July 19, 1991

It's really dry, but not critical yet, according to weather watchers who say a good rain and a couple of days of cool nights will save crops, lawns, and water reserves. According to weathermen, the last time the Danbury area received substantial rain was June 19. Since the beginning of June there have been only two inches of rain, four inches short of normal for this time of year.

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Reversing a position it took in June, The Board of Trustees at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library decided to keep the library open on Sundays throughout the year, except during the summer months. "They felt it was important for service to the community to remain open," said Librarian Janet Woycik, after Tuesday's trustees meeting. "We'll have to find $3,000 somewhere else in the budget to cut."

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Residents told the selectmen Monday they favor using Iroquis open space funds to build a pool at Treadwell Park and enhance the eagle roosting site near Lake Zoar. Selectman K. Michael Snyder also asked that a proposal to turn the former Yankee Drover property into a greenspace be reconsidered after being dropped by the town's ad hoc committee.

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Has anyone else noticed that the budget impasse in Hartford seems to have affected the weather? All the storm clouds, apparently, are stalled over the state capitol and the rest of the state has been deprived of rain for weeks. Are political and natural forces merging? Will the rivers run dry as the state coffers run dry? Please let there be a break in the state budget impasse - if not for the state, then for our tomatoes.

July 22, 1966

Let those who tut-tut over headlines in daily papers about big city crime reflect on the growing hometown problem. Last Thursday, July 14, the Newtown police received a call from Riverside saying that the sound of breaking glass could be heard from a nearby cottage. When officer Hiram Hanlon reached the scene he saw three young boys inside the cottage. One boy was attacking the woodwork with an axe. Every window in the house was broken and paint had been splashed indiscriminately. The three boys were apprehended and police state that they have been connected with 20 breaks or attempted breaks. They have been turned over to the juvenile authorities. Their ages are 12 and 13.

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There is a double pleasure for those who see the Town Players Friday or Saturday. Their latest presentation is two one-act plays by Peter Shaffer, The Private Ear and The Public Eye. The first is a sophisticated comedy. The second is about a private eye and features some witty monologues which bring out the characterization beautifully.

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Not satisfied with having spent one summer recuperating from a broken bone, Janet Helsel has acquired another cast. She did a thorough job this time breaking her arm in three places. The Bee joins her many friends in hoping she will have no more fractured vacations. Janet is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert Helsel of Martin Road.

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Four acres of land off Reservoir Road burned last Friday afternoon before firemen from all over New-town were able to put it out. The fire started in the vicinity of the reservoir and traveled across the top of the hill toward Castle Hill Road.

July 18, 1941

The first of four square dance parties is to be held on Saturday evening, July 19 in the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium to benefit Bundles for Britain and Belgians in Britain. Those who have never done square dances will be interested to know that the figures will be explained and demonstrated before each dance by Alfred Brundage, the "caller" of the King Street Pioneers' Orchestra.

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The tenth annual trek of the Newtown Pine Tree Patrol of Boy Scouts began Sunday afternoon from the Scoutmaster's home, where parents and friends gathered to bid farewell to the entourage. The patrol this year will again travel deep into the forests of Canada as guests of the Canadian Forest Protective Association, and are planning to make a contribution to the business of forest fire control by making trails and erecting signs. The trip will extend two weeks.

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The Newtown A.C. won a thrilling 9-5 twelve-inning tussle with Middlebury Sunday afternoon on the latter's field, before a large partisan crowd of fans. Luckner was on the mound for the locals and Fabiani opposed him. For the first four innings Luckner pitched an amazing shutout. From the fourth to the eighth inning it was a beautiful pitcher's battle. Fabiani settled down and twirled a great ball. Luckner, getting stronger as the game progressed, set the enemy down in order. Luckner bore down with two men on base and clinched the victory by forcing the last two men to ground out.

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The sale of articles made by the blind people of the state, which was held on Thursday at the Edmond Town Hall under the auspices of the state Board of Education for the Blind, was an outstanding success. The sum of $110 was cleared, which is the largest amount ever taken in at one of these events that have been conducted here for the past several years.

July 21, 1916

In order to prevent that dreaded disease, infantile paralysis, getting a hold of this community, Dr W.H. Kiernan, the health officer, called a conference of the selectmen and some leading citizens last Saturday, to see what action could be taken. The county health officer authorized him to take such action as he deemed wise. Inspectors were engaged and placed at strategic points to prevent families with children under 16 from coming into town from New York State. Two cases of infantile paralysis have developed in Newtown, the patients being from Brooklyn.

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Jack O'Neil has fitted up the front room in the block of Edward Troy at Sandy Hook and opened up an attractive ice cream parlor under the name of The Golden Peach. He has furnished the rooms and is having a good run on patronage.

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Dr C.H. Peck has again generously offered to give his cups for the annual tennis tournament to take place on the courts of Dr Peck's. This generous and fine act of him opening his grounds and courts to the public is most deeply appreciated by Newtown society young people.

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The New Haven and Bridgeport dentists came to Newtown Wednesday for their annual ballgame and dinner at Newtown Inn. The game was played on the grounds of Newtown Country Club and resulted in a score of 14-6 in favor of New Haven.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.