Park and Recreation officials put aside any reservations they may have had about developing a 56-acre town-owned parcel into a park, and Monday night recommended to the Board of Selectmen that the town go forward with development of the property. Plans to develop the so-called Stefanko Park off Philo Curtis Road in Sandy Hook have been in the works for several years now, although funds for this weren’t allocated until April 1978. Then a town meeting approved a $358,000 appropriation for the first of the four phase project, with half of the money to be reimbursed by a federal grant. Since then, approximately $43,000 of that money has been spent on aerial and ground surveys of the property, project design and engineering fees, and advertising for bidders.

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A full evening of fun, games, music and food is on slate Saturday, August 4, as the Newtown Summer Festival along with WINE radio sponsors the annual block party. It will be at the Newtown Shopping Center, Queen Street, from 6-11 pm, with admission free.

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The Newtown Jaycees recently named Al Ives Jaycee for the month of June. Mr Ives is in charge of the painting project which is brightening the house on St Rose property, which the Jaycees use for their annual Haunted House.

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Despite attempts by area residents to keep it open, the Stevenson Dam on Route 34 has been closed this week for repairs by the state Department of Transportation, and is expected to remain closed until October 31. The state intends to widen the structure and replace the dam’s concrete sides with steel girders.

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Doug Rogers, who serves as Newtown’s energy coordinator on the Board of Selectmen’s Energy Conservation Committee, last week asked the Public Building Committee to investigate “correction of apparent improper cooling system operations” at the town’s newest school, Head O’ Meadow. Mr Rogers, whose Shepard Hill Road home is near the Boggs Hill Road building, said the air conditioning had been running “24 hours a day” for about a month after school closed. He finally called Robert Montesi, school system supervisor of buildings and grounds one morning at 2 am about the running air conditioning units, which he could hear from his home.

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For people passing by the Farwell residence on Taunton Hill Road, who haven’t figured out what the strange looking contraption is attached to a large maple next to the roadside, here is the answer. It’s a device for attracting bees out of the tree and into a new environment. The bees have inhabited the tree for three years, according to Mrs Farwell, but she would like to see them go since several of her friends are allergic to bee stings. Now, these particular bees are honey bees and are not known to sting very often; but still in all, they will if irritated for some reason. Since they are honey bees, Mrs Farwell felt it would be a shame to kill them, so she sought some other solution.

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“It sort of renews your faith in Newtown’s people,” was the observation of Joseph E. Borst about the quick response he received last week to a request for donation of a US flag. The Bee published the request in the July 27 issue, and Mr Borst, chairman of the Public Building Committee, received a phone call Friday morning at 8. A gentleman, who requested to remain anonymous, told Mr Borst to buy the three by five foot flag and send him the bill. The flag will be for the town’s new day care and multi-use building, located on Riverside Road, Sandy Hook. The flagpole itself was donated by William MacMillan of Jeremiah Road.

AUGUST 6, 1954

The children of the Taunton District, as has been their custom for the past several summers, again delighted their parents and friends with a play. This year’s play, “The Haunted Book Shop,” was given on Friday evening, July 30, at Morning Star Farm, the home of Mr and Mrs Nathaniel Wagner. Producer and director of the play was Virginia Wynne, daughter of Mr and Mrs Charles V. Wynne and granddaughter of Mrs Wagner. Each year, Virginia corrals all the Taunton youngsters, gives out parts, directs rehearsals, makes scenery, and acts as a general manager of the production. The proceeds of the play are used by the children to finance their annual Hallowe’en party.

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Showing a rapid comeback from two defeats, the most recent a 6-5 loss to New Fairfield on Monday, the Newtown team in the Berkshire Boys’ Baseball League showed strength Wednesday in swamping Brookfield 12-0. Behind the one-hit pitching of Chipper Hall, the Newtown lads showed a tight defense and bunched their runs in two big innings, the first and fourth, scoring six runs in each.

