March 16, 2001

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — A GOOD PLAN TO PRESERVE OPEN SPACE: The recent decision by the Board of Selectmen to cut $150,000 from its current budget proposal requested by the Conservation Commission for the purchase of open space was a setback for local land conservationists. They were hoping to build on the momentum of the state’s initiative to purchase 15,300 acres of utility lands in southwest Connecticut, including 602 acres in Newtown. Coupled with available state money for matching grants for the acquisition of open space, the $150,000 would provide the town with a great opportunity to add to its open space holdings at a bargain rate. … The Legislative Council hit on a plan this week, however, that should please conservationists without placing additional burdens on the taxpayer or exacting further sacrifices from the school system. The council voted to allocate $750,000 in anticipated revenues from the sale of the town-owned properties along Queen Street to the town’s capital and non-recurring reserve account, formally noting their intention to use those funds for open space acquisition.

* * * * *

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Ann LoBosco.

* * * * *

The Newtown Health District began gathering water samples from some 50 household wells this week to determine if any of them contain high levels of uranium. The samples will also be tested for radium, radon, gross alpha, and arsenic. The project is being called a data gathering effort to get a “cross-section” of the uranium levels around the various bedrock formations in town. The tests will also help show what role different yields and depths of wells play in the existence of high uranium levels, if at all.

* * * * *

Katie Miller took her first art class during her sophomore year of high school and it’s been a fast-forward brush with the artistic world ever since. The Newtown High School senior is about as immersed in the world of art as a person of her age can be, and she is very much looking forward to finding out what the future holds. The immediate future includes a second group show at the Danbury gallery Thirteen, and then in September Katie will leave Newtown and start attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

* * * * *

Cadette Girl Scout Troop 478 conducted its Court of Awards on Tuesday, March 13, to honor their committee chairman for her commitment to Girl Scouting that began in 1932 at age 18. The troop felt it was appropriate to honor Mrs Emily Knudsen during the anniversary week of scouting. … For the past eight years she has been the Committee Chairman for Troop 478.

March 12, 1976

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — THE WORD WAS LOUD AND CLEAR: If ever a loud and clear sampling of public opinion was given to a board or commission in the Town of Newtown, none could have been as definite as the one last Friday evening in the gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall leveled towards Planning and Zoning. … what is most important was the feeling of the citizens of Newtown in regard to the warehouse sale and the advantage of retail outlets in warehouse operations. If it could all be boiled down into a few words, from the consumer angle, then it would have to be said that everyone wants warehouse sales to continue, for who in this economy does not seek a good bargain? The Planning and Zoning Commission, on the other hand, must not just see a good buy in the future, but must also be concerned with the growth and directed development of Newtown.

* * * * *

John B. Robertson, son of Mr and Mrs John Robertson … has been named Valedictorian of the Newtown High School Class of 1976. John has pursued a strong college preparatory program during his four years and has accelerated in mathematics and science. His most recent academic achievement is having been named a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship competition. … The position of Salutatorian will be shared by two members of the class, since they both have the same average. They are Mary Leitner and Gerald S. Bilsky. Mary is the daughter of Mr and Mrs John J. Leitner. … Gerald is the son of Mr and Mrs Walter Bilsky.

* * * * *

Newtown State Rep John Anderson was hot on the trail of the planned shipment of nuclear waste over Route 34 this week, and after a day of contacting officials in Hartford Monday, got what he was after: rerouting of the transportation to avoid the road. But, said the 106th District representative, “The next thing is to really address the problem. There are many federal regulations as to the container this material is shipped in,” he said. “There are regulations for transporting gasoline and chemicals, but there are no transportation rules for nuclear waste in the book.”

* * * * *

The Newtown Recreation Department, in cooperation with the Time Out store, recently sponsored their annual plastic model contest and on February 28 the judging was done and trophies were awarded to the first three winners in each age bracket. Capturing first place honors in the 8-10 year-old group was John Neidermeyer … In the 11-12 year-old category, Tom Neidermeyer garnered first place … Winners in the 13-14 year-old competition were Ken Lawrenson, first; … [and] in the 15 year-old and over group Tom McManus took the first place trophy. The winning model in the 15-year-oild and older group, assembled by assembler Tom McManus, was more than a year in the construction.

* * * * *

Linda Lee Lewis has recently graduated from the Americo Academy of Beauty Culture as a beautician. Miss Lewis is also a graduate from the Newtown High School, class of 74. She is the daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Charles Lewis of Newtown.

March 9, 1951

The Newtown Chapter, Future Farmers of America, was honored for outstanding work in forest improvement and conservation, including fire fighting, at the annual meeting of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association held this Wednesday at Hotel Bond, Hartford. Awards given by both the Connecticut Forest and Park Association and the American Forestry Association were presented to Richard Marron, Newtown Chapter FFA delegate to the meeting, a senior in Hawley High School, and captain of the chapter’s fire fighting crew. The local Future Farmers Chapter is composed of vocational agriculture students at Hawley High School in courses conducted by “Boss” Vincent P. Gaffney.

