A cold drizzling rain was falling on Amsterdam's Guy Park Avenue shortly after eight a.m. on November 29, 1949. The busy street was slippery as students arrived for class at the former Theodore Roosevelt Junior High School.

A westbound city bus owned by Vollmer Bus Lines and driven by Ian G. Bullock stopped on the north side of the street. Three female students exited through the front door. Bullock, who lived at 485 Guy Park Avenue, later told a coroner's inquest he saw two of the girls run in front of the bus toward the school on the south side of the street. He assumed the third student had walked to the rear to cross the street behind the bus. What happened next was covered extensively by the Amsterdam Recorder.

As Bullock stopped his bus, Frank A. Swan of 311 Guy Park Avenue stopped his car on the opposite side of the street to allow his two children to go into the school. Swan saw three girls leave the front of the bus and start running across the street.

One of the girls stumbled, fell to one knee and her school books scattered. She tried to regain her feet but fell face down about five feet in front of the large vehicle. Swan said, The prostrate child had no time to arise before the bus started as she lay with her hands curled over her head.

Swan saw the wheel of the bus rise as it struck the girl. Swan's windows were rolled up and he didn't hear the scream.

Two of the girls had made it across the street: Mary Jane Natale of 51 James Street and Jean Cincotta of 42 Reid Street. Natale screamed when she saw their friend Nancy Booth slip, regain her balance, then slip and fall again as the bus moved forward.

Bus driver Bullock felt or heard a thud and heard the scream. He stopped the bus and found Nancy lying in the street behind the vehicle. Bullock hurried to a nearby business, called police for an ambulance and called the bus company.

The 14-year old child was taken to Amsterdam City Hospital where she died an hour and a half later.

NANCY BOOTH
Nancy Joan Booth lived with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. George Tetradis at 62 Edward Street. Her mother had died seven years earlier. Her father lived in Miami Beach, Florida. She had a sister, Louise, who was one year older. Her grandmother, also named Nancy Booth, lived in Amsterdam. A grandfather named Leo Nasuto lived in Pennsylvania. She also was survived by aunts, uncles and cousins.

A graduate of Vrooman Avenue grammar school, she was in ninth grade. The Recorder wrote, Her death cast a gloom over the entire (junior high) school.

A large crowd attended services at Perillo Funeral Home and St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. Burial was at St. Michael s Cemetery.

Coroner F.F. Pipito initially issued a ruling of accidental death. However, District Attorney Charles Tracy insisted on an inquest. After the inquest testimony, Dr. Pipito issued another ruling of accidental death and exonerated bus driver Bullock.

The Recorder editorialized that Bullock's conduct both before and following the accident was faultless, and it is well that he is absolved of any misdirected blame. The editorial also stated there was no reason to believe that the unfortunate victim was any more careless than thousands of other youngsters who travel to and from local schools daily.

Norma Jean Qualls from the high school class of 1954 suggested this column, saying, One never reads about the heartache the accident caused.