February 16, 2001

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Gordon Williams.

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Officials from Cornerstone of Eagle Hill in Newtown are hoping to re-open the alcohol and drug treatment facility in the coming weeks. For now, however, it remains closed pending a ruling by the state’s Department of Public Health. Eagle Hill closed its doors along Albert’s Hill Road two weeks ago, sent its patients elsewhere, and “temporarily” laid off most of its approximately 80 employees following a series of alleged violations of rules under which it was operating as a condition of its licensure.

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One well-worn truth in the world of marketing is that creative packaging helps sell the product. As Newtown prepares the largest bonding package in town history, many officials admit that the packaging may be just as important as the product itself when it comes to getting the spending plan approved. By combining the proposed 5/6 school with the purchase of Fairfield Hills and other municipal projects in a single bonding package, they are hoping voters in May will give them to go-ahead to spend $43 million over the next 20 years.

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Relating to parts of history can be difficult, but some Newtown Middle School eighth graders found a way to understand the 1940s and World War II by having a USO party to finish up the unit about that time period. English teacher Georgia Batey thought the USO party would be a great way for her students to finish up a unit about the 1940s, using memorabilia the students brought from family members and having students dress in 1940s style clothing, which is making its way back into the fashion world.

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The Connecticut Historical Commission has placed the 1712 Samuel Sanford House at 68 Church Hill Road on the State Register of Historic Places, a move which will require state highway planners to thoroughly consider how a planned reconstruction of the adjacent Exit 10 interchange of Interstate 84 would affect the historic property. Historical commission staff member John Herzan said Tuesday commission members at their February 7 meeting unanimously approved placing the 1.5-acre property, which includes the house and several outbuildings, on the historic register. … Mr Herzan said he believes the property would qualify for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

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There was a low-speed police pursuit on Queen Street last Saturday as a large black lab wandered through traffic on the road and in parking lots in the town’s commercial center. Concerned for the dog’s safety, police officer William Hull and several passersby tried to corral the canine, but the dog stayed just out of reach. Eventually the chase was called off and the dog walked away.

February 13, 1976

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — STILL AT IT: The show must go on, and indeed it is at the Edmond Town Hall. We speak not of the theatre, but of the meetings of the Board of Selectmen one floor below. Again this past Tuesday the GOP twosome took on the lone Democrat on an issue which appears to hinge more on the procedural running of the office of the First Selectman rather than on crash policy-making or money-spending projects.

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Senior Burgess James Geis raised the official Bicentennial flag, with the American flag, on the Borough flagpole at the town monument in ceremonies conducted Sunday, February 7. Roger Connor assisted with the flagraising while a color guard was provided by Mrs Charlotte Forbell, conductress, Mrs Mary Cary, president, and Mrs Barbara Boisvert, junior vice president, of the VFW Auxiliary. First Selectman Jack Rosenthal, with his two grandchildren, joined Borough officers and their families in the snowy park for the event.

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This week, in conjunction with Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, The Bee is pleased to announce one of the winners of its Bicentennial drawing contest. She is Sharon Llodra, a 5th grade student at Sandy Hook School, and the daughter of Mr and Mrs Robert Llodra. Sharon is the winner of a $25 savings bond for her art work depicting Mr Lincoln.

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The flu bug has taken a big bite at the members of the Board of Education and, as a result, in less than a week, two meetings have gone by the board without a quorum to conduct business. A budget session, scheduled for last Thursday, was cancelled because of flu taking its toll, and on Tuesday of this week, three board members carried out an abbreviated meeting because of the absence of the other three. Present Tuesday were board chairman Lester Burroughs, David Chipman and Michael Mazaika, who skipped regular business and just opened the meeting up for public participation. Since there was very little of that, the meeting was delightfully short and sweet.

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The Planning & Zoning Commission decided February 6 to bring proposed amendments to the zoning regulations to a public hearing. The revisions would prohibit Barclay Knitwear Inc from having the type of sale it conducted at its warehouse the week before Christmas. Also, any retail sales at warehouses would be deleted from the regulations as an allowed use. … The whole matter is rather complex, dealing with regulations, their interpretations and the intent of the regulations. Barclay held its successful sale at its Edmond Road facility, offering bargains just in time for Christmas shopping. However, Planning & Zoning members questioned whether the sale, which was conducted in a 6,000 square foot area of the huge plant, had to be limited to 2,500 square feet as specified in Section 4.15E of the zoning regulations.

February 9, 1951

It was Scout Night in Newtown on Tuesday when the annual dinner was held at the Newtown Congregational Church House in commemoration of National Scout Week. Scouts, parents and friends of Troop 70 had a fine evening. Among the Scouts congratulated were David Hull, the 1950 Scout of the Year; and Cornelius Peterson, who has completed his Eagle award requirements.

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The Newtown Board of Education at a special meeting Thursday evening, February 1, adopted a new salary schedule for teachers. The new schedule begins with a $2,600 minimum and extends to a $4,000 maximum for teachers with a bachelor’s degree. The master’s degree schedule begins at $2,800 and reaches a maximum of $4,400. The board voted to put teachers on this schedule in two steps. For the year 1951-52 teachers would each receive $200 as an increase and their regular yearly increment which in most cases is $100. In 1952-53 the teachers would be placed fully on the adopted schedule.

