March 12, 1999

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — TOO TIGHT A SQUEEZE AT EDMOND TOWN HALL: When the ad hoc municipal space needs committee makes its report to the Board of Selectmen this month, it appears the panel will recommend the $18 million expansion and renovation of Edmond Town Hall. The plan would consolidate all town offices, including the Board of Education, in the Main Street facility, ensuring that town government will remain on Main Street as it has always been. The plan would follow, turn to form, the town’s tendency in recent years to expand on the legacy of Newtown’s legendary benefactress Mary Hawley. The Hawley School and the Booth Library, both built with Miss Hawley’s money, have been enlarged and upgraded by the town for $4 million each. In the case of Edmond Town Hall, however, the same strategy presents problems. By concentrating all municipal business at one Main Street location, the town will exacerbate the existing parking nightmare at Edmond Town Hall. … Edmond Town Hall is an important part of Newtown’s history, and the town’s government should continue to maintain a presence there. It is not practical, however, to try to cram all the town’s boards, agencies, and services onto a site not suited for such an intensive use. … With the new land and facilities at Fairfield Hills that have come to the town from the state, and with the long-shot possibility of the town’s acquisition of the 186-acre core campus of Fairfield Hills, Newtown has better options for solving its office space needs.

* * * * *

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER OF Bobbe Bowles.

* * * * *

The Police Commission has named 20-year police department veteran Michael Kehoe as the department’s new captain, replacing Owen Carney, who retired as captain late last month. Captain Kehoe, 43, who served as a sergeant since July 1997, began work as the department’s second-in-command March 5. … Besides overseeing the patrol and detective units, the captain’s duties involved supervising the records unit, dispatching, communications, and training.

* * * * *

The Board of Education met in executive session Tuesday evening to approve the resignation of Newtown Middle School Principal Les Weintraub. He will leave on April 16, after having accepted the position of superintendent at Garrison Public School District, Garrison, N.Y. Mr Weintraub will continue to reside in Danbury and commute to his new position. … Mr Weintraub has been the principal of Newtown Middle School for the past five years. Previously he was the principal of Ramopo Ridge Middle School in Mahwah, N.J.

* * * * *

A four-vehicle chain reaction accident happened at the intersection of Swamp Road and South Main Street about 12:30 pm March 6. Involved in the multiple vehicle collision were a 30-year-old Newtown male who was driving a Ford F-350 pickup truck, a 47-year-old Bridgeport male driving a 1990 Toyota Camry, a 38-year-old resident of Newtown driving a 1997 Toyota Corolla, and a 68-year-old Newtown male driving a 1989 Chevrolet Blazer. Police issued the 30-year-old driver of the Ford pickup an infraction for following too closely after allegedly initiating the chain reaction crash.

* * * * *

Wesley Learning Center recently was granted accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This prestigious recognition has been achieved by approximately seven percent of early childhood programs nationwide — some 6,050 programs as of September 1998, serving 566,025 children. Wesley Director Rahnna Peck said she is very pleased and excited to have achieved the recognition. The staff has worked hard to make it happen, she said.

March 8, 1974

The Newtown Police Department has openings for four new officers, and on Monday morning, March 4, 116 young men turned out for the written examination, out of a total 140 applicants. Three additional officers will increase the size of the force, with the fourth man taking a position resulting from the resignation of one of the officers. Funds for the new officers were provided by a special appropriation, approved by Town Meeting, to alleviate the Police Department’s manpower shortage. The exams are now being corrected, and when this is completed, those who pass will be notified. They will take an oral exam, and the top men will be the town’s new Men in Blue.

* * * * *

At the Planning and Zoning Commission session on Friday, March 1, a change in the septic system plans for the proposed Newtown Mart shopping center on South Main Street caused the application to be withdrawn. This disclosure occurred after a spirited public hearing on a zone change that would enable a different type of shopping facility on Route 34 in Sandy Hook.

* * * * *

Newtown’s Meals on Wheels Inc now has an address, a phone number and may, in a few weeks, be serving its first hot meals to convalescents and shut-ins in Newtown, it was announced at the Board of Directors meeting on March 4 in Edmond Town Hall. Mrs Betty Parrella, one of the founders of MoW, said that rumors saying that MoW couldn’t find people to enter the program were absolutely false. She stated that already one convalescent had offered to serve as a bellweather participant to test the program. Several other people had called her, Mrs Parrella said, saying that they needed to have hot meals delivered to them in their homes. With regret, Mrs Parrella said, she had turned down the requests because the program was not underway and food was not available.

