***

One side maintains the budget’s 35.94 mill rate, a 2.64 mill increase over last year’s tax rate, is too high, while the other maintains that cuts in the Board of Education’s budget will bring about staff reductions and affect the school system’s classroom, sports and extracurricular programs. Who prevails will be determined by Newtown voters who participate in an all-day referendum on the $15,561,372 town budget passed by the town meeting on May 28.

***

The new town park on Philo Curtis Road, Sandy Hook, whose playing fields opened this year, will finally get an official name when the Board of Selectmen meets on June 22, and the three board members would like to hear suggestions from the public before making their decision. The Parks and Recreation Commission has suggested the park be named after the late Timothy B. Treadwell, who was a Republican first selectman from 1968 to 1972.

***

A store for kids is what Rosalind Schastey had in mind when she decided to open a new toy store called “Off the Track Toys” in the old Newtown Railroad Station building. How does a new toy store owner start off once she makes such a decision? She rents a store, stocks it with toys, and employs the services of a “funky” chicken to help launch her new venture.

***

The Newtown Bee has been sponsoring Soap Box Derby racers for several years. This year The Bee’s name rides on Newtowner Sarah Gallo’s car. Sarah’s red car, which weighs 220 pounds with her in it, was built with the help of her dad. The construction began in January and come Sunday their labors will be put to the test.

***

The one thing 14-year-old Robert McInerney wanted to do most after spending six weeks in the hospital with a knee cartilage injury was go fishing. So when he got home, off he went to a stream near Glen Road. His mother, Ann, told him he wouldn’t catch much there, but Robert said he would — and did. The Newtown resident caught this 4¼ pound rainbow trout, proving his confidence was well founded.

 

June 15, 1956

The Cyrenius H. Booth Library has announced that a puzzle fan, in an excess of zeal in trying to decode a current Tangletown, cut out a page from the encyclopedia and made off with it. Apart from handicapping other users of the volume, such an act impairs the value of the encyclopedia, since individual pages are impossible to replace. It is suggested that the puzzle addict might redeem himself in some measure by returning the missing page by mail.

***

At its regular weekly meeting, held at the Edmond Town Hall on Wednesday evening, the Newtown Planning Commission adopted regulations concerning the erection of commercial and business structures and advertising signs. The regulations became effective upon adoption. As noted in the regulations, the purpose is to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the Town of Newtown at the same time conserving the natural or landscaped scenery and protecting the appropriate uses of land within the town.

***

One of this year’s projects of the Horticulture Club is making the Town Forest of Newtown a more desirable place for an outing, for bird watching and for study of the flora of the park. In pursuance of this plan members of the club spent last Saturday at the Forest working toward making the entire park serve its purpose. A picnic luncheon was served in a space reclaimed during the morning for the occasion.

***

A new sports car touring club has been formed in the area known as the Outpost Touring Club, comprising membership drawn from Newtown, Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, Ridgefield and South Salem, N.Y. First major activity of the group is scheduled for this Sunday, June 17, when members will meet at the Circle at 1 pm and make individual runs through all the above-mentioned towns, ending at an unknown destination for a picnic.

***

The Newtown Recreation Program will begin next Wednesday, June 20, at 9 am when the station wagons and bus will begin their trips to pick up children who wish to come to the Hawley School playground and to take swimming lessons at 10 and 11 o’clock in the new pool. Children should have their daily fee of 25 cents to give to Dominic Orticelli, playground supervisor, at the playground or to the collector at the pool when reporting for a lesson.

 

June 12, 1931

The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts held the last meeting of the year, last week. Of course, they will all be on hand when the camping season arrives. On Monday, June 15, the Girl Scouts are planning to have an over-night camp trip accompanied by Mrs Cullens and some members of the troop committee.

***

Beginning on Saturday for a limited time, Sears & Roebuck Co, at their Danbury store will sell the Kenmore washing machine at $59.50. The Sears & Roebuck 10-year guarantee goes with this machine. People from Newtown and vicinity are invited to cut out the coupon on another page and mail to the Danbury store.

