1950

POPULATION:  9,109

HOUSES:  2,056

• Second largest industrial town in Massachusetts.

SCHOOLS

• 104 graduates from Walpole High School.  A record-high 28 enrolled in college.
  • Historical Note:  From 1910-1920, approximately 2/3 of WHS students went to college.  During the Great Depression, that rate dropped to 10-25%.

• Junior High School (Grades 7-8) distributed across classrooms at Bird Elementary (on Washington Street, now Washington Green condominiums), Plimpton, and Walpole High School buildings.

• New Stone School opens in September 1950:

• Number of classrooms and students by grade in each school across the school system.  (Note:  Half-classes means multiple grades shared same classroom.)

BUSINESS

• Partial listing of active business licenses:

•   Al's Lunch
•   Brick Tap
•   Camelio's Central Package Store
•   Dalton's Package Store
•   Doug's Do-Nut Shop
•   Dudie's Restaurant
•   East Walpole Athletic Club
•   East Walpole Bowladrome
•   East Walpole Package Store
•   Elite Theater
•   Fred C. Brown
•   Gulf Station
•   Howard Johnson
•   Italian American Club
•   Karol's Cafe
•   Kendall Mills
•   New Echo
•   Park Snack Bar
•   Park Theater
•   Red Wing
•   Sargent's Cafe
•   Schreiter's Market
•   Steve's Barber Shop
•   Taylor's Restaurant
•   Ten Pin
•   Town Club
•   Walpole Diner
•   Walpole Tap Grille

EVENTS

• Epiphany Church in downtown Walpole hosts its second annual Walpole Village Fair, following its inaugural event in 1949.  The event continues to the present day.

RESIDENTAL / CONSTRUCTION

• The Veterans' Housing Project (originally named 'Robinwood') consisting of 45 single family homes constructed between Robbins Road and Pemberton Street in North Walpole.  Concurrently, Pemberton Street was extended past Robbins Road, and Robbins Road was extended from the current site of the VFW out to Elm Street (Route 27).  Average rent for first inhabitants was $38/month.  Below is an aerial view looking northeast from Robbins Road.