October 19, 2001

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Stephanie Gaston.

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While Howard Lasher was attending a memorial service in New York City’s St Patrick’s Cathedral for the victims of the World Trade Center disaster, he felt he had to do something to honor them. “I lost nine friends,” Mr Lasher said. “It probably was the worst three weeks of my life.” ... Mr Lasher called Newtown artist David Merrill, best known locally for the murals he painted in Edmond Town Hall, to enlist his help. The result — a huge American flag painted across six trees on Mr Lasher’s property — greets motorists who drive into the Dodgingtown section of Newtown along Route 302.

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The dirt roads are mostly gone as are the days when farmers filled their wagons with produce to sell in Bridgeport because all the local people had gardens of their own. But now Newtowners are heading to local farms for fresh garden produce for the dinner table or for the perfect pumpkin for the front steps. Small family farms everywhere operate on the narrow margins of profitability, and many independent farmers are finding that farm stands — as quaint and old-fashioned as they may be — are increasingly important to their bottom line.

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The 5/6 school site on the corner of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane is developing nicely. This week steel for the gymnasium area of the school arrived and crews have been busy putting it up. With the rain falling over the weekend, the truck that brought the steel in had a hard time leaving the site Monday morning. It needed the assistance of a backhoe. Getting the steel in place at the school will take a couple of months. The anticipated opening date is January 2003.

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Perhaps the single most defining characteristic of Irish traditional music — beyond the scales and rhythms of the tunes, beyond the instruments, the ornamentation, the emotional echo of pubs and farmhouse kitchens and pints of stout and cups of tea and the tang of peat from the fire — is intimacy. Intimacy between musician and musician, and intimacy between musicians and audience. … That intimacy came to Newtown Meeting House last Saturday night, brought by the masterful Galway flute player Jack Coen … and his guitarist son, Jimmy.

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With one split after another in this season of tri-meets, the Newtown High School swim team has been fighting to keep its head above the water — so to speak. And a visit to Milford last Friday to take on Lauralton Hall would prove to be a distinct challenge to that effort. A 97-84 loss, however, dropped the Nighthawks to 4-5 on the season. They were able to make amends for that loss, though, and boost their record to 5-5 with a thrilling 94-91 win over arch-rival Brookfield on Tuesday.

October 22, 1976

Newtown’s Planning & Zoning Commission made advisory opinions on two planning matters for land use proposals in the neighboring towns of Bethel and Brookfield at its meeting on Friday, October 15 — but found that it had to adjust its recommendation for the Brookfield matter on Monday because additional information had come to light. The Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, as the regional planning agency, had forwarded the requests to the Newtown commission.

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At the October 18 meeting of the Committee on Aging, new officers were elected. Chairman is Mrs Betty Parrella; vice-chairman, William Mack; secretary-treasurer, Lois McAuliffe. The committee hopes to set up a special meeting with First Selectman Jack Rosenthal, grants administrator Zita McMahon, and a person with experience in the running of senior centers to discuss plans for a facility which would include room for a senior center in Newtown.

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The Planning & Zoning Commission of Newtown recognizes that a traffic problem exists at the Flagpole on Main Street, but the members contend it is not the town landmark that’s the problem, but the drivers themselves. The commission was requested by the Board of Police Commissioners to contribute its thinking regarding the flagpole.

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The annual meeting of the Newtown Forest Association, held Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 at the Congregational Church House, proved to be one of the most significant meetings which the Association has had in a long time. Several important matters involving the Association’s holdings and its future policies were discussed at length as a part of the report of Atty Thomas L. Cheney, secretary.

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An almost complete membership of the St. Rose Women’s Club turned out on October 13 at the home of Mrs William Sennello for a wine and cheese tasting party which was co-chaired by Mrs Ginny Panettieri and Mrs Ann Rideg. Plans are being completed for the club’s sponsoring of the parish dance, “Autumn Leaves,” on November 13 in the parish hall. … On October 13, the membership voted to expend funds for the furnishings of the new Reconciliation Room in St. Rose Church.

October 19, 1951

The marriage of Mr and Mrs Norman H. Peck, Jr took place on Saturday morning, October 6, in St. Rose Church, Newtown. The Rev Walter R. Conroy, pastor, officiated at the double ring ceremony. Mrs Peck is the former Miss Betty Ann Qubick, daughter of Mr and Mrs Frank Qubick of Sandy Hook. Mr Peck is the son of Mr and Mrs Norman Peck of Bethany. The bridegroom is serving in the United States Navy and is now on leave. When he returns to active duty he will be stationed in Maryland and Mrs Peck will continue to reside with her parents during her husband’s term of service.

