September 11, 1992

It rained on our parade. Newtown has been filling its Main Street with a parade on Labor Day for 30 years, and to the best of anyone's recollection it has never before rained on our parade. But this year it did, and for marchers and spectators alike it was a soggy experience. It seems the forces of nature were trying to test the town's new committee of parade organizers, who stepped forward last April to take charge of the parade when it appeared the annual event was bound for extinction. The rain, because of its remarkable absence on every Labor Day for 29 years, was perhaps all-the-more dreadful when it finally did appear this year.

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Shelly Burnstein's house is about five minutes away from Hawley School, but it takes about a half hour for her son to get home. Mrs Burnstein asked the school board to look into the matter. "My child is now spending more time on the bus than previously. It takes 25 minutes before he is picked up by the bus. I hope the board looks at this and doesn't just coat it over." At press time Thursday morning, Mary Kelly, transportation director, was meeting with bus drivers. A decision was expected on any changes to be made by the ends of the week.

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If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. This seems to be the philosophy of the Borough Warden and Board of Burgesses, who are mounting their fourth campaign to establish a Historic District along Main Street. "Everyone believes that our historic Main Street is one of our biggest assets," Borough Warden Joan Crick said. And with the installation of sewers approaching, she said that residents are realizing how important it is to protect the integrity of Main Street. During their meeting, members discussed the names of several people who would be willing to serve on the new Historic District Study Committee.

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In light of Hurricane Andrew, a Newtown couple is donating their 20-foot motor home to a church in Leisure City, Florida, for use by storm victims but they need a way to transport the vehicle. "We're looking for a way to trailer it down. We need a low-boy," Mary Thomas of Juniper Road said Wednesday. The 20-foot mini motor home is 14 years old. "I'm worried about driving it down because it has 63,000 miles on it," she said. Mrs Thomas said that if the camper is going to be put on a trailer, she wants to fill it with "really good stuff." The camper has been sitting in the driveway for four years. "I would like it to go to good use."

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Thieves struck Gaston service station on Church Hill Road early Thursday morning, September 10, taking nearly 100 cartons of cigarettes. At approximately 2:10 am an unknown person or persons reportedly smashed a window with a large rock and took approximately 97 cartons and one gallon of anti-freeze. Newtown police ask that anyone with information regarding the incident call Newtown Department of Police Services at 426-5841.

September 22, 1967

A steadily increasing volume of advertising, coupled with a heavy workload in

The Bee's composing and press rooms, makes necessary an advance in advertising deadlines. Effective with next week's issue, the deadlines will be: Real Estate, 5 pm Tues. Display, 10 am Weds. Classified/auction, 5 pm Weds. The cooperation of all advertisers in meeting the new schedule will be greatly appreciated.

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The first rector of Trinity Church, the Rev John Beach, will be honored on October 1. The day will begin with the Holy Communion celebrated at 10 am in the church by the Rt Rev J. Warren Hutchens. At the close if the service, a plaque will be unveiled over the door of the new parish house. It represents the seal of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts which paid Mr Beach's salary for 50 years. Services will be conducted at the site of Mr Beach's first service here in 1732 as an American Missionary and the congregation will return to the church for a luncheon.

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The time seems to have come for Newtown to consider seriously, once again, the matter of regional planning. A public hearing has been called by the Planning and Zoning Commission for next Thursday, and townspeople will do well to attend. It will be remembered that the Housatonic Valley Regional District, as originally suggested by the Connecticut Development Commission in Hartford, is comprised of 10 towns. Because of opposition on the part of New Milford and some of her neighbors over being included in the same district with Danbury, the number of towns was reduced to seven. A regional planning agency is not a new form of government. It has no taxing, policing, or eminent domain powers. It is answerable to the voters through their appointed representatives for its basic income. The chief purpose of an agency is to formulate a regional plan of development.

