Dennis J. Clarke of Deep River has been selected as head librarian at the Booth Library to fill the position being vacated by Mrs Elizabeth Downs. The exact date of his arrival has not yet been announced. A search committee has been actively recruiting and, after reviewing 28 resumes and interviewing seven candidates, has recommended Mr Clarke’s appointment.

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Newtown Zoning Enforcement Officer Richard Baldelli has issued a cease and desist order to the Universal Church of Religious Rebirth, contending its use of a residentially zoned property on Old Green Road as a “recreational facility for religious purposes” is not permitted by right in such a zone.

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Rates for using town parks this summer will jump to $20, and the cost for attending Parks and Recreation camp or taking swimming lessons will not only go up, but families with more than one child will no longer receive a discount. The Parks and Recreation Commission decided to raise the rates in an effort to comply with a request from town officials to hold down the mill rate by raising individual fees.

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Newtown Police Sgt David Lydem has been appointed by Chief Louis Marchese as head of the department’s photography and fingerprinting unit. Chief Marchese said Sgt Lydem , who now has a “superficial knowledge” in those areas, will be sent to several specialized schools to give him a more technical knowledge.

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On January 20, Newtown will be one step from the White House. Rosberg Inc of Commerce Road has designed and made a special presentation case which will house the gold inaugural medal presented to President-elect Reagan. Similar cases will be presented to Vice President-elect Bush and ten members of the inaugural committee.

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The Newtown High boys’ swimming and diving team split two meets last week, which kept its record even at 3-3. Mike Gay, the locals’ only double winner, broke his own 100-yard breaststroke school record of 1:07 set in 1980 by swimming a 1:06.5.

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Newtown’s Board of Ethics has faced some tough decisions in its six years of existence, but there was complete agreement about the performance of the board’s retiring clerk at the Yankee Drover on the evening of January 7 when the members and their spouses gave a dinner in honor of Ruth Ingham.

January 20, 1956

The March of Dimes will end its month-long drive in Newtown with the annual Mother’s March on Tuesday evening, January 31. A large number of volunteer workers, headed by Mrs Robert M. Carruth, will conduct a townwide canvass for contributions to the polio fund. Townspeople are asked to turn their porch lights on to indicate their desire to make a contribution.

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We think it is time to tell our friends about a couple of changes that have taken place at The Bee this past year. They refer to plant and equipment, and do play an important part in publishing the paper and getting copies to our subscribers each week. Last summer we installed a complete Addressograph-Multigraph system for our mailing list. This required more floor space, and so a west wall was extended in the office to provide it.

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At its January meeting held in the library of Newtown High School last Thursday evening, January 12, The Newtown Board of Education voted unanimously to increase tuition rates for out-of-town students beginning with the 1956-57 term. Under the new ruling, a $50 increase will prevail, academic students paying $400 per year and Vo-Ag students $350.

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SAC Notes: Those “emergency sneakers” have been a lifesaver the last few week ends as a number of the kids who left their gym shoes at school would have been stuck were it not for the emergency sneaker pool.

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The Student Council of Newtown High School began a program for dancing in one-half of the gym during the noon hour on Wednesday of last week. Records are being provided by the senior class which is acting as host for the first few weeks.

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The Best Eating Values in Town at THE VILLAGE COFFEE SHOP Jim and Esther Howard, Proprietors, Church Hill Road – Route 6 NEWTOWN, Conn. Weekday Special BUSINESSMEN’S LUNCHEON 59 cents Homemade Soup, Steakburger or Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich, Home baked Pie, Coffee.

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The second session of Newtown’s adult education program was launched Tuesday and Wednesday night of this week with the registration of over 100 people of Newtown and neighboring communities at Newtown High School. New courses to be given this semester include public speaking and creative writing. Miss Irene Loftus will lead a course in oil painting.

January 16, 1931

Walter L. Glover is showing one of the new Philco tone control radios at his show room on Main street. This new machine eliminates the nuisance of stations fading. It also enables the user to tune in stations near and far with perfect ease. This machine is years ahead of any radio on the market.

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A pleasant and unexpected incident in connection with the proceedings of the Town court, Monday night, was the presentation by Deputy Sheriff Morris D. Beers in a neat speech to Judge E.R. Hampton of a handsome gavel made of Circassian walnut. Judge Hampton replied with appropriate words of thanks for the useful gift.

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Some autoists, minus chains, got into difficulties, Monday morning, on the slippery Mt Pleasant hill, the heavy fall of snow adding to their difficulties. A half dozen cars were temporarily held up there for some time until they could get help. Mr Johnson and the state trucks did most effective work in sanding the hills and grades.

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The first match in bowling occurred at the Edmond Town hall, last week Friday night, when the Mitchell Dairy girls of Bridgeport bowled against the men of Newtown, and they are certainly some bowlers. The Newtown men got the best for the girls in two frames but in the last frame they ran away with the Newtown boys.

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Mrs Parker, wife of Landlord W.D. Parker of the Parker house, was bitten severely in the hand by a dog owned in the village. Dr E.L. Kingman dressed the wound, and Mrs Parker, while suffering much pain for several days, is getting along nicely.

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A sensational auto accident took place on Thursday afternoon at 5 o’clock in the Glen when a Buick sedan skidded on the ice, went off one side of a state road fence, struck a tree and overturned. The top of the car was pretty well torn off. The damaged car was towed to the garage of Lillian and Hurd. The road was thoroughly sanded an hour before the accident took place.

January 19, 1906

Newtown had a stabbing affray, Sunday night. As the story goes, Frank Rosetti undertook to chastise his wife when Michael Rocco, who lived with Mr and Mrs Rosetti, attempted to interfere. Rosetti then flashed out a jack-knife and in less than one minute had inflicted the following wounds upon the body of Rocco: Three stabs below the heart, one stab over the right kidney, one stab over the lower lobe of the right lung, one stab over the right eye, one stab over the right temple. A stab went through the vest pocket and struck a leather book. Dr Kiernan was called to attend the injured man, and it is believed he will make a recovery. Rosetti and Rocco have lived at Sandy Hook for about three years.

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John R. Brott has opened a fish market in the north half of the Gately tenement house in Sandy Hook, where he will sell clams, oysters, escallops and all kinds of fish. He will run a wagon through Sandy Hook and Newtown street once a week.

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The history of Newtown’s Bi-Centennial celebration will be ready for delivery about February 1. The Editorial Committee has ordered the publication of 500 copies. The book will contain 33 cuts of first class finish and about 175 pages, pertaining to the celebration. The canvas already made warrants the belief that the edition of 500 copies will soon be exhausted.

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Some of the small boys and a few of our sedate citizens, tempted by the coating of ice over the sidewalks, Sunday morning, put on their skates and skipped about over their sidewalks for a time.

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The members of the Men’s club had an intellectual treat, Monday night, in an evening on “Tennyson’s Idylls of King Arthur,” presented by Principal Ross Jewell of the High school. The meeting was held at the Grand Central hotel, John J. Northrup and Charles G. Peck being the hosts.

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FOR THE VILLAGE OF NEWTOWN, To Take Water From Taunton Lake, WITH A RESERVOIR ON TAUNTON HILL Enthusiastic Meeting Held, Saturday Night, to Consider the Question. The meeting at the Brick building, Saturday night, to hear the report of the engineer on the feasibility of Taunton lake as a supply for water for Newtown Street was largely attended and a considerable enthusiasm was manifested.