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Training boys to make their own way in the world and to stand on their own feet without assistance was the subject of a talk given by Dr. Kenneth I. Wollan, head of the Junior Republic at Litchfield, at the Monday night meeting of the Newtown Rotary Club held in the Parker House. The school, founded in 1904 and started with ten boys, is at present training 100 youths in the 11-to-18-year age group, boys who for various reasons have found themselves misfitted in the world outside. More than 50,000 persons in Connecticut donate toward promotion of the school’s work.

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Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Smith are the parents of another son, Roderick Neal, born in St. Mary’s Hospital, Waterbury, last Friday morning. The Smiths now have a balanced household of two sons and two daughters.

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Sgt. John Romaine, serving with the Air Force in Germany for many months past, put in an appearance at Sack Park on Wednesday to visit with his old SAC friends. He is home on a 30-day furlough.

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Mr and Mrs Raymond Jandreau were called to Springfield, Mass., on Saturday afternoon by the sudden death of Mrs Jandreau’s brother, Albert Benoit, who with his family, was a frequent visitor in Newtown.

February 12, 1926

William R. Curtis, the Berkshire box manufacturer, had a trying experience in the storm, Thursday afternoon. He started for Danbury about 2 p.m., and got as far as the residence of Frank Hopkins. In front of him was an Overland sedan containing five people, which could go no further. Seeing a pair of bars nearby Mr Curtis went into the lot to see if he could turn his car around there. A fierce gust of wind took off his hat and he was unable to locate it in the driving snow. He then went back into the road and fortunately found Louie Lovell and Paul Stevens, who had come over with their wrecker to get out another car. Well nigh exhausted Mr Curtis got into the cab of Lovell’s service car, and later was taken to the Parker house, where he passed the night. Messrs Lovell and Stevens returned in to the hill and succeeded in getting Mr Curtis’ car to the garage about 3 a.m. In the morning Mr Curtis took the train to Danbury.

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Miss Lilliam Bell, who became the bride of Adelard Milot, Tuesday, February 9, was given a miscellaneous shower and surprise party on Saturday evening by Miss Kathryn Jacobsen, at St Mary’s hall. The hall was prettily decorated for the occasion and dancing was enjoyed, music being furnished by John Ray, Jr., after which a delightful luncheon was served.

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The Junior play “Daddy,” which was to be given at the Hawley high school, on Saturday evening, February 13, has been postponed due to weather conditions. Final announcement will appear in The Newtown Bee when it is to be held.

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Early Sunday afternoon an alarm of fire was sounded by the siren on the Town hall. It proved to be a chimney fire in the residence of Henry Pettit, east of the railroad track, where the funeral of his mother, Mrs Maria Pettit, was held at 2 o’clock. Members of the Newtown Hook & Ladder Co., responded, taking along fire extinguishers, which were used to good effect. To reach Mr Pettit’s house it was necessary to go over Walnut Tree Hill, which road had been opened by Edward Bradley with the town tractor and snow plow, on Saturday, in order that the funeral party might have a way to get out. The good work of the Newtown firemen was greatly appreciated by Mr Pettit and his family.

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Mrs R.D. Fairchild visited the Danbury hospital, Sunday, to see her son, Master Robert, who is slowly convalescing from an ear trouble. The little lad is under the care of Dr Gordon of Danbury and has been at the Danbury hospital for a couple of weeks.

February 15, 1901

NEWTOWN’S GRAND LIST: 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, 40,153¾; value, $622,977. Mills, stores and manufactories, 58; value, $140,700. Horses, asses and mules, 693; value, $33,080. Neat cattle, 2,422; value, $58,655. Sheep, swine, etc., 55; value, $308. … Amount employed in merchandising and trade, $46,400. Investments in mechanical and manufacturing operations, $82,000. Money at interest, $6,170. Money on hand exceeding $100, $554.

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Ex-Selectman W.H. Glover and Mrs Glover were in New Milford recently as witnesses in the case of Northville against the Northville Baptist church. The case is on trial again, this week, and is attracting a considerable attention in our neighboring town.

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Edmond White, formerly employed at the Grand Central stables, passed Sunday with his brother, Michael White, at the Central House. Mr White now has a position at West Cornwall, with Mr Tweedy, manager of the clay beds. At these beds they are getting out a clay which is nearly white. Thousands of dollars’ worth of machinery have been put in and during the spring and summer thousands of pounds of the clay will doubtless be gotten out.

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On his Bridgewater trip, last week Thursday, Marketman J.H. Blackman snapped a whiffletree when near Gulf bridge, the result of running into a snowbank. He returned to the Street, patched up the broken parts and again started for Bridgewater. Mr Blackman has a large trade through Bridgewater and his meat wagon is looked upon as a necessity through that section.

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Reports show a greatly increased death rate from throat and lung troubles, due to the prevalence of croup, pneumonia and grip. We advise the use of One Minute Cough Cure in all of these difficulties. It is the only harmless remedy that gives immediate results. Children like it. R.H. Beers & Co., Newtown; S.C. Bull & Co., Sandy Hook; A.B. Blakeman, Botsford; B. Hawley & Co., Stepney; A.B. Fancher, Hawleyville; W.N. Hurd, Long Hill.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by readers of The Newtown Bee. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.