November 3, 2000

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Pat Hayes.

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There is not much left of the Treadwell Park playground equipment that volunteers installed Sunday, October 22. Some blue plastic is still visible, but most is blackened from the blaze that ruined the playground late last Wednesday night. But within a week the community has come together to raise over $31,000 to rebuild the playground.

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Police and fire officials this week attempted to piece together the puzzle posed by the destroyed Adventure Quest playground at Treadwell Park, which was consumed by a fire that police believe was set about 10 pm October 25. “We’re actively investigating it. It’s been turned over to the detective division,” Acting Police Chief Michael Kehoe said October 30. “It’s preliminary right now. ... We’re trying to put a puzzle together,” he said. … A surveillance camera positioned at the nearby park swimming pool captured evidence of the fire.

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Snow flurries did not keep visitors away from the Newtown Hook & Ladder Fire Company Open House Sunday. Each year the Fire Company invites the community to visit the firehouse on Main Street in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. Visitors at the firehouse enjoy tasty refreshments and they are able to receive information about Halloween safety, cooler weather safety, and have tours of the facility and the equipment there. Of course it would not be the same without Smokey the Bear who came out of hibernation for the yearly event at Newtown Hook & Ladder.

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Newtown’s Registrars of Voters Karin Aurelia (Republican) and Linda Connor (Democrat) are both up for reelection this year, but neither of them has spent any time on the campaign trail. They are far too busy trying to prepare the town for next Tuesday’s big event. “We don’t have any time to think about it. Between the phone calls and the updating of the voting list — we’re swamped,” noted Mrs Connor. Newtown’s list of registered voters has reached an all-time high of 14,368 people due in part to the town’s growth and the public’s interest in the US Presidential election. The voting list has grown by more than 1,300 voters since June.

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Students from the Suzuki Talent Education School performed on their xylophones at the Halloween Recital last Friday at Edmond Town Hall. They played “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” among other songs that individual students played for their audience. Other featured instruments were the guitar and piano by students. The Suzuki Talent School holds monthly recitals and at Halloween time a recital is held for students to perform and dress in their costumes.

October 31, 1975

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — CONSIDER THE COUNCIL: For the first time in the history of Newtown we are going to the polls to elect a legislative council. That body, numbering 18 people, will take office the first of the year and will serve as our new ordinance and budget making body.

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On Friday evening, the Board of Police Commissioners had a brief meeting at 7:30 in the town hall for the purpose of electing a new chairman, and the man dubbed for the spot was Charles St. Arnauld. Mr St. Arnauld replaces George McLachlan, who resigned his commission post effective October 21. He will serve until January, when Commissioners will have their annual elections.

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Several Newtown residents are among the prominent business and professional leaders named to serve as the first trustees of the newly formed Danbury Hospital Development Fund, Inc. Established expressly as the fund raising arm of the Hospital, the Fund is governed by a Board of Directors of 13 persons. Its chairman is Bertram A. Stroock of Newtown. Mr Stroock said the trustees were brought together in time to help meet the Fund’s new goal for 1975 of $1,250,000.

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Dr Henry Gellert has purchased the former home of Archie La Forte at 23 Church Hill Road. Dr Gellert was represented by Atty Irving Kern and Mr LaForte was represented by Atty John Holian. Dr Gellert attended the Fairfield School system, and graduated with a degree of DDS from Columbia Dental School. He received his specialist’s training in Orthodontics at the Eastman Dental Center, University of Rochester, N.Y. He and his wife Janice, a registered nurse, will settle in Newtown, and Dr Gellert will open an office for Orthodontics in the house after a complete remodelling.

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The Therapeutic Recreational Program Directors of Region 2 met recently at Buckingham Gardens in Newtown. Miss Constance Carrington and Mrs Jeane Roberts, Program Directors were the hostesses. Mrs Priscillia Smith, field worker from the State Department of Health, was present as were most of the regional Program Directors. Miss Harriet Morrison gave a report from the Plenary council. The Volunteer Venture for 1976 was discussed at length.

October 27, 1950

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — LET’S GET BACK TO FUNDAMENTALS: Political strife for the governorship of Connecticut and two seats in the United States Senate is attracting much attention far beyond the boundaries of our small nutmeg state. And we are quite sure that Connecticut’s reputation is not at all enhanced thereby. As a matter of fact, the tactics of both major parties, as election day draws near, are becoming increasingly objectionable—so much so that voters in large numbers are beginning to look with a jaundiced eye upon the entire proceedings. A curse on both their houses!

