December 22, 2000

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Lynn Johnson.

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A utility pole that carries electrical, telephone, and cable television lines on Mt Pleasant Road near Blackman Road snapped midday Sunday, December 17, due to high winds in squalls that passed through the area. A work crew responded to the scene to repair the damage. The broken pole caused traffic delays.

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The town is preparing to dredge four local ponds as part of its continuing program to keep the municipal stormwater drainage system operating properly. During the next several months, the town will have contractors dredge Hawley Pond on Newtown Cemetery Association property on Elm Drive, a pond at 18 Taunton Ridge Road, a pond at 7 Hunting Ridge Road, and a pond on Plumtrees Road.

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The relocation of the Newtown School District offices to Canaan House at Fairfield Hills has begun, just in time for the holidays. On Thursday and Friday, Superintendent John R. Reed and Assistant Superintendent Robert Kuklis, along with their administrative assistants, took the plunge and moved their belongings to their new offices at Canaan House.

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Newtown resident George Blantin has been married for 56 years, so he knows a thing or two about this sacred institution. That’s why, as a justice of the peace, he often offers advice to the couples he marries. “Marriage is work. I know everything about it. I’m an expert. You can’t be stupid and be married that long,” he joked this week after being sworn in to another four-year term as a JP.

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They used the Guilford Wrestling Tournament on Saturday as a gauge to determine where they were heading in the 2000-2001 season and the Nighthawks — judging from the first-place finish by Matt Sullivan, the second-place finish by Dan Maley and the third-place finishes by Steve Selezan and Jon Read — are certainly heading in the right direction.

December 19, 1975

NEWTOWN ANIMAL WELFARE NEWS: Merry Christmas to all of you who have worked so hard to support our organization and we hope that the upcoming New Year will prove even more successful than the last. We have made great strides in helping unwanted and homeless animals. Our adoptions for the month of November included 17 cats and 24 dogs and puppies!! Don’t forget your pet at Christmas time. The greatest kindness you can provide is adequate food and a warm place to sleep and medical attention when needed.

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If the party’s getting a glow on and singing fills the air, get ahold of yourself, put your drink on the shelf, and remember you’re not there. This warning was issued as a public service by the Newtown Summer Festival Committee to all tickets holders for the First Annual “Not At All Ball,” not to be held January 1, 1976, at the Newtown High School. Unnumbered tickets for the non-event (suitable for framing if you’re really hard up) are still available in limited numbers from committee members. Volunteering not to serve in various capacities during the past week were Dave Brown, who volunteered not to be King of the Ball, and Gail Halapin, who has agreed not to give hustle and bump dance lessons.

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The Newtown Police recently completed their annual pistol and shotgun qualifying tests at the Fairfield Rod and Gun Club’s shooting range in Monroe. All the men on the force take the tests every year. Chief Louis Marchese recently presented master awards to Officer Robert Wrabel and Officer William Tvardzik. The master award is the highest achievement for the tests, and eight men have it. There are seven men with the ranking of expert, and five who have received sharpshooter awards.

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The Town has received a $430,958.95 Christmas in the form of an audited surplus for the fiscal years 1974-75, which is the biggest in Newtown’s history. According to William Hanlon, Financial Director, “We got lucky all at once.” Usually, year end surpluses are between $100,000 and $200,000. For instance, in fiscal 1973-74, the excess of revenues over the budget was only $148,182.48. Mr Hanlon doesn’t expect such a surplus to happen again because of closer inspection of the estimates of anticipated revenue to be made by his office.

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Denise Ozanne Hall, daughter of Mr and Mrs Joseph Ozanne of Newtown, was written up recently in an article which appear in “Mademoiselle” Magazine. Denise, who is now Mrs Walter James Hall and lives in Newtonville, Mass., runs a Boston shop called Saraspunda which specializes in the sale of old textiles. According to the article, which is entitled “Selling America First,” Denise grew up in a home filled with American crafts and at 14 she inherited the family crazy quilt, which was the beginning of a large collection. She met her partner Maria Randall at an antiques fair, and the two of them opened their store last year. Also each of the young women average two days a week selling and two days traveling to auctions, exhibiting at shows, lecturing and visiting dealers.

December 15, 1950

Coach Harold S. DeGroat attended on Monday evening a meeting of the editorial advisory board of the magazine The Connecticut Teacher held in the YMCA building, Hartford. The magazine is published monthly during the school year and Monday’s advisory board meeting was the first of two being held during the year. Mr DeGroat represents the interests of coaches and other athletics and recreational activity leaders on the board.

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The recently completed addition to the Edmond Town Hall, which was turned over to the Board of Managers by the Edward E. Bray Company of Bridgeport, builders, is now occupied and in use and ready for inspection by townspeople. The top floor, to which access is obtained from the hallway leading past the room occupied by the Judge of Probate, contains the Assessors’ office and conference room and the office of the Tax Collector. The room formerly used by the Assessors and Tax Collector will be used by the Town Hall Manager with access from the main lobby.

