Newtown’s highway department employees staged a wildcat strike for about four and a half hours Tuesday morning, July 1, protesting lack of settlement on their new contract with the town after some three months of bargaining. The first contract the local union chapter of the National Association of Government Employees had with the town expired June 30.

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On Thursday night, June 26, the voters in Newtown, at a town meeting, approved a $3,250,000 bonding issue for the construction of a new elementary school. As The Bee goes to press this week, that vote is being challenged through calling for an appeal referendum which will ask for a reversal of the town meeting vote. The petitions were sought from Town Clerk Mae Schmidle on Tuesday, July 1, by George Grosner of Greenbriar Lane, and were circulated in town by several residents.

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Members of the Garden Club of Newtown enjoyed their annual June picnic on June 24 and toured the beautiful gardens at the home of Mrs Robert Perry on Toddy Hill Road. A slate of officers for the years 1975-77 was presented and voted upon. The installation of the following officers will be in October at the club’s annual meeting: Mrs Robert Ingram, president; Mrs James Silz, first vice-president; Mrs Lorin Willis, Jr, second vice-president; Mrs Merlin Fisk, recording secretary; Mrs William Hanna, corresponding secretary; Mrs Harry Rishor, treasurer. A letter to Governor Grasso was circulated at the meeting for club members to sign if they wished. It deplored the lack of emphasis given to matters concerning environmental protection.

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In August, Nancy Meyer, daughter of Mr and Mrs William Meyer of Mt Pleasant Road, will be leaving Newtown to spend a year in Brazil as a Rotary Exchange student. Nancy, who has just completed her sophomore year at Newtown High, was chosen from a group of eight students who applied for the venture.

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Newtown Country Club will be represented at the World Junior Golf Championships in San Diego, Calif., on July 9 through 12 when one of the club’s junior members, Kip Bowers of Bonnie Brae Drive, will compete for a trophy with other young golfers from all over. Kip got his chance to go to the tourney on June 13 when he placed second in the state qualifying round at Farmington Woods Country Club. That day he carded a gross score of 78, and was only one stroke behind the top qualifier, Tom Breen of Cheshire, who went around the course with 77 strokes.

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The fourth man to announce he’d like to occupy the first selectman’s office made it official Wednesday afternoon. Longtime Democratic Town Committee Chairman Jack H. Rosenthal said he’s going for the party nod, noting, “I believe that the experience I have gained during 12 years as a member of the Board of Finance and four years as a selectman make me the most qualified candidate seeking to lead our town’s government for the ensuing two year period beginning January 5, 1976.”

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Despite the desire of the Department of Transportation that the Newtown Conservation Commission state its preference for one of the two Route 25 alternate routes before a joint meeting is set up in the future, the conservationists, at their regular meeting on July 2, felt, “We’re not ready to make a decision yet.” “We want to hear what they have to say,” secretary Howard Kemmerer stated. They briefly discussed the impact assessment report written by DOT, comparing the B1 and C4 routes as to costs, number of families relocated, environmental impact, and so on. Chairman Theodore Whippie said, “I don’t think the figures tell the story clearly.” He questioned whether 35 families would have to be relocated for the B1 route.

JULY 7, 1950

The older Scouts of Pine Tree Patrol will leave from their Scout cabin on the annual adventure trip next Sunday afternoon, July 9, at 2 o’clock. They have extended a cordial invitation to townspeople to come down and see them off at that hour. This year the patrol will go to North Bay, Ontario, and there take a steamer for about half a day’s trip down the French River. The patrol roster for 1950 is as follows: Rev Paul A. Cullens, Scoutmaster; Richard Butterworth of West Hartford, assistant; James Mainwaring, senior or patrol leader; Kenneth Wiser, junior or assistant patrol leader; Richard MacTaggart, scribe; Ralph Berkemann, baker; Alexander McQuillan, lighter; William McQuillan, waterboy; James Gies, handyman; William Morgan, woodman.

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A number of friends have visited with Arthur T. Nettleton at the Danbury Hospital during the past week. They report that he evinces much interest in affairs about the town and appears to be holding his own.

