April 12, 1996

A storm that dumped about six inches of heavy, wet snow Tuesday night and Wednesday morning bent trees, broke limbs, and wreaked havoc with utility lines throughout the Newtown area... At the height of the power outage, about 4:30 pm, there were 1,757 customers in Newtown without power... Local firefighters began responding to calls of wires down and burning at 3:28 am.

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Ballots were mailed this week to property owners who have expressed an interest in becoming part of the proposed historic district in the borough. The ballots are due back by May 2 at 5 pm. A two-thirds majority is required to approve formation of the district, which is a scaled-down version of the proposed district that was narrowly defeated in five previous tries.

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The Cyrenius Booth Library now has two time capsules — one buried in the cornerstone of the building erected in 1932, and one recently prepared to be buried in the garden next to the new addition. If all goes according to plan, the new container will be unearthed and contents read 100 years from now.

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Mother’s Day will be extra special in Sandy Hook Center this year because that is the day Pastor Allen Johnson will hold the first service of the newly established Newtown Baptist Church at 102 Church Hill Road. “My hope for the church, a gospel ministry, is to get the word out: that everyone will come to know Jesus Christ the Savior... and that people will know, 100 percent, for sure, without a doubt, that they will go to heaven,” he said.

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It was cold outside, not exactly tennis weather, to be sure, but on Thursday, April 4, the Newtown High School girls’ tennis team boarded the bus and traveled to Milford to take on Foran in the 1996 opener. The Lady Indians were forced to play minus two of their starters, who were home in bed with the flu, but Coach Linae Collopy’s girls were more than up for the challenge. And when the team got back on the bus to thaw itself out during the ride home, it did so having registered a 7-0 debut victory for its first year coach.

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St Rose School opened a new chapter in its history with the official groundbreaking ceremony for its 2,600-square-foot addition, Monday morning. Excavation of the Church Hill Road school began this week; the entire project is expected to be completed by next September. The $350,000 addition, to be built on the east side of the school, will include a new classroom and a multipurpose room, which will seat up to 80 students.

April 9, 1971

As The Bee goes to press it is learned that use of the Italian Community Center on Route 34 in Sandy Hook as a youth center for Newtown teen-agers may become a reality in the very near future. Negotiations are still in progress to make it possible for the Center to become available to Teen Action Newtown (TAN) for a two-year period. In lieu of rent, the young people will clean up, restore, and maintain the building and grounds.

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High winds added to the woes of many people as a spring snowstorm raged through the area on Tuesday night. The storm blew in a rage most of Tuesday night, and many people in the area experienced power blackouts as a result of the high winds and heavy snow... but by Wednesday morning the road crews had the roads plowed, there was school, and only minor skidding accidents were reported.

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Newtown police officers on horseback found a missing patient from Fairfield Hills Hospital dead in a heavily wooded area near the hospital on Monday night, April 5. The woman had been missing from the hospital for approximately 24 hours. Her death was attributed to natural causes by Dr Robert Grossman... she failed to report back from a walk with another patient. Because the area being searched was heavily wooded, two horses owned by Officer Robert Wrabel were used to take men into the wooded areas.

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Many lands were represented in the Middle School cafeteria on Saturday afternoon when the Girl Scout Troops of Newtown had an International Rally. The girls did an imaginative and excellent job in making up booths to represent the various countries, and many people came to taste the different foods offered and see the displays.

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The Newtown Jaycees and Jaycee Wives are sponsoring their first annual art festival, “The Artist’s Gather.” The most outstanding collection of art will be on display at the Fenn Dickinson Memorial Park on May 22 and 23. A small segment of the art show will be devoted to the works of the Jaycee Wives who are currently conducting art classes.

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Following the Board of Finance meeting on April 5, the Selectmen have called a town meeting to vote on the appropriations recommended at that meeting. The first appropriation to be voted upon is for remodeling of part of the lower floor of Edmond Town Hall for police offices... The second appropriation has to do with the need for supervision of traffic during the state’s widening of I-84. The third appropriation to be voted upon at the April 15 town meeting is the largest and also the most involved... for bringing two roads, Settlers Lane and Surrey Trail, up to the town standard of 1960 under which they were constructed.

April 5, 1946

It is expected that a paper drive will be conducted in town on Saturday afternoon, April 13. The young people’s groups in town will assist in making the collection, including the Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs and Boy Scouts. Townspeople are asked to place their waste paper, properly tied, at the roadside or leave it at one of the collection depots. The proceeds, as previously, will benefit the young people’s groups.

