February 12, 1999

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Wendell Stonaker.

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The Board of Education unanimously approved the operating budget proposed by Superintendent John Reed for 1999-2000. At $35,369,579, the operating budget represents a 10.41 percent increase over the current budget of $32 million. The school board also approved a capital projects budget totalling $3,963,557, bringing the entire school spending package to $39.3 million.

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Town volunteer firefighters have reached an agreement with the state to assume full responsibility to respond to fire calls at Fairfield Hills. The pact is subject to review and approval by the Board of Selectmen. Under the agreement, which is tentatively scheduled to take effect February 16, firefighters from the Newtown Hook and Ladder Volunteer Fire Company will be the first to respond to fire calls at the 600-acre state-owned property in the geographic center of town. Additional local fire companies will be called to emergencies, as needed.

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John Gorka’s latest album, called After Yesterday, is so new, most of the people who turned out for the singer-songwriter’s concert at Edmond Town Hall last week were unfamiliar with any of the new material. Fortunately, Gorka’s endearing stage presentation — from his wonderful anecdotes to his feigned confusion, and even his admission at one point to forgetting the words to one of his own songs — so charmed everyone at the February 4 concert, he had a captive audience through the duration of the show.

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Head coach Gregg Simon was hoping to keep it low key, but with a packed house, his wife and two of his three children in attendance, the principal and superintendent of schools hanging out down at the far corner, and an explosive finish to what had been a hum-drum game, it ended up being anything but low key. With a 55-34 win over Notre Dame of Fairfield last Friday, the Newtown High School girls’ basketball team — 11-5 overall at that point — presented Coach Simon, now in his seventh year, with his 100th career victory.

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The music and drama clubs have been waiting a long time to improve the sound system in the Newtown High School auditorium. Finally, they have united in an effort to raise funds to make it a reality. According to school officials, the sound quality in the auditorium has been poor since the school was built in 1970. The installation of new speakers and amplifiers will be required to upgrade the existing system. A fund-raising drive has received support of both Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed and NHS Principal Bill Manfredonia. … According to Technical Director Tom Swetts, $90,000 will need to be raised in order to achieve a better level of sound.

February 8, 1974

Cub Scout Pack 370 held their monthly meeting on January 28 at The Dodgingtown Firehouse. The opening and closing ceremonies were conducted by Den 2. The following Webelos awards were presented: Artist, Kent Thornberry, Mark Rideg, Richard Dexter; traveler, Richard Dexter, Kent Thornberry; sportsman, Chris Mahler, Mark Rideg, Richard Dexter, John Van Wagner; engineer, Kent Thornberry, Chris Mahler; aquanaut, Mark Rideg; citizen, Scott Erikson, John Van Wagner; athlete, Scott Erikson, Dave Osterman. Robert Jacobs and Bill Petracy were inducted into Bobcats. One-year pins were given to Mike Ciofoletti, Bill Bolmer and Jeff Pastore. Two-year pins were presented to John Van Wagner, Ted Pilchard and Frank DeLucia.

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Newtown’s wrestling team chalked up its twelfth straight victory of the season when it defeated its tough opponent, St Paul’s, 33-23 on Monday, January 4. Newtown’s 101 and 108 weight classes, which started the match, both lost in tough decisions. Dave Oliger started the comeback by pinning his opponent with 2 seconds left. Dave has been totally undefeated this season. … It was 23-31 against Newtown until Mike Newman got to the mats. He pinned his man in 1:43 minutes and Tom Cavanaugh followed quickly with another pin in 2:41 minutes, thus ending the match in Newtown’s favor.

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For the most part it is only in the culturally rich metropolitan areas that one may hear an artist of Vladimir Ashkenazy’s stature. Last Friday evening, thanks to the Newtown Arts Festival Committee, this widely acclaimed piano virtuoso appeared in concert recital in the well-filled auditorium of the Newtown High School. … Although the program consisted of the works of two very familiar composers, the selections chosen were among those less familiar to the average concertgoer. Asking neither particular intellectual effort or deep emotional involvement on the part of the listener, the music was of the sort to be savored and enjoyed and marveled at.

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New record levels for sales and earnings were established in 1973 by Harvey Hubbell Inc, marking the company’s thirteenth consecutive year of increased profits. Net sales of Hubbell’s continuing operations in 1973 were a record $141,666,000, up 19.7 per cent over the $118,353,000 recorded in 1972. In addition, the company reported extraordinary income of $2,000,000 or $0.47 per share as a result of the gain realized from the disposition of the operation sold in January, 1973.

February 4, 1949

The speaker at the Newtown Parent-Teacher Association meeting on February 1st was Dr. W.H. Pillsbury, formerly superintendent of schools in Schenectady, N.Y., and now consultant to the Connecticut State Board of Education. Dr Pillsbury and a committee have recently completed a survey of education in our state under four headings: (1) What is the ideal program now carried out in schools? (2) How much of this program do we have in Connecticut? (3) Why do some of our towns lack the complete program or parts of it? (4) What should be done about this lack?

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The executive committee of the Women’s Federation of the Congregational church held a meeting on Tuesday afternoon at the home of Mrs E.M. Peck.

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Members of The Bee staff were glad to greet some old friends on Tuesday when Mr and Mrs Steven Coons, here briefly from their present home in Newton Center, Mass., dropped in for a visit. Long residents of Easton but really native to Newtown since they have such a large circle of friends here, Steve is enjoying his work in the adjoining state, where, as is generally known now, he is on the teaching staff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Cambridge.

