USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1914-1919 > Part 33
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38,907.62
Balance to collect.
$ 833.05
To Excise Tax to collect, as per Assessors' Warrant $ 562.07
Balance to collect.
$
562.07
TOWN CLERK.
The Town Clerk issued during the year licenses for :
162 male dogs at $2.00. $ 324.00
17 female dogs at $5.00 85.00
1 breeder's license. 25.00 $ 434.00
36.00
Less Clerk's fee, 180 at 20 cents. .
Balance paid to County Treasurer and
receipted for by him $ 398.00
Number of dogs licensed since last return, Dec. 1, 1918 : males, 5.
112
SELECTMEN.
The Selectmen drew 803 orders on the Treasurer during the year, amounting to $70,420.79. Receipted bills were found on file for these payments the first part of the year, and cancelled checks, the last part of the year, after the introduction of the new checking system.
TOWN FARM.
Mr. C. S. Ripley, Superintendent.
Balance cash on hand Jan. 2, 1918. $ 20.18 Total receipts from all sources during the
year
4,896.74
$ 4,916.92
By expenditures for the year
4,823.03
Balance on hand Jan. 2, 1919. $ 93.89
TREASURER.
To balance cash on hand Dec. 31, 1917. . $ 18,581.86
Receipts from all sources during the year 111,780.64
$130,362.50
By total payments for year ending Dec. 31, 1918. . $107,219.39 Liberty Bonds, Perpetual Care Funds. 700.00 By cash on hand 22,443.11
-$130,362.50
113
Statement of Condition.
ASSETS.
1918 Taxes remaining uncollected $
833.05
Excise tax uncollected 562.07
Accrued interest on same 4.67
Due from state aid
720.00
Due from military aid
108.00
Balance cash on hand with Supt. of Town
Farm 93.89
Balance cash on hand with Treasurer
22,443.11
$24,764.79
LIABILITIES.
Due State Treasurer on Schoolhouse Loan (W. E. Frost) $4,000.00
Two months' interest on same at 4 1-4 per cent. 28.32
Due State Treasurer, on acct. Acton & Lowell Road Loan. 500.00
One and one-half months' interest on same at 4 per cent. 2.50
Due State Treasurer, on acct. loan for land (E. M. Abbot firehouse) . 700.00 . Due State Treasurer, on acct. E. M. Abbot firehouse 1,000.00
Eight and one-half months' interest on same at 4 per cent. 28.33
Due State Treasurer, on acct. Graniteville Road 4,000.00
Four months' interest on same at 5 per cent. 66.66
$10,325.81
Balance $14,438.98 The balance due Dec. 30, 1917 was $11,853.47
114
List of Funds.
E. D. METCALF MONUMENT FUND.
Two $1,000.00 Erie R. R. Co.'s 4 per cent.
Gold Bonds, Nos. 7243-7375 $2,000.00
$ 2,000.00
LIBRARY FUNDS.
In Savings Banks
$4,000.00
Wilkin's Bequest
150.00
Interest on same
72.05
$ 4,222.05
WHITNEY PLAYGROUND. Two $1,000.00 Am. Tel. & Tel. Co.'s bonds, Nos. 30,040-30,041 $2,000.00
Two $1,000.00 Spencer Gas Co.'s bonds, Nos. 46-47
2,000.00
One $1,000.00 City of Canton bond.
1,000.00
Lowell Institution for Savings
503.68
Lowell Institution for Savings
1,000.00
Central Savings Bank
1,000.00
Merrimack River Savings Bank
1,000.00
Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank
1,000.00
City Institution for Savings
1,000.00
$10,503.68
Mrs. M. Elizabeth Whitney $2,500.00 Fund for the care and preservation and replacing of shade trees : Mechanics Savings Bank . $ 500.00
Two $1,000.00 Liberty Bonds 2,000.00
$ 2,500.00
Amount carried forward
$19,225.73
115
Amount brought forward $ 19,225.73
CEMETERY FUNDS.
Central Savings Bank ..
