May 12, 2000

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Lillian Barry.

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EDITORIAL INK DROPS — HOW BIG IS NEWTOWN? Yes, how big is Newtown? We won’t know for certain until the results of the 2000 Census are released in about a year, and by then we still won’t know because Newtown will have had yet another year to grow way from any certainty about its size. The latest US Census Bureau estimate for the town’s population was made in July 1998, when it calculated that 23,469 persons lived in Newtown. We won’t be surprised, when the 2000 count has been tallied, if Newtown’s population stands at 25,000. You can still hear people refer to Newtown’s rural character every now and then, though clearly it is just a memory at this point. You could count the town’s remaining working farms on one hand of a mill worker, and the few remaining roads that are genuinely rural now must fall under the protection of the town’s scenic road ordinance to avoid the pavers. … In the end, the salient question is not: How big is Newtown? The question is: Are we as a town big enough to act now to preserve the open spaces for future generations? It is not enough to wring our hands year after year in alarm over the rate of Newtown’s growth. We must commit ourselves now to a specific plan to protect parts of our town from wall-to-wall development.

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Although he said he wasn’t searching for an errant tee shot, seventh grader Scott Grant nevertheless shouldered his golf bag last Thursday and walked down Boggs Hill Road for a twilight nine holes at Newtown Country Club. The warm weather of late has meant good news for golf enthusiasts eager to get a jump on the season. The 13-year-old said he usually gets a ride from his sister, but on this day he was left without a ride and decided to walk to the country club. His practice has paid off: Scott, who has been playing the sport for almost five years now, shoots consistently in the 90s.

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The town has chosen a firm to develop an environmental clean-up plan for the contaminated former Charles Batchelder Company industrial site on Swamp Road in Botsford, with the intention of finding a new industrial use for the abandoned 31-acre “brownfield” property. First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said Wednesday that Handex, a Monroe consulting firm, has been hired by the town after an extensive review of firms in the environmental studies field. Handex will create property restoration plans for the former aluminum smelting facility which closed in 1987. The study will determine the economic viability of rehabilitating the property.

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Currituck Road has been closed to through traffic for nearly five months due to delays in bridge replacement work over Pond Brook between Kenan Road and Obtuse Road. The two-mile road, which serves as a major connector for commuters traveling north and south, has been closed since late December. This week, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal explained the reason for the major delay and predicted the project would finally be done by late June. As he pointed out, the bridge was slated to be replaced last August or September. However, the company that produces the new box culvert was unable to deliver the piece until late fall. By that time, the low water season was over, making it very difficult to “de-water” the area. The process of “de-watering” involves channeling water from one side of the bridge to the other.

May 9, 1975

In a 230 to 173 vote, Newtowners at the annual Town Budget meeting Tuesday evening opted to turn down the Board of Education budget. It was not the first time the education budget has been turned down by the voters in Newtown, but it was the first time it was ever at the request of the Board of Education. When the BofEd sent its 1975-76 budget proposal to the Board of Finance, it went in with more than $1,000,000 over the 1974-75 approved budget of $6,000,000. The Board of Finance cut the figure by $650,000, and thus the voters went into the town meeting with a $6,470,435 figure to consider. It was a figure which Board of Education members said they could not live within and still provide a good, well-rounded education to the pupils in the system.

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The first activities in observance of the American Bicentennial which we’ve heard of in town took place Monday at Sandy Hook Elementary School as students and faculty gathered to mark the beginning of their celebrations. Boy Scouts Carl Miller and Craig Lessard raised a reproduction of America’s first flag on the liberty pole in the schoolyard, assisted by teacher Shelton McKee, who was dressed as a solder of the Revolution. The flag, variously known as the Cambridge, Great Union or Grand Union flag, is a combination of the red-white stripes of the ensign flag of the British navy when we were colonies, and the union jack in the corner. A flag of this type flew over George Washington’s headquarters.

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Construction of the Turkey Hill Road bridge over the Pootatuck River is underway. The bridge had been declared unsafe for traffic and was demolished two weekends ago. Workers from Dolan Construction Company started work on the new structure last week. They have 75 days to complete the bridge. A total of $34,000 was appropriated by Town meeting to cover engineering costs, contingency and Dolan’s bid. Highway Superintendent Ed Napier has said that the project has run into problems with unsuitable soils. Meetings have been scheduled with the engineers and the footings may have to be redesigned.