***

With the rain falling heavily throughout the afternoon the exercises of the laying of the corner stone of the Fairfield State Hospital on Mile Hill were held. Instead of being out of doors and at the administration building the exercises were held in the machine shop, which was covered over. Gov Cross, the guest of honor, and the main speaker, said he did not understand he was to come over to Newtown to make an address.

***

A real Sport Car $554 DELIVERED. FORD DE LUXE ROADSTER Rakish lines and flashing colors! Unseen, a powerful motor that guarantees quick getaway at the traffic lights — speed on the open road — and real hill-climbing ability! Get in and drive. Demonstration costs nothing. Visit us or phone. Liberty Garage, Newtown, Conn. Ford Direct Dealer Tels 151 or 281.

***

The interior of the Botsford railroad station was damaged to the extent of $1,500 by a fire which evidently started from the furnace. A hose attached t the big water tank finally got the best of it, although the pumper of the Newtown fire department arrived and helped finally to squelch the fire.

***

Letter: To Mrs Edith C. Parker. My Dear madam: — My letter may be to you, something quite unusual and out of the ordinary. I am an American fellow 46 years old, and a widower, and I live all alone here in Portland, Conn. and I am now without work. I am one of the greatest lovers of dogs, I firmly believe, that ever existed. For the past 11 years I had one dog that I really worshipped and this little pal of mine died while on my trip from California. No one knows except a dog lover how I miss my pal. I have no dog or cannot get one, as I have no means whatever. I thought that perhaps, if I wrote you, who I know raises dogs, and asked you to help me to get some kind of a pet, I would be the most grateful chap in the world to you for your kindness. I assure you no dog would get a better home and receive better care than mine. Sincerely yours, Gilbert F. Stancliff, Gen. Del., Portland, Conn. After reading the letter it is not necessary to say that William and Edith Parker shipped a beautiful pup, on the first train to Portland — to cheer at least one lonesome life.

June 15, 1906

Sherwood Peet of Stepney was in Sandy Hook, Wednesday, driving “Black Bess,” a horse 31 years old which was in Edward Taylor’s livery for 20 years. Mr Taylor bought her and her mate in 1882 and gave the horse to Mr Peet seven or eight years ago. The horse in good condition and all right and made the trip from Stepney to Sandy Hook in fine style.

***

A note from Mrs F.S. Andrews at Berkley, Cal., states that they escaped all injury in the recent earthquake. She reports that section as having another severe earthquake that day (June 6). She sends kind regards to all Newtown friends.

***

Through the forethought, untiring energy and prodigious work of Prof Ross Jewell, Newtown’s High school principal, Memorial Day of 1906 in our village was made a most beautiful and impressive tribute to our Nation’s dead. May bestowed upon us one of her rarest days. The spectacle was indeed beautiful. As we watched the boys and girls, led by the veterans of the war for the Union, we realized what this did and should mean to us all.

***

John R. Peck had quite an exciting runaway, last Thursday morning, near the barn of William H. Prindle, when his horses, attached to a milk wagon, became frightened at an automobile, ran and smashed a wheel. Mr Peck was bruised some on one leg. On Sunday morning Mr Peck’s team, while hitched in front of the store of R.H. Beers & Co, became frightened at an automobile and ran across F.J. Naramore’s lawn and on to C.B. Taylor’s property. The latter, who was talking with A.T. Nettleton, had a close call from being struck by one of the infuriated horses. The automobiles are becoming so common that it is unsafe for women to drive on the streets.

***

On last Saturday afternoon the YMCA team of Bethel were defeated at the hands of the strong Newtown baseball team by the score of 8 to 1. The Bethel batters were unable to do anything with Nick’s benders. They scored their only run on an error. The home team showed a marked improvement in batting and played a fast game in the field. We would respectfully suggest that the management begin the games at the advertised time. The “bleacher” seats are not real comfortable to wait for the game to begin.