* * * * *

Among the Newtown boys who are serving in Korea, perhaps no one has seen more active service and actual warfare than Pfc. Harrie Stadie, who is a member of Company D., 6th Medium Tank Battalion of the American forces. Pfc. Stadie, who is the son of Mr and Mrs Otto Weiss of Hawleyville district, is known to his Newtown friends as Harry Stadie Weiss. He graduated from Hawley High School in June, 1949, and enlisted the following September. He reached Korea in June, 1950, and has since seen much actual combat during the intervening months. His letters home have given many graphic detail of battle, ranging from accounts of superficial wounds and inclement weather to death and destruction of the worst kind in wholesale proportions.

* * * * *

The nominating committee of the Newtown Rotary Club presented at the club’s Monday night meeting a slate of officers for the coming Rotary year, naming Miles Harris for president; Donald R. McCain, vice president; Fred Buermeyer, treasurer; and Alfred H. Jurgens, Sr., secretary. Mr. Buermeyer and Mr. Jurgens are nominated to succeed themselves. Miles Harris is presently vice president of the club. The nominating committee is composed of Dr. William F. Green, chairman, Frank H. Strasburger and Harold E. Harvey.

* * * * *

History — that of the town of Newtown dating back as far as recorded evidence goes — passed in review at the monthly meeting of the Newtown Parent Teachers Association held Tuesday, March 6, at Hawley School. A most interesting presentation of the subject “Know Your Town” was made by a group of five members of the League of Women Voters under the chairmanship of Mrs Jerome Jackson.

* * * * *

SAC NOTES from Boys’ Social & Athletic Club of Sandy Hook, Inc.: For some time the members of the Active Group have been talking over methods of making a sort of honor roll, listing members and former members now in the services, which could be put on the walls of their club house as a permanent record. For the present at least, the simplest and most workable solution seems to be to assemble as many pictures of the boys in the uniforms of their various branches as possible and have them mounted in one large frame. The club would appreciate such pictures from members or their families, preferably the smaller type, no larger than post card size. The snapshots sent in by the first members to enlist were pasted in the SAC press book and are therefore not usable, nor do they show present ratings.

March 12, 1926

The death on April 14, 1925, of Miss Elizabeth N. Blake, a spiritualist, who twenty years before had received from the late Pierre Lorillard Ronalds, a wealthy society man, valuable property, the gifts resulting in litigation by the children of Mr Ronalds, has brought further legal complications. The present proceeding is to have the court decide who is to divide the principal of a trust fund created from the estate of Mr Ronalds for the life benefit of Miss Blake. It reveals for the first time the exact extent to which the spiritualist benefited by the agreement which, after the death of Mr Ronalds, his children made with her. The trust fund created for her amounted to $200,000, but Miss Blake also retained for her own use Castle Ronalds, at Newtown, Conn., which was known as the “House of Mystery.”

* * * * *

The Trinity Guild met with Mrs Brinton on Wednesday. The ladies have near completed the outfit they have been making for a hospital in Alaska.

* * * * *

A party of 20 or more members and associates of the Girls’ Friendly Society of St John’s church drove over on Monday evening last to Danbury to participate in a gathering of the G.F.S., from surrounding towns. Besides St John’s there were large delegations from Ridgefield and Bethel. The big assembly room of St James’ parish house was filled with the girls who had the pleasure of listening to Mrs W.T. Andrews of Stamford, vice-president of the Fairfield archdeaconry branch. Mrs Andrews told the girls that they belonged to an order that has … members all over the world.

* * * * *

A bold and wicked piece of business was the chicken stealing in the heart of the Borough, when thieves entered the hen house of Postmaster H.W. Wheeler and took about 30 nice fowls of the Rhode Island Red and Barred Rock varieties. Bethlehem has passed through an epidemic of chicken stealing, and up there it got so bad, farmers moved their chickens from the hen houses each night and stored them in their house cellars. It was a laborious tasks, but they did it. State police and local officers have secured no tangible clues on the perpetrator of Mr Wheeler’s loss.

* * * * *

Henry Bouteiller has recovered from his injuries sustained December 24, so as to be able to walk about outdoors.

March 15, 1901

The town meeting on Saturday was well attended, considering the day, about 150 being present. Charles H. Peck presided as chairman. Dr Gordon offered a set of resolutions offering an abatement of taxes to any concern that would operate either of the old rubber shops or the Niantic mills, employing a certain number of hands for 10 months in the year. M.J. Houlihan said he thought the resolutions were out of order and the chair so ruled. In support of his resolutions Dr Gordon said that if we did not encourage manufacturing concerns to come here every property holder’s taxes in town were sure to be raised to pay for the legitimate expenses of the town.

* * * * *

Frederick Hull and R.W. Blake, two Derby men, have presented the Riverside Union church at Zoar Bridge with a very handsome organ. Mr Hull, when a young man, used to live at Zoar Bridge, and has always been interested in the work there which the church is doing. Some time ago he told certain members of the church to let him know when he could assist the church financially.

* * * * *

Mrs Thomas Farrell of the Glen will shortly move to Shelton.

* * * * *

George Winton was in Woodbury on Saturday last, attending the auction at the Russell place.

* * * * *

Miss M. Elizabeth Scudder of New Haven passed Sunday in town with her mother, Mrs Scudder.

* * * * *

The Academy closed on Friday last for a week’s vacation.

* * * * *

Mr and Mrs R.H. Miller and son of Katonah, N.Y., have visited Mr Miller’s brother, E.M. Miller.

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.