Principal $1,600.00
Interest
Lowell Institution for Savings
350.00
City Institution for Savings. . Mechanics Savings Bank. . ...
250.00
$ 91.41
1,225.00
Merrim'k River Savings Bank
1,250.00
Five Cent Savings Bank .....
1,995.25
784.66
Liberty Bonds of 2nd Issue . .
600.00
Liberty Bonds of 3rd Issue ..
1,700.00
$8,970.25
$876.07 $ 9,846.32
Interest drawn from Perpetual Care Funds and de- posited in an Income Fund for Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds :
City Institution for Savings $ 15.50
Central Savings Bank
402.61
Lowell Institution for Savings
148.32
Mechanics Savings Bank
533.02
Five Cent Savings Bank
131.79
Merrimack River Savings Bank . .. 362.26
Coupons from $600 2nd Liberty Bond 24.00
Coupons from $3,000 3rd Liberty Bond
44.70
$1,662.20
Amount carried forward
$29,072.05
116
Amount brought forward $29,072.05
INCOME FUND.
Above Interest invested in an Income Fund as follows: Liberty Bonds $1,300.00 Central Savings Bank 362.20
$ 1,662.20
$30,734.25
All Bank Books and Securities are with the Town Treasurer with the exception of the Whitney Playground Bonds which are in the keeping of Edward Fisher for the committee.
EDWARD T. HANLEY, Auditor.
117
Report of Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee have carefully considered those articles of the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting wherein appropriations are asked for and have conferred with officers of the different departments in regard to their requirements for the year, and recommend the following sums to be raised and appropriated.
Appropriate
Raise and Approprate
Art. 8 Public Library ..
6
9 Public Burial Grounds
$1,300.00 150.00
66
12 Roads and Bridges ...
10,000.00
66
13 Town Debts & Charges Sundries
7,000.00
Salaries, TownOfficers
3,000.00
66
14 Support of Poor
66
15 Schools
20,000.00
66
25 Fire Extinguishers
150.00
66
26 Game Warden
50.00
66
31 Memorial Day
150.00
66
32 Distribution of Library Books
100.00
66
33 Director for Demon-
stration Work in Ag-
riculture and Home Economics
50.00
66
34 State Guard $300.00
66 35
Sidewalks 300.00 300.00
Amount carried forward $46,950.00
3,000.00
16 Moth Department
1,100.00
17 Fire Department
600.00
118
Amount brought forward $46,950.00
Art. 37 Public Health Nurse. .
1,500.00
Electric Lights
3,800.00
Hydrants
2,080.00
Notes and Interest. .
4,500.00
County and State Tax. .
10,000.00
Repairs State Highway . 1,000.00
$69,830.00
Less Income from State
Treasurer
$30,968.00
Poll Taxes
1,400.00
32,368.00
Amount to be raised ...
$37,462.00
“ 24 Memorial. We recommend that a Committee be chosen to make an investigation as to the most suitable form of memorial and that a sum of not exceeding $300.00 be appropriated for the use of the committee in making investigation.
29 Cost of operation and fixed charges of Branch Line. Inasmuch as no specific sum is asked for in this article we have made inquiry as to the amount which will probably be required and in accordance therewith recommend the appropriation of the unexpended balance of the amount voted at a special Town Meeting last year and an additional sum of $1,200 to $1,500 for the current year.
" 37 Public Health Nurse. The article does not ask for any stated amount. If the Town takes favorable action on this article the Committee suggests that the sum of $1,500.00 be raised and appropriated, as that amount will probably be needed for the work.
119
If the sum of $37,462.00 is raised, as recommended, the tax rate for the year 1919 will be not over $16.00 per thousand. We have based this calculation on the Town's valuation for 1918, $2,397,064.00 as shown by the Assessors' books and the same income from the State for the year 1919 as for 1918. As a matter of fact we believe that the income from the State will be larger.
HERBERT V. HILDRETH, JULIAN A. CAMERON, ELBERT H. FLAGG, LOUIS H. BUCKSHORN, WILLIAM R. TAYLOR,
January 23, 1919.
Finance Committee.