* * * * *

A special appropriation of $133,382 will be up for approval at the same town meeting to take place before March 18 in which the new teachers contract will be voted on. The Board of Finance, on March 4, voted to approve the special appropriation to pay the 5.5 per cent retroactive pay increase for Newtown’s teachers agreed upon in the contract approved between the Board of Education and the Newtown Federation of Teachers on February 18. Unless the town meeting votes to disapprove the contract, Dr Russell Strasburger, chairman of the Board of Education, said the contract becomes law on March 18, 30 days after the contract was filed at the Town Clerk’s office. At that time, BofEd will be required by law to pay the retroactive salary increase since September 1, 1973.

* * * * *

Last Saturday night, March 2, nearly 300 Little League supporters attended the second annual Spring Ball. Everyone had a “ball” dancing, eating and having a generally good time. Charlie Rideg, president of the Newtown Little League, awarded many door prizes with the grand prize of 200 gallons of home heating oil going to Guido Migiano of Sandy Hook. The winners of the dance contests were Frank and Sylvia Kordish, polka; Renee and Bill Kobrock, rock; and Judy and John Boehm, jitterbug. Charlie Rideg, Jim Severnak and Tom Hardwood were the judges with a difficult decision in each case.

March 4, 1949

During the height of Monday’s storm, Harrie Wood of the Dodgingtown district, The Bee’s unofficial ornithologist for Flat Swamp and vicinity, reported spotting a fox-sparrow (Passerella iliaca) on his property. Mr Wood was of the opinion that this might presage a prolonged and tedious winter, the fox-sparrow, as everyone knows, being native to northern Canada, Alaska and some of the remoter regions of the Bering Sea. Not so, however, we discover upon investigation, for the fox-sparrow winters in Connecticut, Ohio, and during especially brisk seasons has been known to take up temporary quarters as far south as Gastonia, North Carolina. Last week, The Bee, reporting on birds seen locally this time of year, airily dismissed the necessity of feeding them as in previous years. Several days later came the record snowfall, so until spring makes up its mind to say, it might be wise to scatter crumbs as in the past.

* * * * *

Mr and Mrs Alvin Coger of the South Center district entertained Miss Janet Chamberlain of Hiawatha, Kansas over this past week end.

* * * * *

Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith spent the week-end visiting in Schenectady, N.Y.

* * * * *

PROCLAMATION: BECAUSE another war is a threat to the very existence of our civilizations; and / BECAUSE the citizens of Newtown while now enjoying domestic peace and security under the laws of their local, state and federal governments deeply desire the guaranty of world peace; and / BECAUSE all history shows that peace is the product of law and order, and that law and order are the product of government; and / BECAUSE the Charter of the United Nations provides for the means to amend and strengthen it into a World Government capable of enacting, interpreting and enforcing law to maintain peace; and / BECAUSE last April 1st 485 citizens of the Town of Newtown signed a petition urging the strengthening of the Charter of the United Nations; and / BECAUSE the citizens of the Town of Newtown and the State of Connecticut voted 10 to 1 in favor of the World Government Referendum last November 2; and / BECAUSE the week of March 6 to 12 will be observed as WORLD GOVERNMENT WEEK in many parts of the United States; / THEREFORE, I, William W. Holcombe, First Selectman of the Town of Newtown, do designate the week of March 6 to 12 as WORLD GOVERNMENT WEEK and urge all citizens of Newtown to give their deepest consideration to the problem of strengthening the United Nations into a World Federal Government with power to maintain peace; for upon the successful realization of this issue may well depend our lives and our liberties. WILLIAM W. HOLCOMBE, / First Selectman, / Town of Newtown, / State of Connecticut.

* * * * *

On last Thursday, February 24, the movie “Bring ‘Em Back Alive” was shown at the Edmond Town Hall theatre, for the benefit of the Cub Scouts of America, Pack 70 of Newtown. A successful turnout was had at the three full showings starting at 2, 7 and 9 p.m. The famous show filmed by Frank Buck was shown for the purpose of raising funds to purchase supplies for the Pack.

