Members of two Newtown fire companies and the Newtown Ambulance Corps participated in a two-day course in basic vehicular rescue last weekend at Hook and Ladder firehouse.

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Instead of relocating the existing Turkey Hill Road bridge over the Conrail tracks 150 feet north, area residents asserted the state DOT should reconstruct the bridge at or near its present site, at a hearing at town hall Tuesday night. Area residents called strongly for the existing bridge to be reconstructed at its present location to avoid the impact of cutting hundreds of feet of road through private property and wetlands.

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Jack Tanner, who recently arrived in Newtown from the mid-west to become minister at the Newtown Christian Church, says he is looking forward to the challenges which his new position offers. Entering his first senior ministry since his ordination, he will be leading a congregation which has been without a minister for nearly two years.

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Horns honking, a ten-car caravan made its way down Route 25 last Friday, stopping briefly at Amaral Motors Inc, Newtown’s Chrysler-Plymouth dealership. The line of cars was part of the “Made In USA Mileage Caravan” which Chrysler-Plymouth has launched to dramatize American alternatives to imports.

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Local baton twirler Dawn Roman captured two first places, and two majorette runner-up trophies in recent National Baton Twirling Association events. Dawn won the regional T-Strut championship and the Open Solo championship.

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If Dr Seuss’ character, Bartholomew Cubbins had as many cats as he had hats, he would be right at home on Swamp Road. A resident there has complained that people are dumping so many cats on the road, not to mention furniture, old records, stacks of Readers Digests, car tires, liquor bottles and beer cans, that the wildlife is being disturbed. “I’m tired of picking up other people’s trash and feeding other people’s cats,” said Mrs Emily Via. The Vias have already spayed five females and neutered one male, but it is expensive. Mrs Via’s menagerie does not match that of her next-door neighbor’s, the Kopkos, who have accumulated over 15 of the animals.

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Making paper airplanes may be “taboo” for most sixth-grade classrooms, but in the new Business Basics course at Newtown Middle School, students produce paper airplanes with the approval and support of their teachers. In an innovative approach to teaching business, paper airplanes and other easily-produced items are being used to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of mass production and unit production, of quality control, productivity and other business fundamentals.

July 8, 1955

Soon Newtown’s most famous rooster will be seen pictured on window cards all over Fairfield County. It will advertise the 250th anniversary celebration, Saturday, August 6. At a meeting of the executive committee Col James A. Tobey, the chairman, by resolution was directed to express the thanks of the committee and of Newtown to Robert Hallock, the well-known artist who lives in Newtown and made the drawings as his contribution to the town’s birthday.

With the customary Fourth of July parade giving way this year to a gala procession down Main Street as part of the 250th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, August 6, the committee in charge, headed by Robert Gorton, is seeking a distinctive lineup of decorated vehicles. Cash awards will be made for the Best Historical, Most Original, and Most Humorous floats.

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The annual bazaar of the Community Auxiliary of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company will be held this Saturday, July 9, at the firehouse beginning at 10 am. A variety of booths will be set up to attract visitors with a display of fancy work, white elephant, parcel post, wishing well and refreshment stand with soda and ice cream.

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In a public notice in the classified section of this issue of The Bee, the Board of Selectmen of Newtown forbids the dumpings of brush at the town dump on Route 34, Sandy Hook. Townspeople were formerly allowed to carry brush to the dump and burn it there. The privilege of burning brush at the dump has also been withdrawn.

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Appointed recently the associate minister of the Newtown Congregational Church, to assist the Rev Paul A. Cullens, pastor, Stuart Haskins moved his family to Newtown two weeks ago, and took up his duties in the church last Friday, July 1.

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Selectmen granted this week the application of the Transit Mix Concrete Company for a permit to establish a concrete batching plant on Route 25 at the Newtown-Monroe line. The action was taken following a public hearing June 24 in which strong opposition was expressed.

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Tuesday evening the Newtown Country Club had a very famous visitor in Ed Sullivan, famous radio and television star, who took a golfing lesson from professional, John Stevens.

July 4, 1930

About 65 attended the first social event of the season given at the club house at Riverside on Lake Zoar, Saturday evening. The affair was in the nature of a card party, with recreational games being played on the verandas. The hosts for the evening were the members of Block A.

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Nicholas Tinto, a 10-year-old boy of Taunton District, shot a blank cartridge into his hand on Tuesday of this week. Dr. E.L. Kingman attended the injury.

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Chief Murray, who gave the firemen instruction during the spring, will be here on Saturday at 1 pm to give them further instruction in the use of the pumper. It is hoped all firemen will turn out.

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The Newtown Chamber of Commerce held the final meeting for the summer season, last Thursday evening, at the Guild room in Sandy Hook, with a good number in attendance. It was voted to have an outing for Chamber of Commerce members and their wives or sweethearts to take the form of a sail to Port Jefferson sometime during July or August, the date to be decided by a committee.

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Ernest J. and George Curtis Morgan, proprietors of Homestead Poultry Farms, shipped, this week, three of their Rhode Island Reds to the World’s Poultry Congress, to be held at the Crystal Palace, London, July 22 to 30. Only three pens of Rhode Island Reds are to be shipped from the United States, so that Newtown is highly honored to be represented by birds at this World Congress.

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Camp Washington has its full complement of campers this year. Accommodations are at a premium and those who wish to spend a delightful vacation would do well to make application at once for reservations. The camp has become so favorably known that now instead of seeking boys and men to fill it, Mr Wedge, the financial manager, has difficulty in making room for all who wish to come.

July 7, 1905

Newtown people are extending congratulations to a plucky Newtown young man, James Milton Betts, who has just finished a six years’ course in the Yale academic and law schools. On Thursday in Bridgeport Mr Betts was admitted to the bar by Judge Milton A Shumway of the Superior Court on motion of Judge William J. Beecher of this town.

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A boy who had been fishing at Taunton lake had an exciting experience while walking on the east shore, Saturday morning. As he was going along through the beach grass a snake about two feet long suddenly sprang at him, and came near enough to him to grab his trousers leg. The boy kicked it off and tried to back away but his snakeship still continued jumping, the boy keeping up a vigorous kicking, finally managing to get far enough away to bring his fish pole into action, when the snake retreated into the lake. The snake was probably a pufferhead adder as after he took to the water his head swelled up as big as a man’s fist.

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Probably 500 people enjoyed the display of fire works at Sandy Hook, Tuesday night. They were set off west of the Niantic mill pond, eliminating the fire danger and furnishing a pleasing background for the illumination.

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Last Sunday morning as Miss Lizzie Leavy, Miss Mary Leavy and Edward Leavy were on their way to church they met with a bad accident which they will not forget for some time. When just north of T.W. Barnum’s house a signboard which had blown off the fence and laid near the road, frightened the horse which jumped to one side overturning the carriage and throwing the three out. The carriage was badly broken and the horse, with the front wheels attached, ran as far as Birdsey Beardsley’s on Mile Hill, where he ran into the yard and stopped. It was fortunate and almost a miracle no bones were broken and no one more seriously injured.

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A colonial ball will be given in connection with the Bi-Centennial at the Town hall on Friday evening, August 4. All the citizens are invited to attend in colonial costume.

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Julius Hartwig of Berkshire is improving and thoroughly repairing the interior of his house. Henry Moore is superintending the work. Otto Juppe is the painter and decorator.