***

The 1986-87 girls’ basketball season was officially brought to a close when the Newtown High School varsity, junior varsity and freshmen teams were feted at a banquet at the Fireside Inn, Tuesday evening. First year varsity coach Owen Gallagher led the proceedings, along with team captain Patti Keating, the only senior on the squad. Gallagher then produced a Newtown-blue T-shirt that had printed on the back one of the team’s goals for next season — “WCCs in ’88.”

***

For the 10th year in a row, Newtown was represented in New York City’s St Patrick’s Day Parade by the Newtown High School Marching Band, under the direction of Joseph Grass. The band passed the reviewing stand and television cameras at 2:50 pm on March 17, and leading the band down Fifth Avenue in the annual wearing of the green were Kristine Logan and Kevin Neel, drum majors.

***

Lake residents concerned about noise, and angry jet boat owners attended a special meeting of the Lake Zoar Authority to discuss pending legislation that would ban all jet boats from the lake. The bill introduced by the Environment Committee in the legislation, “An act prohibiting the use of jet boats on Lake Zoar,” was scheduled for a vote on March 23, but was delayed due to calls from residents who had just found out about the bill after a poorly notified public hearing was held and no one attended.

March 30, 1962

Monday saw five grass fires extinguished by the volunteer firemen in town, as the rash of spring brush fires continued in the town. Dry weather and winds combined to make dangerous conditions for grass, brush, and forest fires. Townspeople are reminded that permits are needed for all out-of-door burning of brush and trash, and theses permits may be obtained from the town fire wardens.

***

Mr and Mrs Andrie Velthuizen of Shady Rest, Sandy Hook, who own and operate the Newtown Taxi Service, have purchased and put into operation two new cars. The cars, handsome black Checker cars, are limousine size, with room for the driver and seven passengers. They are appropriate for special occasions, as well as transportation.

***

The Cyrenius H. Booth Library is now exhibiting a selection of woodblock print Landscapes by the modern Japanese master Kawase Hasui. According to the Japanese system for print making, the artist draws only the original design for a print. This design is then tuned over to artisans: trained printers who carve the individual color blocks and print the complete edition in the studio and under the supervision of the publisher. The exhibit, from the collection of Robert Muller of Currituck Road, will be on view in the library through April.

***

Newtown High School’s gymnasium was crowded with adults and young people last Friday evening, March 23, attending the physical education department’s annual Gym Show. The Gym Show displays the varied training, skills and actual physical feats acquired by the boys and girls from grades seven through 12. Stunts on the horse, parallel bars, springboard, mini trampoline, etc had the spectators holding their breath.

 

March 26, 1937

L.J. Carmalt, chairman of the Public Relations committee of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association in New Haven, was in town on Monday and in company with Charles B. Johnson, made a study of the stone piles in Taunton district, with a view to determining whether or not they mark Rochambeau’s Revolutionary campsite.

***

The meeting of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce scheduled for Thursday evening, April 1, at 8 o’clock in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall, will be an open meeting to which the public is cordially invited. The meeting will be devoted to a discussion of the proposed additions to Newtown’s central school plant. N.S. Light, director of field service of the State Board of Education will be present, as will Frank Knight, supervisor of the local schools.

***

The Newtown Orchestral Society will present its annual spring concert at 8:30 o’clock, Thursday evening, April 8, in the Edmond Town Hall theater. This symphony orchestra is composed of over 50 musicians, who are mainly residents of Newtown and surrounding territory. Mario Di Cecco, conductor, has arranged a program for the spring concert which is one of the most interesting yet presented, one of the highlights being Rimski-Korsakov’s colorful Scheherazade Suite.

***

Earl Collins of Sandy Hook, besides being a fine barber, has other accomplishments that need mentioning. We saw him shoot one-handed pool and the way he could get those balls in the pockets was a caution, and all with one hand. Congratulations to the one-handed player of pool.

 

March 29, 1912

FOR SALE — Pet donkey, harness and cart; a good one. L. Birdsey Parsons, Newtown, Conn.

***

H. Birdsey Sniffen, a popular Sandy Hook young man, who has been in Worcester, Mass. and other places for six months, expects to be in town for a month or more. Mr Sniffen is an expert watch and clock repairer and he will be glad to attend to all work in this line entrusted to his care. He will have his workshop at the home of his mother, in Sandy Hook.

***

DODGINGTOWN: A birthday surprise party was given to Leroy Starr Barnum, last Friday evening, March 22. Mr Barnum was asleep when the party walked in and surprised him. It took him some time to realize what had happened. Mr Barnum, thinking it was a fire, ran for his red shirt and fire hat. The evening was spent in playing games, singing, dancing. A bountiful spread was served at midnight.

***

When it comes to the handy tumbling act, Postmaster Page of Sandy Hook has got ’em all “beaten to a frazzle.” The other night, in riding home with E.J. Thrall, Sr, he occupied a seat in the rear of the wagon on an egg crate. The horse happened to start suddenly and when the returns were all in, Mr Postmaster had executed a neat somersault and landed in a sitting position in the mud. He quickly regained his feet and climbed back into the thrall express. Fortunately, Mr Page was uninjured.