September 20, 1991*********September 9, 1966*********September 5, 1941*********September 8, 1916*********Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.

BRIDGEPORT - It took 23 days of sitting on a pole, but Joe O'Sullivan won the pole-sitting contest on Long Island Sound. On Sunday, September 15, at about 4 pm, Joe, a Sandy Hook resident, was sitting in his white plastic chair on top of a pole affixed to a floating dock in the Captain's Cove marina. It was raining and Joe figured that the contest would continue for another week or two. Then, the other finalist, Ray Swift, a Milford cop, told Joe that in 25 minutes he was coming down from his chair for good. Ray's wife Carole and their children apparently wanted him to come home. And besides, through all this pole sitting Ray had already raised $9,200 for the National Sclerosis Foundation.

Although the escape of inmates from the state's substance abuse treatment unit in Newtown is nothing new, Monday's early morning escape of two inmates raised more than concern among town officials when Newtown police were not immediately notified. "I'm alarmed," said police Chief Michael DeJoseph. "Yesterday one of my officers confronted these two individuals and was unaware they were escaped felons. These were two people with serious criminal histories." Yet, the police department was never notified until well after the fact. Both men were apprehended and turned over to state police officers from Troop A in Southbury.

Police are investigating the cause of the start of a fire that destroyed a garage on Hemlock Trail on September 15. Sgt Henry Stormer, who is also deputy fire marshal, said the garage is owned by Gary McGinnis, who lives in the house at the same address. Sandy Hook Chief Bill Halstead said the garage fire was fully involved when firefighters arrived but it didn't take long to get it under control. Sgt Stormer said he didn't know what caused the fire.

It may seem the height of folly to sit on a pole for three weeks as Joe O'Sullivan of Sandy Hook did recently at Captain's Cove. He certainly could have earned as much as the $1,000 prize he won by working the same period of time. So Why do It? Why would a person subject himself to discomfort and fatigue and the unpredictable late summer weather when there is really nothing to gain? After hearing what he had to say in the middle of his epic sit, we realized that it is not what a pole sitter does but what a pole sitter thinks that is most important. He read a compendium of western philosophy and reflected on its relevance to him. Self-discipline, Joe said, would enable him to outlast his rival pole sitter.

Labor Day saw the conclusion of the most successful Progress Festival to date. Despite the fact that Sunday's programs had to grant priority to much-needed rain, the three-day program set a record for both participation and spectators according to Newtown Progress Committee Chairman Timothy Treadwell. More than 500 of Newtown's younger generation of both sexes danced in the drizzle on Saturday evening at Dickinson Park to listen to the music of the Uncalled Four, to watch the Rocking Roosters, and to demonstrate their own versions of modern dance.

The Sandy Hook Hotel Softball Team, managed and captained by Ray Milot, defeated the Three Gables Restaurant Team of Southbury in the best of two out of three on Tuesday by a score of 8 to 7. Richard Carmody led the team in battling while George Metcalf was the standout for the Three Gables.

Sometimes there is more reward for virtue than just itself. Three honest little girls in town know that for sure. Maryann Federko found some bills on the street across from The Bee, and Maureen Shanahan and Marlene Yurgilevich found some money in the Edmond Town Hall theater. Each reported her find and left it for safekeeping, publicized the finds, and waited. After the longest two weeks in history, three happy girls with the widest smiles, have fatter savings accounts and that lovely pat-me-on-the-back feeling that comes from virtue's reward.

Fairfield Hills Hospital Patients' Field Day. Volunteer Corps members are asked to assist at the annual Patients' Field Day, Tuesday, September 27. The event, to take place on the softball field next to Kent House on the hospital grounds, includes sports and all types of races. There will also be booths for games of skill and refreshments.

Schools opened on Wednesday morning for the fall term with a record attendance, particularly at Hawley School. Despite the fact that the sixth grade pupils, numbering 22, have been moved by the school board to the Flat Swamp School, the figures at Hawley School show a total of 319 students, with 14 or more other pupils expected to report within the next few days. The total figure at Hawley last year and including the sixth grade, was 329. Grades 1 and 2 have been combined in one room, and grades 3 and 4 in another, with a number of fourth grade pupils being moved to the fifth grade room. Practically every room will be filled to capacity, with the auditorium as home room for 21 pupils.

Now that Labor Day has passed, boys and girls are back at their books, and many of our summer residents are trooping back to the cities. For those who leave Newtown, not to return until another summer, we remind them that a fall day in the country is one of the rarest of treats. To us, it seems the choicest season of the year. So we urge our summer friends to come back a time or two if for nothing else than to enjoy the beauty of nature amid the bright hues of Connecticut foliage lit by the October sun. It's a real fall tonic.

The Newtown Country Club was the scene of much activity over Labor Day weekend, with golf the leading feature. A number of tournaments were held, aside from the fall handicap event, which has been in progress for the past few weeks. All told the course received a lot of play over the three days.

The campaign to raise $3,500 for an ambulance for Newtown, sponsored by the Rotary Club has now reached a total of $1,150 in response to the letters of appeal which were recently mailed to Newtown residents. Canvassers are now at work soliciting those who have not yet donated, with the hope that everyone in town will make some sort of contribution.

Mrs Helen Shine, who boards at David Epstein's in Huntington district, complained to Juror Gannon that Benjamin Rosenburg had assaulted her last Saturday. He was arraigned before Justice P.H. McCarthy. It looked as if Justice McCarthy would have to ask the town fathers for an appropriation for a new court house as the influx from Huntington district overflowed the upper story of the brick building. Deputy Sheriff Morris Beers noted 14 persons riding in a one-horse wagon and as a humane officer he ordered four of the heavy weights to walk home. After a spirited examination of a dozen witnesses by the lawyers and a scathing summing up from each side, Justice McCarthy imposed a fine of $5 and costs on Rosenburg.

Nathan Edwards, an employee of William S. Hawley of Hawleyville, was arrested Tuesday and brought before Justice McCarthy charged with assault upon Stephen Sedor, a peaceful citizen of Wheelertown. Evidence showed that Edwards had been drinking heavily and was not aware that the offense committed was serious as he stopped Sedor on the road and demanded money. The prosecutor recommended leniency as it was a first offense and Justice McCarthy imposed a fine of $5 and put Edwards on probation for six months. The fine and costs were paid by his employer, Mr Hawley.

The famous Maxwell experts Charles Cavanaugh and Arthur Fairchild, and their friend Gus of the Linotype, all members of the Bee staff, spent the weekend at Green Pond in Sherman. They had a good time including a R.I. shore dinner on Sunday. If any fishing party wants a guide, call in Arthur. While Charles and Gus built the fire and got the coffee ready for breakfast, Arthur caught fish enough for the party.

Six years ago E.J. Thrall, Jr, started in Berkshire in the shoe business. For three years he has been conducting a successful lunch business at Sandy Hook. Beginning Wednesday he will add a line of fish, oysters, and vegetables, which will be appreciated by the public. Mr Thrall will carry an assortment and give the public good service. He appreciates the patronage and hopes for a continuance of the same in his new line.