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Joseph P. Grasso, director of music for the Newtown Public Schools, is one of 24 teachers in the State of Connecticut awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award by the University of Connecticut Alumni Association. Mr Grasso has been a music teacher in the Newtown schools for the past 24 years.
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Members of the town Highway Department accumulated a total of 365 hours in overtime â at a cost of about $5,000 to the town â when plowing during the snowstorm during the early morning hours of January 15, and sanding icy patches of roads in the early morning of January 16.
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In the last month, Ronnie Greenmanâs two-and-a-half-year-old Rottweiler has won his class at four straight matches. Most recently, Mr Greenmanâs handsome dog, Scudder, took first place at the January Merrimack Valley Kennel Club Show in Manchester, N.H., gaining the last of the required 15 points needed to earn the coveted title of champion.
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January 22, 1960
Undergoing a $30,000 program of redecoration, the interior of Trinity Parish is stripped of all pews and elaborate staging has been set up for overhead decorating. Alfred Nelson of Botsford is the painting contractor and Hugh Tyler of South Kent, a noted church artist, is doing the decorative work.
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James F. Hinckley, superintendent of schools, has announced that the construction and equipment of the administrative offices in the new B Wing of the junior high school addition have now been completed. The entrance to the new offices of the superintendent, the high school principal, and the general administrative offices is on the long, wide eastern driveway leading down to the new building.
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When the announcement was made the G. Frederick Reinhardt, son-in-law of Mr and Mrs Harry King Tootle of Taunton Hill, Newtown, was to be Ambassador to the Arab Republics, the news came as a great relief to Mr and Mrs Tootle because they had known it for six or seven weeks, but had been sworn to secrecy. Now, they are delighted that President Eisenhower has made public the nomination.
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Mrs William Mannix, one of Newtownâs popular school bus drivers, had the great misfortune to fall on an icy walk as she was getting into her bus preparatory to starting her school route on Tuesday morning and suffered a leg fracture. She is resting comfortably in Danbury Hospital. Her many friends, and all the children on her bus routes wish her a most speedy recovery.
January 18, 1935
Fire was discovered in the dairy barn belonging to Judge Harry M. Greenman of South Center district shortly after 9 oâclock on Monday morning. By the time the local firemen arrived the fire had gained such headway that it was impossible to save the building. A number of pieces of farm machinery, tools and equipment, with some pieces of antique furniture, were also destroyed. The origin of the fire is unknown, but it is thought that someone might have slept in the barn over night and unintentionally started the fire.
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Newtownâs Mayor is displaying a blackened eye, which he acquired in the role of fireman at the recent fire that destroyed Judge Greenmanâs barns. So his story goes, and we hope for his sake, as well as all others, that Newtown will have no more fires for a while.
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For the past several weeks one of W.B. Bentleyâs real estate ads in The Bee has read âCome And See Me.â Just the other night, Mr Bentley answered the phone to hear the voice of one of his old friends, Mae West, who having seen his ad in the Bee, called from New York to converse and incidentally make the suggestion that he change the wording in his advertisement to read, âCome Up And See Me Sometime.â So Mr Bentleyâs advertisement has been altered, and meanwhile advertisers in The Bee are reminded to answer all phone calls promptly. It may be Mae West calling with a suggested change of copy.
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Fire of an unknown origin destroyed the home of Mrs Ada Block shortly after 8 oâclock, Thursday evening. The local fire company quickly responded under the direction of Fire Chiefs Frederick Crouch and Albert Knapp, a brave attempt was made to subdue the fire. Unfortunately, the lack of water prevented the firemen from saving the place and the loss of the house and contents is estimated at about $10,000.
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January 21, 1910
On Saturday morning, after the storm, the Taunton men combined forces and dug out the road to Newtown. On Cole Hill the drifts encountered were worse than at the storm Christmas time, and it was about 12:30 when they reached the Street. Sunday, F.L. Luff carried the milk, but A.D. Fairchild and sons, R.D. Smith and son, Horace, went along to see him through he drifts. It was found necessary to shovel again. At one point Mr Luffâs sleigh-load of milk was stuck and he broke the pole to his sleigh.
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Dr F.J. Gale, the popular physician of Newtown Street, has placed an order with C.H. Bassett for a Mitchell Model R, 1910 car. The Mitchell four-cylinder, 30-horsepower roadster is a car that fairly bristles with quality. In comfort, finish, appearance and style, it shows the utmost developments of the body builderâs art â being splendidly upholstered, roomy, and well arranged.
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Robert H. Beers, the capable manager of the Newtown division of the SNET Co., has been circulating, this week, the new directories, which are neat in appearance and changed somewhat from the typographical arrangement of the old book. There are now 250 patrons connected with the Newtown division.
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The pair of horses belonging to the Fabric Fire Hose Co. fell down as they were being driven into the yard at the mill, Wednesday morning, smashing the pole.