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THE WAY WE WERE FOR AUGUST 1, 1997

AUGUST 4, 1972

On Tuesday, August 1, the decisions of the arbitration board which heard

arguments on the teachers' contracts for the Newtown school system were filed

in the office of the town clerk. The 27-page document is advisory, not

binding. The arbitrators recommended an increase in basic salary schedule

expenditures of 4.5 percent, including increments but not insurance (which had

already been agreed upon and is included in the budget). The Education

Association of Newtown, which represents the teachers, had asked for a 7.75

increase, not including insurance. The Board of Education had proposed 4.6

percent including insurance. Insurance is about three-fourths of one percent

of the total package. When the town budget was approved, it included a 2.5

percent increase. To bring salaries up to 4.5 percent would require a special

appropriation of about $58,000.

Superintendent of Schools Dr James B. Boyd announced the resignation of Robert

Dema, business administrator for the Newtown schools. Mr Dema is leaving his

position to accept employment as business administrator for the Tarrytown

School District in New York State at a salary of $23,000, a substantial

increase over his present Newtown salary. The district has 3,300 students and

a budget of $7 million. Mr Dema competed for the position against 70 other

applicants. The Newtown Board of Education will begin an immediate search for

a qualified replacement for Mr Dema.

Chief Louis D. Marchese of the Newtown Police Department has been reappointed

to his post by the Board of Police Commissioners for a term of five years.

Chef Marchese took up his duties as the first chief of police of Newtown on

August 16, 1971. Prior to that he had been a career officer with the

Connecticut State Police with a rank of captain.

Pitney-Bowes has opened its new warehouse and distribution center on

Schoolhouse Hill Road in Newtown and will begin operations the week of August

7. The facility will serve as the firm's headquarters in the East and

Northeast and also will provide direct service to customers.

The second in a series of meetings aimed at hastening construction of Route 25

took place in Newtown on July 27. Called by the Bridgeport Area Chambers of

Commerce, it drew some 35 interested people to Edmond Town Hall's

air-conditioned theater. A. Earl Wood, state commissioner of transportation,

said the offer by the chambers to help was a year too late. He said efforts

failed to get a bill approved in the 1971 legislature to allow the Department

of Transportation to transfer money from one project to another. Mr Wood also

said his request for funds under a new bill to be introduced this year would

stop at Route 111 in Monroe, leaving all of Newtown and much of Monroe with an

unimproved road. Attorney Seth O.L. Brody said the longer the commissioner

postpones the decision on the route through Newtown, the more out of date and

less valuable becomes the information collected at the public hearing early in

1971.

AUGUST 1, 1947

Two centuries of Newtown history and a half century of happy married life were

marked on Thursday of last week when, in the midst of the calls of an active

real estate business, Mr and Mrs Howard R. Briscoe paused to celebrate their

50th wedding anniversary. Both trace their forebearers back to settlers in

Newtown in the early 1700s. Mrs Briscoe's maiden name was Emma Sherman and the

Briscoe family, it is understood, was the donor of the gilded rooster

weathervane which is on the steeple of the Newtown Congregational Church.

Three out of four families in Connecticut now have telephones, according to

Southern New England Telephone Company. Back in 1927 it was only two out of

four. Since World War II ended last year, SNET has broken all records by

adding 116,000 telephones in Connecticut. This year SNET plans a $19.4 million

construction program to add the thousands of people who are still waiting for

phones and for better grades of service.

On Tuesday Arthur T. Nettleton received a rather unusual and yet a very

appropriate deposit at the teller's window at the Newtown Savings Bank. It was

a birthday cake in honor of his 85th birthday and presented to him by Mrs

Edith Parker of the Parker House.

At a meeting of the Boys Social and Athletic Club held at Glover Hall

Wednesday, an announcement was made of the club picnic which will be held at

Sandy Beach on August 5. Three new members, Donald Lewis, Benny Britton and

Charles Ingram, were welcomed into the club. The meeting was preceded by a

softball game.

Funeral services were held this week for Charles D. Stillson, 87, one of

Newtown's most highly respected citizens, who moved to Bethel six years ago.

Mr Stillson was a native of Newtown and was a grammar school teacher here for

20 years, after which he became a civil engineer. He served as a justice of

the peace, a member of the Board of Assessors, the Board of Relief and the

Board of Education. He was one of the original members of the Board of

Managers of Edmond Town Hall and was on the board of directors of the Newtown

Savings Bank. He had extensive knowledge of the history of Newtown, especially

the Hattertown district, and frequently contributed historical articles which

were published in The Newtown Bee.