* * *

United Fire Company of Botsford volunteers battled a fire on the second floor of an abandoned Toddy Hill Road house belonging to the Diocese of Bridgeport on Sunday morning, January 3. Fire Marshal Joseph Cavanaugh said the fire, which he believes was set in a first floor closet, quickly spread through to the second floor and attic, causing about $10,000 damage.

* * *

Some of the faces had changed but the majority of people sworn into office during ceremonies Sunday afternoon at Edmond Town Hall’s Alexandria Room were returning to office. All new terms started Monday, January 4. The town officials, members of their families and friends, observed as Mae Schmidle, Newtown’s town clerk since July of 1973, performed her last official function by administering the oaths of office to those elected last November 3.

* * *

Dr John Robert Reed, now superintendent of the Margate City School District in New Jersey, is the Board of Education’s unanimous choice for the position of superintendent of schools in Newtown. Dr Reed was one of three finalists recommended by the Superintendent Search Committee appointed in April 1980 to find a replacement for Dr Albert Brinkman who retired last July. Dr Reed, 39, has set March 15 as the estimated date of arrival in Newtown.

The Board of Police Commissioners elected J. Gilbert Collins as chairman Tuesday night, January 5. Mr Collins, a Republican Town Committee member, was elected to the board in 1979 and began his three-year term in December 1980. Elected as vice-chairman was Gerald Frawley.

* * *

Renowned artist-illustrator Hal Ashmead of Woodbury will be guest artist a SCAN’s first meeting of the year on Thursday, January 14, 7:30 pm, in the Newtown Middle School library. Mr Ashmead will offer a demonstration on head painting using acrylics and will make comparisons in results using oils. He will also offer critiques for interested artists.

* * *

FOR RENT NEWTOWN Three or four bedroom converted barn. Furnished or unfurnished. All appliances included. Heat extra, but electricity included in the rent. Tennis court and swimming pool. Fireplace in lovely living center. Laundry. Many extras. $750 per month.

January 11, 1957

The Dickinson Memorial Park is as popular now for those who like ice-skating as it was for those who enjoyed swimming in the summer. The Newtown Park Commission at its monthly meeting held last Friday evening, January 4, has therefore decided to install a spotlight for better nighttime skating and has made arrangements for the pond to be cleared of snow. Henry Taylor, park superintendent, will also post a sign when skating is safe.

* * *

Bids for the Route 6 cutoff to by-pass Sandy Hook will be accepted until 2 pm, Monday, January 28. A four-lane bridge will be erected over the Pootatuck River as part of the project, and eventually, two lanes will be added to the highway, when it becomes part of the overall Route 6 relocation from the state line at Mill Plain to the Housatonic River.

* * *

The Board of Selectmen has announced that The Town Road Department has completed the addition to the town garage on Church Hill Road at the railroad station. A good part of the labor was accomplished in spare time. The appropriation for the construction was $5,000, and the total cost amounted to $4,927.

* * *

Patients at Fairfield State Hospital at Christmastime received a record number of gifts and money contributions, Dr William F. Greene, superintendent, has announced. Money amounting to $3,077.85 and 17,350 gifts were donated by area residents. With this record donation all patients were remembered generously at Christmas, and a sufficient number of gifts are now on hand so that patients will be remembered on their birthdays and other holiday occasions during the year.

* * *

Machiavelli’s “The Prince” provoked the most animated discussion of the session of this season at the meeting of Great Books Group on Monday evening at Cyrenius H. Booth Library. Frank L. Johnson led the group in its surprising developments. All the members felt well repaid for their attendance on a slippery winter evening.

* * *

To the average person, it is probably of little more than passing interest that this country’s Atomic Energy Commission has reached its tenth anniversary. Yet the magnitude of research and the progress made in that particular field during that length of time will doubtless prove to be one of the most significant developments of the present era.

 

January 8, 1932

In our town we have a man who has personally duked, or pressed flesh, with more celebrities than any other individual in these reasonably United States, if not the entire world. His name is Bill Egan. Bill Egan is probably the best-known executive of any railroad in the country, though you rarely see his name in print. On the walls of Bill Egan’s office in the Pennsylvania station is a remarkable collection of photographs of distinguished citizens.

* * *

D.W. Hatfield of Sandy Hook wishes to announce that he is now ready to teach pupils in all brass instruments, as well as music and harmony. Mr Hatfield is at the present time director of the Fairfield Band of Fairfield and has also been a leader and director of several bands, including the famous Nathan Hale Band, the Nassau County Band and won a silver cup and a gold medal while the leader of this band.

* * *

The early morning railroad bus which has left Newtown station at 7 am for Bridgeport and on the return left Newtown station going north at about 7 pm, has been discontinued. So now if the people of Newtown wish to travel on the railroad they can go over to Bethel, to Danbury or Bridgeport. Perhaps by and by we will have to go down and take the train at “Bill” Egan’s station.

* * *

In order that there may be an understanding and to clear up any misapprehensions concerning the proposed zoning law of the Borough of Newtown, the zoning commission have announced a public hearing to be held on Friday evening, January 8, at 7:30 pm in the Edmond Town hall. There has been insistent demand for a long time that some sort of zoning laws be put in force in the borough of Newtown.

* * *

On Wednesday, January 131, Captain Stanley Osborne, World famous explorer and naturalist, will speak on his travels through the heart of Australia. His subject will be “Glimpses of Kangarooland” and will reveal many of the mysterious and colorful subjects of the worlds’ most remarkable continent.

* * *

On January 15, at the Edmond Town hall will be presented the popular talkie movie “Sookie” featuring Jackie Cooper and Robert Coogan, sponsored by the Newtown Chamber of Commerce for the benefit of the unemployed to thebe administered by a committee of the chamber in collaboration with the town officials.

 

 

January 11, 1907

Dr Kiernan had a fortunate and narrow escape from a serious accident, about 10:30 pm, Tuesday night, in front of St Rose’s church. The pole to his carriage dropped down and the horses started to run. The pole was broken, but the doctor succeeded in bringing the horses under control long enough for his man to jump out and seize them by the bridle.

* * *

At a meeting of the directors of the Newtown Agricultural Fair Co., it was voted to offer the Fair grounds property at public auction on March 30, and a committee was appointed, consisting of C.G. Peck, Henry G. Curtis and C.B. Taylor to attend to the necessary advertising and conduct the sale. Each of the 15 directors was assessed $14.35 to clean up the unpaid bills.

* * *

Selectman Hermon H. Peck was so unfortunate as to fall through a trap door in his barn, on Friday afternoon last, severely bruising his side and confining him to the house for a few days. On Monday his physician, Dr A.L. Schuyler, was called, when it was found he had a broken rib.

* * *

Chairman John J. Northrop, of the committee on repairs of the Liberty pole in the Street, has ordered a new topmast from Mystic of a mast-building firm. Bert Nichols has been awarded the contract of taking down the old topmast and replacing it with a new one.

* * *

A wagon loaded with wood got mired Saturday night in front of the residence of C.B. Taylor, sinking into the trenches where pipes of the Newtown Water Co are buried. The driver was blinded by the light from the house and got to one side of the road. The team was owned by B.H. Munson of Watertown. No damage was done to the wagon.