First Selectman Jack Rosenthal put advertisements in five area newspapers this week for a new highway superintendent, thus touching off a dispute among the members of the Board of Selectmen that has been brewing since last October. “I’m going to advertise for a civil engineer with a PE to run the highway department,” he announced to the press Tuesday night, thus following up on a campaign pledge he made last year. The selectmen had an executive session that night to discuss the matter as well as the status of current Highway Superintendent Frank Kayfus, who was hired by the old Board of Selectmen under First Selectman Frank DeLucia last year. “We didn’t take a vote on it, but it is resolved as far as I’m concerned,” said Mr Rosenthal Tuesday.

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 Selectman Frank DeLucia informed The Bee Wednesday afternoon that he has formally raised questions regarding actions taken this week by First Selectman Jack Rosenthal regarding hiring a new highway superintendent and settling highway department grievances. Mr DeLucia has asked Director of Finance William Hanlon whether he should authorize payment of advertising expenses since Mr Rosenthal has placed newspaper ads seeking a civil engineer to become highway superintendent. Mr DeLucia said this was done without approval of the Board of Selectmen.

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The Newtown Bicentennial Commission reminds all Newtown residents and all who work in town that there are just under three weeks to enter “Our Connecticut Heritage” photo contest.

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The town highway workers’ union, local R-1-217 of the National Association of Government Employees, has elected Frank Colacurcio, a truck driver, vice president. Last month local elections were held and incumbent president Jack Butler was re-elected with Jack Robins named vice president and Paul Tani, shop steward. Mr Butler resigned the next day because the other members of his slate had not been elected, and Mr Robins took over the president’s chair.

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Mr and Mrs Joseph Chase, owners of the Chase Building on Main Street, have added their contribution to the country’s Bicentennial celebration by displaying a set of five flags across the front of their building. The flags went up a few days ago and are an attractive addition to the handsome building. In the center is the 50-star American flag. It is flanked on both sides by a Connecticut state flag, the Betsy Ross flag with 13 stars, the Bicentennial flag, and the Bennington flag.

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The Legislative Council will be meeting on Wednesday, February 18, at 8 pm in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall, with several items of old and new business on the agenda for action or discussion. According to council Chairman James Severnak, under old business there will be a report from the ordinance committee on an amendment of the council rules concerning each member’s right to debate. There was a request for an amendment stating that each member be allowed to speak at least once about a matter. Also, the members will be given an opinion by Attorney William Lavery on the meetings of the various council committees as far as the Freedom of Information Act is concerned.

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Four Newtown Camp Fire leaders were honored by the Mid-Fairfield Council Board of Directors at the annual meeting in January. Two others unable to attend the meeting because of bad weather were honored Wednesday at the Newtown Cluster meeting in Kitty Hollstein’s home. Carol Paulin and Darlene Jackson received the Wakan National Award for exceptional and imaginative leadership and service to girls and the community. They received a written citation and a pin that combines the Camp Fire and symbols of heart and hand.

FEBRUARY 16, 1951

The Grand List for the Town of Newtown, as recently completed by the Board of Assessors for 1950, stands at $12,639,470. This is an increase of $845,435 over the final Grand List figure for 1949 of $11,794,035. A large part of the increase, $630,920, in fact appears in the figure for motor vehicles, the Board of Assessors this year finding more new cars than a year ago, and using as a basis for assessment figures the loan values as determined by the Used Car Guide, published by the National Automobile Association and recommended for use by the State of Connecticut.

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In a letter to the editor of the Saturday Evening Post appearing in that Benjamin Franklin publication’s February 10 issue, Pudge Lockwood, of the Boys Social and Athletic Club, Sandy Hook, rises to warn the publication against over-free use of the boys’ SAC letters. The letters appear, Pudge tells the editor, on the jerseys worn by the St Ambrose football squad, pictured in an article in the November 4 issue, and are again used to identify Stategic Air Command in the December 30 issue. “Our members do not object to adopting as Mascot either football players or fliers,” the letter states, “but as our clubhouse measures only 18 by 20 feet, we do not feel that we would have room for both.” As proof of priority in use of the letters SAC, Pudge enclosed a snapshot of the Sandy Hook club’s first football squad, taken in 1946. The Post reproduced that too, with the letter.