120
WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To the Constable of the Town of Westford, in said County.
GREETING :
You are hereby required, in the name of the Commonwealth aforesaid, to notify and warn all the inhabitants of said Town qualified to vote in elections, and also in Town affairs, to meet at the Town House, in said Westford, on Monday, February 10, 1919, being the second Monday in said month at 7.45 o'clock A. M. The polls will be opened at eight o'clock A. M., and may be closed at one o'clock P. M., and they are then and there to act upon the following articles, to wit:
1st. To choose a Moderator.
2nd. To bring in their votes for one Selectman, one Overseer of Poor, one Assessor, two School Committee, one Commis- sioner of Public Burial Grounds, one Trustee of the Pub- lic Library, all for three years ; Town Treasurer, Collector of Taxes, one Constable, one Auditor, and one Tree Warden, all for one year; also to vote on the following question : "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intox- icating liquors in this Town ?"
3rd. To hear the report of the Finance Committee, and act in relation to the same.
121
4th. To hear the report of the Selectmen, and act in relation to the same.
5th. To hear the report of the Selectmen on Guide Boards, and act in relation to the same.
6th. To hear the report of the Overseers of the Poor, and act in relation to the same.
7th. To hear the report of the School Committee, and act in relation to the same.
8th. To hear the report of the Trustees, and raise and appro- priate money to meet the expenses of the Public Library, and act in relation to the same.
9th. To hear the report of the Commissioners of Public Burial Grounds, and act in relation to the same.
10th. To see if the Town will accept the report of the Auditor chosen to audit the accounts of the Town Officers, and act in relation to the same.
11th. To see if the Town will determine the compensation of the Tax Collector, and act in relation to the same.
12th. To raise and appropriate money to repair Roads and Bridges.
13th. To raise and appropriate money for Town Debts and Charges.
-
122
14th. To raise and appropriate money for support of Poor, and for repairs on Town Farm buildings.
15th. To raise and appropriate money for the support of the Public Schools, High School purposes, school text-books and supplies, salary of the Superintendent of Schools, repairs and maintenance of, and miscellaneous expenses incurred in connection with the various schoolhouses and medical inspection, and act in relation to the same.
16th. To raise and appropriate money for destruction of gypsy and brown tail moths and elm tree beetles.
17th. To raise and appropriate money to meet the expense of the Fire Department. .
18th. To hear a report of the committee chosen to investigate the purchase of a motor driven chemical engine, and act in relation to the same.
19th. To see if the Town will appropriate the unexpended bal- ance raised and appropriated last year to complete the fire house in Westford Centre, and act in relation to the same.
20th. To see if the Town will vote to sell the cottage house with or without any of the land adjacent thereto, being a portion of the premises purchased by the Town of Henry O. Keyes by deed dated July 21, 1916, and duly recorded with Middlesex No. Dist. Reg. of Deeds, book 558, page 227, and act in relation to the same.
123
21st. To see if the Town will vote to sell the premises located on the northerly side of Cold Spring Road, conveyed to to the Town by deed dated February 28, 1900, and re- corded with Middlesex No. Dist. Reg. of Deeds, book 316, page 535, and act in relation to the same.
22nd. To see if the Town will vote to change the name of the Town Farm, so called, and act in relation to the same.
23rd. To see if the Town will vote that hereafter all bills against the Town be rendered monthly, and act in relation to the same.
24th. To see if the Town will vote to erect or establish a monu- ment or other memorial to commemorate the patriotism and valour of the young men of Westford who have en- tered the service of the United States or the Allies in the recent war; appropriate money therefor, and act in rela- tion to the same.
25th. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate money for the purchase of fire extinguishers to be dis- tributed in various parts of the Town, and act in relation to the same.
26th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum not exceeding fifty dollars ($50) as compensation for a Fish and Game Warden in the event one is appointed for the Town.
124
27th. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year.
28th. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the en- suing year, also the rate of interest on taxes remaining unpaid at a time to be fixed by vote of the Town, and when and how said taxes shall be paid into the treasury, and act in relation to the same.
