* * *

The Parks and Recreations Commission plans to use the $1,200 of lease money held by concessionaire David Brown to purchase a hood over the deep fat fryer at Dickinson Memorial Park on Elm Drive. Currently Parks and Rec owns a deep fryer, a char-grill, a flat top grill and three refrigerators. Once Director Robert Ceccolini obtains a bid for the hood, Parks and Rec will ask the town for a special appropriation.

* * *

The Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers learned this week that it would cost about $60,000 to bring the 50-year-old Edmond Town Hall into compliance with a change in the Connecticut State fire codes. The inspection was done in response to a change in the state law which stipulated that all old buildings must be brought into conformance with the state safety code. The board of managers were given six months to enclose stairways, 60 days to remove and replace existing cane fiber tiles in the hallways and exitways and 90 days in which to install fire alarms.

* * *

At the urging of residents in Hattertown and other townspeople, First Selectman Jack Rosenthal recently appointed a new slate of members to the Hattertown Historic District Commission. A meeting of the reactivated commission was held Tuesday evening on the call of Mr Rosenthal in the selectman’s room in Edmond Town Hall. One of the first pieces of action will be the erection of historic district signs at the edge of four roads leading into the district: Aunt Park Lane, Castle Meadow Road, Hi Barlow Road, and Hattertown Road.

* * *

The Newtown High junior varsity wrestling team is enjoying an unbeaten season. It recently defeated New Milford 33-15, and Holy Cross, 56-27, to boost its record to 6-0 in the dual meets. The junior Indians will wrestle in their first tournament this Saturday, January 23, at Darien High School.

* * *

The swirling light images produced by W. Christian Sidenius at the Lumia Theatre crossed the language barrier recently as a Japanese speaking television producer expressed his appreciation for the show with applause and a hearty “bravo.” The art form created by the Sandy Hook engineer was selected for the inclusion in a television series being aired from Tokyo, Japan, by Fuji Broadcasting Company in March, 1982.

* * *

Sixth grade students in the Newtown Middle School art classes participated in a packaging contest sponsored by Republic Foil of Danbury and four of the students received silver certificates for their designs. Principal Louis Villamana awarded certificates to Dana Washburn and Merry Butts, Todd Neufeld and Kenny Wittmer. Their ideas? Dana suggested that making cookies would be easier if the prepared cookie dough was packaged in a tube… Merry recommended “squeezable” nail polish… and Todd and Kenny designed a BB container with a spout to eliminate the problem of spilled BBs.

 

January 25, 1957

Gremlins or pixies must have been at it again, tinkering with the weather, flipping the dial one day to Spring, then, with a snicker, flipping it right back to Winter. On Wednesday morning, one area resident reported a reading of 56 degrees above zero; Thursday at the same hour his thermometer read 6 degrees — a drop of 50 degrees in 24 hours.

* * *

This is just another work week at The Bee for everyone including the boss, where the primary concern of all those connected with its operation is to see that the paper makes the mails on time. Still, it has a special significance for Paul S. Smith, and although he isn’t the one to say it, the staff will have to say it for him. The fact is, it was just a quarter century ago this week that he began his association with the paper. In 1932, the paper was run by two brothers, Allison P. Smith, who was editor, and Arthur J. Smith, father of the present editor, was business manager. In taking over the editorship of his uncle in 1934, Paul S. had a number of years in the publication field to draw on for guidance.

* * *

A formal dedication ceremony of a spinet model Hammond organ will be held by the Hiram Lodge No 18 AF and AM, next Wednesday evening, January 30, at 8 o’clock in the Masonic Hall, Sandy Hook. The Rev Paul A. Cullens will officiate at the dedicatory service and organ selections will be played by Leonard Manz. The organ was purchased with subscriptions by the membership and by donations from the Mirah Chapter No 113 OES and the Fellowcraft Quarry.

* * *

Apothecary jars from the unusual and valuable collection of Sydney N. Blumberg of Hattertown District are being displayed in the windows of the Dry Dock Savings Bank at Lexington Avenue and 59th Street in New York City, and will be on view into February. Five windows on 59th Street and one on the stairway leading to the subway concourse are devoted to the exhibition. Its permanent home is in a cellar room of Mr Blumberg’s 19th century home on Castle Meadow Road, Newtown, which has been renovated and converted into a private museum for the collection.

