Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1838-1857, v. 1, Part 17

Author: Brookline (Mass.)
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Brookline, Mass. : Published by vote of the town
Number of Pages: 680


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1838-1857, v. 1 > Part 17


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CHARLES WILD, - Committee.


Signed, ELIJAH COREY, ABIJAH W. GODDARD,


Estimates for 1846. In the usual conference between the Selectmen of the town and the Auditing Committee, it was deemed proper in view of the past expenditures and present debt of the town, to present the following Estimate of the Expenses as a ground for the Tax of 1846.


Support of Poor


$1000


Assessing & Coll. Taxes


275


Education of Youth


2200


Town Officers .


250


Repairs of Highways


1100


Abatement of Taxes


250


Engine and Fire department


300


Contingencies .


500


State & County Taxes


600


Reduction of Town debt


1200


Fuel & Repairs of buildings


200


from which may be deducted bal. in Treas.


1075


leaving to be raised .


$6800


or a round sum of 7000 Dollars.


On motion of Mr. Samuel A. Walker, Esq., it was- Voted, To adjourn to meet again on Monday, the 16th March instant, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.


The foregoing is a true transcript of the transactions of the Town of Brookline, at the Annual Meeting for 1846 - excepting the report of the School Committee, which was made as recorded on page 180, and withdrawn by the Com- mittee, for the purpose of making a copy for the Secretary of the board of Education, and will be entered with these records when received. [See page 199.]


Attest : ARTEMAS NEWELL,


Town Clerk.


$7875


192


Brookline Town Records.


According to the laws of the Commonwealth the Town Clerk issued his warrant to Constable Clapp (who was duly qualified to serve in said office by taking the oath) requir- ing him to notify & summons all persons who had been elected to office at the Annual Meeting, of whom the laws require an oath, to appear before said Clerk, and take the oath required for said offices respectfully, within seven days from the date of said notice.


BROOKLINE, March 3, 1846.


Attest : ARTEMAS NEWELL, Town Clerk.


NORFOLK, SS.


BROOKLINE, March 3, 1846.


Then personally appeared Alexander H. Clapp and took the oath required of him by the laws of the Commonwealth to qualify him for the office of Constable of the town of Brookline for the ensuing year.


before me, ARTEMAS NEWELL, Town Clerk.


Officers appeared and took the several oaths to qualify them for their duties, viz. :


March 4.


NORFOLK, SS. Then personally appeared the several per- sons-hereafter named-and took the oath required by law, for the several offices at the time as set forth against their names, respectfully :


4. Oliver Whyte as Field Driver.


George Stoddard Field Driver.


66 Marshal Stearns Selectman.


66 James Bartlett 66 Selectman & Highway Surveyor.


66 66 Hugh M. Sanborn


Selectman & Surveyor of Highways. Surveyor of Highways.


5. John W. Warren


Field Driver.


66


7. Abraham H. Lambert Field Driver.


9. Elisha Stone Constable & Surveyor of Wood & Lumber.


10. Thos. N. Woodward Highway Surveyor.


66


11. Royal McIntosh


Highway Surveyor.


66


11. Simon Warren


Highway Surveyor.


12. Jesse Bird


Highway Surveyor.


13. Charles Stearns, Jr. -


Jesse Bird Isaac Cook


Assessors.


66


66 13. Charles Stearns, Jun. Highway Surveyor.


15. Samuel A. Walker Field Driver.


66 Caleb Clark


Fence Viewer.


66


17. Hugh M. Sanborn


Pound Keeper.


66


18. William White


Highway Surveyor.


66 24. Clark L. Haynes


Fence Viewer.


66 27. George W. Goldsmith Highway Surveyor.


April 4. Jeremialı Lyon Surveyor of Wood & Lumber.


6. Charles Smith


193


Adjourned Annual Meeting, March 16, 1846.


ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING, 1846.


Pursuant to adjournment on 2d inst., the inhabitants of the Town of Brookline met for the transaction of such busi- ness as might come before them on this day, March 16, 1846, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.


The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Mr. Daniel Sanderson.


Voted to proceed to business.


