Newtown teachers gathered in the auditorium of the Middle School on Wednesday evening, and in a matter of a few minutes unanimously voted for ratification of a new three-year contract. Louis Mahmood, president of the Newtown Federation of Teachers, told the teachers at the opening of the meeting, “We are here under much happier circumstances,” and that was the tone of the evening.

***

A public hearing concerning the proposed second span of the Rochambeau bridge in Newtown and Southbury will take place on May 21, 7:30 pm, in the gym of the Rochambeau School, Cedarland Road, Southbury. The hearing, requested by the Department of Transportation, is to receive comments on an application for a wetlands permit to build the bridge and approaches.

***

‘Tis the season for shopping center proposals for Newtown, and the Planning & Zoning Commission almost received another one last week for a facility of four structures, proposed for a 13.4 acre tract owned by Paul and Evelyn McNamara and located just north of Ricky’s Shopping Center, South Main Street. However, at its meeting Friday night the commission decided it could not accept the plans. Counsel Robert H. Hall pointed out that, among other things, the documents did not completely show what the finished grades of the property would be. Also, location of utilities was not indicated.

***

The skeletal remains of an unidentified person found by a hiker in a wooded area opposite Johnny Cake Lane on Mt Pleasant Road Saturday, May 3, have been sent to the state coroners laboratory in Hartford in efforts to identify the body. According to police, who have not been able to determine the sex or age of the remains because of the scattered condition in which the bones were found, the body was possibly at the site for at least four years. There are two things the police do know. The body was deliberately buried in a shallow grave, and it was wrapped in burlap or similar material. Also, a complete set of dentures was discovered. However, there were no other clues. Any remaining clothing was too rotted for identification, and a pair of loafer-type shoes were unidentifiable as belonging to a man or woman. No jewelry, belts, or other items were discovered. A preliminary examination of the bones before they were sent to Hartford on Monday did not bring forth any evidence which would indicate the cause of death.

***

Cathy & Robert Coer have taken on the responsibility of chairing the Colonial Ball during Newtown’s Bicentennial festivities. Volunteers from other organizations in Newtown are being sought so that a cross-section of townspeople will be representated and their individual ideas can be expressed during what will be the obvious highlight of the festival.

***

How would Newtown respond if sudden disaster ever struck? Storms, floods, blackouts, airplane crashes could occur at any time. Is Newtown prepared? Former First Selectman Francis J. Hiney, addressing the Sixty Plus Club on May 7, told about a state mandated emergency procedures plan which is being drawn up to deal with major community catastrophies.

***

First Selectman Frank DeLucia and Town Counsel were scheduled to attend a hearing before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission to appeal citations, fines, and compliance periods the town received in March for violations of Occupational Safety & Health act standards at the town garage. Mr DeLucia was ill, however, and the hearing in New Britain was called off, as was the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Monday. The first selectman said Wednesday he has not yet learned the rescheduled date for the hearing.

MAY 12, 1950

Much opposition was voiced at the public hearing, held Monday evening by the Zoning Commission of the Borough of Newtown in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. The opposition concerned itself not alone with the appliction of Mrs Edith C. Parker for the reclassification of her Parker House property from residence to business, but also against the grant of any further business sites or increase of business activity on Newtown’s Main Street. The hearing opened at 8 o’clock with H.H. Cutler acting as chairman pro tem, due to the resignation of the commission’s chairman, Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh, who has found it necessary to relinquish his office and membership on the commission for reasons of health.

***

Some 30 townspeople attended the open meeting held by the Town Development Committee last Thursday evening in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to consider sewage problems and necessary local regulations for their control. The speaker of the evening was Warren J. Scott, director of the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering of the State Department of Health, who talked on the subject, “Sewage Problems and the Need for Local Regulations.”

***

At a special meeting held Friday, May 5, the Newtown Board of Education Chairman W.A. Honan appointed Mrs Jane Sanford, Mrs Kenneth Smith, Raymond Hall, and Fred Carmody to serve as a committee to investigate possible sites for a Newtown High School. The committee is to report its findings to the board, the next meeting to be held at the call of the chairman. The board passed a resolution stating that its policy will be to deal directly with property owners.

***

The Memorial Day committee of VFW Post 308 took action at a meeting last Sunday night to confine the Post-sponsored May 30 exercises to those centered at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the morning. Because of the need of more time to get the building ready, dedication of the Veterans Memorial Building is being postponed until late summer or early fall.

***

The Boy Scouts were at the Scout cabin at 7:30 Tuesday night. The boys went outside and cleaned up the grounds and burned leaves. The meeting was called to order and the opening ceremony was led by Dwight Johnson.

Camp Fire Girls will long remember their weekend trip to their beloved Camp McKay, Lake Candlewood, Danbury. This week they are reliving many exciting moments crammed into a fun-packed holiday. Fifteen girls, with Mr and Mrs Austin Dinkler and Charles, crowded themselves and their blanket rolls into cars on Friday afternoon, May 5. Mr and Mrs Ronald Olson, Mr and Mrs R.S. Watkins, Mr and Mrs Earl Lockwood, and the Dinklers provided transportation.

***

A busload of 36 vocational agricultural students – 18 from Hawley High School and 18 from Woodbury High School – with their instructors, Vincent P. Gaffney, of Newtown, and Ellis F. Clark, of the Woodbury High School, attended and took part in the annual vocational agricultural judging contest taking place at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, last Friday. The judging took place from 10 am to 4 pm and both Newtown and Woodbury students scored in the final figures. Among the ten high individual scores, Michael Dugan, Jr, of Hawley High School, took first place in judging dairy cattle, with a score of 490.5 points. John Pendergast and Richard Marron both scored for Hawley High School in the dairy showmanship contest.

MAY 8, 1925

Senator Philo T. Platt has been appointed by Governor Trumbull as commissioner of agriculture for a term of four years at a salary of $5,000 a year.

***

H.G. Carlson of the Liberty Garage has sold a Ford sedan to Miss Jennie Honan of Taunton, a Ford coupe to Paul V. Cavanaugh, a Ford coupe to St Rose parish, and a Ford coupe to Hugh Quinn.

***

Israel Nezvesky has sold his farm, formerly owned by Eugene Northrop, to Jacob Goldberg.

MAY 11, 1900

F.W. Andrews has taken the farm of Mrs W.A. Maynard of Taunton District to work on shares for the ensuing year.

***

J.A. James, the popular agent at the Hawleyville station, is the proud owner of a four-year-old pacer, a handsome bay, bought of Seth Pratt of Litchfield.