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Sixty-three electors of the Borough of Newtown voted May 5 in the election of a non-partisan, unopposed slate of officers to conduct the affairs of Newtown’s “town within a town.” … Clerk Ethel Connor administered the oath of office to the re-elected Burgesses and the officers as they arrived for the annual meeting: Willard L. Christensen, Warden to May 2, 1977; James Gies, Joseph Hellauer and Robert Macdonald, burgesses to May 2, 1979; and Daniel Shea, burgess to May 2, 1977. Also elected were Ethel E. Connor, clerk to May 2, 1977; Marilyn Alexander, treasurer to May 2, 1977; Hilda Walsh, tax collector to May 2, 1977; and Vivian Mayer and Judith McQuillan, assessors to May 2, 1977. Also, Carl Bergquist and Elsa M. Knight, Borough Board of Tax Review to May 2, 1977; Russell Strasburger, pound keeper to May 2, 1977; Paul Alexander, Mark Lawson and Alexander McQuillan, fire inspectors to that date. Millard Goodsell is elected to the Borough Zoning Commission to May 4, 1981, and Robert Klein elected to May 7, 1979. William Cullen was elected alternate zoning commissioner to May 4, 1981. William F. Meyer is elected to the Borough Zoning Board of Appeals to May 4, 1981, and James Crick to the same board to May 7, 1979.

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The dance contests at the Little League Ball were won by Mr and Mrs Bill Teicher, cha-cha; Mr and Mrs Wally Thorsten, twist; and Mr and Mrs Herb Shankman, waltz. Trophies were given to each couple.

May 5, 1950

Some 200 voters and taxpayers attended the special town meeting held last Thursday evening in the gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to start the procedure toward the erection of a new high school in Newtown. In selecting a chairman, the names of George M. Stuart and Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh were offered and as a result of a standing vote, Judge Cavanaugh was chosen as chairman. As the first order of business, a resolution was presented by Raymond L. Hall, secretary of the Newtown Board of Education, authorizing application to the State Public School Building Commission for a state grant, which the town is eligible to receive because of the recent addition to Hawley School.

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On Tuesday night, May 2, S. Curtis & Son, Inc, honored five members of its organization at a dinner at the Sallie Chase Restaurant on the Newtown-Bethel Road. The affair was attended by a group of employees who had been with the company a number of years. Harry M. MacClymon, who is retiring on his 65th birthday this Sunday May 7, was presented with a complete outfit of surf fishing equipment, presented in part by the company and in part by the employees. Mr MacClymon joined the company just 34 years ago, in 1916, and has been the plant superintendent. Herbert H. Cutler, who retired as president on December 31, 1949, was also presented with a gold Hamilton wrist watch for the 25 years of service with the company. … At the same time three other men were presented with wrist watches engraved with their names, for long service: Lewis V. Andrews, who has been with the company for 28 years, and is now night superintendent; John Wood, who has been with the company for 27 years as a diemaker; and William Siegert, for 26 years a printing pressman.

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Last Saturday afternoon in the Norwalk High School auditorium there took place an event which attracts the young, and many older persons too, from all parts of Fairfield County. This was the last free youth concert of the season, an institution well known with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, whose conductor, Quinto Maganini, has done much to further musical knowledge and appreciation throughout the East. … Highlight of the program was the announcement and the playing of three compositions, all winners in the annual contest for compositions by young composers. Winning third place was the youngest composer of the three, 12-year-old Christiana Mayer — Chrissy, as she is better known — daughter of Mr and Mrs Jan C. Mayer of the Dodgingtown District, Newtown, whose “Little Dance,” like the other two winning compositions, had been orchestrated by Mr Maganini for playing by members of the orchestra. “Little Dance” was first on the program and was delightfully played by Ralph BiDeau, oboe, Marjorie Mead, flute, Verl Crew, clarinet, and Dr Thayer Willis, bassoon. This was Chrissy’s first complete composition. She studies piano under the guidance of Mrs Jeanne Karstens of Wilton.

