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THE WAY WE WERE FOR SEPTEMBER 19, 1997

SEPTEMBER 15, 1972

A raging fire completely destroyed the main building of the old Silver City

dude ranch on Hanover Road Monday night. The cause of the blaze is still under

investigation by the Newtown fire marshals and the state fire marshal's

office. The building was fully involved with fire when firemen arrived on the

scene at 6:30 pm. More than 60 volunteer firefighters from Newtown Hook &

Ladder, Hawleyville and Botsford fought the blaze until late in the evening.

Silver City at one time was a dude ranch; the main house also had been used as

a country western dance hall. No one was known to be living on the premises at

the time but neighbors said that from time to time people had been seen coming

and going.

The town has learned that it has come out the winner in the Boyle case. Judge

Frank Covello, state referee, has dismissed a request by a group of Newtown

residents for an injunction restraining the town from taking further action in

condemning the Boyle property on Boggs Hill Road for use as a school site. In

his decision, which is 13 pages long, Judge Covello describes the history of

the search for a school site which dates back to 1967. He includes the history

of the Luf and Allen properties along with that of the Boyle property. Judge

Covello said that under town zoning regulations, school houses may be erected

in any zone of town and the Boyle site does not violate the provisions of the

town's plan of development. The next step, pending appeal of the injunction

case by the plaintiffs, will be for the clerk of Superior Court in Bridgeport

to issue a certificate of taking on the request of town counsel.

The United Methodist Church finally came to rest on its new foundation in

Sandy Hook on September 13. Wet weather during the summer held up every phase

of the church's relocation, from one side of Church Hill Road to the other,

especially the pouring of the cement for the foundation.

Bruce Jenner, member of the US decathlon team at the 1972 Summer Olympics,

returned home to Sandy Hook this week after finishing the two-day event in

tenth place. His javelin throw was the second best among the competitors and

his quarter mile was his best personal record. His strong performances on the

second day pulled him from the twenty-third position, where he stood after

seven events, to tenth. The decathlon consists of the 100-meter race, long

jump, shot put, high jump, 10-meter high hurdles, 400-meter race, discus, pole

vault, javelin and 1,500-meter race.

At its regular meeting this week, the Board of Education authorized

representatives of the Park & Recreation Commission to meet with

representatives of the St Rose Sports Guild to iron out differences concerning

the use of school facilities for civic activities. The problem with the use of

school buildings is as a result of budget cuts under which school buildings

will be opened on nights and weekends on a much more limited basis than

before.

Dan W. Lufkin, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental

Protection, will speak at the Newbury Congregational Church in Brookfield next

Tuesday. A resident of Newtown since 1967, Mr Lufkin founded Connecticut

Action Now, Inc, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to citizen

involvement in environmental protection and social change. He served

nationally as a member of the nine-man steering committee for Earth Day in

1970 and is a trustee of the Environmental Defense Fund.

SEPTEMBER 19, 1947

Last Friday's Democratic caucus, held in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town

Hall, was well attended. It was presided over by Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh, who

later tendered his resignation as Democratic Town Committee chairman, making

the recommendation of attorney John F. Holian as his successor. In the

nomination for the Board of Education, William A. Honan, who has served as

chairman for several years, won the nomination over Ellis Gladwin. Among the

other nominees were A. Fenn Dickinson for first selectman; Arthur E. McCollam,

second selectman; and Walter Gutman, town clerk.

The Newtown Visiting Nurse Association brought its annual drive for

memberships to an official close this week. Fifty-eight collectors covered the

town, which was divided into 38 divisions. A special gifts committee headed by

Gould Curtis solicited business establishments. Gifts and memberships

contributed ranged from 25 cents to $50, including a memorial given in the

name of Karl A. Minor. The drive netted nearly $2,000.

St Rose Church was the scene of a pretty wedding Saturday morning when nearly

300 relatives and friends gathered as Dorothy Marion Quinn, the daughter of Mr

and Mrs Hugh Quinn, became the bride of James Gordon Cavanaugh, son of Mr and

Mrs James Cavanaugh of the Botsford district. Marie Cavanaugh, sister of the

groom, was the maid of honor. The best man was Joseph Cavanaugh, brother of

the groom. The Rev Walter R. Conroy, pastor, performed the ceremony and

celebrated the nuptial Mass which followed. After the service, the bridal

party was the guest of Rev Conroy at a wedding breakfast in the rectory.

Afterwards a reception was held at the parish hall for the wedding guests.

Failure to make one or two timely hits cost the Newtown Bees Sunday's ball

game in the first in the two-out-of-three final series to determine the winner

in this year's Pomperaug Valley League. Bethany, the successful invaders of

Taylor Field, took home a well-earned 5-3 victory.

Charlotte H. Isham, teaching principal at Sandy Hook School for several years,

this fall began her new job as supervisor of instruction for the schools of

Newtown, Southbury, Woodbury and Bethlehem. Miss Isham is a graduate of

Danbury State Teachers College and has a master's degree from Yale. She has

taught school in Terryville, Harwinton and Litchfield, and has been principal

and first grade teacher at Sandy Hook School since 1943.

Mrs William A. Bowen, proprietor of the Hawley Manor, invites everyone to the

Harvest Suppers which will be held on Saturday nights in September, October

and November. Seatings are at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30. The buffet-style dinner is

$1.50. Reservations, please.