The Newtown Senior Center will celebrate its first anniversary in the new building on Thursday, February 14, with a Valentine Party.

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School buses used to transport children to and from Waterbury for a Parks and Recreation Department roller skating program were vandalized during a recent skating trip, apparently by some of the young participants. The recreation director said he thinks some of the drivers know who the vandals are, and Parks and Rec is trying to obtain the youths’ names.

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The Newtown girls basketball team won two very big games this past week which qualified them for the CIAC Class L tournament.

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The Newtown High School jazz ensemble participated in a jazz symposium and clinic at Wilton High School on Saturday, February 2. The full day of activities included performances by all ensembles, and clinics in improvisation, sight-reading, and section playing.

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The Newtown Camp Fire boys and girls and three adults joined more than 50 members from New Milford, Brookfield, and Danbury Saturday for a “No Snow Winter Wonderland” at Eliot Pratt Nature Center in New Milford. The cold temperatures did not keep the group from enjoying nearly two hours of skating on the frozen pond at the education center. They huddled by the outdoor fire, pressed apples for hot, spiced cider, cooked over the fire, and later ground whole wheat for peanut butter cookies baked in a reflector oven.

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On Sunday afternoon, February 3, Newtown Boy Scout Troop 70 held an Eagle Scout Court of Honor at the Congregational Church House, at which time the highest award in scouting was bestowed upon James K. Fahrenholz.

February 11, 1955

The approach of the 250th anniversary of the purchase of land of Newtown from the Indians in 1705 has created considerable interest in a special celebration to mark the occasion. As the town changes in character from a country village surrounded by many thriving farms, to a residential community, it is felt by many that a periodic review of the past and its dramatization on festive occasions can be a significant contribution to the social life of the town.

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The Rev Samuel Coles, American missionary to Angola, West Africa, paid tribute to improved race relations in this country in a sermon given Sunday morning, February 6, at the Newtown Congregational Church. The service was arranged in observance of Race Relations Sunday and drew a full congregation, despite heavy rain.

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The Bee is glad to report that its clock has been repaired by Jerry Jackson and was put in its accustomed place on the front of the building this Thursday morning. Considerable sentiment is attached to this old timepiece, which was given to the late Allison P. Smith, the Bee’s editor for so many years, by his good friend, the late “Big Bill” Egan, who was then the station master of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

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C.J. Walter, once a working cowboy and rodeo rider, and now a popular manager of dude ranches, has been made the manager of the Flying W Ranch, Hanover Road, formerly known as Ten C Ranch. He has indicated plans for making it the “ranchiest ranch in the East,” and will offer the warm Western hospitality that he is known for.

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The United Fire Company of Botsford will shortly solicit funds for the construction of a 2,000 gallon water tanker “in order to serve the community with the best in fire-fighting equipment,” it was announced this week.

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St John’s Church new Hammond electronic organ, a gift of William M (Chief) McKenzie of Queen Street was dedicated at last Sunday’s service.

February 7, 1930

The Acme Decorating Company of New Haven, Frank Zingl, proprietor, are just completing a very beautiful and satisfactory job of decorating on the interior of St Rose’s Church, the work having been underway since September. The transformation in the church interior is very striking, and all who have seen it and knew the interior before the work was started are highly enthusiastic over the result.

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Dea Edward Olmstead filled his ice chouse, Friday, his Taunton neighbors turning out and helping him with the task. The supply was cut from Taunton Lake.

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Nineteen hundred and thirty marks the twentieth anniversary of the Boy Scout movement in America and the second anniversary of the present troop in Newtown.

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During the physical education period, the girls in the upper grades are having a course in folk dancing.  The boys play basketball, those from the upper grades coaching the younger ones.

 

February 10, 1905

Work on the coal bins, which the Consolidated Railroad are building at Hobart’s, just west of Hawleyville, has been stopped for the present.

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O.E. Morgan of Hattertown has just purchased of New York parties one of the latest and most up-to-date cider presses on the market and has had it moved to his mill in Hattertown.

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The inhabitants of Palestine district are wondering when the balance of their roads are to be opened so they can again communicate with the world and get their mail regularly every day.

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Thomas Maloney, employed by Taylor & Hubbell, while splitting wood, Saturday had a chip fly, cutting the right eyelid badly. Dr Kiernan sewed up his wound and he is doing nicely.