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Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood warned Monday that he was prepared to order Edmond Town Hall closed this week for what he contended is a lack of progress on correcting violations of the state fire code. But after a meeting Tuesday with Board of Fire Commissioners Vice Chairman Paul M. Raider, town hall officials were given until September 27 to demonstrate that progress is being made.

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A brief but intense wind some residents are convinced was a tornado passed through Newtown Wednesday around 3:30 pm. Trees were knocked down, branches and power lines fell across the road in some areas and damage to private property was reported. About 100 customers lost power on Mile Hill, Parmalee Hill, Hanover, Sugar Hill, and Rock Ridge Roads, in some cases for as long as four hours.

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Booth Library is planning a month long birthday celebration and the entire community is invited. All the jubilee events are open to the public, said Raymond Marcus, chairman of the jubilee committee. The “library of the future” the theme being observed September 15-18, promises to be exciting, acting librarian Janet Woycik said. The Video Movie Corner in Newtown is lending a video cassette recorder and films showing how audio-visual equipment can be used in modern libraries.

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The parade committee is excited about the enthusiasm and energy that is going into float construction this year. In recognition of the time and imagination that often goes unrewarded, the parade committee is offering an additional award this year. Designated the “Rooster Award,” this trophy will be given to any entry deemed a crowd pleaser by the judges.

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As the Newtown Montessori School moves into its 15th year this September, it looks forward to continued development of its educational programs for children and the largest enrollment to date. The goal of the school remains the same as when it was founded by a group of concerned parents in 1968: to serve the community by providing the highest quality Montessori education to the largest number of students possible.

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Newtown police are investigating reports of stolen saddles from two Newtown residences. Both thefts were reported Friday morning, August 20. Sometime between 10 pm Thursday and 7:20 am Friday a barn at Old Town Farm on Huntingtown Road was entered and several thousand dollars worth of horse tack removed. Later that morning, at 8:30 am, David Sigovich of Platts Hill Road, discovered three saddles missing from a horse barn on his property.

 

August 30, 1957

Thirty-three Newtown boys experienced the thrill of a lifetime on Sunday, August 25, when the Little League joined forced to fete their All-Star teams with an outing to Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, N.Y. After witnessing an exciting contest between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the St Louis Cardinals, the youngsters were treated to the rare experience of meeting the major league players, face to face.

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Officials and members of the Chamber of Commerce report the two day Greater Newtown Sales Days held Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24 an outstanding success. William Dudde, secretary of the Chamber,  has heard comments like “Best two days since I have been in business,” “Never have been so busy,” “Equaled our best weekend,” “Had to get a helper for the weekend,” “Never saw so many new faces,” and “Unbelievable.”

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The Rev Richard S. Martin, who recently resigned as priest-in-charge at St John’s Episcopal Church, Sandy Hook, Mrs Martin, and their daughter Sarah Jean, were honored last Saturday evening by members of the parish at a farewell party held in the parish hall. Senior Warden C. Henry Johnson presented the Rev Mr Martin with a purse on behalf of the parishioners, and Miss Hazel M. Tilson presented Mrs Martin with a corsage.

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Ronald Snyder, twelve-year-old nephew of Mr and Mrs Gordon MacDougall of Knollcrest, Candlewood Lake, in New Fairfield, achieved great distinction among his young fishing companions when he caught a large mouth bass on Friday evening, August 16, weighing four and one-half pounds. The fish is now on ice, waiting its turn with the taxidermist, and Ronnie is hoping for a repeat performance.

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Superintendent of Schools Carl A. LeGrow told The Bee this week he expects an increase of more than ten percent in the school enrollment over last year. At the end of September 1956 the total enrollment was 1,386 pupils. Due to the increased enrollment in various grades of the elementary schools it has been necessary to transfer 56 children from the Hawley School to the Sandy Hook School and 29 children from the Sandy Hook School to the Hawley School.

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Congregation Adath Israel recently broke ground for the $10,000 improvement program at the synagogue in Huntingtown District. A total of $8,000 has been collected in the fund drive, which began last spring, and committee members are confident that the goal of $10,000 will be realized when the campaign officially ends 30 days hence.

