School Department Releases Bus Routes and Eligibility Rules-August 30, 1978

Designed to ensure safe and orderly transit for thousands of local students, the announcement established clear boundaries and behavioral expectations for families across the community.

Transportation Eligibility and Distance Rules

To qualify for school bus transportation, students were required to reside beyond specific minimum distance thresholds from their assigned school, measured by the shortest traveled route:

• Senior High School: 2 miles
• Junior High Schools: 1.5 miles
• Elementary Schools: 1.25 miles
• Kindergarten through Grade 3: 1 mile

Specialized arrangements were also detailed for kindergarten pupils. Morning session students rode regular morning buses home via midday trips, while afternoon session students required special opening trips before riding home on standard afternoon runs.

Safety Regulations and Revocable Privileges

Emphasizing that bus transportation is a revocable privilege rather than an absolute right, the School Committee outlined strict behavioral codes. Rules explicitly forbade smoking, behavior endangering passenger safety, excessive annoyance of peers, distracting the driver, or the willful destruction of bus property.

Comprehensive Bus Route Schedules

The published notices provided families with extensive breakdowns of morning and afternoon route schedules spanning the Senior High School, Junior High North, Junior High South, St. Catherine School, and various elementary facilities.

Senior High School Routes

• Operating Hours: To school: 7:15 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. (time of first stop on each trip). From school: 12:50 p.m. to 1:39 p.m., and 2:28 p.m.
• Trip A: Neponset Street at Westview Drive; Dean Street opposite Richland Road; Dean Street opposite Tamworth Road.
• Trip B: Clapboardtree Street at Xaverian High School lot; Everett Street midway; Washington and Margaret Streets; Washington Street and Forbes Avenue; Washington and Acorn Streets.
• Trip C: Washington and Acorn Streets.
• Trip D: Neponset Street and Cherrywood Drive; Neponset Street and Norton Drive; Norton Drive and Robinwood Road; Wedgewood Drive and Deerfield Road; Dean Street and Ridgewood Drive; Dean Street and Windsor Road.
• Trip E: Bristol Drive and Plymouth Drive; Suffolk Drive and Summer Street; Union and Pleasant Streets; Washington and Rockhill Streets.
• Trip F: Neponset Street and Fisher Garden; Neponset and North Plain Streets; Dean Street opposite Richland Road; Dean Street and Windsor Road.

Junior High North Routes (7:25 a.m.)

• Route 2: Westover at Eden; Warwick at Devon; Oakleigh at Devon; Harrow at Croydon; Greenwich at Croydon.
• Route 3: Burnley at Harrow; Burnley at Surrey; Yarmouth at Malvern; Albemarle midway to Devon; Devon at Yarmouth.
• Route 4: Yarmouth and Croydon; Yarmouth and Harrow; Albemarle and Harrow; Albemarle and Malvern; Malvern and Yarmouth.
• Route 5: Washington and Hill; Washington and Acorn; Neponset and Carpenter; Neponset and Jefferson; Neponset between both ends of Bahama; Neponset and Rock.
• Route 6: Clapboardtree at turnaround; Washington at Everett; David at Margaret; Ellis at David; Codman at Cameron; Codman midway to Eaton; Codman at Eaton; Madelyn at Forbes; Codman at Madelyn; Bird at Washington.

Junior High South Routes (7:25 a.m.)

• Route 7: Orleans and Chatham (east); Orleans and Chatham (west); Walpole and Hillshire.
• Route 8: 2.5 East Cross; East Cross and Sixth; Sixth and Gay; Gay and Second; Hillside and Pleasant.
• Route 9: Pellana at Birch; Dean at Tamworth; Tamworth at Cranmore; Richland at Cranmore; Dean at Richland; 130 Dean.
• Route 10: Neponset at North Plain; Neponset at East Cross; Neponset at turnaround; Buckminster at Wickham; Walpole at Endicott; Walpole at Westview.
• Route 11: Neponset and Cherrywood; Neponset and Norton; Norton at Robinwood; Wedgewood and Deerfield; Deerfield at Norton; Dean and Glendale.
• Route 12: Neponset and 600 Ridgewood; Ridgewood midway between Neponset and Access; Ridgewood at Glenor; Ridgewood at Corer; Ridgewood at Neponset opposite 744; Neponset Drive at Hemlock.
• Route 13: Azalea and Meadow; Meadow and Juniper; Juniper and Kenwood; Kenwood and Azalea; Dean and Lancaster; Dean and Windsor.
• Route 14: Wilson midway to Morningside; Wilson at Morningside; Arcadia at Rosedale; Countryside at Dell; Countryside midway to Garden Parkway (No. 45); Countryside at Garden.
• Route 15: Walpole at 538; Buckminster at Coventry; Buckminster.
• Route 16: Croydon at Devon; Devon at Inverness; Devon at Harrow; Devon at Greenwich; Devon at Nottingham; Nottingham at Sherwood; Norwood at Canterbury.
• Route 17: Pleasant at Allen; Pleasant at Willow; Jacobsen at Redwood; Jacobsen at Dean.
• Route 18: 509 Pleasant; Summer at Priest; Sumner at Suffolk; Coach Lane loop; Union midway to Route 1.
• Route 19: Arnold at Audubon; Audubon at Sixth; Arnold at Sixth; Meadow Brook.
• Route 20: Walpole and Laurel; Nichols and avion; Nichols and Geraldine; Geraldine and Kathleen; Kathleen and Fisher; High School rectory; Winter at Walpole.

