A week ago Dr Ruby Johnson was contending for the chairmanship of the Board of Education, but she no longer is because this Thursday she turned in her resignation from the board to Town Clerk Mae Schmidle. The letter of resignation carried no explanation, and Mrs Johnson, who teaches in New York State, could not be reached for comment as The Bee went to press. No one seemed to know the resignation was forthcoming. Superintendent of Schools Albert Brinkman told The Bee that he had just heard about it on Thursday morning. And Ruth Denny, who was opposing Dr Johnson for the chairmanship, first heard the news via The Bee and stated, “I am shocked. This is most unfortunate,” commenting on how hard Mrs Johnson had worked as a board member. Last week the board tried to elect a new chairman, but found itself deadlocked in three consecutive tie votes, three for Mrs Johnson and three for Mrs Denny.

***

A proposal to upgrade playing fields located at Fairfield Hills Hospital and at Middle Gate School so Newtown Little League’s major division teams have places to play in May will be considered by the Board of Selectmen on January 28.

***

“A farmer just can’t stay home and tend his crops anymore,” says Shirley Ferris. “You have to get involved in politics. You can’t expect legislators to know your problems and ideas, you’ve got to tell them.” And Mrs Ferris, newly elected president of the Fairfield County Farm Bureau, dutifully practices what she preaches. The Newtown dairy farmer’s responsibilities as farm bureau president include acting as coordinator and spokesman for the group, “keeping on top of things” and being aware of the issues which affect local farmers. The issues are probably far more diverse than most would think. A law concerning local property tax exemptions is one example, says Shirley, pulling out a well thumbed notebook. She notes that current exemption is about $3,000, but says that’s not enough anymore. “We’d like to see it raised.”

***

At this month’s meeting of the board of trustees of the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, official announcement was made of the pending retirement of head librarian, Elizabeth Downs.

***

There seems to be no end to the roofing problems at the Newtown schools, the Board of Education is learning from a final report on a survey of the school roofs which has just been submitted by the Simsbury architectural firm of Galliher, Schoenhardt and Baier. The report was presented to the Public Building Committee a few days ago, and a copy of it has been forwarded to the superintendent of schools. Accompanying it is a cover letter from PBC Chairman Joseph Borst, asking that the Board of Ed review the report, and then arrange a meeting with the Legislative Council and the PBC to discuss what plan of action should be taken on the recommendations in the report.

***

Newtown’s Planning & Zoning Commission has re-elected its officers of last year for 1980. Long-time member Arthur Spector, a Democrat, will continue as chairman with Republicans Robert DiGiovanni and Carl Swanhall continuing as vice chairman and secretary.

***

Five Newtown residents finished among the top 12 skiers at the recent Miller-Lite beer ski competition at Smugglers Notch Ski Resort in Jeffersonville, Vt. Bringing home trophies and awards were Greg Daniak, Fred Schempp, Brian Nanavaty, Judy Scanlon, and Lindsay Beardsworth.

JANUARY 21, 1955

The Newtown Board of Assessors announced this week the total Grand List for 1954 as $17,727,360. The new list of taxable property in the town shows an increase of 6.35 per cent or $1,057,650 over the 1953 Grand List.

***

An expert cartoonist demonstrated his craft on Monday night as he dramatized the forthcoming drive by town mothers for the March of Dimes on Wednesday of next week, at the monthly meeting of the Newtown Mothers Club. The artist, Frank Mack of Hattertown Road, gave a step-by-step presentation of the value of the drive for dimes in financing the nationwide program to stamp out polio. A “chalk talk” in which Mr Mack pictured the growing light of knowledge of the causes, prevention, and cure of polio, came as the wind-up of a fast-moving program. The cartoonist also summarized the present clean-up of the comic books and personal anecdotes of his work under the late Robert C. Ripley of “Believe It or Not” fame.

***

The first meeting of the newly appointed Newtown Park Commission was held last Saturday afternoon, January 15, in the office of the selectmen in the Edmond Town Hall with all members present. First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson was elected chairman of the commission and Mrs William H. Walsh, Jr, secretary.

***

The Elementary School Building Committee, since its organizational meeting held on November 5, 1954, has been meeting at least once each week for the purpose of interviewing architects and selecting a site, the group reported this week. To date, 15 architectural organizations have met with the committee offering their services for designing and supervising a new elementary school. In most cases the architects visit the proposed site with a member of the committee. The committee agrees with the Board of Education that present and future student population will be centered in the Sandy Hook area. In view of this fact, the Building Committee is giving primary consideration to the portion of the town property, Stefanko Farm, nearest Sandy Hook.

***

The 1955 March of Dimes in Newtown will reach its climax on Wednesday evening, January 26, when some 125 mothers of town will visit town homes to collect contributions for the fight on polio being conducted by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.

***

The shareholders of the Connecticut National Bank, Bridgeport, elected Otto W. Heise of Palestine District, manufacturer and inventor, to the bank’s Board of Directors at the 149th annual meeting of the shareholders on Tuesday.

***

The annual parish meeting of Trinity Episcopal Church was held Monday, January 17, with the Rev Gordon D. Pierce, DD, presiding. Annual reports from the various organizations of the church were given. George M. Stuart and Allen Northey Jones were elected wardens. New vestrymen elected were Raymond Ticomb, Mrs Warner W. Bayley, Frank Bawden, and Dr Clifford Johnson.

JANUARY 17, 1930

Chamber of Commerce members have a treat in store for the meeting next week Thursday night, the 23rd, when Ex-Gov Charles A. Templeton of Waterbury will be present and give an address.

***

The trustees of the Fairfield State Hospital held an important meeting Wednesday at the Newtown Country Club. The building committee was instructed to proceed with the plans for the power house, the laundry, the storehouse, garage and carpenter shop, with the hope that bids might be received on the construction of the above mentioned buildings by April 1.

***

Borough Warden L.C. Morris has ordered a new Sterling siren fire alarm to replace the one which has been in use for some time and was worn out.

***

Miss Alice Carmody, teacher of the Taunton School, held a candy and food sale, the proceeds to be used for the benefit of the boys’ and girls’ club in the school.

***

Two cases of diphtheria are reported in town, both in the Berkshire district, Matthew Cabral, Jr, the 3-year-old son of Mr and Mrs Matthew Cabral, and Miss Lillian Wilson, daughter of Elbert Wilson.

***

“The Womanless Wedding,” which took place at St Rose’s Casino on Thursday and Friday evenings, January 9 and 10, proved to be exactly as advertised, a side splitting, funny comedy, which was made up of 75 local men. The play was sponsored by the Beach Memorial Library and was directed by Miss Mildred Johnson of the Sympson Levie Company of Bardstown, Ky. And Jackson, Mich.

JANUARY 20, 1905

John M. Ferris, the cattle man, loaded a car of cattle at Hawleyville, last week Friday, which he shipped to New York.

***

A.C. Moore filled his ice house, Thursday and Friday, with fine 18-inch ice.

***

Charles Bedat found out of doors on Sunday, January 1, 1905, a large live grasshopper near the home of William Peck of Botsford. It was as lively as if it was midsummer.

***

A collection of 27 books has been placed this week with P.H. McCarthy, for the use of the children of the North Center school, making the fourth traveling library sent out from here among the districts.

***

Miss Eleanor Wood has accepted a position at Keane’s button shop at Botsford.

***

If any reader of The Bee would take a bright boy of about 9 years old to assist them about the place and give him a good home and school privileges, they can find out further particulars by inquiring at The Bee office.