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Newtown friends of Mr and Mrs Mack Lathrop enjoyed watching them on Kate Smith’s television program last Thursday afternoon, when they danced together and Mrs Lathrop appeared in a solo number.

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The winter activity of the Pine Tree Patrol of the Explorer Post 70, Senior Scouts of Newtown, will be a camping trip to Francestown, New Hampshire, during the school vacation week. Skis and tents and food and equipment will be assembled this Sunday night at 7 o’clock in the Newtown Congregational Chruch House social room. Hoyt Johnson will drive one car and Scoutmaster Paul A. Cullens will drive the other. An incomplete roster of those making the trip includes Donald Crouch, John Wood, James Curtis, Richard Slocum, Ralph Boedefeldt, Charles Parsons, Cornelius Peterson, Gene Groth, Toby Curtler, Billy Whittle, and Tom Digilio.

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Irvin W. Waterhouse of Palestine District was elected to succeed himself as a director of the Connecticut Milk Producers Association, and Donald B. Ferris of Newtown and Frederick Bresson, Jr, of the Gray’s Plain District were elected delegates at the annual meeting of District 11 of the CMPA held in the Parker House last Friday.

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At the meeting of Pohtatuck Grange held in Grange Hall this Tuesday night, the charter was draped in honor of the late Mrs Jennie Fairchild Arndt who died January 25 following a long illness. The ceremony was conducted by Mrs Pearl Tilson, chaplain; Mrs Vincent P. Gaffney, pianist; and Mrs Charles Hawley, soloist. Miss Anna Murphy composed the resolution.

The prevailing New England weather, which seems to have extended itself even to Florida and Texas in its extreme uncertainties, leaves most of us with colds and a bit of perplexity in our minds as to just what tomorrow will produce. Even the birds and flowers are operating on a schedule contrary to their usual behavior. Mrs Anna Winkle, for instance, finds daffodils sticking their heads an inch out of the ground in a sunny spot at the south side of her home, and the Raymond Halls on Sunday watched a large flock of blue birds which seemed to be enjoying their particular locality.

FEBRUARY 12, 1926

The big snow storm of Thursday last was a corker, a regular young blizzard, which by night had sealed up the state road arteries of travel compelling many autoists to abandon their cars by the roadside and in friendly driveways.

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William A. Honan, the Hawleyville merchant, did not take his customary auto ride to Newtown Thursday night, as the Mt Pleasant road was completely blocked by snow to travel. He was entertained from Thursday night until Saturday noon at the home of Lester Gilbert in Hawleyville. Saturday afternoon, Mr Honan took the train for Newtown. “This was the first time I have ridden on the cars in several years,” said Mr Honan to the editor.

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W.S. Hawley of Hawleyville drove to New Milford with horse and sleigh, Monday.

FEBRUARY 15, 1901

The Grand List of the Town of Newtown for the year 1900 shows the following totals: dwelling houses, 757; value, $521,505; acres of land, 40,153½; value, $622,977. Mills, stores and manufactories, 58; value, $140,700.

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Miss Cornelia M. Young, the teacher of the school in Head of Meadow district, gave her pupils a sleigh ride on Friday last. F.A. Young, the well-known Taunton farmer, had his pair of horses hitched to a roomy sled and the children were given a ride through the Street to Hawleyville and back to Miss Young’s home in Taunton, where they were treated to a nice lunch.

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Carpenter George A. Northrop is completing the building for his cider mill and barn.

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The Hattertown schoolhouse was crowded last Friday night at the lecture given by Rev George T. Linsley on the subject “How We Are Governed.”