September 15, 2000

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Margareta Kotch

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Workers from Connecticut Bomanite Company laid down 230 feet of new sidewalk in front of the Budd House at 50 Main Street this week. The project is being paid for through the Borough of Newtown budget and is being headed by Jay Maher of 9 Glover Avenue. The overall plan is to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment within the center of town. The borough has proposed the repair of existing sidewalks and the addition of 3,500 feet of new sidewalk within an inner loop of the borough. The total project is estimated to cost $200,000, 75 percent of which the town has been asked to pay for through Local Capital Improvement funds.

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The town clerk’s office had some much-needed shelving installed in its crowded vault late last week. Town Clerk Cindy Simon believes the new slide shelving will provide enough storage to get Newtown through the next seven years. The future remains uncertain after that. The shelves now hold the 650 books containing the town’s land records, taking the place of the less practical roller shelving. The town clerk’s office fills a book on average of every three weeks. That’s a total of 17 books per year.

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The Newtown School Board approved five recommendations by Superintendent of Schools John Reed at their meeting Tuesday evening at the district office. The board unanimously approved the following curricula: Integrated Math I, Computer Repair II and III, Graphic Arts Industries I and II, Video Productions I, II, and III, Social Studies, Grade 3, and Conflict Resolution — Kindergarten.

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A new field, new concession stand, new lights ... and now a new scoreboard. The picture is nearly perfect at the Newtown High School football stadium with the installation — thanks, once again, to Pepsi — of a brand new scoreboard. It has not been officially tested as of this writing, but it should be operational come Friday, September 22, when the Nighthawks host Bunnell in a pivotal South-West Conference football game.

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A new program for middle school girls is being offered this year through the Parks & Recreation Department. It is designed to enrich the mind, body, and soul through a variety of activities. “Project Aspire” is the brainchild of longtime Newtown resident Lin Hertberg, who has spent much of his life coaching girls at the middle school level. Having raised three daughters of his own, he understands the importance of developing 11, 12, 13, and 14-year old girls’ athletic, leadership, and cooperative skills in a fun and exciting environment. Mr Hertberg believes the program will be worthwhile to youngsters, especially since activities will be based on the students’ input.

September 12, 1975

The Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the application of Newtown Housing for The Elderly Inc for a special exception to construct a 40-unit complex of housing for the elderly on a 20-acre tract of land off Nunnawauk Road.

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A petition carrying more than 100 signatures requested the Park and Recreation Department to keep the swimming pool in Dickinson Town Park open “at least weekends” in September, but by the time the Park and Recreation Commission met to discuss the petition, Park Superintendent Arthur Bennett had already pulled the plug. ... Since there are no lifeguards available for duty this fall, and since Mr Bennett had already “taken down” the water in the pool, the commissioners decided at their September 9 meeting it would be impractical to comply with the request this year.

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The Board of Education has announced its policy for free and reduced-price lunches and-or free milk for children unable to pay the full price of lunches and milk served under the National School Lunch and Special Milk programs. School officials have adopted family size and income criteria for determining eligibility and this information is on file with the office of the superintendent of schools and in each school office.

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George C. Fowler of Deerfield Drive, Newtown, has been elected Vice President—Membership of the Hartford chapter of the National Association of Accountants. Mr Fowler is a tax analyst at WARNACO Inc in Bridgeport. He has a bachelors degree in accounting from the Central Connecticut State College and is currently an MBA candidate at University of Connecticut. Mr Fowler is married to the former Sharyn L. Cornut and they have two children, Julie (7) and Christopher (5).

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Newtown Country Club had its traditional and popular three-day member-guest tourney during the weekend with the first rounds being played on Friday, September 5, and the finals on Sunday. Winners of the tourney, for the championship flight, were member Bob Melvin and guest Cas Weiner, who beat out the team of member Lou Iasiello and guest Tony Barbaras to take the honors.

September 8, 1950

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — DO BE GENEROUS: The current season for drives in Newtown includes appeals for the Visiting Nurse Association and the Newtown Ambulance Association. We mention them together because they have come, one on top of the other. We hope, however, that this double solicitation will not discourage anyone from contributing to both. In our opinion, they are two of the town’s most worthy projects. The work of our visiting nurse has long been a real help throughout the town, and our ambulance finds more calls on its busy schedule as time goes on. So do be generous to the V.N.A., and to the Ambulance Association. They represent the best in local efforts to meet our own needs, and everyone should feel it both an obligation and a privilege to give toward their support.

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Work, which was started on July 22, for an addition to The Bee office is progressing rapidly ... On Tuesday and Wednesday the steel was put in place by the Connecticut Steel Company of New Haven, and the Dox planking was laid at the same time by the Plasticrete Corp., of New Haven. A large crane with 85-foot boom was used to lift the heavy pieces. John Stefanko, general contractor of Sandy Hook, and his men are now busy laying the first floor walls. The Bee staff is looking forward to its enlarged quarters and “Johnnie” promises it to them soon.

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Last Thursday evening’s special town meeting, with an attendance of 200 voters and taxpayers, provided considerable debate on the part of many speakers, but in the end voted to purchase a site for a new high school in Newtown and named a building committee of nine members to proceed with the project. The meeting was held in the theatre and lasted almost three hours. Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh was named chairman and capably conducted the meeting in the face of many technicalities in parliamentary procedure. As the first item of business, a report was read by Raymond L. Hall, secretary of the Newtown Board of Education, in which was given a detailed summary of the work of the Building Site Committee and its recommendations.