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The 1950 Cancer Crusade opened in Newtown on Friday, April 28, and according to George M. Stuart, local chairman, contributions are coming in well. This is the annual appeal for funds of the Connecticut Cancer Society, an affiliate of the American Cancer Society.

May 8, 1925

HATTERTOWN PERSONAL CHAT: Mrs Edward Booth was the guest of Mrs Eugene Northrop, Wednesday. | Israel Nezvesky has sold his farm, formerly owned by Eugene Northrop, to Jacob Goldstein. | Mr and Mrs Claude Lewis and son of Sandy Hook and Mr and Mrs Edward Mills of Bridgeport were guests of their parents, Mr and Mrs J.C. Lewis, Sunday. | The following persons have been purchasing new automobiles: E.R. Botsford a Chevrolet coupe; Richard Bevans a Dodge touring car; Jacob Goldberg a Ford truck; H.H. Tomlinson a Ford touring car; C.D. Stillson a Buick touring car; and Abram Nezvesky a Paige seven passenger touring car. | Mr and Mrs Herbert Botsford of Nichols have been recent guests at the home of Edwin Morgan.

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Mrs Sarah Davis Glover, widow of the late Charles B. Glover, died on Tuesday morning at the ripe age of 82 years. Mrs Glover had been ill for six months at the home of her daughter, Mrs Jennie A. Canfield, and had enjoyed every possible attention. She continued conscious almost to the last, and a few days before her death arranged for the sale of her Stepney property. Mrs Glover was the daughter of Aaron Davis and Mercy Ann Davis of Sandy Hook. Surviving her is a daughter, Mrs Jennie A. Canfield, and one brother, Daniel Davis, of Easton. The funeral took place on Thursday at 3 p.m., from the home of Mrs Jennie Canfield, Miss Elsie Stowe, pastor of the Sandy Hook Methodist church, officiating. The burial was in the Berkshire cemetery.

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Rev G. Herbert Ekins, Miss S.J. Scudder and Mrs A.W. Reynolds represented the church at the 216th annual meeting of the Fairfield County Association of Congregational churches held in the new First Church of Norwalk on Tuesday last.

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George Stillson is decorating the interior of the residence of William Lillis.

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Mr and Mrs Ernest Northrop, Miss Marjorie Northrop, and Master Russell Northrop of Stamford, E.C. Northrop of Monroe, and Miss Bertha Wheeler of Bridgeport were guests, Sunday, of Mr and Mrs Eugene Northrop.

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Miss Amy Bantle of Torrington passed Sunday with Miss Hattie Northrop.

May 11, 1900

About 100 turned out at the town meeting on last Saturday to consider what to do in the matter of authorizing the selectmen to borrow money to pay the running expenses of the town. Town Clerk Houlihan called the meeting to order and Charles H. Peck was appointed chairman.

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The work of the Connecticut Bible society, under whose auspices the local religious canvass is being made, was presented at the morning service at the Congregational church on Sunday, by the new secretary, Rev Mr Roberts, and one of its field workers, Rev Mr Hutchins. Secretary Roberts, who is a bright and forcible speaker, said the society was 92 years old. It was first organized for the distribution of the Bible, and this work is still carried on. “Wherever we find needy homes,” said Secretary Roberts, “we leave the Bible, for we believe it is yet the power for righteousness.”

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There were 37 cases for the May term of the Superior court which opened in Danbury, Tuesday afternoon. Owing to the fact that there are no accommodations for the court now, the new county building being unfinished, the court adjourned to Bridgeport without doing any business, opening there Wednesday morning at 10. The jurors summoned for the term included Harlow S. Benedict and Charles G. Peck of Newtown.

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

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Robert D. Smith and family of Port Jervis, N.Y., arrived in town, last Friday, and went at once to their new home on the Scudder farm in Dodgingtown district. On Monday the teams of A.W. and J.B. Fairchild assisted in transporting their household goods from Hawleyville to Dodgingtown.

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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. Mr James is a great lover of the horse, and as he generally owns a pacer it is suspected he sympathizes warmly with C.G. Peck, who has been having a little newspaper discussion with that well-known Sandy Hook horseman, Edward Taylor, over the merits of the trotters and pacers.

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.