George M. Stuart, a member of the General Assembly from Newtown for six terms, will not be a candidate for reelection this year, he indicated in a letter written to Allen Northey Jones, chairman of the Republican Town Committee, last Friday, July 30.

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Robert Raynolds, well-known author and resident of Head of Meadow District, is scheduled to appear as guest speaker on the Edward R. Murrow “This I Believe” program over the CBS network next Thursday, August 12.

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Playing golf with brooms may not be the most acceptable way of playing the game but it certainly is one of the funniest, if the merriment caused by the Monkey Golf tournament held at the Newtown Country Club last Sunday, August 1, was any indication. Foursomes made up of two men and two women teed off at 1:30 pm with each player carrying one club and a broom as putter and proceeded to play around the course. What the players lost in strokes was more than compensated for by the laughter their efforts provoked.

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Newtown was well represented at Wednesday’s running of The Hambletonian, annual trotting horse classic at Goshen, N.Y. Seen at the track were Mr and Mrs H. Gould Curtis, Mrs Sarah Mitchell, Alvin B. Coger, G. Herbert Beers, Fred Carmody and C. Walter Bounty.

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Mrs Karl Knaur of Main Street left by plane on Tuesday for a stay of approximately two months in Germany and Austria. Her son, Peter Knaur, who is with Radio Free Europe in Vienna, will join her in Salzburg, Germany, where they will attend the famous Salzburg Festival.

AUGUST 2, 1929

Numerous requests for a repetition of the Hymnsing and Musicale held last summer in Trinity Church has resulted in the arrangement of programs by Donald A. Griscom, organist, to be rendered during the month of August.

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The Walnut Tree Special will make the opening run of the season next week.

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Thirty or more of the lady employees of the Upham Food Products, Inc, at Hawleyville, were entertained at dinner, Saturday noon, at Upham’s Japanese Tea Gardens, by W.A. Upham. After a fine dinner they enjoyed boating and canoeing on the lake adjoining the tea gardens and had a royal time all around.

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Judge Hampton of the Newtown Court will sit as guest Friday with Judge Ives over the Danbury Traffic Court.

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Rev and Mrs Paul Cullens and Mr and Mrs Gordon Stearns of Waterbury were guests Sunday of Mr and Mrs George Beers.

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The barn on Mrs Margaret Lester’s place in Hanover was burned to the ground Wednesday afternoon. Men from the Fabric Fire Hose factory went to the scene of the fire but could do nothing. The origin of the fire is unknown.

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Master Herbert Gomberg returned after spending a week at Storrs Agricultural College.

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Sandy Hook will play Newtown at Baxter field Sunday at 3 o’clock, and a good game is looked for, as Sandy Hook is out to defeat their lively neighbors up street.

AUGUST 5, 1904

R.E. Boysvert, the genial and popular operator at the Newtown railroad station, has bought the property of Miss Aldis, next to the residence of S.F. Tilson.

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A wind mill for pumping water into the water tank at Botsford Depot has just been erected near the tank and a long siding has just been completed between Botsford Depot and the high bridge on the New Haven branch to accommodate the long freight trains which are expected soon to go over this branch.

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The painting and decorating in the offices of the Newtown Telephone Exchange was done by Harry Madigan and men.

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A number of friends of Mr and Mrs John L. Hughes gave them a pleasant surprise at their home last week Monday evening. The evening was passed very pleasantly in dancing and social intercourse.

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Charles E. Blackman of Palestine is working for the Smith Lumber Company in Ridgefield.

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R.J. Patterson of Mile Hill is putting new sills under his barn besides making other extensive repairs. George A. Northrop has charge of the work.

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Mrs W.L. Allen and daughter, Helen, who have been spending two months in Germany, sailed for home Sunday, July 31, on the steamer “Princess Alice.” They hope to land in New York August 9.

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Edward Pecso has been decorating several rooms at the Grand Central Hotel.