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In keeping with its active program, some twenty members of the regular Tuesday “Sports-Night” group went on a roller skating party Tuesday evening at the YMCA in Danbury. The anxious and fearful faces of some, as they put on their skates, soon turned to ones of amazement and joy, and before the evening was over, everyone was having a fine time.

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Firefighters of Newtown, Sandy Hook and nearby communities were kept on the qui vive over the week-end by a series of fires. Most of these were grass and brush fires, but two of them, Franklin Hawley’s residence in Brookfield, and the Cantone Restaurant in Sandy Hook, involved considerable property damage. A blaze, which firefighters said started in the motor of a ventilating fan, caused damage estimated by the owner to be $6,000, in the burning of the kitchen and a five room, second floor apartment in the restaurant of John Cantone. The home of Mr and Mrs Franklin Hawley on Whisconier Hill was badly damaged by fire, from what is believed to have been burning embers from a fireplace fire which ignited the roof.

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no tiresome city shopping — when you select right here in Newtown... an Olga Frock for spring... distinguished town and country fashions in truly beautiful fabrics... expertly cut, carefully made... Call Newtown 661 for an appointment at my home on Mt Pleasant or at yours. —ruth baridon

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Overlooking Our Lovely Garden: Hawley Manor announces SPRING OPENING; Luncheon, $1.00, Dinners $1.25 and up; RESERVATIONS PREFERRED; Phone 119 Mrs W. A Bowen, Mgr. New Guest Cottages Now Available For Summer.

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William H. Hunter, chairman of the Red Cross Annual Fund Drive, announces that approximately $3,300 of the quota of $3,500 has been turned in to date. He states that there are still a number of canvassers to report.

March 25, 1921

The following letter from Miss Mary E. Hawley, with the magnificent offer of $100,000 for a school building in memory of her parents, Mr and Mrs Marcus C. Hawley, will cause general rejoicing throughout the town. That her most generous and practical offer will be eagerly accepted by the taxpayers, goes without saying:

Dear Mr Taylor [Chairman, Board of Finance]: I have been considering the matter of the proposed Newtown High School for some time and have decided to offer to the Town of Newtown, one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for a school building in memory of my parents, to be known as the “Hawley School.” I reserve the final decision as to its location, plans and construction to myself and to a building committee which I will name. Hoping you will bring this offer before our townspeople as soon as possible and that they will permit me to relieve them of the burden of the cost of construction. I am, Sincerely Yours, Mary E. Hawley.

Miss Mary E. Hawley, Newtown, Conn. My Dear Miss Hawley: Your letter of the 22d with its most generous offer to Newtown of one hundred thousand dollars for the “Hawley School,” received this evening and I find it most difficult to express for the Finance Board the deep appreciation that I feel. It will be my privilege to bring the matter before the townspeople very promptly, so you may realize that your gift has met a very pressing need... Cornelius B. Taylor

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A small barn, 10x14 feet, on the place of Mrs Johanna Corbett on Queen street was burned to the ground, about midnight, Wednesday. The barn is but a short distance from the house. Edward S. Pitzschler, who was writing in the house, heard a crackling noise, and going outside to the door, saw the barn all ablaze...There was no great danger of the house catching fire, as the night was still. A bucket brigade got into action and did valiant work. Some one towed down the old fire engine, but when they tried to get it into action, the valves were found dry and it was of no use.

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The Studebaker Special Six is distinguished as a high quality five passenger car, at a remarkable low price. It gives plenty of room for the whole family, easy riding, light weight and economy in operation makes this car the ideal family car. Clark A. Blackman of Newtown is the agent.

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Fire broke out at the Newtown Library on the roof, about 2:30 pm, Tuesday, the blaze having started probably from a spark from the chimney. While there was some delay in getting the water started, owing to being unable to locate a hydrant wrench, in a short time the firemen had a stream of water on the roof and it was not long before the blaze was under control. The damage to the roof was confined to the west and south roofs of the buildings. The books on the racks on the south side of the Library were more or less damaged by water and the floor was flooded by water. A new supply of hydrant wrenches has now been secured and this handicap will not again face the local firemen.

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Miss Mabel E. Mullins, the elocutionist, who has delighted audiences in Newtown on previous visits, will appear here on Thursday evening, May 19, under the auspices of the [Congregational Church] Church Forum. It will be free and open to the public.

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A.P. Smith and Martin K. Donahue paid a visit, Sunday afternoon, to Charles E. Beers, who has made a marvelous recovery from his accident at about Christmas time. He is now able to walk outdoors and drive the cows to and from pasture.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! 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 Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.