April 4, 1997

EDITORIAL INK DROPS: If anyone still needs convincing that Newtown needs a better way to assess the public’s will when it comes to municipal budget making, now is a good time to pay attention to what happens to Newtown’s proposed $52.6 million budget. The Legislative Council has cut $200,000 out of the school budget, which has drawn criticism in this space for being long on symbolism and short on actual savings for taxpayers while imposing still more cutbacks on a school system that has had to do more with less for the past several years.

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Residents were lulled this year by the almost snowless winter, an early spring, and a beautiful 64-degree Easter Sunday. When winter finally showed up Monday night, dumping 8 to 10 inches of snow across Newtown, it was as if Mother Nature was playing an April Fool’s joke. The storm left nearly 97,000 CL&P customers in the dark, most of them in the central part of the state, according to a CL&P spokesperson. Newtown was among the hardest hit communities in Fairfield County with 1,871 customers out on Monday evening.

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David Merrill is looking for the names of nationally known persons who have lived in Newtown to paint them in the final mural at Edmond Town Hall. The artist, who began painting the murals that line the staircases in the town hall more than 10 years ago, intends to finish his work by sometime next year. One section of wall next to a balcony theater door upstairs is really too narrow for a painting, so Mr Merrill decided to use it to list notables who have lived — and may still live — in Newtown.

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If you haven’t been to Bruce Jenner Stadium since the last Newtown High School football game, you would probably have a hard time recognizing it now. The field has been torn up. Piles of dirt 30 feet high now tower over the 50-yard line and front-end loaders litter the sidelines. Renovation work on the field began late last month, nearly two months ahead of schedule. When completed, according to NHS Principal Bill Manfredonia, the well-known gridiron will be transformed into a multi-purpose field, enlarged to allow regulation field hockey, soccer and lacrosse games, as well as football. The cinder and dirt track around the field, which hasn’t been used for a track meet in more than 10 years, will also be ripped out and replaced with an all-weather, eight-lane track made out of rubberized material for safer and healthier running.

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The Senior Youth Group from Christ the King Lutheran Church spent a recent Saturday cleaning at the Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury. Nine high school youth and three adults participated in the clean-up, which included washing walls, windows, sweeping, and general cleaning. The youth are all members of Christ the King Youth Group and represent Newtown, Brookfield and Southbury communities. The Dorothy Day Hospitality House prepares meals, provides shelter, and serves as an emergency food pantry.

April 7, 1972

A large group of past graduates, teachers past and present, town officials, and students now attending Hawley School crowded the school’s auditorium this week for a rededication program commemorating the 50th anniversary of the school. Mrs Isobel Davis, who was “only a junior,” Mrs Helen Amaral and Mrs Mae Platt Mitchell, president of the Class of 1922, recalled with Charles McLachlan the happenings of those first years, and of the first night when Herbert Cutler, now a longtime member of the town’s government, was part of the instrumental music program.

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Twelve residents have been named to a committee in charge of overseeing The Timothy Treadwell Memorial Fund. So far $3,456 has been donated to the fund, which is to be used to establish a community youth and recreation center. First Selectman Frank DeLucia named Mrs Timothy B. Treadwell, Nelson Denny, Seth O.L. Brody, Robert Hall, William Honan and Bee Editor Paul S. Smith to the committee. The Newtown Inter-Club Association, a group which includes members of the town’s service and youth organizations formed some time ago to work for a recreation center, named Mead Treadwell, John O’Byrne, William Tinkler, Everett Wolfe, Robert Woodies and Inter-Club President William Petrey to the committee.

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Newtown’s adjusted Grand List provides good reading as the town heads for its annual budget hearing on April 11. The list shows an increase in net ratables of $205,892. This makes the new total $147,698,953 rather than the previous figure of $147,493,061. The Board of Tax Review received 16 appeals for reviews of assessments and granted seven reductions which decreased the list by $27,850. However, corrections and changes recommended by the assessor resulted in the more than $200,000 increase and will help reduce the amount to be raised by taxation to cover the 1972-73 budget.

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Officer Michael Fekete of Newtown Police Department was congratulated by Police Chief Louis Marchese this week following the chief’s announcement of his promotion to sergeant, which will become effective on April 8. Officer Fekete has been a member of the force since 1969. He, his wife and their daughter Elin live in Newtown.

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A tentative date of May 16 has been set for the move of the United Methodist Church from one side of Church Hill Road to the other. The actual move, it has been estimated, will take about three hours. Linemen from SNET and CL&P will move the wires which will be in the way. Traffic will be diverted onto the ramps between I-84 and Route 34 which are now being used by the heavy equipment working on the widening of the interstate highway. According to the Rev Eugene Crabb, pastor of the church, services will be held in Wesley Hall until the renovation of the church is complete.