The Clerk read the proceedings of the last meeting (on 2d inst.), and the following persons-who were chosen at the last meeting-were reported by the Town Clerk as not having taken the oath, according to law, to qualify them for the duties of their respective offices-To Wit :


William J. Hyde and William White as Highway Sur- veyors.


John Gibbs as fence Viewer.


Samuel Clark, John Gibbs, George Griggs, William J. Griggs and Samuel Philbrick as Field Drivers.


Jeremiah Lyon as Surveyor of Wood & Lumber.


Simon Warren as Pound Keeper.


Seth T. Thayer & George Stoddard had not signified their acceptance of the office of Fire Wards.


Mr. Seth T. Thayer being present, forthwith signified his acceptance.


It was


Voted, To excuse William J. Hyde from serving as Highway Surveyor for the present year.


Made choice of George W. Goldsmith as Highway Sur- veyor on the Clyde Street district, vice William J. Hyde, excused.


Voted, To excuse John Gibbs from Serving as Fence Viewer.


Made Choice of Clark L. Haynes for Fence Viewer, vice John Gibbs, excused from serving.


Voted, To excuse Simon Warren from serving as Pound Keeper.


13


194


Brookline Town Records.


Chose Hugh M. Sanborn Pound Keeper in room of Simon Warren, excused.


Voted, by their own request, To excuse Samuel Philbrick & Samuel Clark from serving as Field Drivers.


The following report of the state of the Guide Boards & Posts was made by the Selectmen :


According to the laws of the Commonwealth, the Selectmen report the state of the Guide Posts and Boards of the Town and the location of each, as follows :


There are 2 at Mrs. White's Corner


to Brighton & Newton.


" Cambridge.


66 3 " Ackers' Corner


" Brighton, Newton & Dedham.


" Brighton & Cambridge.


1 " Dr. Pierce's meeting house " Jamaica Plain.


66 2 " Mr. Sheafes,


" Newton & Brighton.


2 " S. G. Perkin's,


" Newton & Jamaica Plain.


66


3 " Col. Perkins' corner,


" Newton, Dedham & Brighton.


2 " S. Cabot's corner,


" Brighton & Dedham.


2 " Hyde's corner,


" Newton & Brighton.


66 66 2 " Mr. P. Goodnow's corner, " Dedham & Newton. 22


The Selectmen would recommend that there be one placed on a post now standing near Charles Stearns', directing to Cambridge Port, also one at the junction of South Street with Newton Street directing to Brighton


All of which is submitted. DANIEL SANDERSON, - MARSHAL STEARNS, Selectmen. BROOKLINE, March 2, 1846. JAMES BARTLETT,


Voted, To accept the report and the guide boards reccom- mended by the Selectmen to be provided.


Voted, The Treasurer be authorized to effect an insurance on the Town Hall for Four Thousand dollars at the Norfolk Mutual Insurance office at Dedham, provided it can be legally done.


Rev. Wm. H. Shailer, in behalf of the School Committee, made a Report, which was accepted, and the reccommenda- tions therein contained are to be carried into effect. And it was-


Voted, That this report, and the report made by the . School Com. at the Annual Meeting on the 2d inst., be


66 1 " Charles Stearns'


2 " Baptist Meeting house,


195


Adjourned Annual Meeting, March 16, 1846.


revised, and both embodied in one report, and to be printed, that each family may have a copy, and after such revision it will be entered with these records.


Rec'd and entered on page 199 to 204.


Mr. Daniel Sanderson, in behalf of the Committee chosen on the 2d instant, to make the necessary enquiry in regard to supplying Wells and Pumps for the several School Houses in town, made the following report :


The Committee appointed by the Town for the purpose of making enquiry as to the necessity of providing Wells, pumps, &c., at each School House in the Town, have attended to that duty, and submit the following report :


That those families which reside near where the Schools are located have been very much annoyed, by the frequent applications of the scholars for Water especially in the summer season of the year, is mat- ter of fact :- And that the scholars are interrupted in their studies by leaving school in school hours, and going in some cases the distance of a quarter of a mile for the purpose of obtaining water, is also true. That it is the duty of the Town to endeavor to remedy these evils, we think no one will doubt. This can be done most effectually by sinking a well and providing a pump where it is necessary and practicable. We believe that wells can be supplied at each School House in the Town without any difficulty, except at the middle district or high school, where the land is very rocky, and there is already a well and pump in rear of the house of Dr. Pierce for the benefit of that school which should be kept in repair at the Town's expense,-your committee would not recom- mend that the Town should provide a well at each school house, only in those districts where most needed,-as it will be rather a matter of experi- ment, whether or not the pumps can be kept in good order,-one at the Town House as the abasement rooms are soon to be occupied for schools, one also at the South Middle District. The expenses estimated at 75 dolls. each-$150-which can be paid from the Town Treasury without further appropriation by the Town, as there has been five hundred dollars already provided for contingencies.


