May 2, 1997

The Charter Revision Commission and the Legislative Council don’t see eye-to-eye on some charter issues now being considered for change. At their meeting Wednesday night, the charter panel stuck to its guns, refusing to accede to the council’s request that it reconsider some of its decisions. The council, however, will have the final say on the revisions, though anything the council overrules can be petitioned by the charter panel before the questions go to a referendum. The charter panel ignored the council’s suggestion to reconsider its decision to allow for the removal of the town’s finance director. It did add a provision, however, that would allow the financial director to state their case at a hearing before any action is taken.

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Joseph F. Engelberger was one of four laureates to be awarded Japan’s highest technical honor, the Japan Prize, at a ceremony April 25 in Tokyo. The award was announced, and first reported in The Newtown Bee, last January. Dr Engelberger, chairman and director of HelpMate Robotics, Inc, in Danbury, received an award in the prize category of Systems Engineering for An Artificial Environment. Dr Engelberger had the foresight to realize machines called robots would markedly improve productivity, and was a key person in the development and introduction of robots for practical purposes. During the Japan Prize banquet, Dr Engelberger and his wife Marge were seated with the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

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Water Pollution Control Authority members are fashioning a set of regulations for operating the municipal sewer system now under construction. The sewer regulations, which are in their formative stages, will be based on a set of model regulations promulgated by the US Environmental Protection Agency, Fred Hurley, town public works director, said Monday. Also, town officials are interviewing management firms who want to operate the sewer system for the town.

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Parks & Recreation maintenance crew members Jack Honan and Chuck Morgan cleaned the bottom of the Dickinson Park pool Wednesday afternoon in preparation for the summer season. Wednesday’s 70-degree temperatures had many residents thinking ahead to hot summer days at the park. The pool at Dickinson Park opens on June 14. The Treadwell Park pool will open Memorial Day weekend.

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The streets of Newtown are a little bit cleaner this week following last Sunday’s Lose the Litter Day. The seventh annual townwide spring cleaning proved to be a success. Though crews were still collecting the trash at press time, Public Works Director Fred Hurley estimated that between 10 and 11 tons will ultimately be collected. Town workers spent the early part of the week picking up huge piles of garbage bags, tires and other junk at several drop-off spots around town including the five volunteer fire departments and New Lebbon Road, a well-known illegal dumping ground.

May 5, 1972

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — A FINE LADY LEAVES US: We cannot carry word in this issue of the death of Mrs Jerome P. Jackson without expressing the town’s debt to this very exceptional lady and its loss in her passing. Last August Mrs Jackson marked her 96th birthday, and at that time we listed some of her good deeds for the town in which she had been an active and useful citizen since 1931. … Mrs Jackson was always a fine lady — humble in spirit but appreciative of values, strict in ethics but charitable in her association with others, expecting the best of everyone but willing always to give generously of herself. … Such individuals are the exception, rather than the rule. Perhaps they are too much taken for granted while they are in our midst.

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The date for the all-day referendum was set at the annual budget meeting on Tuesday, May 2. As that meeting opened, Moderator David Chipman announced that valid petitions for a referendum had been received on Friday, April 28, by Town Clerk Barbara Parker. Only the date remained to be set. A motion was made and seconded that other items on the call to the meeting be taken care of before discussing the budget and setting the referendum date. After a brief controversy, this procedure was followed. Over 500 people attended the meeting.

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The Garden Club of Newtown, in commemoration of Arbor Day, and as a memorial to the late First Selectman Timothy B. Treadwell, planted a beautiful flowering crab in front of the Town Hall on Friday morning, April 28. The children from the Newtown Montessori School took advantage of a pretty day to take a walk and watch the ceremony. Among those present were Mrs David Ginn, president of the Garden Club; Mrs Treadwell; First Selectman Frank DeLucia; and Mrs Allen Reynolds, the club’s civic chairman. Mrs Treadwell, in expressing her appreciation for the memorial to her husband, said that the flowering crab was aptly selected since it had been one of her husband’s favorites.

