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The first steps toward the town’s taking over the historic Congregational Church building in the center of town has been taken by the Board of Selectmen. At its meeting, May 4, all three selectmen agreed to a letter of intent for the town to accept the church building as a gift from the congregation. The congregation recently won zoning approval for the new church it plans to build on the Nettleton Property, on the hill behind the present church. After the new church is completed — which could happen in the winter of 1988 — the old church would be available to the town.

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Asked to comment on the recent Supreme Court ruling that states can force local Rotary Clubs to admit women, Newtown Rotary president Douglas Wilkinson said this week his club stood ready to consider any woman nominated for membership. He said that several months ago his club polled its members at the request of the Rotary International, on whether women should be admitted to Rotary. Mr Wilkinson said he was surprised that only about 60 percent of this club’s members opposed the idea of feminine members, while about 40 percent favored admitting women.

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A valuable wetlands near the Pootatuck River on Fairfield Hills Hospital property is being smothered by fill covering a nearby landfill. At the urging of Conservation Director James Benson, state environmental officials are taking corrective measures. The fill was used to cover the defunct two-acre landfill last year and has eroded and drifted into the wetlands, eating up some of its unspoiled acres.

May 11, 1962

Oral polio vaccine, Type I, is now available for community immunization. It is planned to do the children in the schools on Friday, June 8, from 9 to 10 am. It is planned to do the preschool children in the High School on Saturday, June 9, from 10 to 11 am. The oral vaccine confers a lifetime immunity for the specific type given. The three types cannot be given concurrently and therefore it is planned to give Type II during November and Type III in the spring of 1963.

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The steering committee for the Newtown Historical Society completed a certificate of incorporation at its meeting on Tuesday evening, as the first step in incorporating the organization. As soon as approval has been given by the Secretary of State, charter members will be enlisted and a definite date set for an organization meeting of the society. Plans were made for an interesting program at the organization meeting, with the hope expressed that the society will have enlisted a large number of charter members by that time.

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Defending champion Newtown Indians opened the 1962 Pomperaug Valley Baseball season here Sunday, defeating New Milford 7 to 0, behind the six-hit pitching of Chuck Botsford. Botsford struck out 10, walked only three, and scattered six hits.

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The Board of Selectmen at its meeting Tuesday night discussed a letter recently received from the State Highway Department, in which that department outlined plans for turning back to the town Glen Road, the remainder of Botsford Hill Road, and the end of Hattertown Road, which have been maintained by the state for many years. Charles W. Terrell, Jr, First Selectman, noted that the board will oppose these plans, has written to the State Highway Department outlining its reasons for opposition, and has requested a meeting with highway officials for further discussion of these matters.

May 7, 1937

A.F.A. Konig, proprietor of Minkdale Farms, Newtown, is the first goat owner in Connecticut to join a Dairy Herd Improvement Association. His herd of purebred Toggenburg goats is one of the few on test in New England and may be included among the pioneers of dairy herd improvement work in the east. Mr Konig now has 21 milking goats and two bucks.

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About 75 acres were burned over in a forest fire on Saturday last near the town line in the Stony Hill district, bordering on the old Bethel Road. Fire Warden Frederick Crouch and helpers with boys from the CCC camp in New Fairfield fought the fire for several hours.

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Gordon Blake, the crack fisherman of Sandy Hook, started out Saturday morning and had the regular fisherman’s luck until late in the afternoon when he made a misstep and landed in the middle of the stream in back of the Fabric Fire Hose Company, where the water is only neck deep. The Fabric Fire Hose fire guards were on their job and Gordon was pulled up the bank to safety. The boys said the only part of his equipment that he didn’t have was a bathing suit.

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Newtown made a good showing at the annual Judging Competition held at Connecticut State College, Storrs, on Friday of last week. Vincent P. Gaffney, Agricultural teacher at Hawley School, and his class attended and took part in the contests. Charles Tilson won second place in the Poultry Judging Contest, with a score of 590. In the egg contest William Hanlon took second place, with a score of 94. In placings by schools, Hawley School ranked fourth in the poultry contest, and third in the egg contest.

 

May 10, 1912

At this time of the year the class in Agriculture at the High School enters into what is commonly called the home project scheme. This scheme consists of individual enterprises carried on by members of the class, each pupil being allowed to select some special line of work in which he is interested. Plots of ground from one-quarter to one-half acre in size are used and aside from the first preparation of the soil, these are looked after entirely by the students.

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George Rasmussen of Huntingtown has purchased the past week a fine new rubber tired runabout buggy of out of town parties. Albert and James Boyson of Palestine have purchased the past week a 30-horsepower Maxwell touring car of Bridgeport parties.

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The Taunton prayer meetings have been increasing of late both in interest and numbers. On May 28 the prayer meeting service will be in charge of the ladies of the WCTU. The children of the Loyal Legion will lead the singing, followed by a Bible reading given by the members of the Union. An out of town friend is expected who will speak on the subject: “Why I am interested in the Temperance Cause.”

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Frederick Downs of Hawleyville has erected near his house a new summer house, 12 x 14 feet, which he will enjoy this summer. William Knapp of Hawleyville is brightening his house with two coats of white paint.