April 4, 1947

There was a time when The Bee staff was mostly masculine, and a half holiday on Saturday to prepare the Easter finery would have been considered entirely unnecessary. With the passage of time and the growth of its business, The Bee now has a number of young ladies on its staff, who, although they have not said so, would, we believe, appreciate a holiday on Saturday morning before Easter. Therefore, in deference to their wishes (as well as to please the masculine members who can always use a holiday to do odd jobs at home), The Bee office will be closed on Saturday morning, April 5. It is hoped this notice will forestall any inconvenience to the general public, who will find the office open as usual on Monday morning. —Paul S. Smith, Editor

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The Newtown Congregational church was the scene of a pretty wedding last Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock, when Miss Constance Douglas, daughter of Mr and Mrs William Douglas of Botsford Hill Road, Sandy Hook, became the bride of John D. Wiemann, son of Mr and Mrs George H. Wiemann of Manhassett, L.I., N.Y., and former residents of Taunton district, Newtown. The Reverend Paul A. Cullens, pastor, performed the ceremony and Mrs Charles Goodsell played the organ. Mrs Gloria Nash was the soloist. The bride, who was given into marriage by her father, wore a gown of white brocaded satin and carried a bridal bouquet of calla lilies. Immediately following the ceremony, a reception was held at the home of the bride’s parents in Sandy Hook. At six o’clock the bride and groom left for a week’s wedding trip, after which they will reside in Bridgeport.

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Plans for the 1947 drive of the Connecticut Cancer Society in this section were completed last Friday afternoon with a meeting of the leaders at Hotel Green, Danbury. It is part of the national campaign being carried on through April. Mrs Alexander Kaiser, of the Taunton district, chairman, and Mrs William Mc Kenzie, of Queen street, co-chairman, are again in charge of the work for Newtown and Brookfield. The goal is $1,000 and donations may be sent to either of the chairmen.

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“Jack” Leavy attended a recent meeting of the Pomperaug League, when plans were started for the 1947 baseball season. He will manage the Sandy Hook team which will play in the League, as in previous years, and it is expected this year the team will be sponsored by The Newtown Bee under Jack’s capable management. Practice will start as soon as weather conditions permit.

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Joan Mann celebrated her eighth birthday Monday of this week with a dinner party, and the following attended: Judy Carroll, Carol Macomber, Dorothy Strasburger, Donna Smith, Cheryl Smith, Susan Desmond, Betty Ziroli, Margaret Matlick, Margaret Ann and Jacqueline Robbins.

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Friends will regret to learn that Miss Mary Taylor is a patient at the Bridgeport hospital, where she was taken last Wednesday in the Newtown ambulance, following a fall in which she broke a bone in her knee. Her leg is now in a plaster cast and she will be required to spend some little time at the hospital while the broken bone mends.

March 31, 1922

Ammon Taylor, the oldest male resident of the town, died on Wednesday night, aged 94 years and seven months. He was a member of Hiram lodge, F. & A.M., and Hiram chapter, No. 1, R.A.M. He is survived by a wife.

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Mr and Mrs Rodney P. Shepard gave an announcement party at the rooms of the Country club, Saturday evening, when the marriage announcement was made public of Frank H. Johnston, Newtown’s popular supervisor of schools, and Miss Lillian Harrison, of Philadelphia, Pa., a member of the faculty of the Newtown High school. The guests, taking seats at the dinner table, found the pleasing announcement cards. General congratulations followed. After the pleasing repast, whist and dancing were enjoyed.

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Herbert Clark of Brooklyn, N.Y., passed Sunday in Sandy Hook, the guest of Dr W.H. Kiernan.

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Miss Helen Kilbride of Watertown was a week-end guest of her grandmother, Mrs John Kilbride, of the Glen.

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Miss Amy Bantle of Torrington is passing the Easter vacation at her home in Sandy Hook.

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Thomas Mahoney caught a sucker, Monday night, in the Pootatuck river tipping the scales to over four pounds. William Wheeler caught an eel in the raceway at Sandy Hook, weighing over five pounds.

April 9, 1897

THE EDITOR’S FAMILIAR CHAT: Forgery is serious business and the person who seeks to get a false item published by forging a signature is treading on dangerous ground.

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Three of Ralph Pierce’s little boys were taken to the county home in New Haven last week.

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Charles Hines has bought a small piece of chestnut timber of B.C. Bradley and is rapidly converting it into railroad ties.

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Mrs Hollister Sage has returned from New York state and is much improved in health.

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Mrs A.L. Shepard has again rented Ira Bradley’s place. He boards with her.

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Edmond L. Lyon of Dodgingtown district has gone to Plattsville to work for George D. Gregory on one of his teams. He left for his new work on Monday.

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Marcus Hawley Pearce, a son of Ex-Editor John T. Pearce of The Bee, has taken a position with O.F. Terrill, the new Hawleyville butcher.

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 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.