July 10, 1998

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of John Renjilian.

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A town official has issued a “no swimming” advisory for residents living along Lake Zoar in the Riverside and Cedarhurst areas after high levels of a potentially harmful bacteria were discovered. According to Health District Director Mark Cooper, excessive traces of enterococci bacteria have turned up along three beaches in Newtown. He sent out a warning for people to stay out of the water on Tuesday. Mr Cooper said there was cause for caution since the bacteria-filled water could cause problems for those with ear, nose and throat infections, or for those who suffer skin rashes.

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George and Cheryl Haury in Sandy Hook thought they’d celebrate Independence Day in high style. So they chipped in with several friends and staged a neighborhood July 4 party last Saturday for the residents of their neighborhood. While one sees Ferris wheels, giant slides, twisters and kiddie rides most often arrayed for carnivals in shopping centers or carnival parking lots, in this case the equipment was positioned on the manicured front lawns of several houses in the neighborhood adjacent to Lake Zoar. … The event cost more than $8,000. Imperial Shows of Old Saybrook supplied the mechanical amusements which neighborhood children rode free of charge. … Town officials said they’d never heard of staging a private carnival, but the organizers eventually got all the needed permits for the event.

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A reception was held at Nunnawauk Meadows recently to honor Joseph T. Chase on his 90th birthday. Mr Chase was one of the founders of the housing complex that was built for senior citizens and handicapped persons in 1976. In honor of Mr Chase, a Japanese maple and a small plaque were placed near the gazebo.

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The Kern Alphabet Card Games, created by the author/artist Donna Kern, has received a Dr Toy Award naming it a “Best Children’s Vacation Product-1998.” This year’s award recipients were formally announced June 30. The card games, based on an internationally popular set of alphabet drawings, were created by Donna Kern, a Newtown resident.

July 6, 1973

Judge Benjamin Blanchard took book in hand and gave the oath of office to the newly elected town officials on Monday morning in the lobby of the Edmond Town Hall. One new name appears on the Board of Selectmen, that of Gerald Frawley. He joins First Selectman Frank DeLucia and Selectman Thomas Goosman. The office of the tax collector is also in full swing, under the direction of Tax Collector Betty Smith. Working with her will be Julie Carey, Jennifer Janutolo, Margaret Knauer, and Veronica Loughlin. Mae Schmidle is taking over in the office of the town clerk, with staff Gladys Eddy and Gertrude Petrus.

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Jerry Jackson, well-known clock repairman in Sandy Hook, suffered a bad turn while working at the Belden House last week and ended up with a cracked bone and full-length cast on his leg. As a result, his clocking activities have run down and the work schedule will not be rewound for several weeks.

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The Board of Finance combined its last meeting of the old fiscal year with its first special meeting of the new year Monday evening, and managed to clean up the old year’s business and re-elect officers for the new two-year term. Notice was also given by H. Edward Vollmers, Republican, of his intention to resign at the next meeting. The officers re-elected were W.W. Holcombe, chairman, a Republican, and Jack H. Rosenthal, Democrat. Both elections were unanimous.

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The Dick MacLeod Memorial Golf Tournament was played at Newtown Country Club on Sunday, July 1, with a tournament for the men and one for the ladies. Winning for the men was Mike Kearns Jr with a net 58. For the ladies, the winner was Lucy Keenan with a net 68.

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Motorists from Oregon, Ireland, the Bahamas, the Netherlands, Canada, Scotland and Japan were among the more than 2,000 persons who stopped for free refreshments at the Newtown Jaycees July 4th Rest Area during its first two days of operation this year on Church Hill Road near I-84 Exit 10 in Newtown. The rest area closed Sunday night and will reopen Tuesday night for the homecoming traffic. … Two of the passing motorists took no refreshments, but stopped only because they couldn’t believe the signs on I-84 telling them of free food. Two other motorists signed the guest book and gave their hometown as “Oz”.

July 2, 1948

Newtown friends of Wyman Parker Smith will be saddened to hear of his recent death while traveling in Pennsylvania on a business trip. He came to Newtown several years ago from Stratford, where he worked with the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company. While in this area, he was employed as an engineer on the Fairfield State Hospital project. Besides his wife, who resides in Youngstown, Ohio, he leaves one son, Nathan.

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EARLY COPY PLEASE! The Fourth of July means a holiday to most, and The Bee is no exception to the rule. The office will be closed on Monday, July 5, and because of the shortened week, it is hoped that advertisers and correspondents will be prompt in getting in material for the issue of July 9. The staff will be very appreciative of all early copy.

