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The Newtown branch of Danbury Savings and Loans, in cooperation with the Newtown Food Pantry operated by the Salvation Army chapter, has launched a Holiday Food Bank Drive to help families in need during the holiday season. The drive has been launched to provide extra supplies for families who may need help over the holidays. Anyone in town having financial difficulties and needing help with food is eligible to call or stop by the Social Service office at the Edmond Town Hall.

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Everything from computers to early retirement for teachers and more homework for students was brought up in less than a half hour at a candidates “night on educational issues.” Sponsored by the Newtown PTA Council the event was moderated by members of the Monroe League of Women Voters.

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Town officials who would be most affected by the charter changes disagree on whether they would improve government. Democratic First Selectman Jack Rosenthal opposes two of the five questions voters will decide on November 8; Thomas J. McManus, Jr, the Republican contender, opposes all of them; and Republican Legislative Council Chairman Roderick J. MacKenzie, Jr, hopes concentration on the more controversial issues will not divert citizens from serious consideration of the miscellaneous questions.

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Newtown’s photographers are invited to capture Newtown on film and to become a part of history. Photos of Newtown, old and new, will be a major part of the League of Women Voters’ new history of Newtown slated for publication in mid-1984. Editors of the book are seeking photos which capture the spirit and quality of life in Newtown.

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“The State Department of Transportation may be spending up to $500,000 to improve turning lanes on Church Hill Road, and I have been assured that the state is not planning a four lane expressway from the Flagpole clear down to Route 84,” said State Rep Mae S. Schmidle.

October 31, 1958

On Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, the Newtown Lions Club will continue ringing the Liberty Bell each hour the polls are open to remind citizens of their right to vote. This practice, inaugurated last year, met with such a favorable reception from townspeople that it will be continued indefinitely by the Lions Club as a civic obligation.

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With four Halloween parties, sponsored by the town’s fire companies and their auxiliaries going full tilt this Friday night for grade school children, and various parties planned for teenagers by their parents, the rambunctiousness once traditional on All Hallow’s Eve should be effectively held in leash in Newtown. At each affair, prizes will be given for costumes in the various categories, funniest, prettiest, spookiest, etc.

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Postmaster Albert H. Nichols has obtained Department approval for a Sunday and holiday mail collection and dispatch service for this area and it will be inaugurated Sunday, November 2. The new mail truck recently assigned to the Newtown Post Office will be used. As far as can be determined, this is the first time Newtown has had this service.

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The annual activity of wrapping Christmas gifts for patients of the Fairfield State Hospital will get underway at the hospital beginning next Wednesday, November 5. This early date is necessary to complete the huge task of individually wrapping gifts which will be distributed to the patients during the holiday season.

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A fashion show and card party sponsored by the Newtown Senior Girl Scouts will be held on Friday, November 7, at 8 pm in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. Proceeds will go into a fund designated to help defray the expenses of the Girl Scouts who will attend the 1959 International Girl Scout Roundup in Colorado Springs. Fashions of Cullen of Connecticut will be modeled by mothers of the Senior Girl Scouts.

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Total Economic Activity during the second quarter of 1958 totaled $429 billion at annual rate. That rate was $3 billion more than in first quarter but was $12 billion below same period of 1957. Hourly wages for manufacturing in August averaged $2.12 — one percent below July. Bank loans outstanding in August declined about 1½ percent from July and nearly three percent from a year ago. The dollar value of new construction put in place rose in August to a record monthly high of $4.8 billion — three percent above a year ago.

October 27, 1933

BOY SCOUTS BUILDING TRAIL. The Newtown Troop has charge of building the part of the Pomperaug Trail that joins the State Trails system at Stevenson. It continues up the river to Sandy hook and then to Putnam Park and back to Bridgeport. On Friday, October 27, at 10 o’clock the boys of the local troop are asked to be at Scout Headquarters with hatchet and knife and cold lunch ready to build bridges to continue the trail.

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Lyndon Crouch on October 3 told his father, Constable F.J. Crouch, he was going to the fair. (Mr Crouch supposed he meant the Danbury Fair). He then set out for Chicago, Ill., with just $3 in his pocket for the Century of Progress Fair. He hitch-hiked and rode railroad freights, arriving in Chicago in about eight days. He stayed in Chicago three days and saw the fair by climbing the fence, as he was short of funds. Coming east on the return trip he rode freights. He hiked across the Bear Mountain bridge at midnight and had a lonely walk into the city of Peekskill. Lyndon arrived in Newtown, Saturday, pretty thoroughly tired out but having had a royal time.

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At the meeting of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce, Thursday evening, at 8 o’clock, at the Parker House, the problem of removing the refuse and carrying it to a dump will be brought up for the ways and means of handling this proposition. This is a much needed want in our town and will make some one a good business.

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Newtown loses a substantial and splendid citizen in the death on Monday evening of George F. Taylor. He was the son of the late Edward Taylor, for many years proprietor of the Sandy Hook hotel, and Susan Botsford Taylor. For 30 years or so he was engaged in the general merchandizing business at the Brick store in Sandy Hook, as a member of the firm of Warner, Taylor & Curtis, and Taylor, Curtis, & Co. He was a director and actively interested in the old Newtown fair, and did much to promote its prosperity. In fraternal circles Mr Taylor was a Mason, a member of Hiram lodge, No 18. He was also a charter member of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce. The spirit of the master of the stately old Brick house in Sandy Hook village is stilled, and his friends and neighbors mourn.

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A male patient about 20 years old made his escape from the Fairfield State Hospital on Tuesday morning and up to press hour had not been apprehended. He made his get away over the top of a window.

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The club house of the Newtown Country Club will be a very merry place on Monday evening, October 30, when a capacity crowd will sit down to the Hallowe’en supper at 6:30 o’clock. And at 8 o’clock the Mad Hatters’ orchestra of Danbury will strike up its popular music for an evening of dancing. Since the purpose of this Hallowe’en event is to secure funds for watering the greens in the spring, real support is being received on all sides.

October 30, 1908

Miss Florence Ashcraft, who is conducting two classes in dancing and physical culture at the Newtown Inn on Friday evenings for adults and Saturday afternoon for children, is meeting with success, the classes numbering about 20 each. The progress the pupils are making is very gratifying to the patrons of her school.

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By vote of the Men’s club The Bee prints the law as to placing and maintaining flags on the schoolhouses. It would appear that certain districts in town are neglected as to the law, which is as follows: Section 2139: The selectmen shall provide every schoolhouse in which a flag is maintained within their respective towns with a United States flag of silk or bunting not less than four feet in length, and a suitable flag staff, or another arrangement whereby such flag may be displayed on the schoolhouse grounds every school day when the weather will permit. Section 211: If any board selectmen should willfully refuse or neglect to provide the flag… for a period of 30 days after the reception by them of written notice…each of such board of selectmen, who has so received notice, shall be fined not more than $10.

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A game of football was played on the Methodist lot, Saturday, between a team made up from boys from the Street and vicinity and the High school team. The Street boys were too much for the High school boys, winning the game 6-0. Early in the game Percy Platt received bad bump over the eye, which put him out of the game and before the first half Osborn of the Street team injured his knee so badly that he had to retire from the game.

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Newtown suffered an irreparable loss in the death of Charles Smith Platt, who passed away, Monday evening. Prof Platt had been in poor health for some months, but it was not until late in August he was obliged to give up his duties as organist at Trinity church, and suspend his work of instruction on the piano. Prof Platt became organist of Trinity church about the year 1883 and his faithful and efficient work has been a comfort and an inspiration to the rectors who have served this church and the congregation as well.

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E.M. Peck, Sr, is busy these days, picking corn. He has about 600 bushels already in the corn house, which is about half of the crop gathered, which means a good deal with the present prices of grain.