So far the new Volare police cruisers which went into service last month seem to be shaping up pretty well, Sgt Jack Qubick told the Board of Police Commissioners Tuesday night. Three of them already have 5,000 miles on them, and the fourth, used by the detective division, has 2,600 miles. Mileage isn’t all that good, around ten miles to the gallon, but on the other hand, it isn’t that bad, Sgt Qubick noted, when one takes into account idling time and the amount of pollution control items the cars are mandated to have.

***

It could be another six weeks before the police contract is settled with the town. This week the Union Local 337 of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers filed for binding arbitration to settle the negotiations which have been going on for over a year.

***

On March 28 an estimated 22 million US residents and 86 million households will receive questionnaires in the mail for the 1980 census, and locally Zita McMahon, Newtown’s grants administrator and assistant to the first selectman, is urging everyone to fill out the questionnaire. Mrs McMahon also announced that approximately 20 jobs for enumerators will be available in Newtown for the 1980 census…with pay rates at $3.50 per hour.

***

Recently it was brought to the attention of The Bee that a group of parents in town were concerned over the lack of proper markings on vans and station wagons used by two local bus companies to transport children to and from schools. This week The Bee received assurance from the office of the superintendent of schools that the situation had been remedied, and that all of the vans and station wagons were now properly marked.

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The International Food Fair will take place on Saturday, March 15, from 11 am to 3 pm in the Newtown Middle School cafeteria. This annual event will feature foods from 14 different countries offering a selection of main dishes, side dishes, breads, salads and desserts.

***

The annual townwide spelling bee for fifth graders from Newtown’s four elementary schools and St Rose, sponsored by the Junior Woman’s Club, will take place Saturday, March 8, starting at 9:30 am at Hawley School. Ten students from each of the four elementary schools and five from St Rose will compete for first, second and third place honors.

***

Construction is expected to begin by mid-March with an additional 40 units for housing for the elderly which will double the size of Nunnawauk Meadows, following signing of contract documents and closing on a federally-funded $1,275,000 mortgage for the property last Friday.

***

March 11, 1955

The newest High School gym show is reported to be shaping up well for next Friday evening, March 18. For a number of years there has been no attempt to have a gym show in which the acrobats, clowns and others with special skills could show their ability outside gymnasium hours. A special effort has been made to prepare this year’s show, which will be given in the Newtown High School gym.

***

Dr J. Benton Egee, Newtown health officer, announced this week that plans are being worked out for the possible administration of polio vaccine to 430 children in Newtown schools who will be eligible to receive it if the vaccine is licensed. “Vaccine will be given by the Health Department this spring only to those children whose parents sign forms requesting it,” Dr Egee said.

***

The Newtown Homemakers, meeting Wednesday afternoon, witnessed a demonstration of the use of sewing machine attachments by Mrs James Peck and Mrs Albert Miller. The members then made many interesting patterns on their own.

***

A good attendance was present at the meeting of the St John’s Guild held on Monday evening of this week in the parish hall of St John’s Episcopal Church, Sandy Hook. Mrs Richard S. Martin, wife of the rector, gave a most informative talk on her childhood in China. She exhibited many interesting curios of that country and made brief comments about them.

***

The comedy “You Can’t Take It With You” will be the first play of the season to be given by the Town Players Play Shop and will be presented in the Edmond Town Hall theatre on April 19 and 20. Part of the proceeds will be given to the Little League Baseball Club.

***

The Newtown League of Women Voters, now engaged in preparing a history of Newtown, is anxious to obtain copies of Ezra Levan Johnson’s work, “Newtown, 1705-1918,” by gift, loan or purchase. Any readers of The Bee Who wish to provide copies of the town history to help the League in its important project are asked to call Mrs Jerome P. Jackson.

***

A property tax rate of 27 mills on the Grand List for 1954, to meet town expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1955 has been recommended by the Newtown Board of Finance. The proposed tax would yield $478,422 on the Grand List of $17,719,330.

March 7, 1930

With that genial gentleman, W.P. Boyle, building superintendent for the H. Wales Lines Co., of Meriden, builders of the new Edmond Town Hall, as guide, the editor enjoyed a stroll through the beautiful building on Tuesday. Mr Boyle says the hall is now practically four-fifths completed, and the work has gone forward from the start on the schedule first estimated by the builders.

Alterations and new fixtures are now nearly complete in Corbett & Crowe’s Drug Store, Sandy Hook. They have removed all the old counters and show cases and replaced them with new up-to-date plate glass slanting cases. Special attention has been given to the prescription department which has been restocked with a new and complete line of medicines, chemicals, biologicals and Pharmaceuticals.

***

Fatool Brothers, who are proprietors of the Newtown Confectionary store, will soon open in the Troy Block, Sandy Hook, an ice cream parlor, restaurant, and tourists’ lodge. A new fountain with up-to-date fixtures and a modern lunchroom will be conducted on the first floor.

***

Last Thursday, the Freshman class held a meeting. After reading Mr LeGrow’s suggestions about keeping the room neater, President Edward Southwick put forward the suggestions that the plan be carried out by dividing the class into groups.

***

Friday before last, the seventh and eighth grades competed in basketball, and the seventh carried off the laurels with a score of 14-3. The ninth and tenth grade played with the victory going to the ninth with an 18-11.

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March came in like a lion the first three days of the month. We will not be disappointed if this proves to be winter’s last kick.

March 10, 1905

While A.T. Nettleton, the genial and hearty treasurer of the Newtown Savings Bank, was passing the Congregational church, Saturday evening, his keen and well-trained eye discovered a package on the sidewalk. He picked it up and believing it to be of great value thought it not an act of prudence to open it on the street. When seated safely in the sanctity of his own office he opened the package, finding a pair of ladies’ socks. That he was overjoyed(?) is not certain.

***

Rev J.S. Haugh, who formerly preached in Sandy Hook, on March 3 broke his hip. He is with his daughter in New Haven, where he has been living this winter. He has been very ill with complications, but is now comfortable, and it is hoped he will progress favorably.

***

Alfred Osborne, while going through the rock cut north of Botsford on the railroad, Friday, February 24, killed a large black snake, four feet long, which was out sunning.

***

Miss Adelene Barker, who has been seriously ill with inflammation of the mouth and throat, is convalescing. Drs Gale and Schuyler were in attendance.

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Mrs Charles Dayton will have her residence on Dayton Street improved by a new well in the rear.