29th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money to contribute to the cost of operation and fixed charges in maintaining the Branch Line, so called, of the Lowell & Fitchburg St. Railway Company, in order that the same may be available for the transportation of the scholars to and from school, and act in relation to the same.
30th. To choose all other Town officers necessary to be chosen and fill the vacancy in the committee having charge of the Whitney playground, and act in relation to the same.
31st. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money to commemorate Memorial Day, and act in relation to the same.
32nd. By request of the citizens of Graniteville, Forge Village, and Parkerville, to see if the Town will appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars ($100) for the purpose of distributing books from the Public Library in these three villages, and act in relation to the same.
125
33rd. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of fifty dol- lars ($50) and elect a director for demonstration work in agriculture and home economics, the money to be ex- pended by, and the director to serve in co-operation with the County Agricultural Trustees of the Middlesex Coun- ty Bureau of Agriculture and Home Economics under the provisions of Chapter 273, General Acts of 1918.
34th. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars ($300) to be used for military pur- poses connected with the maintenance of Company L, 19th Inf., Massachusetts State Guards, located in this Town, and act in relation to the same.
35th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money for the construction and grading of sidewalks in the several villages, and act in relation to the same.
36th. To see if the Town will accept the legacy of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) given in trust under the will of Helen K. Frost for the perpetual care of the family lot in Fair- view Cemetery, in which the body of her deceased hus- band, William Edwin Frost, lies buried.
37th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money for the employment of a public health nurse, and act in rela- · tion to the same.
And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting up true and attested copies at the Town House and each Depot in said Westford, eight days at least, before the time of holding said meeting.
126
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of holding the meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands, this sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen.
OSCAR R. SPALDING, SHERMAN H. FLETCHER,
FRANK L. FURBUSH, Selectmen of Westford.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
WESTF
NMOJ
ORD
INCORP
1729.
PORATED
.23
SEPT
OF THE
TOWN OF WESTFORD, MASS.
FOR THE
School Year ending December 31, 1918
LOWELL, MASS. COURIER-CITIZEN COMPANY, PRINTERS
1919
3
School Calendar. ACADEMY 1919
March 14 Winter term closes.
VACATION-ONE WEEK.
March 24 Spring term opens.
June 20 Spring term closes.
SUMMER VACATION. 1919-1920
Sept. 2 Fall term opens.
Nov. 26 Fall term closes 13 weeks
.
VACATION-THANKSGIVING AND DAY FOLLOWING.
Dec. 1 Winter term opens.
CHRISTMAS VACATION-ONE WEEK-Dec. 19-Dec. 29.
1920
March 12 Winter term closes 14 weeks
VACATION-ONE WEEK.
March 22 Spring term opens.
June 18 Spring term closes 13 weeks
Total 40 weeks
The Elementary Schools will have two weeks' vacation- Christmas, Christmas week and week following. The length of the school year will be 38 weeks. Otherwise, terms begin and close as per Academy schedule.
4
SPECIAL EXERCISE DAYS AND HOLIDAYS.
1919
Feb. 12 Lincoln Exercises, one-half hour.
Feb. 21 Washington Exercises, one-half hour.
Apr. 18 Patriots' Day Exercises, one-half hour.
May 29 Memorial Day Exercises, one hour.
Oct. 10 Columbus Day Exercises, one-half hour.
Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Day Exercises, one hour.
1920
Feb. 12 Lincoln Exercises, one-half hour.
Feb. 20 Washington Exercises, one-half hour.
Apr. 16 Patriots' Day Exercises, one-half hour.
May 28 Memorial Day Exercises, one hour.
LEGAL HOLIDAYS.
January 1, February 22, April 19, May 30, July 4, First Monday of September, October 12, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. (The day following when any of the four first days men- tioned, the 12th of October or Christmas occurs on Sunday.)
Arbor Day falls on the last Saturday in April and is not a legal holiday.
Flag Day falls on June 14, and is not a legal holiday. It should be observed by proper exercises by any school in session on that day.
5
School Committee.