In behalf of the committee.


DANIEL SANDERSON.


Voted, To Accept the Report of the committee on Wells, Pumps, &c.


Voted, on motion of Mr. S. A. Walker, That there be another well dug, in addition to those recommended in the report of the committee, for the North District School.


Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to sink a well on the Town House lot, one on the South Middle District


196


Brookline Town Records.


lot, and one on the school house lot in School Street, and pro- vide a pump for each, and that the sum of Three Hundred dollars be raised and appropriated for that use.


Voted, on motion of Mr. Walker, That the Selectmen be, and are hereby authorized and directed to plant a suitable number of forest trees in the vicinity of the northern school house, and that the expense be paid from the contingent fund.


Voted, That the Committee appointed at our last meeting on the 2nd inst. to finish a school room in the Town House, be now further authorized [to] finish two school rooms & to build two out-houses, with a partition fence between them, & have them properly finished for the town schools on the first of May next, and that the sum of four hundred & fifty dollars be raised the present year in addition to the amount voted to be raised at our meeting on the 2nd inst. for the purpose of defraying the expenses of finishing the school rooms and out-buildings.


Voted, on motion of Mr. Marshall Stearns, That the vote passed at the last meeting, by which the Selectmen were authorized to sell the wood lot in Needham, be reconsidered.


After considerable discussion, the whole subject of the Wood Lot was indefinitely postponed.


Voted, That the sum of eleven hundred dollars, which has been appropriated for repairs of highways the ensuing year, shall be assessed & collected as other Town Taxes are, and One Thousand dollars be divided between the several high- way districts in the proportion as determined by vote of the Town in 1845, and no Surveyor shall receive any money from the Treasury until he shall have expended the same according to the requisitions of the law, and his account shall have received the approval of the Selectmen. One hundred dollars of the appropriation to be expended by the Select- men for repairs of highways at such times and places as they shall deem expedient.


The oath of office was administered in open town meeting by the Moderator, to the Treasurer & Collector, Artemas Newell.


Militia List, 1846.


197


Voted, To dissolve the meeting.


Attest : A. NEWELL, Town Clerk.


Return of Names of persons enrolled in the Militia in the Town of Brookline for the year 1846. The whole number being 321.


Parker Kennister Blaisdale


Stephen Wing


James Litchfield


Simon Warren John W. Warren Charles Warren


Hiram R. Bean


Simon W. Clifford


Charles Craft


Francis Howe


George Craft


William P. Sanderson


Chauncy Woodward


James S. Amory


Nathaniel Wormell


Nath'l W. Brackett


Charles Craig


Charles D. Head


Nath'l P. Johnston


Caleb Kenrick


Caleb Craft, Jun.


George Perry


Edward Philips


Charles Husk


George W. Goodnough Aaron Smith Samuel McIntire


Henry Weeks


Joseph N. Gutterson


Samuel D. Snelling Owen Wheeler Daniel James Ward


Daniel S. Sanderson Joshua Foss Isaiah Felkar


Thomas H. Perkins, 3d


William Baker


Samuel Eliot William Andrews


Joseph L. White


Abijah W. Goddard


William White


Aaron Lewis John Estes John H. Park Hiram Waldron


Charles Heath Aaron D. Fairbanks Charles Smith Asa Trowbridge William Jordan


Freedom Berry Simon Whittier Charles G. Colbatlı


Thomas C. Quimby Harrison Storer


William J. Hyde


Alonzo Gould


Charles Twist


David Berry


Augustus Twist


Ebenezer Reed


John L. Huntress


Ralph Hosford


George Hancock Varney Mosure


198


Brookline Town Records.


Levi Wight


James L. Oliver


Erastus H. Harris


Joseph Eliot Wells Field


Benj'n H. Rhodes


Sherburne Hutchins John Bowman William A. White


George Penniman


George Griggs


Eli D. Sanderson


John Perkins


James Sanford


Charles Henshaw


George D. Austin


Nath'l Fry


Willard A. Humphrey


George Atkinson


Stephen Foss


Willard S. Brewer


Edwin Atkinson


Samuel Ellis


George Cowden


Stephen Blanchard


Jonas Hastings


Russel Bean John Maloon


Oliver Whyte


Timothy Steward


Thomas Davenport


Nath'l G. Chapin


Joseph S. Bacon


William A. Hayden


James Edmunds


Peter W. Pierce


William C. Cunningham William H. Jennison


Henry Kelly


Franklin Colcord


George E. Sickles John Dane, Jun. William W. Clemen


Swain Clement


John Mack


Nath'l Reed


John Park


Jona'n D. Long


Alfred Robie


George Colburn


John A. Bailey


Albert Woodsum


William G. Coles


George S. Cushing


George W. Stearns


George Allard


Franklin Tukey


George W. Fennie


Almon B. Allard


True


George Mckay


Alden Allard


Eastman


William Cantelow


John Leighton


Brown


Daniel S. Kendall


Oliver G. Pray


Glitton


John C. Rogers


John Williams


Sheldon


Frederick A. Stone


Thomas B. Griggs


Stanley


Francis McKenny


Samuel A. Robinson Franklin


Gillet


Samuel Clark


Beckwith


George Hill


Moses Withington


Putnam


Mark Whitcher


Francis H. Corey


Stanford Phinney


Wmn. B. Town


Woodbury Kenister


John Butler


John A. Bird


George T. Bartlett


Fernald Butler


Jeremiah Veazie


Amos Whittemore


David S. Coolidge


William Colman


James Parker


Isaac Dearborn


Henry W. Carr


Timothy Corey


Charles Coolidge


Joshua Edwards


John McKenny


Henry Orcutt, Jun.


Frederick Harryman


Michael Kirk


Joshua Pray


John Nugent


John Weston


Joseph Clase


William J. Griggs John Mills


Royal Woodward, Jr. Barker


William Church Young


A. W. Seaman


Charles Whittemore John T. Smith


William Philips George Leonard


Daniel H. Brooks


David Whitney


Oliver Brown


James M. Ingalls


Waldo Butler


Alonzo Dyer


Jesse Farnam


George Gibbs


A. H. Clapp


Ransom N. Weld


William Bragg John Tyler


Charles P. Trowbridge


John Blennis


John Haynes


Morril S. Bean


William Melcher


J. M. Seaman


E. C. Hoyt


Thomas Pettingill


Hiram Allard


Nath'l Lyford


George Wild


Milton Danforth


William A. Morse


199


Militia List, 1846.


Isaac R. Atwood


Nath'l Sawyer'


Charles Lord


Benj. F. Baker


Charles Sprague


Joseplı Ferguson


William Page


John Crayton


Wallace


Thomas Seaverns


John Frazier


Charles C. Moseley


Hezekiah Shailer


Luther Seaverns


Joshua Little


George Stoddard


Joseph Huff


Page


John Gustin


William Douglas


John Dustin


Thomas Wentworth Bela Jenks


Mead


Ansel Waterman


Henry Fowler


Bemis


Charles Staples Baker


Reuben Wyman


Augustus Allen


Joseplı Cousens


Ambrose M. Stearns


Hiram Grover


Cummings


Andrew Pray


Sylvester Piper


Franklin Smilie


Asa Stevens


Martin


E. T. Cotting


Soule Turner


Charles Stuart


D. S. Cotting


William Hardy


James Morse


Amos Cotting, Jun.


William Somerville


Abraham C. Small


David Morrison


Maddison McIntosh Ellwell


William H. Palmer


Edward Morrison


Cyrus Edgerly


Thomas Lee


Benj. Young


Calvin Piper


Horace Cousens


Sylvester Kimball


Harvey James


George Bell


George W. Butters


A. H. Lambert


Charles J. Morrill


George H. Weston


Ephraim Church


Benj. N. Jewett


Stephen S. Robinson


Waldo W. Thomas


Christopher P. Shattuck


Jesse Melcher


Charles W. Tolman


Edwin Page


Oliver Cousens


John Brown


Edwin Veazie


Nathan Sanford


Benj. Lane


Dennis Long


Edward Hall


George W. Patten


David Whitney


Elisha M. Hall


Edward Secomb


Albert Whitney


Henry Hall


John B. Libby


Edmund Pray


L. B. Dame


Henry Mellen


William McAllister


Ivory Ross


Charles W. Scudder


Royal McIntosh


Thomas Littlefield


John Randall


Peleg Gulliver


Joseph Day


Henry Whitney


Attest : ARTEMAS NEWELL, Town Clerk.


BROOKLINE, May -, 1846.


Report of the School Committee for 1846, as made and accepted at the annual and adjourned meetings, as refered to on pages 180 and 194, it having been revised and printed (300 copies), this entry being made from the printed copy :


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


Education is yearly becoming a subject of more general importance and engrossing interest. The desires of the earlier settlers of this Com- monwealth, that knowledge might be diffused among all classes, and that


Charles L. Palmer


Hiram Colton


Crocker


200


Brookline Town Records.


every individual citizen might be prepared for a proper discharge of his Civil, Social and Moral duties, yet live and glow in the bosoms of their descendants. We honor their Memories. We acknowledge with grati- tude, that with their limited means and poor facilities for active exertion they seem to have done what they could, and transmitted to posterity the rich inheritance of their zeal and their examples. It is to the enlarged and liberal views which they took of the subject of education, that Massachusetts owes much of her prosperity and happiness. It is to this that she is indebted for her influence in the national Council, and for the respect paid to her citizens in every part of the Union. As a Com- monwealth, we have been highly distinguished for the importance attached to popular education. Our fathers sought to have the whole people educated. But yet we suppose it not irreverent to say that they cherished some superficial views in regard to the best method of secur- ing this desirable object.


They maintained public schools, but it is evident that those schools furnished but poor facilities for properly educating the mass. We go back a few years, and without searching among the recollections of "the oldest inhabitants" we find that the opinion was prevalent, that nothing but the rudiments of learning should be taught in our public schools.


Then in almost every town these schools were continued but a portion of the year, some three or four months in winter and in many places about the same length of time in summer. New teachers were employed for nearly every short term, and those were sent into the school without much regard to their mental or moral qualifications. The schools were rarely visited by the Committee except at the close of a term, at which time was an examination of the scholars, conducted entirely by the teachers. And often that examination was the veriest fraud.


Questions were asked on which the children had been drilled for weeks, while their moral natures were subject to the consciousness of having been thus trained to cheat the Committee. Who that has lived thirty or forty years, cannot recall many scenes like these. The thought of having High Schools open to all the children in town, possessing the necessary qualifications had scarcely been conceived. Those who desired more than the rudiments of learning, if their parents had the ability, were sent to private schools and academies. This exerted an unhappy influence upon society, by producing envious feelings on the part of those who were not thus favored, and aristocratic feelings on the part of those who were. But for a few years past, measures have been adopted to remove these evils. "A new impulse has been given to the cause of popular education. Year after year, it has been presented, in messages from the Chief Execu- tives of this Commonwealth, and received the attention of our legislators.


Laws have been enacted and measures adopted which in many minds, have given an increased importance to this subject. In most towns pro- vision is now made to educate the children of the poor, as well as of the rich, and if any who have the natural ability for acquiring knowledge, grow up in ignorance, it is because parents and guardians are unfaithful to their trust, in not suffering their children to enjoy privileges which are offered them. Changes, not to say improvements have taken place, in


201


Adjourned Annual Meeting, March 16, 1846.


this and in other towns. Our public schools are continued through the whole year, excepting only the time which seems to be absolutely neces- sary for vacations. Our teachers are thoroughly examined on entering the schools, and generally employed by the year. Every school is visited monthly and examined quarterly by the Committees, and an amount of time & labor, and money expended, in keeping our schools in operation, which a few years since would have been deemed unwise and impracti- cable. And we think no one who will contemplate this subject, and compare the state of our schools now, with that in which they were a few years since, will deny that they are somewhat improved. Individ- ual exceptions for a limited period there may be, but upon the whole, the character of our public schools has been greatly elevated.


During the year which is now closing, the schools in this town over which your committee have endeavored to watch with scrupulous care, have all been continued without interruption. Within that time there has been no material change in the arrangement of the schools, or the method of instruction. It may perhaps be thought unnecessary to give an account of each of the Schools separately in our annual report, yet, in the opinion of your Committee this is the best method of bringing their condition fairly before the town. The inhabitants of each district may thus learn in what estimation the school, which their children attend, is held by the Committee.


In the South West, or Upper District, the school has been much smaller the past year than it was during the year preceeding. Not more than fifteen have been members of the school at any one time-the average number has been about nine. Last year the whole number was twenty- seven. This reduction in number is to be attributed to the removal of families from the town, and the attendance of some at the High School who had formerly attended in that district, rather than to any deficiency in the instruction, for the school your Committee believe to be in an excellent condition. The examination conducted by the Committee sat- isfied them that instruction had been faithfully imparted, and we think that those who have children in that school may safely confide in the mental and moral qualifications of the teacher.


The school in the South, or Middle District has been under the care of its present teacher only since May last. The whole number belonging to this school at any one time during the year is thirty-four. Last year it was forty-four. The average number, however, has been about the same as it was the year preceeding. At the annual examination the appear- ance of this school was more encouraging than it has been for several years. There is perhaps no district in town with so many disadvantages to contend with, as this. Several of the families are somewhat remote from the school house, and the children cannot attend very regularly, especially in winter ; and there have been also many transient families in this district, whose children coming in irregularly, have been a source of embarrassment to the school. But under its present teacher, who has had some fourteen years' experience, the school seems to be doing remarkably well.


202


Brookline Town Records.


The North School, under the care of a well-qualified teacher and assist- ant, has during the past year sustained fully the high reputation which it has previously earned, and probably it never was in a more prosperous condition than it is at present. Its teachers are devoted to their calling, and the school bears testimony to their fidelity in imparting instruction. The number of children in this school has considerably increased during the year, and the whole number belonging to it is upwards of ninety. Although the school is divided, and under the supervision of two teachers, the average number of scholars in either room is greater than in both the other primary schools combined. The accommodations are too limited to meet the present, much less the growing wants of this district. During the last term there has been singing taught in this school twice each week by Mr. Johnson of Boston. It is proper to say that he undertook this instruction unsolicited by the committee, though with their knowledge and approbation. It was entirely gratuit- ous on his part, but of material benefit to the children-offering them relaxation and delight, and inducing them to return with increased vigor and devotion to their studies after a half hour spent in singing.


The High School, patronized by the whole town, has been continued without change during the year, except for the last two terms there has been a female instead of a male assistant, as formerly. The philosoph- ical apparatus, to which allusion was made in our last report, has been procured and placed in the school room. Such an apparatus was greatly needed in illustrating the principles of the natural sciences and in impress- ing them upon the minds of the scholars. By means of it a teacher may throw interest into studies which otherwise would be dry and tedious. And many thanks are due to those who contributed to this object, as also to him by whom contributions were solicited. The number attending the school the last year has been considerably larger than in any previous year since the school was established, and having been admitted without any qualifications or restrictions, except in age, it has been impossible for the school to sustain that elevated character which it is desirable for a High School to have. Owing to this, and a variety of circumstances, which we need not enumerate, the school has not, for the last six months, been in as prosperous a state as formerly. The teachers have labored with the kindest intentions and most unwearied diligence and devotion, but still the school is not what your committee are desirous that it should be. When that school was established, it was somewhat a matter of experiment. Having female teachers in all the district schools, and comparatively but a small number between the ages of ten and sixteen who wished to attend a public High School, it was deemed advisable to open that school to any scholars in town over ten years of age. It was undoubtedly the best arrangement which could have been made at that time. Every year, however, since its establishment, the school has been increasing in numbers, and now we find it not only expe- dient but necessary to make some change. Thus far we have been embarrassed, because if we placed the terms of admission into this school on qualifications as well as age, we should exclude a number of large scholars for whom no provision was elsewhere made. But now




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