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Fred Bresson of Berkshire District, Newtown, was elected a director of the Wholesale Milk Producers Council at a meeting of local dairymen held in Edmond Town Hall, Monday evening, December 11. Mr Bresson succeeds Samuel Swendsen of Monroe. The other Fairfield County members are J. Sherwood Edwards of Easton, and Nicholas Wabuda of Shelton. … The Fairfield County meeting was the final one of the current year’s series of eight county meetings. Speakers at the Newtown meeting included Dr Stewart Johnson, economist at the University of Connecticut, and Donald O. Hammerberg, Milk Administrator; also Donald L. Thomsen, dairy farmer of Brookfield who is executive secretary of the council.

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Ken Adams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester M. Adams of the Newtown-Bridgeport Road, is now taking a preliminary training course with the First National Bank of Bridgeport preparatory to his working for the bank when it opens its Newtown branch in February. Mr Adams was until recently employed in the store of Knapp and Meyers.

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“Hank” Taylor, son of Mr and Mrs Henry H. Taylor of Mt Pleasant, was elected a member of the Student Council in the semi-annual voting held on Monday of last week at Berkshire School, Sheffield, Mass., where he is a Junior.

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A tense hush settled over Edmond Town Hall gymnasium last Thursday evening as six of the most striking dogs to be seen here in many a month were posed and walked before Mrs. Sherman Hoyt of Stamford, judging “best in match” in the 38th match show of the Newtown Kennel Club.

December 18, 1925

The Men’s Club held their December meeting, Tuesday night, at the Parker house, with H.G. Warner as host. After a most appetizing dinner served by Mine Host Parker, Allison P. Smith, in charge of the literary program, introduced Elliott Platt, of Commissioner Philo T. Platt’s office in the State Department of Agriculture, who gave an interesting talk on the work of the department. Harry B. McClymon was a guest of the club.

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The Newtown Savings Bank is distributing to its patrons copies of the always handy Farmers’ Almanac for 1926. A good many folks can’t keep house unless they have this almanac about. Our thanks are extended to Mr Nettleton for a copy of this handy little almanac.

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Judge and Mrs P.H. McCarthy and children will start by auto the Saturday after Christmas for Leesburg, Fla., expecting to be absent a month. They made the trip at this time to be present at the Golden Wedding anniversary of Mr and Mrs Joseph Lynn of Holyoke, Mass., parents of Mrs McCarthy, which takes place on January 12.

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Edward McGinley of Torrington passed Sunday with his parents, Mr and Mrs John McGinley.

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Louis Wersba, Mr Jacobs and Mr Dietz of New York City passed the week end at Lake View Terrace.

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The store of H.G. Warner will be open evenings next week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.

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Rt Rev Monsignor E.J. Egan of Phillipsburg, N.J., is visiting his sister, Mrs Elizabeth Driscoll, of Walnut Tree Hill.

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The hours of service at Sandy Hook Post Office on Christmas day will be from 8 until 11 a.m. The office will not be opened to the public on the afternoon of Christmas day.—[A.C. Tucker, Postmaster.

December 21, 1900

A HISTORICAL ADDRESS on the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook, Conn., September 25, 1900.—by Joseph O. Munson: This marks the entrance of an aggressive personality into the history of Newtown Methodism. The first Methodist preaching in Sandy Hook was by Samuel Merwin father of the late John B. Merwin of the New York East Conference, while he traveled the Redding circuit in 1805. He preached in the ball room of Stephen Crofut’s house which stood nearly opposite this church on the grounds of the late Hobart Warner. Brother Merwin appointed Isaac Sanford class leader with 10 members. During the year five more were added to the number.

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James Angevine, the purchase of the David Warner place, has taken possession, moving in the first of the week.

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The first sociable of the season was held, last Friday evening, at the home of Mrs Scudder in the Street. There had been a delightful program planned and when carried out was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The slips distributed the first of the evening broke up any conventionality there might otherwise have been, and started the tongues to running. The selection read by Mr Hewit and the poem by Mrs Morris were loudly encored. Miss Mabel Taylor gave a pretty piano selection. The feature of the evening was the Album in which were depicted all of Mr Barker’s relatives.

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DODGINGTOWN PERSONAL CHAT: Mrs George Crane has returned from a visit with relatives in New York state. | Miss Jennie Ferry is visiting friends in Trumbull. | Mrs Esther Sherwood and daughter, Miss Ernestine, have returned from a visit with relatives in New Fairfield. | Jesse Sherwood of Waterbury has been the recent guest of his mother. | Mr and Mrs A.E. Bevans of Bethel and Miss Sharp of Danbury have been recently entertained at E.C. Bevans.

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Mrs Lucy Baldwin is visiting at West Orange, N.J.

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Harry Curtis has taken a responsible position with the Eagle Spoon Co., at North Haven. He has been with Burr & Knapp at Bridgeport for several years.

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Merchant R.H. Beers was in New York on Monday.

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Mrs Susan Chipman, who has been quite seriously ill, is more comfortable.

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 readers of The Newtown Bee. Images can be emailed 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.