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Revised by-laws of the Newtown Savings Bank were adopted at a special meeting of the corporators of the bank held last Thursday evening in the bank lobby on Main Street. The purpose of the revision is to establish the best possible guide for future management of the bank, the new by-laws replacing the set adopted by the bank in October, 1964.

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Edward Bennett of 5 Connons Road is confirmed to his home with an attack of pneumonia.

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Edwin B. Storrs of Sandy Hook received his commission as a district Deputy of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Connecticut during impressive ceremonies conducted Wednesday evening, May 3, at the Masonic Temple in Sandy Hook. He is only the second man to serve in this high Masonic office from Hiram Lodge No. 18 in its 181-year history. In his new post, Mr Storrs will supervise the work of the six Masonic Lodges in this area, which include King Solomon’s Lodge No. 7 in Woodbury, Hiram No. 18 in Sandy Hook, St. Peter’s No. 21 in New Milford, Rising Sun No. 27 in Washington Depot, Union No. 40 in Danbury, and Eureka No. 83 in Bethel.

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The Dodgingtown Ladies Auxiliary has been busy cleaning up the Dodgingtown Green. The ladies planted three flowering crab apple trees and three yews there. Clothing will be sent to help the people in Appalachia. Mrs Louise Hess, chairman of this project, has asked that clothing and shoes, especially for the children, be brought to the next regular meeting, Monday, May 8, at Dodgingtown Fire House. Officers will be elected at that time. The group also voted to make a donation to the Treadwell Youth Center Fund in honor of Timothy Treadwell. A plant and cake sale is planned for Saturday, May 13, at the fire house. Funds will be used for community projects. Mrs Sam Paproski has extended an invitation for area ladies to join the Auxiliary. Husbands need not belong to the Fire Company. Further information may be obtained from Mrs Paproski.

May 2, 1947

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — TIME CALLS FOR A PERMANENT MEMORIAL: With the approach of Memorial Day and the removal of the honor roll at the front of the Edmond Town Hall, we are wondering what will eventually be done in Newtown to erect a permanent honor roll for World War II. Evidently no decision has yet been reached, and so The Bee makes a suggestion. We suggest that the honor roll in the lobby of the Edmond Town Hall be carefully checked and completed, to remain there permanently as a public record of all the loyal men and women who went into service from this town. The names of those who made the supreme sacrifice should be prominently identified on that list. The same list, with emphasis on the war dead, should also be honored with a bronze plaque in an appropriate position at the foot of the War Memorial Monument at the head of Main Street. … It is time for action in preserving the memory of those who served — and died in World War II.

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Educated in both Chinese and American Universities, Liu Liang-Mo, Chinese moral builder, joined First Selectman Stanley Blackman in raising “Old Glory” and the Chinese national flag at the flagpole last Friday morning during his day-long activities in Newtown. George N. Crump, volunteer town flag custodian, who daily raises and lowers the national emblem, joined the men. Mr Liu is in the United States in the interest of United Service to China.

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Danny Lawler, Jr, of New Haven, started on Tuesday his duties as professional at the Newtown Country Club, having been selected for the position at a meeting of the Board of Governors held Friday evening at the clubhouse. Mr Lawler began his golf career as a caddy at the New Haven Country Club at the time when Bobby Andrews was club professional there and has a wide acquaintance with Connecticut’s outstanding players. While he will commute for the present from his home in New Haven, he hopes soon to move to Newtown with his wife and two children. In addition to having charge of the caddy house and giving lessons, Mr Lawler, or “Danny” as everyone will soon call him, will arrange tournaments during the summer season, which gives every indication of being a busy one at the Country Club.

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The annual meeting for the election of officers was held by the Men’s Social and Literary Club at the Parker House Wednesday evening, April 23rd with the following officers elected for the Club year of 1947-48: President, C. Walter Bounty; vice president, Herman R. Geiger; and secretary-treasurer, Rev Paul A. Cullens. John C. Beers was host at the meeting and Carl A. LeGrow essayist. The speaker, Edwin Maberg, chose “Plastics” as the subject of his address. Mr Maberg is teacher of physics and chemistry at the Watertown High school, and has made a hobby of study and research on the subject of his address.

