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WAY WE WERE

APRIL 6, 1973

Edward A. Napier, a Southbury construction engineer, was appointed road

superintendent by the Board of Selectmen Tuesday evening to fill the post

vacant since the death of Richard Monckton last October 27. First Selectman

Frank DeLucia's announcement of the appointment followed publication of a

statement last week by his opponent in the May 7 election, Gerald Frawley,

taking the first selectman to task for leaving the highway post unfilled for

so long. Mr DeLucia said he was interviewing 10 applicants and the job was

"too important to make a political statement."

* * * * *

The Newtown-Brookfield Junior Woman's Club has voted to join the other 45

junior woman's clubs in the state in a meat-buying boycott. Mrs Robert M.

Silva, president of the local club, said the boycott during the first week of

April is to protest the steadily rising cost of meat and the whole

inflationary trend in the United States. In addition to the boycott, club

members are distributing meatless recipes to the public and are urging

residents to sign their names on supermarket cash register tapes and send them

to President Nixon. Meanwhile, in Sandy Hook, a sign reading "All Meat Sales

Are Confidential" was hung in Hawley Warner's Store.

* * * * *

A proposed ordinance for regulating Newtown's wetlands was presented to the

Board of Selectmen Tuesday evening by Theodore G. Whippie, chairman of the

Conservation Commission and the board set April 25 as the date for a public

hearing on it. Mr Whippie said the ordinance would give the Conservation

Commission authority to determine what wetlands and water courses in the town

required protection, and to draw up and enforce regulations for protecting

them. The regulations also must be heard at a public hearing and all must be

adopted at a town meeting.

* * * * *

The completed environmental impact statement describing proposed improvements

to the Rochambeau Bridge and 2.5 miles of I-84 was made public this week. The

improvements will consist of widening the highway to bring it up to current

federal standards, and building a new bridge alongside the Rochambeau to carry

westbound traffic. The existing bridge will become one-way eastbound. Work

will begin after the work now underway east of Exit 10 is completed.

* * * * *

School Superintendent James Boyd appealed for public support of the Board of

Education's proposed 1973-74 budget. Dr Boyd released an analysis of the

budget showing that nearly half of the increase over the current year, or

$220,000, is represented by requests for additional teachers and

administrative staff. Proposed expenditures for textbooks, audio-visual

materials, and other instructional supplies show an increase of less than

$27,000, part of which is accounted for by higher prices. Increases in fixed

charges, maintenance and operation of the plant amount to $99,164.

* * * * *

It took a while but as of Saturday the flagpole in the center of town finally

was looking much like its old self, and even a little better since it had a

coat of paint and a newly gilded ball on top. George LaCroix of Newtown

Welding and Equipment Service was responsible for most of the repair and

welding work on the ball under the direction of Police Sgt Michael Fekete. On

Saturday the big crane from Bartlett Tree Service came to town and the task of

replacing the ball was completed.

* * * * *

The State Motor Vehicle Department says 59 percent of vehicles checked March

30 and 31 in Newtown were found to have defective equipment. The department's

six-member spot inspection team checked a total of 271 automobiles at sites on

Route 25. Results showed 161 failed the inspection and were issued defective

equipment warnings. These motorists must have their cars' defects corrected

within 10 days. The roadside inspection includes at least 22 separate items on

the car. This inspection found 10 defective brakes, 41 defective tires, and 25

defective muffler systems. Local police also made 13 arrests at the inspection

sites for improper markers, unregistered vehicles, drivers operating with

suspended licenses, and other infractions.

April 9, 1948

Artists of the Newtown area have been asked to contribute pieces of their work

for the Children's Crusade, United Nation's Appeal for Children. The auction

is scheduled to be held in the gymnasium of Edmond Town hall on May 29.

Artists who have already donated include Elizabeth Bohannon, Paul Frame, Freda

Ettinger, Rea Irvin, Mrs Stockton Mulford, Mrs Walter Klavun, Robert Raynolds,

Eberhard and Madeline von Jarochowski, Henry Schnakenberg, George and Dorathea

Thompason, Mrs Robert Stokes, and Reuben Fogelson.

* * * * *

A kindergarten sponsored by the Congregational Church of Newtown will begin on

April 13 and continue for 10 weeks until June 18. All children who were four

years old by January 1, 1948, are invited to attend until the registration

reaches 20. The class will meet on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9 to noon

under the supervision of Mrs Robert Pierson Stokes. Mrs Stokes is a graduate

of Winthrop College where she majored in psychology and kindergarten-primary

education. She received her master's degree from New York University in

religious education and has several years of teaching and social group work

experience.

* * * *

Licensed veterinarians, by an act of the General Assembly, are authorized to

tattoo identification numbers on dogs for a fee not to exceed $1 each. The

numbers are to be registered with the Farms and Markets Department.

Identification of lost dogs is expected to be facilitated under this system.

This pioneering law also requires that any person who finds a stray dog that

has been tattooed must report it to the proper authorities within 48 hours.

Officials believe this may help reduce the number of valuable dogs that are

stolen each year.

* * * *

Playwright Laurence Eyre has been a guest at the Hawley Manor for the past

week. Mr Eyre is best known for his play Mis' Nelly of N'Orleans , written at

the request of the late Mrs Fiske and played by her for three seasons. It was

played in London by Irene Vanbrugh. At luncheon this past week, Mr Eyre

entertained the famous singer Miss Geraldine Farrar and Miss Christine Biddle,

both of Ridgefield.

* * * * *

W.M. McKenzie was awarded the Pierpont Edwards Medal for distinguished Masonic

service at the annual Communication of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Connecticut

at Hartford. The presentation was made by Alvin B. Coger, past master of Hiram

Lodge No 18 AF&AM. Other Newtown Masons in attendance were Kenneth Shaw, Ben

Day Smith, and Hoyt Johnson, delegates from Hiram Lodge.

* * * * *

Morris Tyler, counsel for the Regional School District No 3 Board of

Education, announced this week that the Connecticut Supreme Court has

scheduled a hearing on the board's suit against the towns of Newtown and

Bethlehem in the court chambers in the State Capitol on Friday afternoon at 2

o'clock.

* * * * *

At the Newtown Mothers Club college whist on Tuesday night in the social rooms

of Trinity Church, there was a large turnout of members and guests, so large

that the play comprised 19 tables, or 76 persons. Prizes were awarded and

refreshments served at the close of the evening.

* * * * *

Mrs Charles F. Hawley of Sandy Hook has resigned her position at Knapp and

Trull's store where she has been employed for the past two years. She will

assist Mr Hawley and son, Robert, proprietors of the Sylvan Crest Market in

Bridgeport.