February 29, 1924

Samuel Burtis Camp, the oldest resident of Taunton district, passed away on Thursday of last week, about 1 o’clock, aged 95 years and eight months. He was a son of Joel Trowbridge and Polly Fairchild Camp. His father attained the great age of 90 years and nine months. Mr Camp was a man of most genial, friendly, happy temperament, and highly thought of in the district where he so long resided. Surviving him is one son, Edward B. Camp. The funeral was attended on Sunday afternoon from his late home, Rev J.L. Lasher, rector of Trinity church, officiating. The pallbearers were William C. Johnson, Charles B. Johnson, Stanley Blackman, Charles L. Jackson and Richard Arndt. The burial was in the Taunton cemetery. Amos Lake and Walter Lake of Bethlehem and Misses Mildred and Sadie Hawley of Danbury were present at the funeral.

* * * * *

Few towns the size of Newtown have a better equipped or up-to-date garage than that of the Liberty Garage, of which the Carlson Brothers are the general proprietors. Throughout the winter they have had an unusual run of business and the three mechanics, Messrs John Carlson, Henry Carlson and Marty McGrath, have been kept stepping. They also have the local agencies for the Buick, Chevrolet and Ford cars and carry the parts for these cars. Service is their motto. When it comes to detecting what is wrong with a car there is little that gets by the discerning eyes of either John or Henry Carlson, and it may be said also that the special friend of Editor Smith and C.F. Cavanaugh, the Hon Marty McGrath, is hard to beat.

* * * * *

Mrs Philip Carlson of the Boulevard, who recently underwent an operation at St Vincent’s hospital, Bridgeport, is now convalescing at Lakewood, N.J.

* * * * *

Constable Paul Cavanaugh has been confined to his home with an attack of stomach trouble.

* * * * *

A special convocation of Hiram chapter, No. 1, R,A,M., was held on Wednesday night.

* * * * *

Rev Walter Aiken has been confined to his home in the Street with a severe cold. His son has also been ill.

* * * * *

Miss Ruth Hubbard of East Berlin and Miss Marjory Smith of Westfield have been guests for a few days of Mrs George Curtis Morgan.

* * * * *

Dr and Mrs Russell Morgan of East Norwalk were recent guests of E.J. Morgan.

* * * * *

William H. Egan, the popular Master of the Pennsylvania station on New York, passed Sunday , February 17, with Mr and Mrs William Egan of Walnut Tree Hill. Mr Egan has just returned from a six week’s trip to South America.

* * * * *

Charles D. Ferris and son, Charles, were visitors in New Milford, Monday.

* * * * *

Mrs Bertha Ferris visited Mrs David Curtis in New Haven recently.

March 10, 1899

The statement that F.A. Isbell’s hound was dead is not true; but it was a hard trial for him hung in baled hay wire, where John Loughlin expected to catch a fox in a barway. John Tuttle’s dog [sic] staid by about 24 hours in the cold of that terrible time before the blizzard. When he could stand it no longer and left his find, the big hound broke the wire and brought home five feet of it around his neck.

* * * * *

Your correspondent is so pleased with the report of Deacon Mitchell’s golden wedding that we are somewhat sorry that we have let our chance go by, one year over. The trio of poets did their part to perfection. “Fred” is a trump. It seems to me that he did not exaggerate in the easy going rhyme. Such pens should not be idle.

* * * * *

At the Congregational church on Sunday morning, the usual preaching service was omitted, Rev Mr Barker giving an exposition of the Sunday school lesson.

* * * * *

Walter Glover, who has had quite a tussle with the grip, is much better, and has been up in the Street, this week.

* * * * *

Mr and Mrs Harlow Stahl, who have been the guests of Mrs Stahl’s parents, Dea and Mrs N.W. Mitchell on the river, and came on from Honolulu to be in attendance at the golden wedding anniversary, last week, have returned with their family to their home at Bellevue, Ohio.

* * * * *

Mr and Mrs John Thompson of Brushy Hill are the happy parents of a daughter, born on Sunday morning.

* * * * *

Charles J. Hughes, of the Stratford Granite Works, Bridgeport, was in town, last week, directing the erection of a granite monument for the late Dr Monroe Judson and family, in our cemetery. The memorial is a very handsome one, in sarcophagus form, of different design and finish from anything in the cemetery. The inscriptions are cut on a highly polished surface in raised letters. Its size, solidity and high polish make it one of the most attractive and noticeable monuments in the cemetery.

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.