July 26, 1996

The new Borough of Newtown Historic District Commission will conduct its first meeting at 8 pm Monday in the Mary Hawley Room of Edmond Town Hall to elect officers and adopt its regulations. The public is invited to attend. Five persons were appointed to the commission by the Board of Burgesses at its last meeting. They include Charles Fulkerson, Lindell Hertberg, Kathy Jamison, Stephanie Gaston and Betsy Kenyon.

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A town meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 31, at 6:30 pm, in the conference room of Town Hall South to vote on proposals to spend $840,000 to renovate Town Hall South and $650,000 on road construction. Legislative Council has recommended that the money to renovate Town Hall South should come from the town’s Reserve Fund for Capital and Non-Recurring Expenditures and that the $650,000 for road reconstruction be financed through long-term bonds.

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Police report a two-car accident at the Main Street flagpole on the morning of July 21. A 51-year-old male from Unionville was westbound on Church Hill Road, stopped at the stop sign, went into the intersection and was turning left around the flagpole to go southbound on Main Street. At the time a 34-year-old male from Monroe was driving northbound on Main Street but did not realize that the first vehicle was in the intersection, and struck it. Both drivers experienced pain, according to police. Police charged the Unionville male with failure to obey a stop sign. Police charged the Monroe male with operating a motor vehicle while under suspension.

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The state plans to sell or lease about 15 small wood-frame houses it owns along the edge of the Fairfield Hills grounds on the east side of Queen Street and the west side of Mile Hill Road South. Firs Selectman Robert Cascella said Wednesday the state Department of Public Works and the state Office of Policy Management are developing methods by which the state can divest itself of the white Cape Cod style homes, which formerly were occupied by workers at the now-closed Fairfield Hills Hospital.

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A Court of Honor was conducted by Boy Scout Troop 370 on Sunday, July 14, at Saint Rose of Lima Parish Hall to honor Scott L. LaBianco, who was presented with scouting’s highest award, the Eagle Scout Badge. Scott’s Eagle Scout Project involved clearing, extending, and marking a hiking trail for the public in Newtown’s Orchard Hill Nature Center. Scoutmaster Tom Maxwell presented Scott with his Eagle award and gave the “Eagle Charge” — a reminder that an Eagle Scout becomes a guide to scouts of lower rank and that an Eagle Scout becomes an example in his community.

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The Newtown Christian Church is inviting youngsters of all ages to take an incredible adventure with Jesus at its annual Camp Courageous Vacation Bible School August 12-16. The Sugar Street church will hold camp from 6:30 to 8:45 pm. For more information call the church.

July 30, 1971

Town Players Children’s Theater gave its first performance of “Circus in the Wind” July 27 at the pavilion at the Dickinson Memorial Park for the children enrolled in the recreation program. The highlight of the first act was the appearance of “Dinky Doodle,” a real life pig dressed as a circus clown. The piglet, whose real name is Amanda and who is on loan from the farm of Mr Parkhurst in Woodbury, obligingly walked onstage at the end of a rope and led by Jacko, the head clown.

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Some area residents were running a little late on Tuesday morning if they didn’t notice that the clocks had stopped during the wee hours of the morning. The power failure which was an hour and a half long was caused by lightning hitting a utility pole on Route 202, and customers in the northeast and center sections of town including Taunton area, Hattertown, Hanover and Currituck Road, Glover Avenue, Boulevard and Scudder Roads were affected.

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The Boys Social and Athletic Club will have its annual “Tag Sale” on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 27, 28 and 29, at the Club Room at SAC Park on Riverside Road, Sandy Hook. The building will be open from 10 am to 6 pm each day. There are already over a thousand items on hand with more due to arrive. Anyone who has goods to donate may call or drop a card to Boys SAC and the donations will be picked up.

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Nine Scouts and five adults from Troop 370 Sandy Hook spent eight days canoeing from Old Forge, N.Y., to Saranac Lake, N.Y., in the heart of the Adirondacks. The trip was the culmination of three months of planning and practicing. All those who went had previously earned both the swimming and canoeing merit badges as a prerequisite for the trip.

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The Newtown Board of Finance approved on Monday evening a special appropriation in the amount of $6,000 towards pay for a full-time Park and Recreation director. The original amount requested by the Park and Recreation Commission was $7,600, but the $6,000 was agreed upon since it will not be possible to process applications and hire a director before October 1.

July 26, 1946

The yearly drive for memberships for the Visiting Nurse Association of Newtown starts August 1st under the chairmanship of Miss Mabel Wright and will continue throughout the month. Canvassers will cover the various districts of the town, and it is sincerely hoped that people will be as generous towards this very important work as they have been in the past.

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The weather man proved very kindly disposed in giving the Woman’s Auxiliary of Trinity church a splendid day for their “Attic to Cellar Auction” on Saturday last. A crowd of interested buyers filled the chairs and benches that had been set out under the big trees of the church grounds before the auction began. At this time it is not possible to give an accurate accounting of the net amount realized, but it is safe to report that the funds amount to quite a bit more than last year, which was thought to be something of a record.

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For its second concert of the summer season, to be held at the Edmond Town Hall theater on Thursday evening, August 1st, the Newtown Orchestral Society has been fortunate in securing as soloist the distinguished Spanish coloratura soprano Carmen Torres. Recently arrived from Paris, Miss Torres made her North American debut in Montreal on July 4th, where she sang the role of Rosina in “The Barber of Seville” with a brilliant cast, including such leading Metropolitan Opera singers as Pinza and Baccaloni.

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A close game of softball was played Sunday afternoon at Candlewood Knolls, when the Newtown Country Club team lost a three-run lead in the last half of the seventh inning to suffer its first defeat of the season. The final score was 5-4 in the Knolls’ favor.