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At the annual meeting of the trustees of the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, held Tuesday evening, September 5, Mortimer B. Smith was elected president, succeeding Raymond B. Fosdick who resigned because of the pressure of out-of-town obligations. Mr Fosdick was elected vice-president, a position which Mr Smith had previously held. The board re-elected Mrs Alice H. Carroll as secretary and H. Carlton Hubbell as treasurer.

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It was a pleasure to receive a call at The Bee office on Friday afternoon from Mrs Louise Gordon of Brooklyn, N.Y., who for a number of years made her home in Newtown. She was accompanied by her two grandsons, James Gordon Treacy of Brooklyn, and Jean B. Treacy, who has just recently graduated from the University of Alabama, where he majored in journalism. Mrs Gordon’s great grandson, Stephen Lee Treacy, son of Mr and Mrs Jean Treacy, completed the party. While in Newtown, Mrs Gordon took the opportunity to call on a number of her old friends who enjoyed very much seeing her again. Her last visit to Newtown was 18 years ago at the time of the death of her daughter, Doretta Gordon Treacy, whose grave is in the St. Rose Cemetery at Sandy Hook.

September 11, 1925

The Grange Dramatic Club scored a signal and notable success in Dana Stevens’ four act play, “Plain People.” The Town Hall, Monday night, was filled and if the weather had been more favorable the hall would have been crowded. Charles F. Cavanaugh in the rural part of “Bromley,” the storekeeper, was particularly good, and Mrs Ada Blakeman as “Melissey Watkins,” carried off the honors. The entire cast deserve a special word of commendation and a second presentation would surely fill the hall. The play was given under the able direction of Mrs H. N. Tiemann, Sr. The Palais Royal orchestra played for the dancing.

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The Visiting Nurse Association Board of Directors are in communication with Miss Margaret K. Stack of Hartford, director of Public Health Nursing in the State in regard to supplying a nurse for Newtown, to take the place of Miss Eileen Finkle, who has just resigned. In the meantime, the work will be in charge of Miss Gerda Anderson of Bethlehem, who was public health nurse here two years ago. Miss Anderson will come for a month, beginning her duties September 14.

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At the Baby Beef auction held at the Connecticut State Fair in Hartford on Wednesday, Willson Reynolds sold his Grand Champion Aberdeen-Angus steer, Thorn, to the Hartford Public Market for $1 per pound live weight; the steer weighing slightly over 1000 pounds. So far as known this is the highest price ever paid for a baby beef east of Chicago. The steer was bred, raised and fed at Currituck Hill Farm, Newtown. Oscar Schultze, Norwalk, bought Elizabeth Reynolds’ Static for 20c per pound and Lawrence Reynolds’ Phil for 18c. Morris and Shepard, Newtown, bought Gerard Greims’ Lucky at 16 and one-half cents.

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SHADY REST: Mr and Mrs B. R. Bristol and family of White Plains, N.Y. spent the holiday in their new bungalow. | Miss Gwendolyn Camp recently entertained the Misses Vanstone of Bridgeport. | Mr and Mrs George Parsons of Stratford were the guests of Mr and Mrs David Mackenza over the holiday. | Most of the colonists have left Shady Rest, owing to school opening, but many will return to spend week ends. | William Schmidt has started foundations for his new cottage and work is progressing on the house for Mr Smeed of Bridgeport.

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Thomas F. Keane and John E. Keane of New York passed Sunday and Labor Day with his parents, Mr and Mrs Thomas C. Keane.

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The latest word from Commissioner Philo T. Platt, who is ill at the Danbury Hospital, is that he is very comfortable and slowly on the gain. On Wednesday he received a transfusion of blood, a friend donating his services in behalf of the distinguished patient. A host of local friends wish him a speedy restoration to health.

September 14, 1900

F. W. Kirby spent Labor Day in Brookfield with friends.

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Edward Egan has raised some beans that are a curiosity, the pod being more than three feet long.

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Botsford H. Peet is busy these days making cider at his mill. Mr Peet has a hydraulic press, and he can accommodate his customers by pressing the apples so the cider can be taken back, making only one trip.

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THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS—LIST OF TEACHERS FOR THE ENSUING YEAR: Flat Swamp, Miss Emma L. Ferry. Gray’s Plain, Miss Lena L. Sherman. Gregory’s Orchard, Miss Julia M. Field. Half Way River, Miss Katherine E. Bradley. Hanover, Miss Margaret Keane. Head of the Meadow, Miss Cornelia M. Young. Hopewell, Miss Kathryn Houlihan. Huntingtown, C. D. Stillson. Land’s End, Miss Cornelia Morehouse. Middle, Miss Margaret Houlihan. Middle Gate, Miss Frances E. Case. North Center, P. H. McCarthy. Palestine, E. R. Botsford. Pootatuck, Miss Lizzie J. Gallagher. Sandy Hook, Thomas J. Corbett, Miss Ella Lillie. South Center, Miss Edith M. Peck. Taunton, Miss Susie A. Camp. Toddy Hill, John H. Brew. Walnut Tree Hill, Mrs M. F. Gaffney. Zoar, Miss Mary A. Bradley.

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 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.