May 18, 1984

The Cyrenius H. Booth Library will soon join forces with other area libraries by linking into a computer network which will give Newtown patrons access to some two million books. In January, library trustees agreed that joining an automated library system would be the answer to modernizing the town library at minimum costs. The conversion to computers will be made at a total four-year-cost of $131,301.

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What could make a woman feel more special than a frothy pastel dress trimmed in lace, satin or ruffles? Local women modeled a number of special occasion dresses at a fashion show presented by the Newtown Welcome Wagon on Wednesday, May 9, at Trinity Church. Fashions were supplied by Evelyn’s Fashion Shoppe on South Main Street.

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The Newtown Ambulance Association is proposing an addition which would double the size of its ambulance garage on Main Street. The additional space would provide a room for training, a kitchen, showers, a toilet, and a small sleeping area. The ambulance association was formed in 1944. Twenty years ago it only was averaging one call a day. It now averages three to five.

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The children of the Montessori School broke ground Friday, May 11, for a permanent facility that has been ten years in planning. The 1,512 square foot school is being built on a 1,433-acre site on Route 302 and Jacklin Road in the Dodgingtown area of Newtown. The elementary school has been a goal of the Newtown Montessori Society almost from its founding.

 

May 22, 1959

Stanley Simon has spanned the years as well as Pond Brook this spring to bridge access to his property north of Route 25, Hawleyville. Mr Simon, of Newtown and New York City, now owns a beautiful, useful, and rare structure — a covered bridge. Only weeks old, the new span has an aura of antiquity fabricated into it through the use of weathered timber and its design to match the fine old hand-cut stone abutments. It is expected that the bridge will bring thousands of visitors to Newtown in the next few years.

 

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Of interest to the industrial growth of Newtown are plans of the F.W. French Tube company, which is building a 200 by 70 foot addition to its plant in South Center District. The new 14,000 square foot building will be a Butler Building, with aluminum siding erected by the Alfred B. King company. The current addition will be completed in about six weeks.

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Dr J. Benton Egee, town health officer and member of the Newtown Park Commission, has received an affirmative report from the State Department of Health in Hartford on a sample of water from the swimming pond in Dickinson Memorial Park. The water satisfies the standards of the health department without any chlorination. The official opening date for Dickinson Memorial Park is Memorial Day. Park passes for parking are available at the First Selectman’s office. The price has been reduced to $2 this year.

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In recognition of his 30 years in the Newtown schools, Carl A. LeGrow, superintendent, was honored at a special tribute Tuesday evening in the high school gymnasium. As a special tribute, the PTA has established in his honor the Carl A. LeGrow scholarship. A plaque bearing his name and the names of future recipients will be hung in the school entrance hall.

May 18, 1934

The Newtown Street Fair presented by the Young People’s Club and the Sunday School of the Congregational Church, under the energetic direction of Rev Paul A. Cullens, in the Edmond Town hall gymnasium, Friday night, was a success beyond anticipations, fully 450 people crowding the gymnasium. The affair was so thoroughly enjoyed that the fair was continued on Saturday evening with a large attendance.

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Hawley Manor was re-opened on Tuesday under the management of William Hunter, for 17 years connected with Louis Sherry & Co, Inc, New York City. Mr Hunter hopes to increase the prestige and popularity of Hawley Manor, so well established by the former proprietor, Mr Scott.

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The Federal Transient Bureau of the Federal Emergency Relief Commission have leased the Sunset Hotel property on Botsford Hill of Mr Hinkle of the National Folding Box Co. of New Haven, and already have a force of men getting the building ready for a Federal Transient camp to accommodate 200 men. During prosperous times it is estimated that there is in the United States a floating population of 4,000,000 men. When the depression set in, this was increased to 10,000,000 men.

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The May meeting of the Men’s Club marked the 40th anniversary of the club. The first regular meeting was held on May 1, 1894, with Allison P. Smith as host. The only charter member at present in active membership is John J. Northrop.

 

May 21, 1909

Mr Wildman of Cold Springs enjoyed a day’s fishing last week, at O.E. Morgan’s pond in Hattertown. In five hours he caught 133 bullheads, eight carp, and 13 perch.

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Through the courtesy of C.B. Taylor, on Saturday last, the Newtown High School had a battle royal with the Shelton High School at the old Fair Grounds, and Newtown won by a score of 8 to 3. It is an ideal spot to play the game. Gustave Carlson did the umpiring in a satisfactory manner, although when Shelton had given up all hope of winning, they blamed the umpire and got real “sassy.”

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The Al Wheeler circus showed to two good audiences at the Fair Grounds, Monday afternoon and evening. The enthusiasm of the evening audience was dampened by a downpour of rain, but the performance went on and was much enjoyed, a couple of hundred people standing up throughout the exhibition. It was one of the best and cleanest circus exhibitions that has ever been seen in Newtown.

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The old mill at Cold Spring, which was formerly owned by John Tomlinson, was blown down in one of the recent high winds and is now a heap of ruins.