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Formal application is being filed this week by the Board of Selectmen with State Highway Commissioner William J. Cox for Newtown’s allotment of $23,668, due the town, on July 1st under the State’s Town Aid plan under which $4,000,000 is to be apportioned among the 169 towns in the State.

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The current campaign being conducted in Newtown for the Junior Republic at Litchfield has reached the sum of $490. It is hoped that other friends of the school will wish to make donations at this time. They should be sent to Paul S. Smith at The Bee office.

April 28, 1922

April 26 will be a memorable day in Sandy Hook as on that day the electric juice was flashed throughout the village, over the wires of the Danbury & Bethel Street Railway Co, who have been supplying the Borough for 10 years. The first to have the lights on was E.W. Troy of the Sandy Hook hotel. Messrs Kirk & Patchen, electricians, were on hand and hooked up the merchants one after another, the Golden Peach, Cornett & Crowe, the Men’s Shop. Messrs Kirk & Patchen were very obliging and remained over time to connect up the various business places they had previously wired. They were also on the job Thursday. They are now wiring the residence of Edward Riley for electric lights. Now that the juice is actually in the Hook there will be many others who will proceed to have their residences wired.

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Miss Margaret Murphy of Derby came up on the train, Saturday, to visit Miss Hopkins of Botsford Hill. When she got out of the automobile she collapsed, but recovered sufficiently to walk into the house and sit in a chair, when she fell over dead. Medical Examiner Kiernan was summoned, but she was beyond human aid. She was about 50 years.

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The automobile accessory store of Harry Gomberg located on the State road at Botsford, was burglarized for the third or fourth time last Friday night. This last visit was rather an unfortunate one for the callers. At the time of the last break, about a month ago, a son of Mr Gomberg decided that he would camp out in the loft over the store, which is a small one story affair. His vigilance was rewarded about midnight, last Friday, when he heard noises below. Being prepared for just such visitors he opened fire, and while he admitted that his hair seemed to straighten out wonderfully, his aim was good. After waiting for a few minutes he went to his father’s house and got Sheriff Beers on the phone. … A policeman in Bridgeport, where the intruders were believed to be heading, spotted a car matching the one seen leaving Newtown, with three men in it. One man was taken to St Vincent’s hospital for treatment for a bullet wound and placed under guard. The other two were brought to Newtown and arraigned before Justice P.H. McCarthy who placed them under a heavy bond and committed them to the Bridgeport jail where they will remain until the third man is able to appear in court.

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The bans of marriage were published for the first time on Sunday at St Rose’s church between Miss Annette Sheehan and George Mayer.

May 7, 1897

THE EDITOR’S FAMILIAR CHAT: One of our citizens suggested that it would be an excellent idea if all the householders and business men of the Street would unite to keep the loose papers off from the lawns, this summer. People in tearing papers from mail matter when on the sidewalk can aid in this work, by caring for the waste paper, instead of throwing it away to decorate some lawn.

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To My Friends: For 27 years, as head of the Hub Clothing House, I have cared for the clothing wants of my friends. I am now identified with the well-known firm of Meigs & Company, Main and Bank street, where you are invited to call upon me, and where I shall be in a better position than ever to provide you with the very best ready-to-wear clothing for men and boys, as well as hats, furnishings, folk and bicycle clothing. Yours respectfully.—[Harry Gardner, Bridgeport, May 1, 1897

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Robert Beers of Waterbury was in town on Monday.

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Z.S. Peck, who has been passing the winter at Unicoi, Tenn., is expected to arrive in town on Friday.

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Miss Estelle Eadie, a student of Union Business college, Bridgeport, has been placed by the school as a stenographer with the Merchants’ Supply Co.

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Father Fox on Sunday at St Rose’s announced a collection for interest and the support of the Sisters, to be taken at both masses on Sunday, May 9, at 8:30 and 11 a.m.

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.