JOHN P. WRIGHT
Term expires 1919
FRANK L. FURBUSH
.
66
1919
JOHN SPINNER .
66
66
1920
ARTHUR E. DAY, Secretary
.
66
66
1920
CHARLES O. PRESCOTT, Chairman
60
66
1921
T. ARTHUR E. WILSON
66
66
1921
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FRANK H. HILL, Littleton, Mass. Telephone 36-3 Littleton.
COMMITTEE ON TEXT BOOKS.
CHARLES O. PRESCOTT JOHN P. WRIGHT
SUPPLY AGENT FRANK H. HILL
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS.
JOHN A. HEALY JOHN SPINNER
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN. CYRIL A. BLANEY, M. D.
6
Financial Statement.
Balance from last account $ 592.90
Appropriation 17,500.00
Received from Mass. School Fund 1,029.65
Received from state on account of Supt. of Schools 500.00
Received tuition from Town of Groton ... 163.50
$19,786.05
EXPENDITURES
Trustees of Westford Academy $ 313.15
Teachers
10,395.13
Transportation
3,287.71
Fuel
2,048.38
Janitors and Cleaning
1,154.00
Drawing
225.00
Music
360.00
Superintendent of Schools
920.08
School Physician 100.00
Text Books and Supplies
932.40
Repairs and Miscellaneous
1,619.45
Tuition and Carfare to Town of Tyngs-
boro
95.22
Cooking
75.59
Substitute Teachers
29.50
$21,555.61
Deficit
$ 1,769.56
7
REPAIRS AND MISCELLANEOUS.
ITEMIZED ACCOUNT.
E. W. Hill, Clerk to Supt. of Schools .... $ 44.06
H. S. Stiles, repairs 245.89
American Radiator Co., steam boiler 260.27
P. E. Wright, carting boiler
8.00
Hobson & Lawler, repairs 6.07
Middlesex Machine Co. 130.04
E. E. Maynard, repairs.
9.72
E. F. De La Haye, repairs
18.20
Westford Water Co., water rates
222.00
Westford Water Co., supplies
21.78
W. C. Roudenbush, expense
3.71
C. H. Bicknell, snow plowing
2.00
Frank H. Hill, expenses
50.54
Henry C. Doughty, supplies
37.96
Edith L. Hildreth, supplies
2.10
Titania Ladies' Orchestra 9.50
Butterfield Printing Co. . 15.00
J. H. Fletcher, stamped envelopes
15.80
W. M. Wright, labor and supplies 29.40
H. S. Turner, printing 14.00
A. M. Green, cleaning typewriters 6.50
Lexington Flag Staff Co., flag
15.00
Manifold Mfg. Co., typewriter ribbons 22,50
S. H. Balch, express 60
John Spinner, labor and supplies
14.80
C. E. Woodhull, piano tuner
7.00
A. McDonald, removing ashes
4.00
L. A. Derby & Co., wiring
166.65
C. O. Prescott, making state report and supplies
8.20
W. M. Sargent, stationery
5.00
Amount carried forward
$1,396.29
8
Amount brought forward
$1,396.29
W. C. Wright, certificates 20.30
Jordan, Marsh Co., cooking utensils 85.87
1
Wright & Fletcher, cooking supplies 52.00
Wright & Fletcher, supplies 13.11
Hanley & Co., supplies
13.58
Lowell Electric Light Corp.
1.55
A. W. Hartford, advertising
6.00
J. A. Healy & Son, cleaning cesspools and cartage 30.75
$1,619.45
9
Report of the Superintendent.
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE :
Following is my annual report, the ninth, and the twenty- seventh in the series of such reports.
Comparing the table of Teachers in Service December 31, 1918 with that of January, 1918, it will be seen that several changes have taken place in the teaching force within the year, all of them since the close of school in June. In filling these places I came to realize fully several facts: That government service was attracting teachers everywhere, including Westford, leaving desirable positions to which our own teachers would naturally gravitate; that teachers were placing a value upon their services not easily met by the smaller, or poorer, or country towns; and that teachers were selecting the kind of positions they were will- ing to enter and the subjects they were willing to teach.
