial Schools 14
Total 51
Percentage of Suspicious Cases of the Number of Chil- dren X-Rayed 11%
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Total Number of Cases Classified as Negative: Public Schools 314
Parochial Schools
62
Total
376
Percentage of Negative Cases of the Number of Children X-Rayed 81%
Total Number of Children with Enlarged or Diseased
Tonsils and Adenoids :
Public Schools 466
Parochial Schools
105
Pre School 3
Total 574
Percentage of T & A Cases of the Number of Children Examined 36%
Total Number of Children in Need of Dentistry :
Public Schools
916
Parochial Schools 222
Pre School
2
Total 1,140
Percentage of Dental Cases of the Number of Children Examined 72%
Total Number of Cases Showing Abnormal Heart Sounds :
Public Schools 27
Parochial Schools 9
Total
36
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Percentage of Heart Cases of the Number of Children Examined 2%
Total Number of Cases of Malnutrition:
Public Schools 79
Parochial Schools 32
Total 111
Percentage of Malnutrition Cases of the Number of Children Examined : 7 %
Notices were sent home where defects were found and follow-up work is being done. Later, a re-examina- tion will be made for a check-up.
A great deal was made of this day. Child Health Day Tags-Weight, Posture, and Teeth- were given to all pupils meeting these requirements :- Weight-to all adding or subtracting at least one-half pound, dependent on whether they were over-or under-weight; Posture-to all having correct posture in standing, walking, and sitting; Teeth-to all presenting a signed dentist's certificate that all necessary dental work had been done. A summary of tags issued follows :
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School
Enrollment
Weight
Teeth
Posture
Total
Per Cent.
Thorndike Street
234
200
137
208
545
76%
Park Street
347
335
256
344
935
90%
Three Rivers Grammar 207
171
72
196
427
69%
Wenimisset
152
133
87
128
348
76%
Thorndike Grammar
248
221
78
210
509
68%
Bondsville Grammar
352
271
65
344
680
67%
Quabaug
191
139
77
169
385
67%
Total
1,731 1,470 772 1,599 3,829 74%
Weight Tags Earned-85%
Teeth Tags Earned-45%
Posture Tags Earned-91%
Rooms Having :
100%
4
90-100%
6
80-90%
11
70-80%
9
60-70%
19
50-60%
8
40-50%
1
Total
58
Health plays, songs, and exercises were presented in each school. A combined program was given in the high school auditorium. Approximately, nine hundred (900) people visited the schools and five hundred (500) were present in the auditorium. Contacts were thus estab- lished with many homes. The children were thinking health; so were the parents. A great gain was made in spirit, as well as in health. Distinct values are gained in co-operative striving for things that are valuable.
176
PENNY SAVINGS
The Penny Savings report from November 1, 1921, to July 1, 1928, is as follows :
No. of Deposits
Amount
Thorndike Street
16,723)
$3,944.31)
Park Street
46,477)
12,330.85)
Three Rivers
20,494
7,798.57
Wenimisset
6,779
1,858.89
Thorndike
17,596
6,662.31
Bondsville
23,616
6,968.65
Quabaug
6,390
3,204.91
Forest Lake
1,525
393.08
Palmer Center
1,000
172.90
140,600
$43,334.47
The report from September, 1927, to July, 1928, the last school year, is as follows :
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