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“Planning and Zoning in Community Development” was the keynote of the speech given by Frank A. Batstone at an opening meeting of the Newtown League of Women Voters held on Wednesday evening in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. The speaker, who was introduced by the League president, Mrs Herman deVries, is presently employed by the State of Connecticut Development Commission as planning engineer for the Research and Planning Division and is also an instructor at Hillyer College in Hartford. Mr Batstone urged the citizens of Newtown “to get on the ball” and busy at the subject of zoning, in time to plan for the future growth of the town in the right way, considering industrial development as well as residential growth.

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The regular monthly meeting of the Newtown Mothers Club took place in the social rooms of the Trinity Episcopal Church Monday evening, October 15, Mrs Gilpin Johns, president, presided. Approximately 40 members and their guests thoroughly enjoyed the informality of the flower arrangement discussion.

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The first regular meeting of the newly constituted Board of Fire Commissioners was held Tuesday, October 16, at the Newtown Fire House at which time the resignation of Fire Marshal Walter L. Glover was presented and accepted with regret. Mr Glover has served the fire companies faithfully in various capacities for more than 20 years and was the first fire marshal for the town under its present fire department organization.

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Pohtatuck Grange conducted a well-attended meeting in Grange hall October 9 at 8 o’clock, with Miss Florence Pease, master, presiding. The first and second degrees were conferred upon a class of seven candidates during the evening. Miss Pease was in the master’s chair and was assisted by the regular officers during the exemplification of the first degree.

October 22, 1926

The Guild rooms of St John’s parish have seldom held a larger throng than gathered on Tuesday evening of this week, when the St John’s branch welcomed the St Paul’s, Brookfield branch at a supper and entertainment. A glowing pumpkin beside the G.F.S. banner on the porch gave cheering welcome to the members of St Paul’s branch as they entered and in the tastefully decorated rooms sat down to a delicious supper.

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Mrs Newton M. Curtis entertained 36 guests at her bridge party held at her home on Curtis Hill at 2.30 o’clock last Thursday afternoon, October 14, for her house guest, Mrs Louis Stephens, of St Petersburg, Fla. All reported a very enjoyable time as Mrs Curtis is an entertaining and witty hostess. There were eight tables of bridge.

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The eighth annual meeting of the Visiting Nurse Association was held at Beach Memorial Library, Tuesday evening. Thirty people were present. Reports of secretary and treasurer were read and accepted. Miss Baker, our nurse, gave a very fine report of work done since January 1, since which time she has been with us. It is indeed a pleasure, and affords us much satisfaction knowing the work is being done so well, and thoroughly done.

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DISTRICT OF NEWTOWN, ss. Probate Court, October 19, 1926: Estate of William H. Sanford, late of Newtown, in said District, deceased. Upon the application of Levi C. Morris of Newtown, Ct., praying that Letters of Administration may be granted on said Estate, as per application on file more fully appears; it is Ordered — That said application be heard and determined at the Probate Office in Newtown, in said District, on the 27th day of October, A.D. 1926, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and that notice be given of the pendency of said application and the time and place of hearing thereon, by publishing the same one time in some newspaper having a circulation in said District, and by posting a copy thereof on the public sign-post in the Town of Newtown, in said District. —Oscar Pitzschler, Judge.

October 25, 1901

That a successful fair cannot be held during wet weather has been clearly demonstrated by the experience of the Newtown fair this year. The managers had planned for a big fair and had the weather permitted there is no doubt but the result would be surprising, but instead of large crowds and big receipts the managers are forced to deal with a lean treasury. It has been evident for some time that the premiums would have to be cut and at a meeting of the directors held on last Friday to consider the matter it was voted to cut the premiums 60 per cent.

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Under the vote of the October town election Thomas J. Corbett was elected tree warden. For the benefit of our readers who are not posted we give in a very brief way the duties and powers of the tree warden: He can appoint deputies and remove them; shall receive such compensation as the town or selectman may determine; he shall have the care and control of all shade trees on public property and transplant new ones; may prescribe rules and regulations for preserving trees, and has legal power to enforce them; the town may expend a sum annually not exceeding in the aggregate fifty cents for each voter, for the purpose of setting out shade trees on the public highways, if the owners of the adjoining property do not object.

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A number of young people gathered in the Methodist church, last Sunday evening, to consider whether they would form a Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor. The vote was unanimous to form such a society and the following officers were elected: President, Rebecca Wunderlich; vice president, John J. Clark; secretary, Miss Florence Lake; treasurer, Miss Lizzie Beehler. A committee of three were appointed to draft a suitable constitution and by-laws for the society, to be voted on at the next meeting. The society starts with a membership of 11 persons.

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William W. Gardner officiated at the organ at Trinity church, Sunday, in the absence of Prof C.S. Platt.

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Miss Annie Meehan of Hawleyville underwent a successful operation for a cataract on one of her eyes at the Bridgeport hospital, last week.

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Jerry Keane is having his house newly painted. E.P. Pitcher of Brookfield is doing the work.

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 e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people and details 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.