St. Catherine School Routes

• Route 21 (7:50 a.m.): Jacobsen at Norwood; Dean and Pleasant; Pleasant at Sunset; Pleasant at Sumner; Hampden at Plymouth; Coach Lane loop; Highview; Alonible Parkway at the three fire hydrants; Washington opposite Tremont; Washington at Heaton.
• Route 22 (7:30 a.m.): 400 Neponset at Ridgewood; 3.5 Ridgewood; Ridgewood at Access; Ridgewood at Coral; Ridgewood at Kenwood; Ridgewood at 760 Neponset; Norton at Neponset; Norton at Robinwood; Wedgewood at Deerfield; midway on Deerfield; midway on Norton; Edwin at Glendale; Edgehill at Lancaster; Windsor at Dean; Neponset at Hemlock; 74 Neponset.
• Route D (7:30 a.m.): Washington at Margaret; Margaret at David; Madelyn at Codman; Neponset at Carpenter; Neponset midway to Jefferson; Neponset at Bahama; Neponset at North Plain; East Cross at Longwood; Longwood at Elder; Longwood at Westview.
• Route 24 (7:50 a.m.): Fourth at Gay; Arnold at West Border; Audubon at Sixth; Arnold at Srail; Joy at Sunnyside.
• Route F (7:50 a.m.): East Cross at Second; Gay at Second; Gay at Sunnyside; Pleasant at Hillside; Sunnyside at Lowness; Reodland at Hillside; Woodland at Birch; Birch at Sunnyside.
• Route 26 (7:50 a.m.): Harrow at Croydon; Croydon at Yarmouth; Harrow at Yarmouth; Albemarle near 117; Yarmouth at Amitarn; Nichols at Leyton; Nichols between Berwick and Fisher; Shattuck Park and Nichols; Shattuck Park at Bellevue; Winter at Spruce (both ends); Spruce at Lincoln.
• Route 27 (7:50 a.m.): Walpole at flashing light near Geraldine; 28 Wilson; Arcadia at Wilson and Chatham Road Circle; Garden at Countryside West; Garden at Countryside East; Buckminster at Common Loop; Walpole at Davis; Walpole at Endicott; Walpole at Woodbine; Walpole at Hillshire; Chapel at Bruce; Winslow at Harding.

Cleveland School Routes (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 28: Buckminster at Coventry; Buckminster at the top; Buckminster at Engamore; town houses at Common; Buckminster at Wickham; Buckminster at Lansdowne; 600 Walpole; Walpole at Davis.
• Routes 29 and 32: Nichols and Cushing; Cushing and Sterns; Nichols and Elliot; Nichols and West; Nichols and Oak; Nichols at Rosemary; Bond at Walpole; Bond at Beech; Bond at Nichols; Bellevue at Shattuck; Nichols at Rosemary; Walpole at Rosemary; Walpole at Elliott.
• Route 30: Orleans at Wilson; Orleans at Chatham East; Chatham midway; Chatham at Orleans West; Arcadia at 138 Wilson.
• Routes 31 and 33: 71 Wilson; Morningside (both ends); Arcadia at Countryside; Countryside at Dell; Countryside midway between Dell and 45 Garden; Countryside and Garden; Walpole near 553; Fieldbrook midway to Dell; Fieldbrook at Dell; Fieldbrook at Garden; Countryside at Arcadia; Arcadia at Rosedale; 106 Wilson.

Balch School Route (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 34: Pleasant at Hillside; Lawndale at Woodland; Pellana at Hillside; Hillside at Woodland; Woodland at Birch; Pleasant Place at Dean; Bristol Plymouth; Plymouth and Worcester; Worcester and Hampden; Sumner and Suffolk; Charlotte and Pleasant; 1087 Pleasant.

