Fuel Pump Station on Campus

Note the sole pump at the receiving deck. The pump already looked weather-beaten from years of exposure to the elements. This photo was taken in the early 1970s.

As a residential school, CSDR has had a fuel pump station since the early years.   The school recognizes class field trips, sports games, and dorm trips as an integral part of the school experience for everybody.

The parking lot is reserved for state vehicles and buses in the rear of the campus.

CSDR has a special parking lot reserved for state vehicles and school buses in the back of the campus on Maude Street.  In the early years until the early 1980s, the parking lot was dirt with pebbles.   At present, the lot is paved.

The school is fortunate to have two long school buses. This particular bus was purchased in the summer of 2025 for $200,000. The other bus is ten years old.

Rather than pumping fuel off-campus, the school has its own fueling facility only for state vehicles on campus.

This pump is for unleaded fuel for state vehicles.

This pump supplies diesel fuel for school buses.

The concrete poles surround the fueling facility for protection against accidental bumps.

Beside the state vehicles, groundkeepers and maintenance workers also go the the fuel pump for the lawnmowers, tractors and trucks for use on 69-acre campus.

Thousands of alumni since 1953 confirm that off-campus trips adds entertainment to their learning experience and recommend keeping the state vehicles and buses for present and future students. The fueling pump station keeps the vehicles filled for ready-to-go trips.

Kevin Struxness, ‘76, MA

Editor, CSDR Old Times

15 March 2026

This editor had his first school bus ride in 1960. He has many fond memories of riding school buses. In his years at CSDR, we had General Motors Suburban vehicles and station wagons.