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Vincent Gaffney, instructor in Vocational Agriculture at Hawley School, attended a Summer Professional Improvement Conference for Vo-Ag instructors held last Wednesday through Friday at the University of Connecticut at Storrs.

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Scudder Smith, son of Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith, left on Tuesday for his second summer at Camp Agawam on Crescent Lake, Maine.

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On Tuesday, June 29th, fifteen Fresh Air Children from New York City arrived in town to be guests of families in town for a period of two weeks. The Fresh Air Fund is a project of the Herald Tribune of New York City and has been very favorably received by a number of families in Newtown. … These families are to be commended for their kindness and interest in wanting to provide a two weeks vacation in the country for the children, and the committee in charge sincerely hopes that another year may bring more interest in this Fresh Air project, thus making it possible to increase the number of children.

June 29, 1923

Through the generosity of Miss Mary Hawley, a handsome bronze tablet has been placed on the wall of the Hawley school, with the following inscription: “This building was erected under the direction of: Cornelius B. Taylor, Arthur T. Nettleton, Charles A. Peale, Charles G. Morris, Thomas M. Holian, Building Committee. Philip N. Sunderland and Edmund B. Watson, Architects. The Hewlett Co., Builders, 1921-1922.” The tablet was erected by Tiffany & Co., of New York, and is a fine piece of work.

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The eighth grade club of the Hawley High school has presented to the Hawley school a beautiful picture of Washington’s home at Mount Vernon.

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HATTERTOWN PERSONAL NOTES: Edward Perkins and family have moved from the Kamas tenement into the house owned by Mrs A.C. Parmelee on the hill. | Mr and Mrs Eugene Northop recently entertained all of their children and grandchildren from Stamford. | J.C. Lewis has been putting up a silo. | Mr and Mrs Henry Penny of West Redding were the guests, Sunday, of Mr and Mrs Birdsey Peck.

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The Newtown High school held a very enjoyable reception at the Hawley school on Friday evening, the 15th. The classes of ‘22 and ‘23 of Hawley school were welcomed into the alumni circle and then came the election of officers. Elliott Platt was elected president; Miss May Hoyt, vice-president; Miss Millicent Cavanaugh, secretary; Miss Anna Carlson, treasurer; and Paul Cavanaugh, toast-master. The NHS Alumni used to be proud of a nice little Honor Roll hung in the high school, but at the time of the fire it was partially destroyed and has never been replaced. It was agreed upon to replace this and any members of the alumni who think they could spare a quarter for this worthy cause, please send it in to the president or treasurer, as the treasury is far from being flush.

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Mr and Mrs A.J. Smith, Paul S. Smith and Earl W. Smith were in New York City on Friday and Saturday of last week. Paul S. Smith took the boat from New York to St John’s, where he had [illegible] with the Grendel Mission in Labrador for two months.

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Rev Timothy J. Lee preached at the Hawleyville chapel, Sunday night, giving an eloquent sermon on the theme, “Putting yourself in another’s place.” He was the guest of Mr and Mrs Charles Jackson.

July 8, 1898

John W. Ray, the popular and gentlemanly driver of the stage connected with the Newtown Inn, and Miss Mary M. Baptist of Franklinton, N.C., were married by Rev George T. Linsley, last week Thursday. Early in the evening they were tendered a pleasant serenade by a party from the hotel. This was followed by a second serenade by a party, who conducted themselves in a disgusting and disgraceful manner. They threw stones and missiles at the house, and made life miserable for all in the neighborhood. It is too bad that such outrageous disturbances are allowed to proceed without molestation.

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P.W. Barrett of Huntingtown bought a new horse recently and turned it out in his yard. He got away, and they had the pleasure of hunting for him for two days. He was found in the woods near Hattertown.

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Guests of Rev and Mrs O.W. Barker over the Fourth were Mr and Mrs L.W. Lloyd and Messrs Emerson and Harry Lloyd of Brooklyn. Mrs Lloyd is passing some time with her daughter, Mrs Barker.

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Botsford Peet has recovered the boat lost two years ago at the upper end of the pond, sunk and full of stones. Clarence Sears and Frederick Botsford found it.

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At the Congregational church on Sunday Mr and Mrs Henry M. Smith were received into membership by letter from Hartford churches and Harry Hanson on confession of faith.

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A flag raising took place, last week Wednesday, at “Maple Corners,” the residence of George R. Parmelee. The pole was obtained in Easton, and a beauty.

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.