* * *

The Newtown Park Commission is proud to announce that a double-headed floodlight has now been installed at the pond in the Dickinson Memorial Park which will be used for night ice-skating. They extend their thanks to Edward Beardsley of Chestnut Tree Hill and Richard Gretsch of Mt Pleasant whose donations of material and labor made this possible.

* * *

Mental Health Commissioner John. J. Blasko has announced that three-year training programs for residents in psychiatry have been approved for Connecticut and Fairfield State Hospitals. Residents at the state hospitals are doctors who are obtaining training in psychiatry, meanwhile performing treatment. To be eligible to take examinations of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology they need to have completed three years of approved training.

 

January 22, 1932

As has been expected for the past month, the Owls this week have the championship of the first half firmly clutched in their taloned claws. Although they have not bowled yet this week, they are assured of the title, as they still lead the second place Bluebirds by one game. Pat Keating and his boys nearly made a tie possible, but dropped one game to the Eagles after winning two.

* * *

Hiram Lodge No 18, F&AM, held a very interesting communication, Wednesday night, when the Master Mason’s degree was conferred upon a local, prominent business man. A banquet was served, following the degree work, which was done in an impressive manner.

* * *

The annual meeting of the congregational church took place, last Thursday evening, in the social room of the church and was one of the pleasantest events in the church annals. The outstanding event of the year was the redecorating of the church interior. The last service in the church was on February first, and the services thereafter were held in the lecture room while the work was going on. But when the work was finally completed and the church opened for service on June sixth, all felt we had a beautiful house of worship.

* * *

RECORD WARM WEATHER BRINGS WINTER BLOSSOMS. But An Old New England Story Leaves Fear It May Mean Snow During the Summer. While everyone is talking about this summer-like weather in January, and thinking it never happened before, we call to mind extracts from an old diary giving an account of the weather in New England in 1816. “January, 1816, was so mild that most persons allowed their fires to go out, and did not burn wood except for cooking. By the last of May in this climate the trees are usually in leaf and birds and flowers are plentiful. When the last of May arrived in 1816, everything had been killed by the cold.”

* * *

Representatives of the towns of Norwalk, Wilton, Weston, Newtown, Redding and Southbury, interested in the building of a state highway over the old Norwalk and Newtown turnpike route will meet on the Green in Norwalk at 2 pm on Friday and then proceed over the old turnpike road to Newtown. The committee starting from Norwalk will be accompanied by two members of the State Highway Department at Hartford.

* * *

The Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town hall has been engaged for the installation ceremonies of the Pootatuck Grange to take place on Tuesday night next. J.P. Banks, master of Excelsior Pomona Grange, will act as installing officer.

 

January 25, 1907

The Allison Manufacturing Co of Hawleyville have closed down the factory for a few days, while they are having a new 20-horse-power gasoline engine installed. The are also to put in a dynamo and have their plant lit by electricity. They expect to start up their factory by the last of this week.

* * *

Charles R. Beardsley was crushed by a log he was loading on Monday. One knee was badly bruised, but he is now on the road to recovery. Gustavus Betts, who was kept indoors for several days with a severe cold, was able to be out on the order wagon, Wednesday.

* * *

A very delightful social event was the party at the hospitable home of Mr and Mrs H.W. Wright, Wednesday evening. The zero weather had no deterring effect on the attendance, as the generous hospitality of Mr and Mrs Wright is well known. About 100 were present. Dancing, to music furnished by Peck & Bliss, was continued till about 3 am.

* * *

A meeting to consider the formation of a Historical society will be held on Friday, February 8, at the Beach Memorial Library building, Newtown, when Rev Samuel Hart, D.D., will be present to make the address. A committee of the Men’s club, consisting of J.H. George, Prof C.S. Platt and E. Johnson, have the matter in charge. The matter ought to have the support of all citizens who take an interest in the history of the town.

* * *

THE SANDY HOOK LIBRARY: The sale, last week, was held under unfavorable conditions of weather; but not without success. The proceeds thus far are about $57, with promise and expectation of more to come in. The occasion was pleasant, and encouraging, as an expression of the popular interest in the library work. The building is provided free of expense for the public use. We pay no rent, no salaries, and have no current expenses except for fuel, light, and in cold weather the building of a fire once a week.