After a story in last week’s Bee about the influx of a new contagious, intestinal dog disease called parvovirus, concerned dog owners have been flocking to Newtown veterinarians to get their animals vaccinated.

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Parents of teenagers will have an interesting opportunity to become familiar with some early warning signs of drug and alcohol abuse at a seminar sponsored by the Newtown Police Department. Although the “For Parents Only” program, which includes the “most shocking film to date” is aimed at parents of freshmen, Youth Officer Sgt Ray Paccadolmi said all parents and interested adults are encouraged to come.

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Davey Brothers open Sandy Hook Deli and with their families will be running a deli-grocery store in the historic building on Riverside Road, just a few hundred feet from where the original Davey Brothers operated a grocery store in the early 1900s.

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Police are investigating an explosion which destroyed a mailbox in front of the Chase Building on Main Street Saturday night, August 30, 11:55 pm. Lt Michael DeJoseph said the explosion was probably caused by an M-100 firecracker, which is illegal in Connecticut, and which has the power of about one-quarter stick of dynamite.

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Commission Explains Position On Town Hall South Toilets: In an attempt to clarify its position on the proposed change in the toilets for the Town Hall South, the Conservation Commission has voted to send two letters to town officials. It was learned by the Public Building Committee that the two-quart air compressed toilets the Commission said must be used could not be installed.

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The last three weeks have been successful ones for Open Gate Farm’s growing show team. Three weeks ago in a S&L Productions Show, Renee Heinecke was champion with Sunday’s Child in the pony hunter class, and Lynda Boynton and her mount, Kitty Bar West, took reserve champion in the local hunter.

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A Charles Batchelder Company employee caught his foot in a conveyor belt at the smelting plant Wednesday morning, September 3, and the Newtown Hook and Ladder rescue truck and Newtown Ambulance were summoned to the scene. Stanley Bullard, Batchelder engineer, said x-rays revealed Mr Seavey’s foot was sprained and that his safety shoe, rather than his foot, was caught.

September 9, 1955

Electors of Newtown are called to receive and act upon a petition for a referendum which would legalize raffles and other games of chance, at a special town meeting next Friday evening September 16 at 8 o’clock in Edmond Town Hall.

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The committee responsible for the success of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Newtown held a meeting at Edmond Town Hall last Tuesday night. The one piece of new business was the appropriation of $700 of the money remaining from the celebration fund for the publication of a souvenir booklet. An edition of from 500 to 1,000 copies will be printed.

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 To step up the intensive campaign to win the October election, the Democrats of Newtown will hold a big picnic at the home of James N. Greene, Taunton Hill Road, this Sunday, September 11. The occasion will give the voters of Newtown the opportunity to meet their candidates.

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 The requested budgets of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education for the fiscal year 1955-56, totaling $691,686.58, will be reviewed by the Board of Finance in a public hearing September 13. The combined budgets as requested are approximately 15 percent higher than the approved budgets of the current fiscal year.

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Major increases in the Board of Education’s requested budget are found in faculty salaries, increased from $189,550 to $231,700 and transportation, $41,403 to $46,225.

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Enlarged accommodations at Hawley School have been provided by altering the two former locker rooms and the vocational agriculture room to classrooms. The auditorium is also used as a classroom for the first time. This expansion has been found necessary until the new elementary school at Sandy Hook is completed.

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The Sandy Hook Drum Corps is enlarging slowly and we would like to see more of the children in town sign up. If there are any children in town who wish to join up the Drum Corps please come to the Sandy Hook fire house any Tuesday night.

September 5, 1930

In the down pour of rain and furious wind and thunder storm which visited Newtown, Tuesday afternoon, one of the majestic and beautiful elm trees in front of the Smith-Scudder residence, blew across the state highway. Supervisor Knight of the public schools, was passing slowly in the storm as the tree fell and the rear of his car was damaged some. It was a right fortunate escape for the schoolman.

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 MOVING PICTURES AT THE EDMOND TOWN HALL: On Saturday evening “The Floradora Girl” with Marion Davies as the lead will be shown. This picture upon its release met with instant success and in many theatres it was necessary to hold the picture over.

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Contractor Joseph Collins began work, Wednesday, repairing the damage caused by the large maple tree which was blown over on to Martin Troy’s house in Tuesday afternoon’s storm. The neighbors rallied, Tuesday evening, and helped Mr Troy chop the tree free from the house.

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Miss Myra Warner, John Beers, Mr and Mrs Ernest Sandford, Marvin Sanford and Bert Beers are enjoying a trip around the Cape Cod in Bert Beers’ new eight cylinder Buick car.

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The last group of children from the Fredericka House, Sandy Hook, returned to New York, Wednesday, going by New England bus to Danbury, where they boarded the express train for New York.

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REV MR CULLENS WITH EIGHT LOCAL BOYS TAKES A SHORT CAMPING TRIP. Boys Have a Splendid and Glorious Time. The first night was spent at Lake Pontoosic in the heart of the Berkshire hills. There were many things which were lacking during the trip but energy and enthusiasm were not among them.

September 8, 1905

Peter Lorillard Ronalds, “Father of American Coaching” as he is often called, is to bid farewell to four-in-hands and become a votary of automobiling. He will soon buy a high power machine and make a tour of the principal seacoast towns of Europe. Then he will return to the United States, where he will convert the automobile into what he calls a “land yacht,” and spend next summer traveling about New England. Starting from his country home, Castle Ronalds, at Newtown, Conn., he will proceed as far as the northern part of Maine.

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The dance at Town hall, Monday night, for the benefit of the baseball team, was fairly well attended. About 90 tickets were sold, and dancing was enjoyed to music furnished by Gallagher and Bishop.

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In regular church meeting assembled, we the members of the Congregational church of Newtown, desire to place on our permanent records a minute of the profound regret and grief occasioned by the resignation of him who for 12 years has been our spiritual teacher and leader, Rev Otis W. Barker.

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Pootatuck Grange has voted to get up a decorated wagon for the Newtown fair and a committee has been appointed.

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About 100 men were present at Sandy Hook, Wednesday noon, when the property of the Sandy Hook Woolen Co. was sold at auction at $1475 to S.W. Gledhill of Bridgeport. The sale does not include the moveable machinery. The factory has a long history. About 63 years ago Beecher and Tucker manufactured satinet. Then the Blackman Manufacturing Co. made horse blankets. The factory was rebuilt in 1881 by the Niantic Mill Co., who manufactured ladies’ dress goods and blankets. About 10 years ago James Broadhead, Sr, formed the Sandy Hook Woolen Co., and ran the mill with a few hands for four or five years.

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About 65 of the friends of Mr and Mrs William E. Sturges of Great Plain gathered at their home on Tuesday evening, September 5, to help them celebrate the fifth anniversary of their marriage. The company was delightfully entertained wit banjo solos by James Sparks and a vocal solo by Mrs Dora Taylor.