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The local fund raising committee for Infantile Paralysis wishes to extend its appreciation to those who contributed so generously during the recent drive. It has been noted that many former friends have overlooked the important envelope mailed to them in which they might make their contribution. During 1948 more cases of infantile paralysis were recorded throughout the country than in any other year except 1916. Over 27,000 youngsters fell victims of this crippling disease. In Newtown alone more money has been extended in 1948 on patients than has been collected in any four years. This should give the public a fair idea of the cost of sustaining one victim of polio.

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Tax Collector Robert A. Camp reminds the motor vehicle owners in Newtown that they must pay all local taxes on their vehicles before they can obtain new 1949 registrations from the State Department of Motor Vehicles. Approximately 125 such owners have failed to pay their current automobile taxes to date, Mr Camp estimates. He explains that delinquent taxpayers should pay their car taxes as soon as possible in order to obtain their new registrations before the February 28 deadline.

February 1, 1924

The funeral of Rev J. Beatty Howell, whose death was announced in last week’s Bee, was held on Monday at 2 p.m., from the Woodland Presbyterian church of Philadelphia, Penna., Rev Dr Swain officiating. A large number of the clergymen of the Presbytery, with which he was connected, were in attendance. The burial was in the Mt Moriah cemetery, Philadelphia. … He had continued his work [after two years in Portugal, where he labored on his commentaries of the New Testament in the Portuguese language] in Newtown and in September last got off his final copy for the printer. Mr Howell strongly impressed all he met by his genuineness, his breadth of vision, his warm and tender sympathy, and his gentlemanly and helpful qualities.

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The officers of Pootatuck Grange installed on January 23 by Mrs Bruce Randall of Bridgewater were as follows: Master, Frank H. Platt. Overseer, Robert W. Tiemann. Lecturer, Mrs Edith W.C. Mitchell. Steward, John Northrop. Assistant Steward, Willis F. Arndt. Chaplain, Russell E. MacMurchie. Secretary, Miss Anna G. Murphy. Gate Keeper, Charles F. Cavanaugh. Ceres, Miss L. Millicent Cavanaugh. Pomona, Mrs Edith V. Mead. Flora, Miss Myra Bevans. Lady Assistant Steward, Mrs Catherine Cavanaugh. Executive Committee: Mrs L.A. Glover, Mrs L.B. Cavanaugh, Mrs Edith S.M. Coger. Insurance: J.J. Northrop, O/ Howard Hall, W. John Murphy. Sick Visiting Committee: Mrs F.S. Smith, Mrs Edith Mead, Mrs Grace E. Ekins.

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The Hawley High School were in high feather when they defeated the Bethel High school in three games of basketball, last Friday night. And it takes the young ladies to pace the way, for their game came first and was too one sided to be of interest, except to those who were Hawley school inclined. Miss Ferris was the particular star, making 23 points of the 35, and Miss Maguire certainly did do well in the center with 8 points to her credit. The coach for the Bethel team protested the way our girls played the game and finally they accepted the Bethel [illegible] but Bethel girls could do no better than they did before.

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A house formerly owned by D.B. Parmalee and standing a few rods south of his present residence caught fire, Tuesday afternoon, and in a short time was entirely consumed. The building was owned by the Milford Land Exchange Co, of Bridgeport and had been occupied for a year or more by William Whaley and his two sons. The youngest boy had just returned from school, when the fire started from in or near the chimney. A strong wind was blowing at the time which hastened its destruction. Neighbors who arrived soon after the alarm was given saved most of Mr Whaley’s goods.

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Mrs Ada C. Parmalee had her ice house filled, last week, with fine eight inch ice. William Whaley and two sons are occupying rooms in the house with Philo Cogswell.

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The thermometer touched at five degrees below zero in Hopewell district, Sunday morning.

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District Forest Fire Warden, Villeroy G. Hard, Jr, of Newtown, attended the session of the New Haven and Fairfield County Fire Wardens’ Association at Sage Hall, Elm City, last Saturday. The program covered a discussion of improved methods of fire protection.

February 10, 1899

Despite the threatening weather, a large audience was present at St Rose’s church on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the excellent musical program given by St Rose’s choir and talent from the Park City. Members of local councils of the Knights of Columbus attended the concert in a body, occupying seats in the western aisle. The galleries were well filled with children. The violin solos and duets by Mrs Gordon and Arthur Platt were fine, in fact they have seldom been heard to better advantage. The entire program was praiseworthy, and reflected high credit on those who participated, as well as the pianist and musical director, Sister Berchman.

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HATTERTOWN — INTERESTING MEETINGS AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE Very interesting meetings were held in the schoolhouse for four evenings of last week, conducted by Rev F.P. Braman of Stepney, assisted by Rev Mr Luddington of Shelton. Considerable interest was manifested and it is hoped much good was accomplished. | Charles Favreau had his hand cut by getting it too close to the knives of a hay cutter. | H.A. Pratt and men have worked till about 9 o’clock every evening for a week or more in order to keep up with the work that is brought to them. | Orlando Platt has had another attack of hiccoughing, but is better at this writing. | James Harris and Henry Morgan arrived home from Rhode Island, Saturday evening. | Miss Elsie Botsford has been a guest of Mrs E.C. Northrop. | A good sized water snake was seen trying to crawl along on the ice and snow near J.C. Lewis’, one pleasant day recently.

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Miss Hazel Smith, a little three year old living at Sunset Cottage, is the proud owner of a handsome white cat, a present from a kind hearted farmer in Sherman.

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Thomas Brennan has been visiting in Long Hill, the guest of Patrick Brennan.

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Mrs Alexander Beard of Bridgeport was in town, last Thursday.

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G.R. Wilson has a new horse, bought in Brewster, N.Y.

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Miss Bessie Ruffles, daughter of Walter Ruffles, is quite seriously ill with bronchitis.

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Mrs Ruby Sherman of Manville, Wyoming, has been visiting an old school friend, Mrs E.S. Lovell.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.