September 20, 1996

Stephen Adams, chairman of the embattled Planning and Zoning Commission, said Tuesday he is resigning from the land use agency, effective Friday. It was a time issue, Mr Adams said of the amount of time he has spent on P&Z activities in recent months. The Sandy Hook resident has served as P&Z chairman since early this year, when he took over the post from P&Z member John Deegan of Dodgingtown, Mr Deegan recently resigned as P&Z’s vice chairman, but he remains a regular member of the panel.

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The state is looking at Watertown Hall on the campus of Fairfield Hills Hospital as a possible permanent site for some town officers, according to State Representative Julia Wasserman. The state’s Office of Policy and Management is very quietly looking at the building, the state rep told the Legislative Council Wednesday night.

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Andre Recht and Marko Fischer, two police officers from Hamburg, Germany, have been checking out American police procedures and practices while on vacation in Newtown. The two are the guests of Carol and Richard Recht. On a visit to the police station this week, Andre, 24, and Marko, 22, compared and contrasted police practices in Germany and the United States with Police Chief James Lysaght, Jr.

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James M. Bayles is always ready to take on a new challenge, especially when it comes to swimming. The Butterfield Road resident recently returned from California, where he swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman’s Wharf on September 8 in the chilly, shark-infested waters of San Francisco. And he did it all for charity.

September 24, 1971

IT’S OFFICIAL: Newtown’s Police Commission has filed its rules and regulations which officially established the police force as being an organized one with 13 officers and four sergeants. On Tuesday afternoon, September 21, at 3:30 on the steps of the town hall, First Selectman Timothy Treadwell swore the men in, thus removing the constabulary status that they had. Chief Louis D. Marchese looked on as the following were sworn in: Sergeants Michael DeJoseph, David Lydem, Kenneth Shaw, and Raymond Tomkins; and Officers Francis Bresson, Daniel Elliott, Klau Ertl, Michael Fekete, Frederick Kasbarian, William Kayfus, Harry Noroian, Raymond Paccadolmi, John Qubick, Richard Stook, Robert Taylor, Raymond Thompson, and Robert Wrabel.

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Miss Irma Nichols, a member of the staff of the Newtown Bee from June of 1951 until her death in January of 1971, was honored Sunday, September 19, with the dedication of the Nichols Educational Building at the Stepney Baptist Church on Route 25.

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Someone with a faulty calendar has been celebrating April Fool in September. Reliable reports of a flamingo in the town’s new sanitary landfill reached this newspaper early in the week, sparking speculation about a possible shift in the Gulf Stream. It turns out, however, that something other than the famed current was being shift. A closer look disclosed a flamingo lawn ornament which had been artfully though anonymously placed. Bird watches are now on the lookout for a web-footed perpetrator.

September 20, 1946

The number of persons attending the Newtown Parent-Teacher Association meeting at Hawley School Tuesday evening was swelled by the presence of many 4-H and other students taking part in the exhibition of their accomplishments in handcraft, farming, gardening and home making which was in progress in the gymnasium at the same time.

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Michael F. Keating of Dodgingtown district was the guest of honor at a testimonial dinner at the Newtown Log Cabin on Wednesday evening, September 11, the occasion being his 70th birthday and his retirement from the staff of the Fairfield State Hospital. There were over one hundred in attendance, the affair having been given by his co-workers at the hospital and his friends in town. A steak dinner was served at 9 o’clock.

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Announcement is made by First Selectman Alvin B. Coger that Osborne-Barnes Co., Danbury, have been awarded the contract for construction of the Botsford Hill road, High Bridge road and 2700 feet of the Hopewell road. The contractors, who are now building the Queen street pavement, expect to start on the Botsford Hill road on Monday. The contract price, over $91,000, is slightly under the State’s estimate of $92,000.

September 23, 1921

As the result of the hard work of a few public spirited people, one-eighth of the old Sandy Hook cemetery has been cleaned up, old roots, brambles and brush town removed, sunken graves filled in with earth and some praiseworthy work done. For many years this old cemetery has been sadly neglected, notwithstanding the ancestors of some of our prominent people asleep there. The fence on the west side has fallen down. What is desired is that an association be formed for its care and up-keep. There are one or two small bequests that will be available and it is believed there are others who will come forward with sizable subscriptions toward this worthy object.

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The Church Forum of the Congregational Church will have the opening meeting for the fall and winter season, Friday evening, September 30, in the social rooms of the church when Miss S.J. Scudder will give a talk on her recent trip to Southern Europe, which will be illustrated by pictures thrown on the screen by the balopticon. There will be no admission fee and the public are cordially invited.

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Supervisor F.H. Johnston and the High school teachers will go to Canaan, Friday, to attend an institute for High school teachers. There will be no session of the High school on that day. On September 30 there will be an institute for the grade teachers in Danbury, and Supervisor F.H. Johnston and the grade teachers of Newtown will attend. On October 11 Supervisor F.H. Johnston has called a public meeting for the purpose of organizing a Parent-Teachers’ Association.

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Attorney J. Milton Betts of New York is passing the month at the Betts homestead in Sandy Hook.

September 25, 1896

The park of the Newtown Agricultural Society presents an animated sight, as scores of workman [sic] are engaged in getting the grounds and buildings in readiness for the first annual fair. This occurs next week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and with good weather, will be a rousing success. For the benefit of the visitors from outside, it may be said that the grounds are located on the main road from Newtown street to the Newtown railroad station on the Berkshire division, about a quarter of a mile from the Street and Depot. The tract of land fenced in comprises 17 acres. The grand stand is 22 x 60 feet, and will seat 400 people. The exhibition building is 35 x 60 feet. The judges’ stand is 12 feet square.

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Allison P. Smith passed Sunday with relatives at Springfield, Mass.

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The preacher at the Congregational church on October 4 will be Rev J.H. James of the Connecticut Temperance Union. Mr James is an interesting speaker and has many friends in town.

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A foot ball team has been organized by the boys in the public school.

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 Newtown Bee readers. 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.