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The gymnasium of the Edmond Town Hall was nearly filled to capacity on Tuesday evening of this week when some 800 residents of Newtown and vicinity attended the UN Day celebration there. The successful rally, one of many held that day in free countries throughout the world, was in observance of the fifth anniversary of the United Nations Charter which came into force in San Francisco, October 24, 1945. Locally it was under the sponsorship of the Newtown Rotary Club, the United World Federalists and the League of Women Voters. … Guest speaker at the celebration was Povl Bang-Jensen, a prominent member of the UN Secretariat, who did much to assure his audience that the United Nations is growing and will continue to grow because it is a necessary force in achieving world peace.

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Attending the sixth annual rally of the Congregational Youth Fellowship of Connecticut held in Bushnell Memorial, Hartford, last Sunday were 14 members of the Young People’s Club of the Newtown Congregational Church. Some 3,000 young people from all parts of the state took part in the giant gathering. The Newtown delegation went to the state capital in cars provided by Rev Paul A. Cullens and James Gies. … On the return trip, the Newtown young people visited the new Congregational Church in West Hartford and heard [Gordon] Stearns demonstrate the new organ.

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Two scarves and one tan fabric glove were found in the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium after the UN Day celebration on Tuesday evening, it has been announced. The articles are at the Town Hall box office where their owners may collect them.

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Mrs John Hansen entertained as week-end guest her mother, Mrs Antonio Nielsen of Port Chester, N.Y.

October 30, 1925

The nursing committee of the Visiting Nurse Association are very glad to announce that Miss Gerda Anderson will continue her work as public health nurse in town. Her ‘phone number is 7-12.

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The golden wedding anniversary of Mr and Mrs Charles F. Beardsley was celebrated in a most pleasing fashion at their beautiful old Colonial home, “Sunnyview,” on Tuesday afternoon, from 4 to 6 o’clock. The affair was informal and very delightful in every way. Mr and Mrs Beardsley were assisted in receiving by Mr and Mrs Clarence Lake Beardsley of New Haven and Paul J. Beardsley of New York. The bride of 50 years wore a dinner gown of leaf green crepe de chine beaded in steel.

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The annual meeting of the Corporators of the Newtown Savings Bank was held on Wednesday, October 28, at 2 o’clock in the Trustees’ room at the Bank. There were a goodly number out at the meeting to hear the excellent report of Arthur T. Nettleton, treasurer of the institution. The Bank has deposits of over $2,000,000, which is very gratifying. This was the 70th annual report of the institution and was Mr Nettleton’s 27th annual report.

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HATTERTOWN-PERSONAL NOTES: Mr and Mrs Birdseye Peck have entertained Mr and Mrs Harry Gent, Master John G. and Miss Mary Lou Gent, and Miss Catherine Gent of New York. | George Summers is giving his house a fresh coat of paint. | Edward Watson and family have closed their home, in this place, and returned to New York for the winter. | Mrs Ada C. Parmelee and Richard Bevans have returned from an enjoyable visit with relatives in Brooklyn and in New Jersey. | Mr and Mrs Ernest Northop and son, Russell, of Stamford, and Mr and Mrs Clarence Burr of Monroe have been guests of Mr and Mrs Eugene Northrop. | Jacob Goldberg has bought about 50 acres of land of the Israel Nezvesky estate, that was formerly a part of the Andrew Northrop farm. | Mrs Sterlie and daughter, Isabel, of Naugatuck, are spending a few days with her father, Edwin Morgan.

November 2, 1900

RAILROAD NOTES: Conductor Barton was on the sick list for a few days, last week, and Conductor Phillips ran the early train south from New Milford in his absence. | Conductor Bristol of the Shepaug freight has been on a vacation, having gone to Massachusetts to visit his father. | Agent Belcher, for 16 years in charge of the station at Lime Rock on the Berkshire division, took his first vacation of two weeks, recently. He went to New York, Philadelphia and other points and came back feeling like a boy. Mr Belcher says the New York and New Haven people treated him like a prince, that he couldn’t have been treated more generously and that he thinks more of the company than ever.

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The Hawleyville whist club met, last week Tuesday evening, with Mr and Mrs J.A. James. Frederick Lake won the gentlemen’s prize and Mrs J.A. James the ladies’. This week the club met with Mr and Mrs Amos Camp.

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Miss Clara Sheehan is spending a few days in Bridgeport, the guest of her aunt, Mrs Charles Miller.

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George F. Northrop of the Newtown creamery has been at Lee & Seabrooke’s New Haven creamery, while the head man there was on a vacation.

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Mr and Mrs Charles F. Beardsley were in New Haven over Sunday, the guests of Miss Rebecca D. Beach. On Sunday they enjoyed a carriage drive to Cheshire where their son, Paul, is attending school.

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Mr and Mrs George R. Wilson returned the first of the week from a carriage drive to East Morris.

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