August 31, 2001

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — A PARADE TO REMEMBER: Go check the calendar on the refrigerator and notice how the squares are filling in on the other side of September 3. It's an ominous sign and more than a little unsettling for those of us still clomping summer sand out of our shoes ... Newtown's end-of-summer antidote to this powerful impulse to stay close to home is, of course, its Labor Day Parade. Since 1962, half of Newtown has poured itself down Main Street every Labor Day while the other half watched in an incredible ritual of seeing and being seen.

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Police report an accident between a motorcycle and a sport-utility vehicle about 9:45 am August 29 on Hawleyville Road, near the Hawleyville Post Office. Police said a 36-year-old female motorist from Sandy Hook was driving a 1997 Ford Explorer southbound on Hawleyville Road and then started to turn left to enter the post office parking lot. At that time, a 65-year-old male motorcyclist from Newtown was driving a 1999 Kawasaki northbound on Hawleyville Road. The two vehicles collided. Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported the motorcycle operator to Danbury Hospital for treatment of neck, shoulder, and leg injuries, police said. Police issued the driver of the SUV a written warning for failure to grant the right of way while making a left turn.

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The solemn silence Newtown schools faced over the summer ended Tuesday with the chaotic enthusiasm over 5,000 students brought to the hallways and classrooms as they entered the buildings for the first day of school. Bus engines hummed through the streets of Newtown, bringing the students to and from school. It was mostly smiles as the students arrived at school, joining their friends and heading off to class to begin the new year. Faculty and staff at all the schools worked hard over the summer to ensure a smooth opening for the first day of school. Principals are pleased with how all the hard work and dedication paid off.

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Town Players of Newtown will present the Connecticut premiere of Conor McPherson’s The Weir, a beautiful award-winning play hailed on both sides of the Atlantic as a modern classic. The play is set in a small bar in contemporary rural Ireland. Mr McPherson has said it was inspired by visits to his grandfather, who used to “tell me stories. And then when you’re lying in bed in the pitch-black silence of the Irish countryside it’s easy for the imagination to run riot.” Thus The Weir is full of ghost stories, as the bar’s regular customers pass an evening telling one another, and a woman newly arrived from Dublin, tales of fairies and hauntings.

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The Newtown Babe Ruth 10-year-old All Star baseball team might not have won any tournament championships, but it had a pretty successful summer season nevertheless. Under the guidance of long-time coach Ray Craven, the All Stars took third at the Bethel Jimmy Fund Tournament, were 2-2 in the Babe Ruth District Tournament, took third place at the Southbury Tournament, and earned a second-place trophy in the New Britain Tournament.

September 3, 1976

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — THIS LABOR DAY IN NEWTOWN: Regardless of whether it seems possible or not, Labor Day weekend is here. School will be starting in a matter of days, summer activities have come to a close, and we have been experiencing brisk mornings with lower than usual temperatures. And after all, Labor Day is not all that bad when one considers the activity it brings with it to Newtown. This year the town will again have its parade and an impressive line of march has been assembled. Bands, floats and marching units are scheduled to begin the trip down Main Street at 10:30 am, passing the reviewing stand opposite the Post Office and continuing on into the parking lots at the shopping center. It is expected that spectators will again line the streets to watch the activity and, according to the chairmen, a fine time is set for Monday.

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On Sunday, September 26, the Big Brothers will be serving a spaghetti dinner and providing entertainment for all interested Newtowners at the Methodist Church, Sandy Hook. Food will be served from 1-6 pm, or until everyone has eaten his or her fill! Humorous entertainment will be provided in the form of “out-takes” from the popular Star Trek T.V. series. Out-takes are movie scenes that are spoiled by mistakes made by the actors, and are good for plenty of laughs! Old time movies will also be shown. The admission price will be $2.25 for adults, and $1.25 for children age 13 years or younger.

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The Newtown Rotary Club’s annual flea market is coming up on Sunday, September 19, at the Newtown Middle School, rain or shine. Vendors will be exhibiting from 10 am to 5 pm.

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Newtown police are investigating a case of burglary in the third degree and larceny in the third which was reported from Christ the King Lutheran Church on August 30. According to the police report, sometime between the hours of 2 and 4 pm on that day, someone entered the church office by forcing a door to gain entry. Approximately $10 in cash was taken from a file cabinet drawer. The case is being investigated by Officer Richard Stook.

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“There is no doubt that the St. Rose Parish Carnival was the largest in its history despite two nights of threatening weather and one night in which it was totally rained out,” says Father William Thompson, associate pastor. Tremendous success was due to the fine teamwork of 240 parishioners who manned the booths. The new attraction this year was the expansion of the casino activities which brought a touch of Las Vegas to the carnival atmosphere.