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A Fourth of July evening celebration that had earmarks of a community get-together was staged at Taylor Field in rear of Hawley School Tuesday night with a program of athletics and fireworks organized by the Troop Committee of the Newtown Boy Scouts, with James M. Osborne, Jr, chairman. Intermittent rains and thunder storms of the daytime had disappeared in time to bring out a large field of athletic contenders and spectators. Coach Harold S. DeGroat, who is a member of the Troop Committee, was in charge of the athletic program, and he was assisted by other committee members: William Knox, Dominic Digilio, Alexander W. Allport, and Thomas J. Conway, and the Senior Scouts.

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To the strains of martial music provided by the Sandy Hook Fife, Drum, and Bugle Corps, sponsors, the Newtown Fourth of July parade formed in the rear of Edmond Town Hall and got underway shortly after 10 o’clock Tuesday morning. A large number of the town’s civic and patriotic organizations took part and the parade was headed by First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson, with Commander George A. Jackson of the VFW as aide.

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The Little Sacks baseball team came from behind to win a 14 to 5 victory over the dashing Popsicles at Taylor Field on Sunday afternoon. In spite of a 3 to 0 lead in the first inning and the good pitching of Clif Beardsley, ably assisted by Andy Wheeler behind the plate, the “Pops” were unable to stave off the Little Sacks’ batting rallies.

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Completely sold-out display tables marked the close of the annual sale of home baked pies, cookies, bread, and rolls by the Rosary Society of St Rose Church on the church lawn last Saturday. Serving on the committee besides the co-chairmen, Mrs Alexander McQuillan and Mrs Harold Bassett, were Mrs H. Horton Saunders, Mrs Joseph J. Petrus, Mrs William O’Shea, Mrs John J. Hart, and Mrs Andre E. Maye.

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After six years in Washington, DC, as national president of the League of Women Voters, Anna Lord Strauss is now living in Newtown. Her home is the lovely old Stillson Farm in Hattertown, set in rolling meadows overlooking Morgan Pond. Although she bought the house nine years ago, Miss Strauss has had little time to live in it, and only now is experiencing that great pleasure of the new home-owner, changing it around to fit her own particular needs.

 

JULY 3, 1925

The Sandy Hook “All Stars” won their second victory of the season at Roxbury by staging a seven-run rally in the seventh inning to win out by the score of 12-6.

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A handsome new sign has been placed over the Golden Peach building at Sandy Hook. The front of the building has been newly decorated.

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The Newtown Country Club will celebrate the Fourth of July Saturday, and will have a very substantial dinner provided by the ladies of the club.

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The townspeople will be glad to hear that the Sandy Hook Band is reorganizing in preparation for a series of summer concerts, the first of which will probably begin in about three weeks.

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The Parker House is resplendent in a new dress of paint with a light gray body and green trimmings.

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In the process of reducing and eliminating help employed, the New York & New Haven railroad has laid off Martin Haurigan, for 32 years an assistant to Agent J.A. James at the Hawleyville station. In the busy days of the railroad as many as 12 men were employed at the Hawleyville station.

JULY 6, 1900

Russell W. Stone, with J.L. Hughes, brought to this office, recently, three pieces of crockery that he confiscated from a plantation 18 miles above New Orleans in 1863. This crockery is English iron ware and has been in use every day since it was captured. It is still in perfect condition, and Mr Stone is quite proud of his possession.

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The shanty at the tunnel was struck by lightning in the hard shower of last Thursday afternoon. Daniel Rearidon, who is in care of the tunnel, was standing near and was knocked down by the shock. The shanty was set on fire. MrRearidon quickly came to and with a few pails of water the fire was put out without very much damage.

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In Newtown Street there was less noise than usual the night before the fourth, for which the older people were devoutly thankful. In the early evening companies of young men paraded the Street, singing and having a good time generally. About midnight the bells were tolled for three quarters of an hour. Some large bonfires were kept going near the liberty pole.