March 15, 1996

The Legislative Council Wednesday night approved a $50.9 million municipal and school budget that reflects a 12.9 percent spending increase, mostly due to debt payments on anticipated capital projects. The council approved a municipal budget of $22 million, up 2 percent, and a $28,286,212 school budget, up 4.57 percent but $250,000 less than the school board had requested.

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Winter’s 12th storm, for those who are counting, dropped eight inches of snow in the Danbury area last Friday, boosting the total snowfall to 106 inches, an all-time high. The previous record of just over 80 inches was set in the winter of 1945-46.

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A highly complimentary accreditation report has school officials at Newtown High School beaming with pride. NHS Principal Bill Manfredonia presented the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ findings to the Board of Education Tuesday night, calling the report one of the most exceptional reflections of a school system he had ever seen.

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Dirt will fly as First Selectman Bob Cascella, library trustees, and Friends of the Cyrenius Booth Library break ground March 19 for the $4.1 million addition. The event is viewed as a milestone by all who have worked on the project.

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The State Historical Commission gave its unanimous support this week to Newtown’s proposal to create at scaled-down version of the proposed historic district in the borough... “The key to the new proposal was the designation of Main Street as a historic roadway, which serves as a link for continuity between the properties,” said Mr Loether [architectural historian and National Register specialist for the commission]... the borough only recently decided to back a plan that would include only those property owners who wished to participate.

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Newtown’s State Championship Dreams Come CRASHING DOWN In Sloppy 58-53 Quarterfinal Loss To Torrington — All Newtown had to do was take care of business with Torrington and it would be off to the WestConn Field House for a chance to play in the state championship. But after nearly 30 hotly-contested minutes of playoff basketball, Newtown’s best laid plans were reduced to rubble. Leading 48-43, with just 3:30 remaining, the Indians seemed to punch out and go home. Torrington, who had scored only two points in the first four-and-a-half minutes of the fourth quarter, electrified its crowd by posting 15 in the final three-plus, outscoring Newtown 15-5, to win by five, 58-53.

March 12, 1971

The Selectmen have voted to put the changes to the Charter on the voting machines in the town election on May 3. The major change proposed is what is called an “organized” police force. At present, Newtown’s first selectman acts as Chief of Police and the Board of Selectmen has the power of a Police Commission.

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Amidst theatrical candlelight and drifting cigarette smoke, Newtown’s Town Players hosted over 70 people at their annual dinner dance March 6 at the Edmond Town Hall , from 7 pm to 1 am. A Mexican, buffet-style dinner was catered by Marni Wood, and the Alexandria Room was decorated in a Mexican theme. Bob Scalera’s three man band played the Mexican Hat Dance and other Latin numbers during the evening.

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Wednesday morning the senior class of Newtown High School launched a magazine campaign to raise funds for the class’s treasury, and from now until March 22, the seniors will be soliciting magazine subscriptions and renewing subscriptions. The sales are to be conducted by the members of the senior class alone, and a lot of them can be recognized by the bright buttons they’ll be wearing that bear the legend ’71.

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Five weeks ago, Mrs John O’Neil of the Town and Country Garden Club paid a visit to the Honey Tree Nursery School on Taunton Lane and showed the children how to plant and care for spring bulbs. The bulbs were scheduled to bloom for Easter, but the children did such a good job tending to them that they burst forth early, and it seems so very nice to have fresh flowers blooming during the last cold days of winter.

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The Newtown Fund deeply appreciates the spirit and help of the community. Thirty-nine families, including 75 adults and 174 children received Christmas baskets this year through the Newtown Fund Annual Program, Joyce Owen, chairman, reported.

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Two Middle School teachers have started an activities program for 5th and 6th graders over the week-end, and Saturday was the first day of the program. Games began as Amy Reichardt, Student Council president, and Michael Moher, grade 6 teacher and Student Council advisor, were presented a pool cue by James Buccellato, grade 5 teacher who donated the pool table.