Moreover, my search for teachers has been confined to those not in service. This is in strict accord with the ethics of the profession-which, unfortunately, all do not observe. When a teacher resigns from a position for a good and sufficient reason I consider her a worthy candidate. I do not consider that I have any right to induce her to resign a position to accept mine. This naturally delays the process of securing the right teacher, and has added to the expense, but I believe from the standpoint of the employer it is the ethically correct process.
The appointment of Miss Libby J. Cohen to the Commercial Department of Westford Academy followed the resignation of Miss Helena Denfeld. Miss Beatrice Hosmer was appointed to succeed Miss Esther Smith at the Sargent School. Miss Veronica McNiff, who had substituted for Miss Mary A. Dunn in the Sargent School during a part of the spring term, was appointed a regular teacher in that position beginning September 3. Miss Evelyn Kimball succeeded Miss Eva Pyne at the Cameron School. Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell, Cameron School, was granted
10
a year's leave of absence, and Miss Mildred Clevette was ap- pointed to her school for the year. Miss Grace Ranney was transferred from Parkerville to the William E. Frost School, and Miss Dorothy Burdick was appointed to the Parkerville position. The last resignation to record is that of Miss Evelyn Kimball of the Cameron School. Her room was composed of children of grades one and two, and from the opening of the fall term the numbers steadily increased, until, on December 20, fifty-five pupils were in attendance. To help out this situation Miss Helen Thissell of the third year class in Lowell Normal School was employed to assist Miss Kimball, with not entirely satisfactory results, as both teachers were obliged to conduct work in the same room. The next trial arrangement will be to send the sixth grade to the principal, the fourth to Miss Garvey and the second to Miss Clevette, leaving grade one, of some 27 pupils, in the primary room. This is not an ideal arrangement, but it seems to be the best that can be made considering the number of pupils and that there are but four rooms available in the building. I understand that at one time there was an over- flow room in the hall nearby, but am not prepared to recommend repeating this at present. I believe two other rooms should be added to the present building as soon as possible, one of which being badly needed now.
The number of pupils in the Sargent School has been such for several years, and so distributed through the several grades, that the primary room was a single grade room, and the grammar room a three grade room. It was impossible to do otherwise than to continue the arrangement this year, until the committee transferred grade eight to the Cameron School, leaving Miss Parker grades six and seven. This is entirely satisfactory so far as the Sargent School is concerned, but may prove an embar- assment to the Cameron School when grade six is transferred to the grammar room, giving Mrs. O'Clair grades six, seven and eight.
The establishment of a room for Domestic Science in the Academy building was one of the achievements of the summer of 1918. It is spoken of in detail by both Principal Roudenbush
11
and the Supervisor of Cooking, Miss Alice C. Judge, and I refer you to their reports. It is not a luxury, but a necessity, an answer to modern demands and in line with modern educational methods. We have few visitors in our schools, but this new de- partment ought to attract the mothers and the forward looking people of the town generally. (And while visiting the Academy for this purpose, why not look in upon the commercial depart- ment from which we have sent some brilliant students in the past few years ? And why not observe the Academic work, with which most of us are more familiar, to see if that work is not maintaining its high standards under Principal Roudenbush and Mrs. Hildreth ? And why not demand, since the girls are served so excellently in domestic science, that the boys be given the same opportunity to develop along masculine lines and ac- cording to modern educational methods through a properly equipped practical arts department ? )
The influenza epidemic, closing the schools for a period of three weeks, was an unavoidable misfortune. I made fairly rep- resentative inquiries of superintendents in other sections of the state, and found that the policy of paying the teachers during the closed period was practically universal. Some towns and cities were planning to make up a portion of the time lost, while others did not intend to make up any time. Some thought that intensive work would enable them to make up the time lost in terms of work covered. In Westford, as in some other places, the day was lengthened a half hour or an hour. The longer day has proved valuable for the purpose-that of accomplishing more work in a given period of time. The teachers have been very loyal to the plan.
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