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That we live in a land of well-governed people, people who are honest, productive and prosperous, with almost limitless resources on which to draw, was the impression that John Angel, internationally known sculptor, with his studio nestled in the hills of Zoar district, brought back from his recent 6,000-mile trip across the continent in a station wagon. While the site of his erstwhile mill on Old Mill road has been his studio for a number of years, and although he has been a resident in this country for more than 20 years, Dr Angel’s standing as a sculptor was well established in the British Isles and on the continent prior to his coming to this country.

July 29, 1921

ARRIVALS AT THE PARKER HOUSE: Mr and Mrs B. Faust, Bridgeport; L.J. Simpson, Birmingham, Ala.; Mr and Mrs William A. Denton, New York; Miss Anna Regan, Bridgeport; Miss Anna M. O’Neil, New Haven; F.H. Johnston, Allison P. Smith, Newtown; Mrs D.W. Parker, Springfield, Mass.; Mr and Mrs S.C. Coder, Trenton, N.J.; Mr and Mrs N.P. Benham, C.D. Downs, New York; Mrs E. Reldelf, B.A. Reldelf, Bridgeport.

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Mrs Charles Minor of Berkshire has been quite ill, but is now convalescent.

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Brother Cushman’s Tea House will remain open until after the “Old Maid’s Convention” at the Town Hall, Friday night.

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A wedding of unusual interest was solemnized on Tuesday morning, at 8 o’clock, at St Augustine’s church, Bridgeport, the happy couple being Miss Arlyne Catherine Miller, daughter of Mrs and Mrs Charles H. Miller of 87 East Eaton Street, Bridgeport, and Postmaster Robert Thomas Bradley, son of Registrar of Voters Thomas F. Bradley. Rev James B. Nihill, pastor of St Augustine’s, officiated at the nuptial High Mass. Prof Fritz K. Weber played the conventional music and Miss Genevieve Brown, soprano and soloist, rendered De Koven’s “O Promise Me.” The bride was charming in a gown of buff georgette trimmed with wooden beads, filet lace and brocades of chenille. She wore a hat of the same color, trimmed with uncurled ostrich feathers and faced with light blue georgette. She carried a bouquet of sweetheart roses. Harry Bradley, a brother of the groom, was the best man. Following the ceremony, a reception to the immediate families and friends was held at the home of Mr and Mrs Miller. The decoration scheme of the parlors was carried out in summer flowers in various colors. In the early afternoon the bride and groom left on an extended motor trip to various places. Mrs Bradley’s traveling costume consisted of a dress of blue marquisette trimmed with chenille in novel design and a hat of tomato colored felt. They will be at home at the Boulevard in Newtown to their friends after September 1. The ushers were Charles Miller, Jr, and Matthew Kelley. Among those present at the reception were: Rev Father Nihill, Rev Father Bowen, Miss Anna Sheehan, Misses Gertrude and Mary Bradley, John J. Keane and Paul V. Cavanaugh of Newtown; Misses Gertrude and May Mahoney of Pittsfield, Mass.; Mr and Mrs Michael O’Hara of New Britain; Dr John J. Kersey, Miss Genevieve Brown and Matthew Kelley of Bridgeport. The best wishes of a wide circle of friends attend the young couple as they embark on their life of wedded bliss.

July 31, 1896

The choral service which was so much enjoyed in Trinity church, a week ago, was repeated in St John’s on Sunday evening, The church was nearly filled with a large and appreciative congregation. The musical part was well rendered by the choir. The rector, Rev O.O. Wright, conducted the service. The sermon, which was a most interesting and eloquent discourse, delivered without notes, was preached by Rev G.T. Linsley of Trinity, from the text Titus 2:12, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and woldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.”

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Arthur J. Wilson of Palestine district has sold some prime roasts of beef in the shape of fat and sleek steers to Butcher Canfield of the Boulevard. Mr Canfield’s customers have been enjoying the transactions.

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Preston B. Sibley, one of the state inspectors of factories, was in town on Friday of last week and in the morning visited the Rubber shops at the Hook. In the afternoon he was busy looking over smaller establishments about town where manufacturing is carried on.

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Mrs A.B. Lockwood of Bethel was a guest at Station Agent C.B. Taylor’s last week, returning Friday and taking Miss Mabel Taylor with her for a week’s visit.

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A.G. Taylor, the Hawleyville furniture man, has added a fox to his collection of animals. It is on very friendly terms with the raccoon, occupying the same apartment.

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Dr Todd, the veterinarian, tested recently with tuberculine test, a cow belonging to E.L. Butler, who is summering at the D.C. Peck place. The cow was found to be all right.

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Mrs Tibballs, daughter and son, of Brooklyn, are summering at the Weaver cottage on Mt Pleasant. Charles Woodward of Brooklyn was a guest of Mrs Tibballs over Sunday.

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Stephen A. Libbey, formerly with the Housatonic Manufacturing Co. of Wallingford, has taken a position with Agent James at the Hawleyville depot.

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D.C. Peck returned this week, to Lake Placid, N.Y., where his wife and daughter are now sojourning.

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Miss Jessie and Master George Hawley, children of Mr and Mrs Edgar Hawley, are visiting at the home of Arthur Ingersoll in Brooklyn. On Saturday they expect to return to Newtown, accompanied by Miss Helen Ingersoll, who will pass a month with them.

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A Mr Ridge of Danbury drove to Taunton with his family on Sunday to spend the day. He unharnessed his horses and hitched them under a tree. When he came to harness up, the harnesses were missing. He came to the Street for Constables Glover and Blackman, and a search was instituted. There were found in an adjoining lot. Some sneak thief had placed them there with the intention, evidently, of taking them under cover of darkness.

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