March 8, 1946

“Not as a good a play, nor as well done as ‘The Man Who Came To Dinner,’” — that is the Bee’s opinion of the Town Players in “Kiss and Tell,” three-act comedy by F. Hugh Herbert, presented last Thursday evening at Edmond Town Hall theater. That, also, seemed to be the verdict of the record-size audience, which, however, enjoyed the performance.

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The regular March meeting of the newly organized Newtown Teachers Association was held on Wednesday, March 6, at the Hawley Annex. The business part of the meeting was under the supervision of Walter Los. Enthusiasm was renewed in the hopes of a profitable and enjoyable future for the group. Everyone seems to appreciate that the NTA is an ideal way of bringing together all the teachers in the town.

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Maybe it was “Spring Fever” or this fine weather — but no matter what, it was a record group of more than 20 young people who met at Hawley School Tuesday evening for the weekly gym class. The floor looked super — resplendent in its new coat of varnish and paint. Now there will be no trouble telling if you are “in” or “out” of bounds.

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It is of interest to note that Kenneth W. Casey, seaman, first class, USNR, of Curtis Hill Road, Sandy Hook, participated in ceremonies aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bennington, at Pearl Harbor, as Admiral John H. Towers, USN, relieved Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, USN, as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, early in February. The Bennington, as a unit of Task Forces 38 and 58, took part in the carrier-borne strikes against the Tokyo bay area and in other air-sea assaults against the Japanese homeland, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

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SANDY HOOK An interesting house built on 2 levels, 6 rooms, modern bath, fireplace, oil burner heat, large shade trees, lawn, terrace, 15 acres, small barn, nice location, privacy but accessible. Price: $12,500. Edmund M. Foster, Sandy Hook, Ct. Tel. Newt. 348-13.

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This Week, the Sunday magazine of the New York Herald Tribune, in its issue of February 24, featured the accomplishments of Nancy Curtler of the Dodgingtown district, who became a designer by chance and now produces double-duty furniture for children.

February 25, 1921

A party of Sandy Hook young people enjoyed a sleigh ride to Danbury, Wednesday night, behind one of R.J. Brophy’s spanking team of horses. They attended the performance at the Empress theater.

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William Wheeler was struck in the eye, Wednesday night, at Sandy Hook, by a snowball and knocked down. If the snowballing is not stopped, legal action will be taken.

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Members of the Men’s Club were entertained in royal fashion, last week Thursday night, at a dinner given by Charles S. Cole, at his residence in honor of his birthday. The dinner was an incomparable one, a beefsteak feast, served to fit a king... A feature of the evening was a “necktie shower” given the popular host by his assembled guests. Every type of necktie, with colors bright and attractive, and very much appreciated by the host. Mr Cole will need no neckties in the next 35 years. One tie presented bore a horseshoe that was formerly worn by a pony owned by Mr Cole.

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The market of Lynch Brothers at Sandy Hook was entered by burglars, Monday night, and a saddle of lamb taken. They did not take away the side of beef which hung in the refrigerator or other meat. It must have been a discriminating and hungry thief. The robbery was discovered early Tuesday morning by that alert officer, Deputy Sheriff Beers. Sheriff Beers has a clue and the party, who has been enjoying lamb steaks and lamb stews, may yet have an opportunity to try Sheriff Pease’s menu at North avenue, Bridgeport.

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The Grand Central hotel, which has been closed for several years, has been leased to W.D. Parker, who will open it for hotel business about May 15. Mr Parker was at one time manager at the Newtown Inn and made many friends while here.

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State Road Supervisor W.C. Johnson deserves great credit for the energy his forces displayed in combatting the big storm of Sunday. The state truck and plow were early on the road and ran through to Beaver Brook and back. This enabled the milk trucks to get through over the worst stretch of road. Four of the milk trucks reached Newtown about 6 pm, so they were able to make Bridgeport. The Bee believes that this snow removal on the trunk lines is worth all it is costing the state, particularly as so much of the milk supplies of the cities now finds its way over the state roads.

Your memories are the ones we want to share! 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 editor@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.