December 30, 1994

BEE LINES: What is your New Year’s resolution? Jane Schaerer: I have so many, it would take all day to say. Linda Iassagna: To be more organized. Rebecca Seidel: I don’t have one yet. Kris Brown: To stop smoking. Lorri Hilton: I didn’t make any. I assess my long- and short-term goals throughout the year and adjust them accordingly. Virginia Spiro: To take care of myself better.

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To The Editor: Let me take this opportunity to thank the Newtown residents who attended the Tuesday, December 27 town meeting and overwhelmingly approved the allocation of $250,000 for the architect’s fees for the expansion of the C.H. Booth Library. We are very happy to have such positive support and promise you a library of which you will be very proud. Sincerely, Gordon Williams, President, C.H. Booth Library.

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BRIDGE HIT AGAIN: The often-hit Church Hill Road railroad bridge was struck yet again at about noon on December 26 by a tractor trailer. Police said truck driver Francis Prescott, 59, of Glendale, Ariz., was eastbound on Church Hill Road when he tried to drive under the Housatonic Railroad overpass but could not fit and became stuck underneath it. The 12’7” tall bridge provides less clearance than most overpasses, but signs clearly state the low clearance. There were no injuries. Police issued Prescott a warning for failure to obey a state traffic commission bridge clearance sign.

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A video entitled “Fitness and Wellness for the Senior Citizen” is now available to the public at the Booth Library and the Newtown Senior Center. The video emphasizes the importance of lifestyle changes for a longer life.

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Friday, January 6, will be Pack-The-Gym Night at Newtown High School as the NHS boys’ basketball team tips off in its home opener against Weston at 7 pm. Admission to the game is $1 for the general public and will be free to Newtown Parks and Recreation player wearing their jerseys. Free Pepsi sunglasses will be given out to the first 150 students, in honor of the gymnasium’s new bright lighting system. Free door-prizes will be given away including four tickets to the Boston Gardens for a Celtic game.

December 26, 1969

Newtown Middle School students can count on a long-anticipated Christmas present. On December 23, if all goes according to plan, the move will start into the much-needed new classrooms in the addition to B-Wing of the Queen Street building. Four rooms in an addition to A-Wing, the old building, have been in use since early in the school year.

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The January meeting of the Newtown Historical Society will be held on Monday evening, the 12th, at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library at 8 o’clock. A 40-minute motion picture will be shown on “Cooper’s Craft.” This is one of the series of Williamsburg movies on Colonial Craftsmen and should provide a most interesting meeting.

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Santa paid his annual visit to the children of Newtown last Saturday morning, arriving behind the Edmond Town Hall in a helicopter through the courtesy of Dan Lufkin. Santa sends the chopper off before going into the gymnasium to meet the youngsters and hand out candy. The holiday treat was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

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Paul M. Weeks of Newtown was honored at a surprise party on December 17 given by his friends and coworkers at Fairfield Hills Hospital on the occasion of his retirement from state service. The party was at Armondo’s in Bethel. Mr Weeks joined the hospital in 1933 and was carpenter foreman. He was presented with a certificate of appreciation for his years of service and received a farewell gift from his friends. Chairman of arrangements was Donald Moody of the hospital’s maintenance department.

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Sandy Hook School, A Look At The Hook by Jennifer Gorham. Hope everyone enjoyed the first snow day — it was a great day for sledding. Mrs Rafferty’s class has a new student teacher, Miss Geary — welcome. Miss Geary was videotaped with Mrs Rafferty’s class by Mrs Hall, the supervising teacher from Western Connecticut State College. Many of the children watched “The Little Drummer Boy” on TV and liked it very much. There have been many good TV specials this week. Mrs Heller’s class has their stockings hung up for Santa to fill. They also made paper mache Christmas tree ornaments. Miss Keating’s class made Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer out of paper bags— they’re cute.

December 22, 1944

Season’s Greetings… 1944. In these times, Christmas cannot be “merry” in the usual light-hearted sense. The deeper meaning of the Christmas season is more significant than ever. Grateful for the association of its friends and the opportunity to serve the town in its territory, The Bee extends this word of appreciation, with best wishes for the days ahead and a fervent hope for the return of “Peace on Earth.” —Paul S. Smith, Editor and the staff of the Newtown Bee.

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KILLED IN ACTION: Newtown friends will regret to learn of the death of Private Charles Lorhead Carlson, son of Mr and Mrs Charles Carlson of Denver, Colo. Private Carlson was killed in action in France on November 30th. He was a member of battery C, 696th Armored Field Artillery. Twenty-one years of age, he was the grandson of Emily Carlson. His father was for many years a valued member of The Bee staff, so that his loss seems very near to home.

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The St John’s Church Sunday School will be entertained with a Christmas party this Friday evening at 7:30 in the church reception rooms. A mystery play entitled “Bethlehem,” under the direction of Mrs Austin Dinkler, will be presented for the pleasure of all.

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“Doc” Crowe, Sandy Hook’s genial druggist, announces that his store will be closed all day Sunday, December 24, but that he will be there until 5 pm on Monday, the 25th.

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Christmas music is being enjoyed each evening as it is broadcast from the steeple of the Congregational Church. This has become an annual custom and serves to spread the Christmas spirit, replacing to some degree the usual Christmas lighting, which is conspicuous this year by its absence.

December 19, 1919

Sheriff M.D. Beers is driving a new Overland Four, bought through the local agent, Austin F. Conger.

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L. F. Wright of North Woodbury had a narrow escape from a serious accident on Saturday evening when driving up Main Street. His wagon was struck by an automobile driven by Charles Clark of PomPeraug. Mr Wright carried a light which shone ahead but not in the rear of his wagon, and snow on Mr Clark’s windshield prevented clear vision. Mr Wright was thrown to the ground and painfully but not seriously bruised.

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Mrs Isabella McCarthy, daughter of Justice and Mrs P. H. McCarthy, was stricken suddenly with appendicitis and was taken to Danbury Hospital Friday by Dr W.H. Kiernan. Dr Brown operated at once, and she is getting along nicely.

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Joseph Durand was on the sick list, last week, suffering with an attack of the grip.

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Paul S. Smith, a student at Worcester Academy, is passing the holidays with his parents, Mr and Mrs A.J. Smith.

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.