June 11, 1999

The Rev Robert E. Weiss, pastor of St Joseph Parish in Shelton since 1990, has been named the new pastor of St Rose of Lima parish in Newtown, effective July 1. The announcement was made by the Most Reverend Edward M. Egan, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Father Weiss will succeed the Rev Msgr George D. Birge, who has been pastor of St Rose of Lima parish since 1986. Msgr Birge recently was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity parish in Sherman, effective July 1. He succeeds to Rev David J. Riley, who has been appointed pastor of St Cecilia parish in Stamford.

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Ten ethnic Albanian family members arrived in Newtown earlier this week looking to start a new life here in the United States. On Wednesday, they spent their first night in America, thousands of miles away from the terror and strife that has rocked their war-torn homeland. Able to speak little English, they arrived at JFK International Airport after an all-night flight from the Macedonian capital of Skopije. For now, they will stay in the small home of their relatives on Hundred Acres Road. Three other family members arrived late last week. Over the next week or so, 17 people will live in the two-bedroom home on a farm in Newtown.

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The Newtown Board of Education appointed Diane L. Sherlock to replace Les Weintraub as Middle School principal at its meeting on Tuesday night. Superintendent John Reed was enthusiastic about the board’s decision, and said he had never been more confident in recommending an applicant to the board than he was with Ms Sherlock. … In a closed executive session, the school board had its first opportunity to meet with Ms Sherlock as a group, and following an hour-long interview, unanimously named Ms Sherlock to the post.

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Police report a booby trap was set along Schoolhouse Hill Road Monday, resulting in a 12-year-old boy receiving first- and second-degree burns on his leg. A man and his 12-year-old son were driving along Schoolhouse Hill Road about 7:15 pm when they noticed a small brush fire burning on the road’s shoulder, police said. The man stopped the car and his son attempted to stomp out the flames with his foot, but in putting pressure on the ground, the boy pressed a buried container of lighter fluid, causing the lighter fluid to squirt up his leg and ignite it. The container evidently had been buried in the ground by the person who set the fire, according to police, who did not disclose the identity of the boy or his father. The boy was taken to Danbury Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The incident constitutes second-degree assault and first-degree reckless endangerment.

June 7, 1974

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — LET’S HEAR MORE VOICES: Two positive steps aimed at attacking the overcrowded conditions in Newtown’s schools were taken by those attending the Town Meeting at the high school on Wednesday evening. Both involved the appropriation of monies with the grand sum totaling slightly over three hundred and two thousand dollars. Discussion, some a hashing of what we have all heard before, preceded each vote and at the final count the “ayes” were far ahead of the “nays.” … What we need, and have said many times before, is more input and voice from Mr Citizen. He should be at the meeting to size up the situation, listen to all sides both at the time of the vote and in early encounters, and then cast his lot. … Involvement is encouraged every day, in our schools, churches, jobs and homes. Judging from the head count at the past few Town Meetings, we need a bit of practice in what we preach.

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A meeting of the Charter Revision Commission was scheduled for Thursday, June 6, since the June 5 town meeting took place on the regular date; however, one Commissioner had requested a postponement and it was uncertain at press time whether the meeting would take place. More than one member hoped it wouldn’t. Weekly meetings since January have culminated in a stalemate on the key issue of establishing a fiscal officer and brought out divergent philosophies on the form Newtown government should take.

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Are the voters of Newtown participating in their town meeting form of government? The League of Women Voters says No, according to records of town meetings over the past year, which show less than one per cent attendance of registered voters. The League of Women Voters has completed an informational chart of the town meetings held in Newtown between July 18, 1973 and May 15, 1974. The chart is based on the Town Journal Record, Volume 15 and shows nine town meetings and three referendums were called. Six of these meetings were called to appropriate special funds to operate the town government. Currently Newtown has approximately 8,000 registered voters. The attendance at town meetings ranged from 30 to 125 citizens with a median attendance of 70 (less than one per cent of the electorate). The number of citizens who spoke at each meeting ranged from six to 28 with a median of nine.

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First Selectman Frank DeLucia said the Board of Selectmen was impressed by the amount of material the Selectmen’s Route 25 Impact Study Committee has gathered on the advisability of the proposed Route 25 expansion. The Route 25 Committee met with the Board in closed session on Tuesday, June 4, to review the Committee’s findings and the form of its final report. The report was due to be completed by the end of June, but Mr DeLucia said that the committee could take more time if it so desired.

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Very early on Wednesday morning, June 4, busloads of 6th grade students from the Middle School and their chaperones set off for an exciting field trip to Washington, DC. The trip was sponsored through the student council aided by teachers Michael Moher and Roberta Corbin and funded through sales the students had, monies put up by their parents and the PTA.

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The Bee received a message from Mike Roy, a former employee, now of the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Millington, Tennessee. He writes that since graduation from Newtown High in 1973, he has become a petty officer, third class, specializing in fire control of aircraft. He is also drillmaster of one of the two professional drill teams that the Navy has, the Flying Rifles. This team represents the Navy from coast to coast, he writes, and was Grand Master of the Iris Parade in the Mardi Gras. The drill team is available to a city or town on request by writing to Millington, Tenn.

