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WAY WE WERE FOR OCTOBER 24, 1997

OCTOBER 27, 1972

The new Newtown High School opened for classes in September 1970 and ever

since then there have been problems with the heating and ventilating system in

the windowless central core classroom area, noise created by the air cooling

system in the auditorium, and condensation and humidity in the pool area. This

week the consulting engineering firm of Abrams, Moses and Solomon reported

that their study has found serious problems which need to be corrected. The

total cost for the work on the building's mechanical systems is estimated at

$152,000 to $169,000. The Board of Education will study the report and discuss

what action will be taken at a future meeting.

The Newtown teachers' contract was filed in the town clerk's office this week

following almost a year of negotiations which included mediation and

arbitration followed by more negotiations. It was ratified by a close vote of

the teachers, 124 to 120, on October 18. One of the main disputes in the

negotiations was the teachers' demand for binding arbitration in grievance

procedures. This was considered unacceptable by the arbitrators and was not

included in the contract. The contract calls for an overall salary increase of

four and one half percent, including salaries and increments. With the total

benefit package included, the increase will amount to five and a quarter

percent. The town needs an extra $126,000 to pay for the increases but has

only $72,000 in its present budget. A town meeting must be called within 30

days to vote on the contract.

One of Newtown's most well-known residents, John Sedor of Mt Pleasant Road,

died October 19 in Yale-New Haven Hospital following a long illness. He was

63. Mr Sedor was a very active member of the community, serving as dog warden

since 1939. He also was a special constable, a member and officer of the

Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company and one of the founders of the Newtown

Volunteer Ambulance Association. He served as deputy fire marshal and a member

of the Board of Fire Commissioners. A building contractor, he was a member of

the Newtown Board of Realtors until illness forced his retirement. Flags in

town were flown at half staff in honor of his memory.

Voters in Newtown and Sandy Hook will go to the polls on November 7 to

participate in the election of twice as many congressmen and state senators as

ever before, and for the first time in the history of the present Town

Charter, they will cast their ballots in five separate voting districts

instead of two. These changers forced the appropriation of $4,000 by a town

meeting on October 25 to pay for the preparation of new voting lists. As a

result of the redistricting, Newtown and Sandy Hook no longer will be

represented by only one congressman and state senator. There will be two of

each. But all of Newtown and Sandy Hook will be in the same state house

district, where incumbent Sarah Frances Curtis, a Republican, is running for

her ninth term against Democratic challenger Robert R. Freeston of Sandy Hook.

The Old Rock Road Corporation, which is proposing to build a horse racing

track in Newtown, said it chose the town because of its location in the

"Golden Corridor" between New York and Boston. This is an area of prime real

estate, an area into which people are migrating, bringing with them

businesses, industry, homes, commercial centers and recreational

opportunities, the corporation officers said. The proposed facility can serve

a wide market because nearly nine million people live within a maximum drive

of Newtown. The third major reason why Newtown was selected was because there

is enough available land here to not only establish the race track facilities

but also support services which will accompany it. The accessibility to major

highways and the aesthetically pleasing countryside also were factors in

picking Newtown as the site.

The Exchange Club of Newtown is planning to have its first annual Citizenship

Awards dinner at the Hawley Manor Inn on November 16. This first awards dinner

will honor Bruce Jenner for his athletic achievement while representing the

United States in the 1972 decathlon competition of the World Olympic games in

Munich.

OCTOBER 24, 1947

The Board of Education of Regional High School District No 3 is considering

what action to take as a result of an October 10 town meeting at which Newtown

voters decided, by a 27-vote margin, to withdraw from the planned regional

high school. At its meeting last Thursday, the regional board named Robert

Clark of Newtown as its chairman, Mrs Gordon Schielke of Southbury as

secretary, and Leonard Saccio of Bethlehem as treasurer. The board said it

will meet with town officials and appeal for public support in all towns in

the district. The board also referred to a letter from Dr Alonzo Grace, state

commissioner of education, in which he said no town can withdraw from the

district without an act of the legislature. He also said all towns are legally

responsible for a proportionate share of expense until the district is

dissolved.

Fire extensively damaged the house of Mr and Mrs Walter B. Klavun on South

Main Street Friday night. Flames were shooting out of the roof when the fire

was reported by a neighbor, but Mrs Klavun and her three children escaped

unharmed. During the fire Mr Klavun alighted from the Bridgeport-Newtown bus

in front of his home. Knowing that his six-year-old son slept in the attic

bedroom, he rushed into the house but soon learned that everyone had escaped

safely. The Klavuns own the Castle Hill Property -- the site of Castle Ronald

-- and are developing it. The family spent the night with neighbors, then sent

two of their boys to stay with Mrs Klavuns's parents at their farm in New

Hampshire until they decide what to do about the fire damage and where they

will live.

Gov McConaughy has closed all the state woodlands and hunting has been

suspended temporarily to eliminate the hazard of fire. This move was the

result of continued drought throughout the eastern seaboard. The other New

England states and northern New York had already affected the ban when, on

Monday night, the official announcement was made in Hartford. With the whole

countryside as dry as a tinderbox, local residents also are cautioned to

exercise every caution, particularly with lighted cigarettes. The burning of

leaves constitutes a very grave hazard and should be done with utmost care, if

at all.

The October issue of True Romance contains an article and a number of colored

photos of the two-room apartment of Mr and Mrs Clarence B. Naramore, Jr, on

Greenwood Avenue in Bethel. In the article, Mrs Marni Wood of Dodgingtown, the

author, pointed out many of the clever ideas Mrs Naramore had in decorating

the apartment.

Plans have begun to compile a permanent list of men and women who served in

the armed forces during World War II. A resolution approved at the town

meeting on October 6 authorized a committee to enter into contracts for, and

have erected, at the site of Newtown's war monument, an honor roll to

commemorate the veterans. The honor roll is not to exceed a cost of $3,000.

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

Harvest Suppers which are being held on Saturday nights through November.

Seatings are 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30. The buffet-style dinner is $1.50.

Reservations, please.