April 13, 1990

About 800 students and faculty members listened intently April 5 as two American Indians expressed their points of view regarding the use of an Indian as a mascot at Newtown High School. Trudie Lamb Richmond from the Schaghticoke tribe is director of education at the American Indian Archeological Institute and teaches cultural anthropology at Western Connecticut State University. Mrs Richmond said she opposed the use of the Indian, in any form, as a mascot. Roger Head, from the Red Lake Band of Chippewas in Minnesota, is executive director for the Indian Affairs Council in Minnesota and a lobbyist for 11 tribes. Mr Head upheld the use of the Indian as a mascot, so long as it was done respectfully.

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The sound of chugging pumps and spraying water could be heard Monday, April 9, as Highway and Parks and Recreation Department personnel began the annual draining of Dickinson Park pool. The draining process will take approximately three days to complete. After the pool is completely empty, Parks and Recreation personnel will spend approximately two weeks preparing the pool for patching and painting. The pool itself is approximately 300 feet long and 250 feet wide. It is 9 feet deep in the center and when full, holds 1.6 million gallons of water.

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Newtown High began its girls’ track and field season with a non-conference meet against Nonnewaug High, a Berkshire League school, last Friday, in Woodbury. Newtown coach Rick Medve was upbeat about his team’s winning performance since many runners and field eventers posted times and distances that qualified them for the Western Connecticut Conference meet later in the season.

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With their new budgetary restraints the Newtown Police Department is forced to hold onto five aging patrol cruisers for another year, a constraint which could be a safety hazard and ultimately end up being a very costly decision. Newtown Police Chief Michael DeJoseph states that each unit will have in excess of 70,000 miles on them plus idling time. The cars the department keeps with 70,000 miles on them will have 140,000 on them by next year. “Next year, we have to get five brand new vehicles, or we are in deep trouble,” he said.

April 16, 1965

Rehearsals are in full swing as the Newtown Choral Society, under the direction of Joseph P. Grasso, prepares its program of choral music to be featured at the Third Annual Festival of Song. This year’s festival, sponsored by the Rotary Club for the benefit of the Newtown Scholarship Association, will be held on Saturday, May 8, at the Edmond Town Hall. The 55 members of the Choral Society attend weekly rehearsals. Music affords theses members a relaxation from “the cares that infest the day,” and though they are serious about singing and are intent upon perfecting each number, members find the rehearsals to be fun, offering a sense of musical accomplishment.

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Somewhat more than 200 townspeople attended Tuesday evening’s public hearing in Edmond Town Hall on a proposed $1,681,775 school budget and a $834,759 selectman’s budget. It was, in all, a rather mild session with, however, a considerable number of townspeople asking questions and stating opinions from the floor.

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An extraordinarily memorable performance of “Parsifal,” Richard Wagner’s great Holy Week opera, will be presented on Easter Sunday, from 5 to 9:30 pm, by the Newtown Savings Bank, in full FM stereo over WGHF-FM 95.1 on the FM dial, in Brookfield. This historic recording was made at the Bayreuth Festival of Germany under the direction of Wieland Wagner, the composer’s grandson. Critics here and abroad have acclaimed the performance in this first stereo recording ever made of the opera.

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The Bee has received an unsigned letter from a Newtown taxpayer, complaining that dogs are roving in packs at night, doing much damage to shrubbery and lawns. The letter writer asks that something be done to curb these dogs, preferably making the dog owners pay for damage done to other people’s property.

 

April 12, 1940

A.F. Dickinson of Dickinson’s Service Station, Sandy Hook road, has just accepted the agency for the Hudson motor car and has for demonstration purposes one of the new sedans, showing all the latest features. The Hudson comes in 6 and 8 cylinders with eleven body styles. There are many outstanding features in the new 1940 Hudson and Mr Dickinson will be pleased to give demonstrations to prospective buyers at any time.

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While in Danbury last Friday afternoon, Robert Gannon had the misfortune of having his car stolen from where it was parked on Main street. On Wednesday the car was found parked in front of Shanley’s Diner on Main street by the Danbury police. No damage was done to the car.

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Bozo, the well known police dog, residing on Main street, claims the first woodchuck of the season in his age group. He is nearly 12 years old.

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More than three hundred local and out-of-town persons attended the first annual Ball of the Charles Howard Peck, Sr and Jr Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, held at the Edmond gymnasium on Army Day, Saturday, April 6, starting at 9 pm. Music was furnished by Bob Hatch and his orchestra. The highlight of the evening was the exhibition drill by the Grassy Plain Fife and Drum Corps of Bethel, which was called back at 11 o’clock to repeat the drill. Ken Newman of Danbury directed the grand march.

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Ronald Castle, which has stood as a landmark in Newtown since its erection in 1888, has once more changed hands in the sale by William T. Cole, its owner for the past twelve years, to Abraham M. Kay of New York City. It is the plan of the new owners to open a school for physically handicapped children, giving them physical, social and character building, to instill self-confidence and to develop group participation and co-operation. Alterations will be started on the Castle in the very near future to put it in shape for school use. In addition to the Castle itself, the property includes 52 acres of land.

 

April 16, 1915

A freight train passed through Newtown, Sunday, with 107 cars, just one mile of cars. It is said to be the longest train that has ever passed over this local line. Three engines were attached.

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About 20 gathered at the library Wednesday afternoon, to meet Mrs C.W. Alden, president of the International Sunshine society. Mrs Alden told most interestingly of the object and work of the society, which is the spreading good cheer and helpful deeds to all those in need, whether they be rich or poor, high or low. She said one of their mottoes is, “Do the thing that is needed, when it is needed, whether it is a little or a big one, as best we can.”

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Coroner Phelan was in Newtown, Wednesday, and with Medical Examiner Kiernan, visited North Newtown and later went to Danbury to examine witnesses in the Timothy Harrigan case. Engineer Sheerer testified that he saw something ahead between the tracks which appeared to be a coat at a distance, but which seemed to assume larger proportion as the train neared. The engine and half of the baggage car passed over the object before the train was stopped, and their investigation that followed disclosed Harrigan’s dead body. Harrigan had left Sandy Hook and had gone to North Newtown on the 9 o’clock train. At North Newtown Harrigan went to the home of Michael Cavanaugh. At 11 o’clock Station Master E.F. Northrop of North Newtown saw Harrigan on the station platform. The theory is he had lain down between the tracks after the freight train passed, and was struck by the passenger train.

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Health Officer W.H. Kiernan gives The Bee the facts in regard to the carcass of a cow left on the ground on a pasture lot about a mile west of Taunton lake. It appears F.A. Young had a cow die under normal circumstances. Mr Young dug a hole in the ground north of his place, but Mr Crofut, who lives north of Mr Young objected. Mr Young then took the carcass and drew it away and threw it down by a stone wall. A part of the hind quarters had been cut off and hung up for chicken meat. Complaint was made that there was a danger of the Taunton lake water being contaminated. Dr Kiernan stated is was practically an impossibility of any contamination of the water supply. Mr Young was in failing at first to inter the remains of the cow, but in even a remote sense he did not consider it a menace to the water supply.