Sanford School Committee Pushing Safety Near Schools
Photo: Sanford Tribune, Jan. 11, 1951
By Lawrence Furbish
There was good news on the front page as Goodall Hospital was “fully approved” by the Surgeons College. As of Dec. 31, 1950, it was the only hospital in York County to get this rating. It was the 15th time in the last 17 years it had attained this approval. The other two times, it received a conditional approval. It was one of 22 hospitals in Maine to be awarded this rating.
Selectman Maurice J. Maurice was appointed as the chair of the local polio drive. This fundraising effort of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis was commonly called the March of Dimes. School children collected dimes and stored them in cards to be turned in at school. The drive was scheduled to open on Jan. 15. At that time, polio was a much feared and deadly disease. It wasn’t until 1955 that Dr. Jonas Salk’s successful polio vaccine debuted, leading to the disease’s eradication today in all countries but Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Patrolman Leslie Adams of the Sanford police was investigating a break-in at a private garage on Wentworth Street. The thieves gained entrance by “jimmying” the front door and proceeded to smash a penny-weight machine being stored there. They got away with about $5 worth of pennies. A penny-weight machine was an early 20th century vending machine. For a penny, you could step on the machine and get your weight and maybe have your fortune told as well.
The St. Ignatius boys’ basketball team was facing a crucial southern York County league contest against Traip Academy. The Traip team was unbeaten in 10 starts as they invaded the Memorial Gym for the encounter. The Saints’ court men were league-defending champs.
At First National, fresh eggs were 67 cents a dozen and a can of baked beans, 21 cents.
At Hooz’s, hosiery was 99 cents, silk dresses $8.98 and pajamas $3.98.
Capital Theater’s double bill was “All About Eve” with Bette Davis and Walt Disney’s “Beaver Valley.”
At the State, one could catch Spencer Tracy, Jimmy Stewart, and Sidney Greenstreet in “Malaya.”
Lawrence Furbish is president of the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society. The Historical Society Museum in Springvale has many resources regarding Sanford’s history. It is open Thursday and Saturday, 10 am-2 pm and Friday 10 am-4 pm.
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