Callahan School Routes (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 35: Lenox Avenue and Lenox Street; Hillside at Franklin; Pleasant at Allen; Pleasant at Willow; Pleasant at Dean; Pleasant at Bridge; Pleasant at Northview.
• Route 36: Sunnyside at Hillside; Sunnyside midway between Hillside and Birch; Pleasant at Redwood; Jacobsen at Redwood; Jacobsen at Bornwood.
• Route 37: 67 Sumner; Sumner at Route 1 (in Bristol); Mill Pond at North bend; Mill Pond at South bend; American at Union; Coach and Union; Union midway to Route 1; Pleasant and Summer.
• Route 38: Pleasant at Birch; Woodland and Birch; Jacobsen and Bornwood; Pleasant and Dean; Pleasant and Sunset; 58 Summer; Plymouth and Bristol; Worcester and Plymouth and Coach Lane loop.
• Route 39: Washington at Hill; Washington at Everett; Everett East of Route 1; Washington opposite Margaret; Margaret at David; David at Ellis; Eaton at Codman; Washington and Bird (make loop); Washington and Neponset.
• Route 40: Clapboardtree at the turnaround; Codman at Cameron 107-109; Codman midway to Eaton; Codman at Madelyn; Madelyn and Neponset; Neponset and Fales; Neponset at Carpenter; Neponset and McKinley.

Aaron Guild School Routes (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 41: Arnold at Audubon; Audubon at Sixth; Arnold at Sixth; Arnold at Third.
• Route 42: Centennial; first stop 77 Monroe; Monroe and Nahatan; Monroe and Rock; Monroe and Cross; Cross and Lenox; Lenox and Plimpton.
• Route 43: 25 East Cross; East Cross at Third; East Cross at Sixth; Sixth at Gay; Gay and Second; Gay at Fourth; Joy at Sunnyside.

Oldham School Route (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 44: Winter at Cypress; 361 Winter; Spruce at Lincoln; Spruce at Brierwood; Spruce at Hickory (near Westwood line); LaSalle; Winter Street between Westwood line and Cemetery; Granite and Washington.

Prescott School Route (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 45: Neponset and North Plain; Neponset and East Cross; Neponset and Westview; Neponset and Norton; Neponset at 814; Neponset and Hemlock; Ridgewood and Access; 600 Neponset.

Willett School Route (8:20 a.m.)

• Route 46: Buckminster at Coventry; Buckminster turn-around; Buckminster at Engamore; town houses at Common; Buckminster at Wickham; Buckminster at Lansdowne.

Kindergarten Afternoon Routes (12:05 p.m. to 12:15 p.m.)

• Callahan Kindergarten (12:15 p.m.): Washington at Ellis; David at Ellis; Margaret and David; Margaret at Washington; 61 Washington; 124 Codman; 221 Codman.
• Cleveland Kindergarten (12:15 p.m.): Wilson and Countryside; Countryside and Garden; Fieldbrook loop; Walpole and Davis; Nichols and Elliot; 221 Winter; Shattuck Park and Bellevue.
• Aaron Guild Kindergarten (12:15 p.m.): 30 Plimpton; Monroe and Rock; 96 Rock; 98 Nahatan; Centennial; 11 West Border; 143 Arnold; 35 Audubon; Sunnyside at Gay; First at Gay; 78 Cross; 30 Cross; Cross and Lenox; Lenox and Lenox Avenue.
• Oldham Kindergarten (12:05 p.m.): Winter and Cypress; Winter and Hawthorne; Spruce and Hickory upper end.
• Prescott Kindergarten (12:05 p.m.): 673 Neponset; 32 North Plain; Neponset; 767 Neponset; 775.5 Neponset; 781.5 Neponset; 680 Neponset.
• Willett Kindergarten (12:20 p.m.): Buckminster at Coventry; Buckminster turn-around; Buckminster at Engamore; town houses at Common; Buckminster at Wickham; Buckminster at Lansdowne.
• St. Catherine’s Kindergarten (11:00 a.m.): 91 Washington; Winter and Cypress; 67 Spruce; 173 Nichols; 200 Buckminster; 117 Albemarle; Nichols at West; Walpole at Rosemary; Rock and Nahatan; 165 Neponset; Centennial; 58 East Cross; First and Gay; 44 Arnold; Pleasant and Hillside; 89 Plymouth; 80 Allandale.
• Balch Kindergarten (12:00 p.m.): Lenox Street at Lenox Avenue; Lenox and Willow; Franklin at Hillside; Hillside at Sunnyside; Woodland and Birch; Jacobsen and Bornwood; Pleasant and Dean; Pleasant and Sunset; 58 Summer; Plymouth and Bristol; Worcester and Plymouth and Coach Lane loop.

Alongside the transit schedules, local notices highlighted upcoming community events, including a membership meeting hosted by the League of Women Voters at the home of Margery McKenna on Deerfield Road, as well as tax reimbursement updates impacting regional school districts involving officials such as Donald C. Graves, Anne M. Carney, and Paul Keefe.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger