December 5, 1997

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — THE TRUE FACE OF NEWTOWN: Say what you will about the town growing too fast for its own good, you won’t be able to convince the few hundred people in the Ram Pasture Friday evening that Newtown isn’t still a small town at heart. Together with the Labor Day Parade, the annual tree lighting ceremony in the Ram Pasture, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, reminds us that Newtown’s true identity is not to be found in its institutions, in its municipal budget accounts, or even in the fine homes that fan out along Main Street from the flagpole. Newtown’s true identity is found in its people. As darkness falls on Friday, the approaches to the Ram Pasture along Main Street, Glover Avenue, and Elm Drive will be lit by luminaria. It is an astonishingly beautiful sight no matter how many times you have seen it before. … Watch as the light from the candles catches the faces — hundred of faces, young and old, hale and frail, familiar and strange. And at the end of the inevitable countdown to the lighting of the tree, all the faces turn together waiting for one of the longest nights of the year to be filled with light. Then, in one blinking moment, the true face of Newtown is illuminated.

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Democrats and Republicans alike converged on Newtown High School Sunday afternoon to celebrate the start of a new town administration. They came to see Herb Rosenthal take the oath of office as Newtown’s 113th first selectman. Many also came to be sworn in themselves. In total, 36 town officials were sworn in to office. Mr Rosenthal, a Democrat, was sworn in by Judge William Lavery, a close friend. The new first selectman took the oath for the first time at 51. Twenty-two years earlier, his father, Jack, was sworn in for the first time at age 56. Both men placed their hands on the same red bible, which was given to the town several years ago by Mae Schmidle.

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Just before Thanksgiving, Jackie Kerin took over her father’s penny collection (with his permission, of course) after deciding that after ten years, they ought to be put back into circulation. Jackie’s idea was to use them to give the homeless dogs at the Newtown Dog Pound a Happy Thanksgiving Dinner. She figured that while waiting to be adopted out by loving families, they might appreciate having something new and different in their food dishes over the holiday. Jackie added a few of her own pennies to the collection, and then she and her mother rolled $22. They spent their funds at Stop & Shop, purchasing three bags of dried kibble, three boxes of dog biscuits for medium sized dogs, five Ken-L-Ration Recipe cans, and a bag of Beefy Burger treats. On Wednesday, November 26, the day before Thanksgiving, the Kerns presented Jackie’s gift to George Mattegat, Newtown’s Dog Warden. He thanked Jackie with a firm handshake and told her that not only was her gift a good idea, the extra food “will go a long way toward keeping them happy, even after Thanksgiving.”

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Applicants for the proposed 96-house Newtown Village condominium complex have filed a legal appeal, seeking to have a judge force the town to approve the project which was rejected by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). In a lawsuit filed November 25 in Danbury Superior Court, attorney Timothy Hollister, representing the applicants, states the P&Z did not meet its “burden of proof” in rejecting the Sandy Hook development project.

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Enrollment projects for Newtown public schools, which were just released by Focus Consulting Associates of Carmel, N.Y., predict a continued increase in school enrollment over the next five years, especially at the middle and secondary school levels. The surge of new students in Newtown will overcrowd Newtown Middle School in as little as three years, according to the consultants. This conclusion has brought new urgency to the school board’s discussions about the need for a new school for upper grade levels at a potential cost for Newtown of $11.6 million.

December 1, 1972

Five members of the Newtown Indians football team have been named to the Western Connecticut Conference All-Star Team, and one of those five also was honored for his ability by being named to the All-State Team. The five players are Mike Newman, offense; lineman Tom Cavanaugh, offense; middle guard Mike Tabor, defense; wide receiver Mike Trosan, offense, who also received the All-State honors; and halfback Bill Cavanaugh, defense. Newtown, who tied for first place in the WCC with Joel Barlow, was one of the teams with the most amount of players named to the All-Stars.

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Back in 1970 a fund was established by the members of the Indians football team to purchase an electric scoreboard. During the fall of this year a fund drive was started under the direction of George McLachlan and Franklin Freeman to raise more monies towards the purchase of the scoreboard. And the efforts were quite successful. Tuesday evening, November 28, at the Board of Education meeting, Alvah Cramer, high school principal, made the announcement that the Pepsi Cola Company was going to donate a scoreboard complete with cables and control backs. The Board gratefully accepted the officer of the gift, and so soon there will be a scoreboard at the high school. According to Mr Cramer, the audio-visual students at the high school and also the wood shop students will help complete the wiring and carpentry work which will have to be done to get the board in working order. Expenses for materials will come from the scoreboard fund.

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Don Trevor of Pond Brook Road, Newtown, was just awarded the Silver Medal at the 15th International Film and TV Festival of New York, for Best Direction, for a 15-minute documentary entitled “Skills That Last A Lifetime” for the US Army Recruiting Command. The film was produced through Don Trevor Associates Inc in New York.

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Robert Carter, architectural consultant to the Newtown Historical Society, attended a meeting of the trustees of the Society, November 28, called by Frank Bawden, chairman for the restoration of the house on Main Street owned by the Society and known as the Belden House. The trustees discussed plans for the restoration of the house, which will take place over a long period, though some exterior work will be started in the near future. Mr Carter and others have found many evidences of original features of the 18th Century house, which is regarded by the Society as probably the oldest on Main Street. Research and study will continue after the restoration work has started. The house is currently called the Belden House after the family who occupied it for many years. Studies are being continued under the direction of the lineage committee of the Society to determine the exact date of the building and the names of its first owners. So in time the Belden House may have a new name.

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A 16-year-old male from New York City was arrested by Newtown Police Department detectives on November 26, after surrendering himself at Newtown Headquarters. The male was charged with robbery in the first degree and burglary in the first degree in connection with an incident which took place on Walnut Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook, on October 18, in which it is alleged that he forced his way into a home, cut phone wires, and gagged and tied up a female resident and then robbed her of money and other items.

November 28, 1947

Arrangements have been completed between the Newtown Fire Department and the Southern New England Telephone Company, so that fire sirens in all four sections of town will be operated from the telephone office, with a different number of blasts indicating each of the four fire districts. Also, tests will be made of each siren every Saturday at noon, starting on Saturday, December 6. This announcement is made by Fire Marshall Walter Glover, so that the public will recognize the tests when they are made and will know the districts at the times of actual alarm. The Sandy Hook section will be indicated by three blasts; Newtown, four blasts; Hawleyville, five blasts; Dodgingtown, six blasts.

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The Future Farmers of America, Newtown Chapter, held its annual Father and Son banquet at Hawley Manor last Friday evening, with 31 guests present. LeRoy M. Chapman, agent of the Fairfield County Farm Bureau, and Nathan Avery, superintendent of maintenance at the Southbury State Training school, were the guest speakers. Vincent P. Gaffney, chapter advisor and teacher of vocational agriculture, showed a motion picture in colors of wild life in United States national parks and Don James gave a resume of chapter efforts to date in a project for a new workshop and class room for agricultural students.

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An audience of about fifty people attended the organ recital and concert by the Townsmen’s Chorus at St John’s Church last Sunday evening. There were many who complimented Donald Griscom, the director, and the members of the chorus, for an excellent performance. Several said that it was good beyond expectations. Mr Griscom played numbers by St Saens, Biggs, Handel, and Boellmann. The Chorus sang the Russian Chant, “Hospodi Pomiloi” (Lord have mercy) by Lvoff, “The Lord’s Prayer” by Malotte, Mr Griscom’s arrangement of “Hymn of Praise” and “Prayer of Thanksgiving” arranged by Kremset. The audience joined with the chorus and sang three of the great Thanksgiving hymns.

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Two small-sized but aggressive football teams matched abilities Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field, when some of the town’s future stars, who are now in the lower grades, passed and ran and tackled in most commendable style. Captain Stephen Smith and his team managed to score a 19-18 victory over Captain Bobby Knapp’s team. As the score indicates, it was a close and exciting contest, with Coach DeGroat in the role of referee and general field marshal, assisted by Jim Pelletier and a few other volunteers. For our money, it is more fun to watch the youngsters in such a game than to travel to New York to see the pros. The field was wet and muddy, but that made no difference to the youthful athletes.

November 24, 1922

The total amount received by Arthur T. Nettleton, chairman of the Near East Relief committee, for Newtown, in cash and pledges is $1,371.50. Of this amount $1,110 has been remitted to Meigs H. Whaples, state treasurer, Hartford. Donations may be left at the Newtown Savings Bank.

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Allison P. Smith, Mr and Mrs Angus T. Joy and Miss Helen Joy motored to Middletown, Tuesday, where Mr Smith made an inspection of the Middle hospital, one of the group of buildings comprising the Connecticut State Hospital. Dr R.A. Leake, the superintendent, has appointed an assistant superintendent for the institution in the person of Dr Waterman of New York, who arrived, Tuesday, to enter upon his new duties. Gov Lake has appointed Prof Dutcher of Wesleyan university a member of the Board of Trustees to succeed Ex Gov F.B. Weeks, who has resigned.

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At the special town meeting on Saturday, called to see what action should be taken on repairing the “Black Bridge” in the Glen, Selectman John J. Northrop was made moderator. Selectman Northrop said that Engineer Smith had estimated that it would take $3000 to repair the bridge. Contractor Osborne had offered to do the work for $2750. It was voted to repair the bridge and advertise for bids. The selectmen were instructed to pay for the repairs out of the contingent fund. C.B. Taylor, chairman of the Finance Board, believes this course to be illegal and has requested Mr Northrop to secure a legal opinion before drawing any funds for said repairs. Mr Taylor says the contingent fund is the town’s only financial safety valve.

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Rev J.C. Forney, wife and son of New Haven, were week end guests at the home of Eugene Botsford.

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Charles and Philo Botsford are visiting their brother, Harold Botsford and family, at Ithaca, N.Y.

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Mrs Mary Crowe has had her buildings repainted by Wallace Davis and son of Easton.

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Frank Zalinsky is having his buildings painted. He owns the Carlos Booth farm in Huntingtown district.

December 3, 1897

SANDY HOOK’S BIG FIRE: The hottest and brightest blaze that has visited Newtown of late occurred at Sandy Hook on Friday morning of last week, when J.H. Costello’s new building, known as the Sandy Hook Opera House, together with the large barn and the adjoining house and barn on the south, belonging to Mrs John Clark, were burned to the ground. The origin of the fire is unknown but is supposed to have been caused by the explosion of a kerosene oil stove. At least, this is what Mr Costello thinks. The building burned was 36x80 feet not including the piazzas, and was three stories high. It was a new building having been erected only four years ago.

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Mr and Mrs E.F. Hawley had a pleasant gathering, Thanksgiving day, entertaining Mr and Mrs Homer Hawley, Mr and Mrs Edson Hawley, and Arthur S. Hawley of New York.

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Mr and Mrs Clark Peck of Hawleyville ate their Thanksgiving dinner with New Milford relatives.

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J.A. James, the popular agent at Hawleyville, with Mrs James and children, passed last Thursday with Mr and Mrs J.L. James at Botsford.

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Miss Alice Hughes, Norfolk, Va., was frightfully burned on the face and neck. Pain was instantly relieved by DeWitt’s Witch Hazel Salve, which healed the injury without leaving a scar. It is the famous pile remedy. E.F. Hawley, Newtown; S.C. Bull, Sandy Hook; A.B. Blakeman, Botsford; B. Hawley & Co., Stepney.

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.