June 3, 1949

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — SOME HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WILL BE GRATEFUL: The award of a local scholarship to aid some worthy high school senior in obtaining further education is a most commendable project. That is the purpose of the Newtown Scholarship Association. The Bee hopes, therefore, that the association’s current campaign for membership funds will meet with ready public response. The scholarships which have been awarded each year, since the project first started, have been of real help to the recipients. So they will be in the future. All that is necessary is continued generosity on the part of the people of Newtown, realizing that it is very worth our while to help in this way one of our young deserving young people whose scholastic ability merits a financial boost along the road to higher learning and greater usefulness in mature life.

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Miss Mary Starr Smith, daughter of Mr and Mrs Paul S. Smith, returned home on Wednesday, having completed her Junior year at the Walnut Hill School, Natick, Mass. Mr and Mrs Smith drove to Natick for her, attending the school’s commencement exercises in the afternoon.

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A daughter, Judith Gail, was born on Friday, May 27th, in Bridgeport hospital to Mr and Mrs Leonard R. Shepard of Bridgeport, formerly of Walnut Tree Hill. The baby is the fourth granddaughter of Mrs Leonard Shepard of Newtown.

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Miss Aloise Heller of Berkshire district, Sandy Hook, who has been a patient at St Vincent’s hospital, Bridgeport, is recuperating speedily at her home and expects to resume her duties on the Hawley faculty soon. Mrs Walter Smith of Taunton district has been substituting during her absence.

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The Bee is glad to be able to report that one of its staff members, Lillian Pettit who works in the front office, is progressing satisfactorily after an operation performed in Danbury hospital Wednesday morning.

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The local campaign for the Junior Republic of Litchfield has reached a total of $373.50, toward the $400 goal. Paul S. Smith of The Bee office will be pleased to receive any further donations and forward them to the school.

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George Vaughn, well-known teacher of woodwind instruments and a resident of Newtown, was one of the featured soloists at the final concert of the Danbury Orchestral Society held on Wednesday evening in the auditorium of the Danbury High school. The number played by Mr Vaughn was a Concerto for Oboe, composed by the 16th century Domenico Cimarosa. Having taught in most of the schools in this area, Mr Vaughn has also played with many famous musical organizations including the Alfred Wallenstein Symphonette and the New York Philharmonic.

May 30, 1924

For several years the editor of The Bee and Frank Wright have been quietly at work completing a list of the Civil War veterans buried in the cemeteries of Newtown, in order that their graves might be appropriately decorated on Memorial day. There appeared to be no complete list and Comrade Briscoe had only a partial list. But with the assistance of the several sextons have persisted in the work and hope it is correct. The list was printed in last week’s Bee and appears again, this week. Austin L. Botsford gives us the name of G.B. Botsford, buried at Land’s End cemetery. Charles L. Minor of Berkshire furnishes us the name of another veteran, Richard Hammon, buried in Berkshire cemetery. On Saturday night Sheriff Beers telephones the name of a veteran whose name had been omitted from the list of those interred in the Sandy Hook cemetery, Edson Sanford of Brooklyn, N.Y., who lived for a time in the Ann Taylor house in Sandy Hook. If any other citizens note any other omissions, we would be thankful to receive the names. It is our plan to have three type-written copies made, one to be lodged in the Newtown library, one in the Sandy Hook library and one to be lodged with Town Clerk Oscar Pitzschler, for the benefit of future generations.

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For Decoration day, fresh tomatoes, lemons, lettuces, oranges at S. Nalevsky’s, Huntingtown.—[Adv.

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Rev Charles H. Smith of Branby, Mass., stepped off the train, Tuesday morning, at Newtown to greet his brothers enroute from Bridgeport to Lenox, Mass., where he was to address a Pomona Grange meeting and perform duties of inspection for the Massachusetts State Grange.

June 9, 1899

HUNTINGTOWN — MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCES: On Sunday, May 28, the usual memorial exercises were held in the Town hall. The GAR, S. of V. and the Woman’s Relief corps responded in full force to the invitation given by the Village Improvement society and with their friends not only filled the hall but the grounds around. A most pleasing program had been arranged by the committee and everything passed off in a very satisfactory manner. A prayer was offered by Rev Dr Wendell and short addresses were made by Rev Mr Smith of Shelton, Rev Dr Wendell and John Joseph Tomlinson. The musical part of the program was very finely rendered and received much applause. Mrs Eli Baldwin of Derby delighted the audience with a very fine solo, “Gone to Their Rest,” and the male quartet and the mixed quartet covered themselves with glory and there was also some very fine chorus singing. After the service at the cemetery the usual lunch of sandwiches and coffee was served by the Village Improvement society.

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Principal H.B. MacFarland has been elected a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Philadelphia.

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Dr Edward M. Smith has rented his house to A.B. Street of New Haven, for July and August.

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Mr and Mrs F.B. Hubbell and children of Westport were the guests of Mrs Hubbell’s parents, Mr and Mrs I.B. Goodsell, last week.

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DEATH OF N.B. NICHOLS: Nathan Bennett Nichols, the oldest resident in Huntingtown, died on Tuesday of last week, of paralysis of the brain. Mr Nichols had been in poor health for several years. He was nearly 89 years of age and had lived in this town all his life. He leaves a wife and three children, A. Nichols of White Hills, Mrs Oliver Beard of Long Hill and Miss Louise Nichols, who resides at home. The funeral was held on Thursday from his late residence, Rev A.J. Park officiating.

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.