August 31, 1951

The new nurse, Mrs Douglas Watson, engaged by the Newtown Visiting Nurse Association will take up her permanent duties here next Tuesday, September 4. She replaces Mrs Geoffrey Corson who leaves to join the Visiting Nurse staff in Philadelphia where her husband returns to his medical studies.

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The High School Building Committee met with the architects on Friday, August 24th, and discussed various details of the new high school building, working drawings for which have been in preparation since the special town meeting of June 20th authorized construction. Mr White told the committee that nine or ten men are working on the detailed drawings and specifications, and that it is expected the committee can call for bids early in November. On that basis H.H. Cutler, chairman of the committee, believes that it should be possible to let the contract about December first, and have the school ready for use late in 1952 or early in 1953, provided the war situation allows ready access to the materials required.

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The first meeting of the Newtown Garden Club will be held at the home of Mrs Jacob L. Steisel, Old Mill Road, Berkshire District, on Tuesday, September 11, at 12:30 p.m. Members are asked to bring a box lunch, and dessert and beverage will be furnished. Backers of the new organization say that the local garden club will appeal to both the green-thumb gardener and the novice or experienced flower arranger. A certificate of organization was recently recorded at the Town Clerk’s office by the group's founder, Mrs Steisel.

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Members of the Sandy Hook Fife, Drum and Bugle Corps will be present on the streets of Newtown this Saturday marking their tag day by selling their tags to townspeople to raise funds for general expenses. The corps expects to take part in a number of out-of-town competitions in the near future.

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Following its public presentation of the operetta “Hansel and Gretel” last Saturday night, the final vacationing group at Fredericka House, Sandy Hook, returned to New York City on Wednesday. Fredericka House is the summer camp of the First Presbyterian Church, New York City, and the group which presented the play last Saturday is the third party of 40 members each which has enjoyed three-weeks vacations in Newtown this summer.

September 3, 1926

The clam bake of the Newtown Hook & Ladder Co., was held on the grounds just outside the Castle property on the hill, Sunday afternoon. The tables were set on lawn on the east side of the castle, where the diners had before them the beautiful view of the village of Newtown and the valley beyond. The weather was ideal and the bake, served under the direction of Bill Parker of the Parker House, assisted by Josiah Tilson, was simply perfect.

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One of the most pleasing events of the season, both socially and financially, was the Calico Ball, held on Saturday evening at the Town hall, for the benefit of the Newtown library. Over 200 people attended with over two-thirds of those attending in costume. Many of the costumes worn by the ladies were particularly attractive.

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On Saturday afternoon the annual picnic of Pootatuck Grange was held at Putnam Park, with over 50 members and friends present. Dinner was served on the veranda of the large pavilion and was one of the finest that the local Grange has enjoyed.

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Commissioner and Mrs Philo T. Platt have been in Philadelphia, Pa., for a few days attending the Sesqui-Centennial exposition.

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E.A. Wilson has sold his farm in Zoar to Charles A. Amend of New York City, who expects to make this his summer home. The sale was made through Stanley Botsford, real estate agent, of Stepney.

September 6, 1901

The premium list for the sixth annual fair of the Newtown Agricultural society has just been issued from the press of The Bee Publishing Co. Although The Bee people are naturally overstocked with modesty it may be said that the book is a model of typographical neatness, and is satisfactory to the fair officials. The Newtown fair is always a success and is going to be this year; bear this fact in mind.

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Another interesting relic of the siege of Vicksburg we have just had the pleasure of examining ... It is a wooden canteen. There were quite a number of articles that the people of the South were unable to procure during the war ... Most of the rebel soldiers had wooden canteens. The owner of the one we speak of accosted one of the soldiers and asked him if he “would swap canteen?” To this he readily agreed, as our canteens were nicely shaped ones, made of tin, and neatly covered with cloth ... That soldier would now, if alive, give a good deal of money to have his canteen back. The present owner that night took his knife and cut into the wood on one side the following; “Captured at Vicksburg, Miss., July 4, 1863.” ... The canteen will be on exhibition at The Bee office for a few days.

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Mrs W.H. Post and Master Clark Post of Kent have visited Mrs Wolcott. From Newtown they visited Samuel Post at Bennett’s Bridge.

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The condition of certain sections of the sidewalks in Newtown street is very bad. If the owners of the property in question could hear the uncomplimentary remarks made by our summer visitors, and residents too, they would hasten to make the needed repairs.

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A farewell service in honor of A.B. Fancher, the faithful superintendent of the Hawleyville Sunday school, was held on Tuesday evening, the chapel being well filled by the representative people of the community. E.C. Platt, president of the Chapel association, was the chairman of the meeting, and acquitted himself with credit. Mrs O.F. Terrill presided at the organ and after an opening song and a prayer by Rev Mr Barker, Rev Mr Linsley was introduced. Mr Linsley delivered an admirable address in language most happily chosen.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by readers of The Newtown Bee. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people and details as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.