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Luis Carlos Salazar and Dhepi Kat Dipares have ended two weeks of school and a month of life in America and they like almost everything they have seen, tasted, and heard. "I like Cokes and hamburgers, and ice cream," Kat said with a smile, her dimples showing. "I like wearing American clothes too. In Thailand we wear uniforms to school." "Ice cream and hot dogs," Luis said, speaking slowly, but well. "Everyone in Columbia who has been to the United States told me it would take me months to get used to things, but I am not finding it hard at all."

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Aetna Life & Casualty has announced its tenth annual $1,000 music scholarship competition for high school students. They may enter through their school music departments. Applications must be submitted to the Hartford Symphony, 15 Lewis Street, Hartford, by September 29.

September 18, 1942

The Bee wishes to remind the secretaries and others in charge of publicity for local organizations that it is anxious to carry every bit of possible news for them. But it is not the paper's responsibility to always seek this news from them. It would be a great help if more of this sort of material is phoned in or brought to the office. We want to do all we can to foster local affairs, but we expect cooperation from local organizations whose notices we carry.

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Members of the Rotary Club enjoyed a supper meeting at the Parker House on Monday evening, when Edward P. Chester, a member of the State Department of Education and Supervisors of Vocational Rehabilitation, addressed the gathering. Mr Chester, who is outstanding in his field, told of the work that is now being done and of the establishment of numerous clinics throughout the state.

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Mrs Farnam Underhill is now chairman of the group of First Aiders who have been in charge of cleaning the Newtown ambulance. This important part of Newtown's ambulance service was taken over by the First Aiders under the direction of Mrs Nelson Curtis when Newtown ambulance first arrived in town and an efficient job has been done ever since, members meeting every Thursday morning and devoting two hours to thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the ambulance and equipment.

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Ninety-four new names were added to the Newtown voting list at the joint session of the board of selectmen and town clerk held on Saturday at the Edmond Town Hall. Ninety-one took the elector's oath and three names were replaced on the list, having been previous voters in town. Last year fifty new names were added. In 1940 for the last national election, a total of 293 new voters were made. In 1939 there were 93 new voters and in 1938, a total of 207.

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Pohtatuck Grange has completed plans for another of its popular card parties, to be held at the home of Mr and Mrs Charles Hawley in Sandy Hook, on Wednesday evening, September 23. Attractive prizes will be awarded to the high scores of the evening, and refreshments will be served. All are cordially invited.

September 14, 1917

Editor A.P. Smith of

The Bee was the victim of an unfortunate accident Tuesday night. "It occurred about 6 o'clock at the corner near my residence. I was returning from Bethel and about to turn at the corner when my carriage was struck by the auto of Fred Daniels of Madison Avenue, Bridgeport. My horse was naturally frightened and ran. The carriage overturned I was thrown out and the carriage pretty well wrecked. Mr Daniels showed his gentlemanly qualities by coming at once to me aid. I had picked myself up out of the gutter in a somewhat dazed condition. I was bleeding profusely from wounds on the nose and face and suffered from a blow to the head and neck It was a rough and rugged road I traveled on Tuesday evening but I found a friend when Dr Gale appeared. It's a consolation to know you have a friend or two when you are sore, and wounded and bleeding." - [Allison P Smith]

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Mrs Laura Gibson's horse was killed by Dr Knapp Friday, suffering from hydrophobia. It is believed the horse [contracted hydrophobia] a year and a half ago at the height of the mad dog scare. The selectmen made a settlement with Mrs Gibson, Friday.

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It was the editor's good fortune to sit down to a bachelor dinner Wednesday at the home of the hospitable Donahue brothers on Walnut Tree Hill. The dinner, with chicken on the menu, was served in fine New England style by Thomas Donahue who could give the famous chefs in New York City points, and then some. The scribe, although pretty well shot to pieces as the result of an accident the night before when he was a star actor and landed in the gutter after his carriage was struck by an auto, forgot his pains and entered into the laughter and conversation with zest.

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"If we have a few days of good, warm weather, I believe the Elbertas will be coming into market in a week's time," said Selectman Newton Curtis to

The Bee man Wednesday. "We have been picking the champion peaches, but they ripen slowly, and there has been a keen demand."

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.