January 27, 1984

School playing fields, the stepchild to many a budget session, have improved since the Parks and Recreation Department took them over two years ago, according to those who see them used the most — the high school coaches. However, it’s going to take some time, as well as a cooperative spirit among the sports-minded leagues in Newtown to bring them up to the standards everyone would like to see.

* * *

“We’re getting closer,” said Town Attorney Raymond T. Connor, referring to a possible agreement between the town, the state and D’Addario Sand and Stone Company over the dump the company is operating on Buttonshop Road. The draft makes it clear that the town is not sanctioning dumping anywhere on the site.

* * *

 The Conservation Commission gave owners of a trailer park on Sugar Street until Wednesday, February 8, to temporarily curtail sewage from spreading into wetlands. The issue was ordered because untreated septage was breaking out of a drywell and into a wetland.

* * *

Getting to the Newtown Sleigh Rally last Sunday may have been a problem for some, what with cars disabled by the single-digit temperatures, but the method of transportation being celebrated this day wasn’t affected at all by the weather. Sponsored by the Newtown Bridle Lanes Association and the Parks and Recreation Department, the Sleigh Rally was held at the former Italian Community Center on Route 34. For several hours on a chilly but pleasant afternoon colorful horses and sleighs recreated a by-gone era, when the horseless carriage was still a dream, and the preferred transportation on a winter’s day was a horse-drawn sleigh.

January 30, 1959

Word has reached first selectman Edward J. Coleman from Commissioner Newman E. Argaves that the State Highway Department has decided to eliminate the ramps on Currituck Road which were planned as part of the relocated Route 6 in Newtown. A great deal of opposition was expressed throughout the town, resulting in circulation of petitions against the ramps. The ramps would throw too much traffic on Currituck Road, a town road, and defeat the purpose of by-passing through traffic around the center of town.

* * *

The assessors announce their net valuation for taxable properties in Newtown for 1958 is $27,368,487, far less than the $5 million that the Grand List rose in the previous period. A major portion of the increase in the current list is the addition of 157 dwellings during the year, bringing the total home valuations to $16,207, 203.

* * *

The revised area map of Newtown, a project of the League of Women Voters of Newtown, is nearing completion. All townspeople are invited to inspect the map before it goes into printing. Beautiful and useful, the final map will be in color, indexed, and suitable for framing.

* * *

The Protestant churches of Newtown are making plans for Lent. A series of United Lenten Services is being planned, the first of which will be held on Sunday evening, February 22, in St John’s Church, Sandy Hook, when the speaker will be Dr Halford Luccock of Yale University. The services are being conducted by the ministers of the churches and the choirs are preparing special music.

January 26, 1934

Old Man Winter presented devotees of outdoor sports with several days of excellent skating, over the past weekend, and impromptu parties greatly enjoyed the smooth ice on all of the nearby lakes and ponds. Not to mention those who fished through the ice, and those who filled their ice houses as well.

* * *

Prizes are now announced for each of the three highest scores in the Newtown Girl Scout contest for the collection of the egg-masses of the tent-caterpillar moth. Total for the troop to date, 5,445. Using 350 as the average number of eggs in each cluster, we find that means 1,905,750 less caterpillars to eat the leaves next spring.

* * *

One of the most distressing automobile accidents which has taken place in Newtown in several years occurred on Sunday night, about 11:30 o’clock when a car driven by George J. Stevens of Bethel, a Dodge sedan, swerved from the cement on the Bridgeport-Newtown highway at a point opposite Anthony Amaral’s Garage. Mrs George J. Stevens was instantly killed. After striking the fence, the car, out of control, continued on for 35 feet and overturned in the ditch. The crash made a tremendous noise. Three other occupants of the car were more or less injured. Too much praise cannot be given Constable William E. Blake for his manner in handling the traffic, and for his assistance to the wounded victims.

* * *

One hundred and fifty people, representing practically every district in town, met in the assembly room of the Hawley High school, Wednesday night, when a Parent-Teacher Association was organized. Eighty-four separate units have been organized in Fairfield County. A set of by-laws was adopted. Harold F. Smith was chosen president.

January 29, 1909

Dancing Class: The last lesson of the evening term will be given in the Town hall on Friday, February 5, at 7:30. Miss Ashcraft will then give a series of six lessons on the lanciers, quadrille and cotillion figures; terms $2.50, or 50 cents a lesson. There will be a series of six lessons for the children at the library Saturday afternoons at 2:30 commencing February 6.

* * *

The shop of the Allison Co, at Hawleyville is running with nearly full force and contemplates a very large spring business. The company expects to exceed any previous year in the history of the shop. Girls wanting steady and pleasant work can find employment here.

* * *

At the next supper, which the ladies of the Guild will give on Thursday, January 28, the young ladies will take the kitchen and the married ladies will serve the tables. It will be an old fashioned supper, and the ladies attending the tables will be dressed in ancient costumes. The supper will be followed by an entertainment in keeping with the occasion, the nature of which will be revealed in due time.

* * *

Thomas Keane, a driver for the Fabric Fire Hose Co, is laid up as the result of a strain from falling on the ice. John W. Ray, the genial driver of the Newtown Inn stage, has been laid up for a week as the result of a kick from a horse.