 

August 26, 1932

Trinity church will celebrate its 200th anniversary on September 11 and 12. Rev Dr George F. Linsley, former rector of the parish, will preach the historical sermon at the 10:45 service that day. On Sunday there will be a general reception in the parish rooms. It is expected that Bishop Acheson and Bishop Budlong will be present but the principal speaker will be Associate Justice John K. Beach of the Supreme Court. He is a lineal descendant of Rev Dr John Beach, the founder of Trinity parish.

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The formal exercises of the dedication of the marker, which the Mary Silliman Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, placed in front of the Hawley high school in Newtown will occur at the first fall meeting of the chapter, Monday afternoon, October 10. The meeting will be held in the Alexandria room of the Edmond Town hall and the 17 members who reside in Newtown will be hostesses for the afternoon. Mrs Harvey Wheeler will arrange the dedication program.

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One of the most up-to-date milk and bottling houses in this section has just been completed by James S. Andersen of Maple Tree farm. The building that houses the various machines is 25 x 30 and has all modern dairy improvements in it. The last word in sanitation is to be found in this building. Mr Andersen delivers milk daily to Newtown and has had exceptionally good success in the marketing of his milk.

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Dr M.D. Corrigan has opened an office at the residence of Mrs W. I. Kiernan, Sandy Hook, for the practice of general dentistry, including extractions with gas. His office hours are 9 am to 6 pm, evenings by appointment. Tel. Newtown 358-2.

At a meeting for those interested in bowling Thursday evening last, the matter of forming a bowling league to bowl during the coming fall and winter was discussed. Another meeting will be held on next Tuesday, August 30, at 7 pm at the Fire House. This meeting will be open to all interested and those who wish to take part in the winter tournament are requested to be present.

* * *

A noble act was that of 12 Bridgeport Scouts on a canoe trip on the Housatonic river, heading back to Camp Pomperaug from Indian Village. As they passed in their three canoes under the Newtown-Waterbury bridge they heard moans coming from the shore. They found Ernest Ingram, 12, son of Mr and Mrs Ernest Ingram of Southbury, huddled on the shore, nearly unconscious. He told the Scouts he dived from the bridge and struck a stone abutment. While one of the Scouts ran to the main highway for aid, the others rendered emergency first aid to the injured boy. The boy was then place aboard a rowboat and with one canoe towing the boat, he was taken to his home in Southbury.

 

August 30, 1907

Between the residence of Owen Burns on the road to Sandy Hook and the lane that leads up to the Foundry Pond on the highway is a patch of Canada thistles and burdocks, just going to seed, enough to seed the whole neighborhood. Wonder if the owner has ever read the revised Statutes of Connecticut? By the way we all might improve the looks of our beautiful town by trimming up the roadsides.

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Mr and Mrs A.E. Pixley, who have carried on the hotel at Hawleyville for the past five years, will about November, when their lease expires, move to Bridgeport, where they will make their home. First Selectman S.A. Blackman, who owns the hotel, has leased it to Mr Winton of Danbury, who formerly ran the hotel at Brookfield Junction.

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The High school alumni held a picnic at Taunton lake on Monday afternoon at which 19 were present. A luncheon was served which included everything that goes to make a successful picnic. A moonlight boat ride and other diversions made the time go by all too quickly.

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The editor drove over the Berkshire road the other day, which has been improved so satisfactorily by that public spirited citizen, Henry G. Curtis. The improvements have been continued well into Sandy Hook. The town with excellent propriety might reimburse Mr Curtis for a portion of the expense, as the work has been done thoroughly and well.

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The dry weather is affecting some crops more seriously than is generally supposed, corn and tobacco being the worst. Pasture is a dead as a door nail. It is a mystery how cattle can get enough to live on, much less make milk. Wells, springs, and streams are very low. The rainfall for the month so far has been only 1.73 inches, for July 2.13 inches. The normal of August is five inches, July about the same, making a deficiency of five and three-quarters inches.